Diversity of Practice Learning

Objective

To enhance the diversity in all aspects of planning, provision and assessment of practice learning opportunities, including in black and minority ethnic organisations and facilitate practice learning planning for disabled students.

Key activities will focus around a national event to consult with black practice teachers/assessors, a guide for employers on supporting black staff and students and also commissioned research about the role and experiences of black practice teachers/assessors and how they can be supported.

Working with Diversity Officers in Local Authorities, the group will promote practice learning within statutory sector projects that provide services for BME communities, and encourage the establishment of cross sector working groups to target specific projects in voluntary and independent sectors.

To facilitate practice learning planning for disabled students the group will provide support and guidance to the Professional Education and Disability Support (PEdDS) Project (University of Hull) during the production of a Best Practice Guide for disabled students in a practice learning environment.

Outcomes

• Increased number of practice learning opportunities and assessors within the BME sector
• Support needs of BME and other minority practice assessors/teachers met within LRCNs
• Increased awareness of the needs of disabled students when undertaking practice learning and increased pro-active planning by agencies and social work programmes
• Practice learning will be part of the core of activity in local authority strategies for public involvement