Charity and the voluntary sector Forth Valley April 13 2011 16:04

Coalfields Trust Helps Charity Train its Staff

Alloa charity Crossroads has gone to the top of the class after a £10,000 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust helped 34 of its staff enhance their qualifications.

Nicky Wilson, Scottish Trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust said: “Crossroads deserves a gold star for the way it has responded to the challenge of ensuring its staff is fully trained.

“We are delighted to have been able to support such an effective training programme.

“Not only are the staff involved better qualified, the higher level of support they can now offer clients in their own homes means fewer people have to go into care or hospital”.

Crossroads Office Administrator Elaine MacLeod said: “The level of professionalism required of people working in the care sector is rising all the time.

"Continuous Professional Development, which means people have to keep their qualifications up to date, is now an essential component of working in the Social Services Sector.

“We are delighted so many of our staff have taken the opportunity to enhance their qualifications, some of them taking more than one course, and we’re grateful to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for the financial support to fund the training”.

Four Crossroads staff, Joyce Hope, Heather Ure, Linzi Milne, and Ailsa Scambler passed their SVQs in Care at Level 2 while Shirley Short reached level 3.

Linda Robertson got a formal qualification from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents as a trainer in Safer People Handling while she and Deirdre Bown qualified in Risk Assessment for Moving and Handling.

Twenty staff members passed Epilepsy courses, eight underwent child protection training, seven did Dementia Awarness courses while another twelve were successful in Calms Training in techniques to manage aggressive behaviour.

Crossroads has 40 carers who provide 800 hours of support to 80 family carers and to people who have no one else to support them.

End

Note to Editors:

1. Picture shows from Elaine MacLeod of Crossroads and Nicky Wilson of the CRT kneeling with some of Crossroads successful candidates. Names are: L to R front row (kneeling Elaine MacLeod and Nicky Wilson. Back Row: Margaret Gardiner, Angela MacLennan, Maria Kucinski, Karin Wilson, Tom McAughtrie of the CRT, Nicole Sinclair, Joyce Hope, Linda Robertson and Louise Bett.

1. The Coalfields Regeneration Trust was formed in 1999 to help mining communities recover from the devastating effects of pit closures.  Since then the Trust has spent over £15m in Scotland supporting over 500 community-based and job creation projects in the hardest hit areas.

1. For more information on the Coalfields Regeneration Trust go to:

http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk

Posting organisation: John Scott Communications
Contact: John Scott
Email: johnd.scott@johnscottcommunications.com
Phone: 07917729201
Region: Forth Valley
Site Url: http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk