Be Inspired! Shirley Ayres Consulting

An intriguing new development from MacMillan Cancer Support. Learn Zone is a treasure chest of useful information including a Leadership & Management Toolbox. All the L&M Toolbox information and resources are suitable for any leader or manager and are not specific to cancer care.

Spend a few minutes online registering with them and your reward is full access to the Toolbox where you will find:

• A place where you can access quick and practical resources to support your knowledge and skills development.

• An online source of high-quality leadership and management development resources, in a range of different media, from Harvard Business School, Ashridge Business School and 50 Lessons.

• A resource for you to access whenever you like, wherever you are.

• A comprehensive set of materials covering a broad range of generic leadership and management knowledge and skills.

• A collection comprising everything from short video interviews with international leaders and brief book reviews to academic journals, substantial learning guides and multimedia modules.

• Issue of the Month – each month a particular L&M issue or topic will be highlighted and links provided to a range of resources in the toolbox.

In addition to the L&M Toolbox, the main MacMillan Learn Zone site gives you free and easy access to a wide variety of online resources, e-learning programmes, professional development tools and information about MacMillan’s latest learning and development opportunities related to cancer

care. For more information visit www.learnzone.macmillan.org.uk to register and start using their online resources.

Once registered  yu may be interested in completing the self evaluation for social workers. The personal development self-assessment tool is set out as a series of gears for you to adjust, allowing you to assess your competencies in relation to your specific professional role. You can save each assessment and return to it as often as you want. You can also print out a summary overview.

Definitely worth a visit!

Tags: a wide variety of online resources, e-learning programmes, evaluate your social work skills, free access, Leadership and Management, professional development tools

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What makes a good employer? A simple audit tool which reveals whether your employer demonstrates that staff really are the most important resource in the organisation.

Quality Assuring Training  – will the new quality marks and standards make a difference to the unregulated area of training provision?

The ALISON free on-line learning community continues to grow rapidly worldwide. Gain an on-line computer qualification. Find out more about the recently launched ABC programme.

Recruitment Agencies unite to promote quality – is your agency signed up?

Stress busters - See things from a different angle

Get closer to London’s exciting cultural scene as the city’s top venues open their doors, spaces, backstage areas and more, and invite you to take part in Open Rehearsal.

Have you ever wondered what happens backstage at the National Theatre? Or do you long to take part in a singing workshop with the BBC? Perhaps you’d like to get your film screened, or have some ideas for a musical? From Friday 26th to Sunday 28th September 2008 London’s Open Rehearsal festival lets you do all these things and more.

Highlights of this year’s Open Rehearsal season include a world-first as The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House holds open rehearsals for the first time in the company’s long history. In addition, there are events at both the Young Vic and the Old Vic, the Barbican, the National Gallery and more.

What are you waiting for? London’s doors are open! Start planning your Open Rehearsal weekend now…http://www.visitlondon.com/events/open_rehearsal/

Tags: free on-line computer training, good employers, investing in staff, new topics, quality assurung training, recruitment agencies, see life from a different angle, Stress busters, training and development

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Log on at ALISON and prepare yourself for the 21st Century workplace today!.

ALISON free interactive on-line learning for the workplace continues to grow rapidly with the launch of the global IT Skills Certification. This free and self-certifiable IT skills training now available to everyone. The certification can be achieved via the study of highly-interactive multimedia courseware which is freely accessible for study by anyone once they are a registered learner with ALISON. 

Whether you are completely new to computers or possesses some basic computing skills, the ALISON ABC IT offers full citizenship of the ‘Digital World’. ABC stands for ALISON Basic Computing.

If you are responsible for managing learning or training within an organization. ALISON MANAGER is an excellent way to introduce staff to the benefits of eLearning.

ALISON MANAGER is a complete, secure, web-based monitoring and reporting system for tracking all of your learners’ activity on the courses you have selected for them. This offers all of the benefits of a Learning Management System (LMS), but at a fraction of the costs usually associated with such systems. Find out more by emailing hhannant@alison.com quoting GB310627

ALISON ABC IT Certification is revolutionary. It is comprehensive, free, self-certifiable, and always current.  It covers not only conceptual understanding of IT and desktop applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel spreadsheets, but also the full range of practical skills required to be fully IT literate, including touch typing and the efficient use of Web-based e-mail.

The learning is self-certifiable through the ALISON Web site, with a requirement of a 75% test score averaged across all lessons. The touch typing module must also be completed for the certification to be awarded.

ABC IT-1 (Basic Concepts)

Introduces the learner to the basic concepts of computing and teaches how computing can be an everyday feature of life and work. In this module, learners are introduced to computer hardware and software for the first time and also taught the key concepts of the IT world.

ABC IT-2 (Applications)

Introduces the learner to the Microsoft Office 2003 application suite, the most commonly used office-software application package worldwide. This suite includes MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

ABC IT-3 (Practical Skills)

Explores the practical elements of computing. IT-3 covers three important elements of computing namely: basic touch typing, using and setting up a Webmail address, and desktop ergonomics, which teaches how best to organize one’s working environment for safe use.

Web site: www.alison.com

Tags: alison manager, Social Work

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There may not be any free lunches available but there is some really good news – you do not have to pay hundreds of pounds for software, if you know where to look. You can get it for a fraction of the cost or even free!

Did you know about the download sites and software library sites that are now available online? These are all legitimate websites and a source of great software which is either free or costs a nominal amount?

A very useful resource for small charities and individuals who do not have big IT budgets.

How do these sites work?

It is a new way of marketing products without spending large amounts of money. Computer programmers and small software companies  write good programmes and  upload them to the sites for anyone to use either free or at low cost. This enables them to become established and encourage sales of their more sophisticated programmes and products.

If you are looking for a free PDF converter (I have just downloaded Primo), a word processing package or a desk top publishing package then take a look at these sites which have lots of great office software totally free.

Using a download site you can get free anti virus software, find free fixes and patches to stop your computer crashing.

Download.com

Download.com offers a huge library of free and legal software downloads, music downloads, and game downloads. We provide timely, relevant, and credible information about important software updates and game releases as they come available. The editors write unbiased reviews and ratings for thousands of free downloads, and they are committed to maintaining coverage that is objective and accurate. All the downloadable software, music, and games in our library undergo a rigorous testing process to ensure it is safe and spyware free.Very easy and user-friendly but not everything is free, so check before you download. http://www.download.com

Shareware

This is basically a search engine for free software (and shareware). Find it at http://www.shareware.com

Tucows

A bit more complicated to use because of all the technical information but do persevere because there are some good downloads and everything that is free is clearly marked ‘freeware’. Find it at http://www.tucows.com

Interestingly a lot of people do not believe that good software can be downloaded for free. So they just don’t use them! It is definitely not true that software is only good if it costs you lots of money. 

You may also be interested in the free online learning offered by:

ALISON http://www.shirleyayresconsulting.com/post/2008/05/Welcome-to-Alison-the-free-global-learning-experience.aspx

SCIE http://www.shirleyayresconsulting.com/post/2008/04/Are-you-part-of-the-internet-revolution.aspx

SONY 1012 backstage  http://www.shirleyayresconsulting.com/post/2008/05/Backstage-101-a-free-online-learning-community.aspx

Handy Tip

See more on your browser

Do you wish that your browser was bigger? Well it can be. Simply press F11 and the toolbars will disappear in effect making it bigger.

Another tap on F11 and it’s back to normal. This works on all web browsers.

Why not try it now!

Tags: be part of the it revolution, free software

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Learn how to use the Internet for your studies or your work. Did you know about the Internet Social Worker a free, interactive tutorial which will help improve your internet skills?

This is an excellent resource which allows you to tour the best of the web for Social Work, discover how to search the Internet effectively, judge which websites are worth using and read stories to inspire you.

The Intute: Virtual Training Suite is a national Internet service provided by the Intute (formerly the RDN) and funded by JISC (an agency of The Higher and Further Education Funding Councils of England, Scotland and Wales).

The service offers over 60 free, online tutorials teaching Internet skills for different subjects, and is free to access via the Web.

It is run by the Institute for Learning and Research Technology at the University of Bristol (UK), though the content has been written by a distributed team of tutors, lecturers and librarians from across the country.

Who is it for?

The tutorials have been designed for different audiences. Some are designed for students and staff in universities or colleges, some are for adult and community learners so they differ slightly, but they are all free for anyone to use.

You can use them to “teach yourself” by working through them in your own time. They are also designed to be a flexible eLearning resource that can be easily adopted by tutors, lecturers and librarains in a wide range of courses. Worth a visit especially if you are just finding your way around the internet. Access it here

The site also provides a useful Glossary of computing terminology and words used in the tutorials.

blog -Blogs are Web logs kept by individuals, groups or organisations to record thoughts, ideas, work notes or outcomes on the Web chronologically. Readers can comment on blog posts and post discussion comments.

Tags: elearning, internet social worker, learning about the internet, websites

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Backstage 101 is a Sony sponsored free online learning community encouraging discussion and collaboration on the technology of everyday life. Since the website is sponsored by Sony, they are  very keen to promote their products. The registration process encourages you to sign up for mailings about Sony products and services but this is not compulsory. The courses are well designed with the inevitable references to Sony products throughout the programmes which are not too intrusive.

With lessons in everything from personal computing, home entertainment to digital photography and video there is something for everyone with the bonus of a certificate of completion. The courses available change month by month and you have a specified time to complete each course.

If you are inspired to update your technology skills and knowledge the current courses on offer include:

• Advanced Microsoft® Excel 2007, Part I: Analyzing Data

  Graphic Design for Non-Designers

  Road Trip Planning: Gear, Gadgets, and Navigation

  Green Living

  Record Your Life with Digital Scrapbooking

  Digital Camcorder Guide: Choosing the Right Camcorder

Find out more by visiting the website: http://backstage101.learningcenter.sony.us

Tags: be inspired, computers, free online learning, learning community, sony 101

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ALISON* is the world’s leading free online learning resource for basic and essential workplace skills. ALISON provides high-quality, engaging, interactive multimedia courseware for certification and standards-based learning. All courses on ALISON are accessible free to individual learners.

Among its popular offerings are courses to support study for the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and E-Citizen, two leading international standards of ICT literacy, Financial Literacy, Health & Safety and Touch Typing.

An excellent resource, especially for the first time computer user, the courses are well designed and truly interactive with feedback, quizzes and practice sessions.

The range of courses currently available include: the e-Citizen IT user certification is offered by the British Computer Society in partnership with the ECDL Foundation worldwide; Microsoft Word which introduces the fundamental principles of using Word 2003, Microsoft Access to help learn to use and create a database using Access 2003, to an intermediate level; The Microsoft PowerPoint course provides the user with the ability to produce their own PowerPoint 2003 presentations. 

Psychometric Tests offered in partnership with the Cut-e Group, the international experts in psychometric test development, can help you to understand your personal strengths for employment with respect to personality and competency. New courses are being added rapidly. 

The creators of ALISON, which is a not-for-profit social enterprise, believe that this model of education can save governments and educational institutions billions of dollars every year if it is adopted worldwide. Across the world, billions of people do not have access to high-quality skills-based interactive learning. The reason for this is usually distance and cost. The Internet changes this dynamic and ALISON provides a unique educational opportunity.

Visit the ALISON website http://www.alison.com/ , sign up to study online, record the hours for your PRTL and let us know how you are getting on. 

*ALISON stands for “Advance Learning Interactive Systems Online”.

Tags: alison, certified, ecdl, free on line learning, interactive, learn how to use microsoft programmes, multi media, new technology

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 Thare Machi Education (TME) is a UK-registered charity working with community-based partners in the developing world, helping to give women and children trapped in poverty more knowledge and more choice. The Starfish project develops cheap and reliable DVD technology in the users’ own language, and connects with community groups at a grassroots level, TME is working with Eurotalk Interactive to produce one hundred audiovisual lessons on key topics in the languages of the world’s poor.

ALISON, the world’s leading free online learning resource is working with TME to bring many of their educational programmes onto the ALISON free learning platform. This will allow TME to make their content accessible to a massive new online audience worldwide, thus creating another distribution channel to engage with their target audience. In addition, using ALISON’s extensive education and NGO network, it is hoped and expected that TME can greatly extend the reach of its courses.

Commenting on the alliance, Steve Clark, CEO of TME said “ALISON is a terrific opportunity for TME to extend the reach of our educational content far beyond our current distribution network. Mike Feerick, CEO of ALISON stated that ALISON was delighted to welcome TME as a free publisher on ALISON: “We had heard of the effectiveness of the TME videos in the developing world. What surprises most people today is just how much of the world actually enjoys Internet access. The addition of the TME courses is the beginning of our campaign to extend our health literacy portfolio which we intend to make very comprehensive and of course, free to access, over the coming year.”

Both TME and ALISON agree that the need for education in these areas is tremendous. For example, life expectancy in Malawi in 2000 was only 37 years compared with 77 within the UK. Twelve million children in Africa have been made orphans by the AIDS pandemic, and in some communities women in particular have never even heard of AIDS, let alone know how to avoid it. So far, more than 15 million people in Africa are estimated to have died from AIDS – more than the highest estimates of the Iraq war, the Rwandan genocide, the Khmer Rouge regime and the Holocaust combined. TME has active programmes in India, Kenya, South Africa, Cambodia, Uganda, Malawi, Nepal, Zambia, Bulgaria and Romania.

ALISON is committed to extending its free learning offerings, and is interested in hearing from organizations similar to TME about how global health problems can be addressed through the power of the internet.

http://alison.com/  http://www.tme.org.uk/

Tags: alison, charity, developing countries, elearning, free on line learning, inspired, new technology, ngo, power of the internet, thare machi education, the world's leading free online learning resource, third world, tme, unique

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Social workers, practice teachers, managers and researchers are amongst a host of social care professionals living or working in the capital who are now able to benefit from a new service jointly provided by Skills for Care London.

Learning Resources for Social Workers is a partnership between SfC London and the NHS Health Libraries. It is aimed at supplementing existing SfC resources with a wider range of complementary materials.

Professionals are now able to benefit from a walk-in reference and study area; walk-in PC access to the social care database; inter-library loans; core social work books and related social care and health materials; and access to social work journals either on site or through the photocopying service. The project hopes to secure long term funding and this will be influenced by the numbers using the service and an evaluation of the impact of the pilot scheme.  

Librarians, trained in supporting social work learning needs, will also be able to provide training on use of PC and search skills, and most libraries will also provide a free information searching service. The libraries are located at the following sites:

LONDON REGION LIBRARY CONTACT DETAILS

North West London John Squire Medical Library

Northwick Park Hospital
Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex. HA1 3UJ 
Main contact: Mike Kendall
Tel: 020 8869 3322

Central Middlesex Hospital Library
Acton Lane, London NW10 7NS 
Main contact: Marina Rossi
Tel No: 020 8453 2504

North Central London
Archway Healthcare Library
Holborn Union Building,
Archway Campus, Highgate Hill,
London N19 3UA
Main contact: Beverley Chapman
Tel: 020 7288 3580

Islington PCT Library & Knowledge Service
338-346 Goswell Road,
London EC1V 7LQ 
Main contact: Mandy Guest
Tel: 020 7527 1241 / 1242 / 1243

North East London

Aubrey Keep Library
St. George’s Hospital
Sutton’s Lane,
Essex RM12 6RS 
Main contact: Maureen Rouse
Tel: 01708 46 5530 / 29

Waltham Forest Healthcare Library
Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust
Whipps Cross Road,
London E11 1NR 
Main contact: Angela Head
Tel: 020 8535 6973

Central London

Bloomsbury Healthcare Library
Bonham Carter House,
52 Gower Street,
London WC1E 6EB
Main contact: Michael Larkin
Tel: 020 7380 9097

South West London

Croydon Health Library & Resource Service
Croydon PCT
12-18 Lennard Road,
Croydon CR9 2RS. 
Main contact: Jenny Williams
Tel: 020 8274 6316 / 6313

St George’s Library
St George’s University of London
Hunter Wing, Cranmer Terrace,
Tooting, London SW17 0RE
Main contact: Karen John-Pierre
Tel: 020 8725 5441

South East London

Health First Learning Centre
Mary Sheridan House,
15 St Thomas Street,
London Bridge, London SE1 9RY
Main contact: Heidi Fanning
Tel: 020 7188 2862

SLAM Multidisciplinary Library
South London and Maudsley NHS Trust,
108 Landor Road, Stockwell,
London SW9 9NT 
Main contact: Paul Harrington
Tel: 020 3228 6336

Bromley Central Library
High Street, Bromley,
Kent BR1 1EX
Main contact: David Brockhurst
Tel: 020 8461 7233

Tell us about your experiences. Are you a London based social worke, practice teacher or student? Have you used one of the libraries? Should this resource be available nationally?

Tags: access, education, health libraries, practice learning, social workers, students

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With over 1.6 billion registered email addresses in the world and increasing use of the internet, there are plenty of opportunities to study on line in your own time and at your own pace. An increasing number of organisations provide eLearning opportunities which range from updating your knowledge of the law through to preparing for the European Computer Driving Licence. 

The Social Care Institue for Excellence (SCIE) offer a number of invaluable and free resources on line which provide innovative solutions to ensuring that your knowledge and skills remain up to date. A note to SCIE – please provide a certificate to download after completing the programme which can be included in the Post Registration Training and Learning folder.

“Law is often seen as alien to social work values, a tool of oppression and control. However, it is possible to see law as a source of empowerment, if a way can be found through the maze where legal rules, organisational contexts and professional practice meet.” Learning, teaching and assessment of law in social work education

Suzy Braye and Michael Preston-Shoot, October 2006 Online at SCIE’s website

The Law and Social Work

This is a very interactive programme using audio and video, which brings alive key aspects of the law applied to social work practice. Ten modules which explore accountability and intervention, courtroom skills and experts by experience using case studies, quizzes and self assessment tools. This resource was developed for student social workers but is equally relevant to qualified social workers, especially if you are supervising a student on placement. I particularly enjoyed the win a million gameshow! http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/elearning/law/index.asp

An introduction to the mental health of older people

This interactive programme aims to raise awareness of key issues, research, messages, policies and approaches relating to the mental health of older people and, in so doing, positively impact on practice. Ten modules cover everything from attitudes and images to ageing through to understanding dementia. Informative and thought provoking and an invaluable resource. http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/elearning/mentalhealth/index.asp

NEW Poverty, parenting and social exclusionThese new e-learning resources are intended to help people working in social care to understand the link between poverty, parenting and social exclusion. The nine training resources include quizzes, videos and case studies of families affected by poverty. http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/elearning/poverty/index.asp

 How are these resources helping your practice? What further e-Learning resources would you like SCIE to develop? Let us know your thoughts.

Tags: dementia care, law, poverty and exclusion, scie, social care institute for excellence, social workers

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