The
Basic Advice Work Skills (BAWS) course
This course is for new advice
workers, and for other professionals requiring a thorough grounding in welfare entitlements.
It covers both skills - such as interviewing - and knowledge - from the full range of benefits to
housing, debt, and employment
This is a 17-week programme
and works alongside the practical support and guidance
that all new advice workers are given in the advice centre they
work in.
Fees
There is now a £275 fee for each trainee from Sheffield advice centres
who undertake the whole course. Additional modest accreditation fees will also need to be paid depending on
how many units a trainee applies to have accredited. Other organisations should see our
bookings and fees page.
Alternatively, trainees can attend individual modules (please see the pricing structure).
Accreditation
The course is accredited by the National Open College Network.
More about accreditation.
Course Schedule
The
current BAWS course started on 5th January 2010(A010) and runs on
Tuesday each week.The next
course starts
on Wednesday 10th March (B010)
Downloads
Course Information for Trainees
Topics covered are those which advice centres agree are the
basic minimum to become an advice worker.
The course allows you to network with workers from other advice and information agencies. We ask your centre to give you
experience of observing advice work to ensure you know what is involved.
We understand that trainees have varied experience of life, work and learning.
In all of the sessions we will be starting from basics and not expecting you to know
anything already about the topics covered. The course runs parallel to any practical experience you may gain from
attending your centre.
We employ teaching methods which make learning interesting and give you a chance to share
your views, ideas and attitudes. These include working in small groups, in pairs, discussion and looking at case studies.
There are no exams and no 'pass or fail'. Trainees must take responsibility for joining in, attendance
and asking for help if you are having problems. The final decision about whether or not you are ready to
begin advising clients is decided between you and your agency.
Course Information for Trainees - other topics
Course Structure and Accreditation
Learning Assessments
Help and Support
Course Outline
Booking
policy
