Devon charity upskills its staff with funded management training

Employers in the region are using Train4Tomorrow’s funded Skills Bootcamps to ensure the skills needs of their organisations are met.

Skills Bootcamps allow you to create a bespoke training programme to develop your staff within just 16 weeks.

Health and wellbeing charity, Improving Lives Plymouth (ILP) is among the latest organisation to take advantage of the accredited Leadership and Management training to upskill its staff.

The charity provides a wide range of services, including support for veterans and their families, assistance for those with sensory impairments, and guidance for people managing long-term health conditions. It currently has 50 paid staff and over 80 volunteers across its services.

ILP was looking to improve leadership and management skills of its line management team. It co-designed a tailored 10-week programme, held one day per week at City College Plymouth, that was affordable, relevant, and compatible with managers’ demanding schedules.

Sarah Austin, Executive Assistant at ILP, said: “From the outset, the Skills Bootcamp captured our interest. Their flexible structure and meaningful content stood out as a perfect fit for our goals: empowering our managers with the skills and confidence to lead effectively, developing a stronger organisation, and ultimately enhancing the services we provide to the community.”

Since attending the CMI (Chartered Management Institute) accredited course, managers at ILP have reported increased confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. By bringing together managers from across the charity it allowed them to network and build relationships which has strengthened the way they work across the organisation.

The learners felt valued by the investment in their development, and the programme content directly aligned with their responsibilities, testament to how the bespoke programme works so well.

Encouraged by this success, ILP is sending more of its line managers onto the Skills Bootcamp.

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Skills, said: “Skills Bootcamps are the perfect way to invest in the development of your staff. They’re short courses, running from two to 16 weeks, and up to 90% of the course costs are met by Devon County Council. It's encouraging that Improving Lives Plymouth has seen the positive impact of the training and how that has built stronger networks within its team. It’s great to hear such glowing feedback on how Skills Bootcamps have benefited their staff and, in turn, their organisation.”

For more information and to find out more about available courses visit www.train4tomorrow.org.uk