What is Advice Skills Academy 2.0?
Advice Skills Academy 2.0 is an innovative project supported by the European Union through the European Social Fund (ESF), that will build the skills and knowledge of staff offering advice services in the Liverpool City Region (LCR) .
The Advice Skills Academy is run by a partnership led by The Women’s Organisation chosen because of their reputation and track record in the Liverpool City Region as well as their capacity, skill and significant experience of project lead and accountable body status through ERDF and ESF for both UK and EU directorate programmes.
The Advice Skills Academy will be delivered by a consortia of local Citizen Advice Bureaus (see below) and The Women’s Organisation are proud to offer support as managing agent and lead and accountable partner of the project. The Women’s Organisation were chosen as the lead for the Advice Skills Academy 2.0 due to reputation and track record in the Liverpool City Region as well as capacity, skill and significant experience as project lead and accountable body status through ERDF and ESF for both UK and EU directorate programmes.
Advice Skills Academy 2.0 draws on a successful pilot project which was funded until September 2019 to work with 540 people from across Liverpool City Region to further their skills.
The Advice Skills Academy 2.0 (ASA 2.0) will deliver an integrated curriculum of accredited and non-accredited training to 1202 people in the Liverpool City Region. It will develop and up skill the workforce for specialist advice services in the Liverpool City Region. It will also provide a pathway for unemployed people to compete effectively for job opportunities within the advice sector.
ASA 2.0 will deliver a range of accredited Level 2 & 3 training and non-accredited courses to:
- address higher level skills shortages in specialist advice services;
- provide training and support for people within the workforce to improve skills, progression, knowledge and productivity;
- provide training and a support routeway for disadvantaged groups seeking to access further job opportunities in the sector;
- improve management, leadership and progression capacity; and
- promote equality by improving the progression prospects of women within the workforce.
Key Project Partners include:
- The Women’s Organisation (lead partner)
- Citizens Advice East Liverpool
- Citizens Advice Halton
- Citizens Advice Knowsley
- Citizens Advice North Liverpool
- Citizens Advice St Helens
- Citizens Advice South Liverpool
- Citizens Advice Sefton
- RAISE
The Advice Skills Academy 2.0 (ASA 2.0 ) project will develop a co-ordinated approach to identifying learning and development needs of staff with Citizens Advice service and those in advice roles from organisations across Liverpool City Region; develop a calendar of training opportunities to meet the needs of staff; identify other learning and development opportunities, including e-learning, coaching and mentoring; and support the development of learning organisations that are responsive to the needs of staff, volunteers, and their learning, development and progression goals.