Enhancing Health & Social Care. Locally.
Helping others to learn Mentoring and training courses for people with learning difficulties.
“The course really gave the group confidence in their own skills and abilities, and also taught them new skills which they are able to use in the studio and their everyday lives.� Artist Tutor Lisa Brown
What is helping others to learn? Helping others to learn is a new course designed for people with learning difficulties, enabling them to gain an accredited Open College Network qualification in supporting the learning of others. The course gives participants the skills
Although the course was developed
and confidence they need to support the
specifically for visual arts workshops, it
learning of others. It develops the specific
can be adapted to any other type of arts
skills relating to mentoring and coaching,
workshops, such as theatre and music. It can
that people with a learning difficulty can
also be adapted to meet whatever needs the
often find difficult, such as listening, guiding
participants may have.
and empathising. It helps with analysis and decision-making and gives participants an awareness and appreciation of their own knowledge and abilities.
People with learning difficulties often find it difficult to understand other people’s needs and feelings. A learning difficulty can also lead to people having a lack of confidence
The course also improves participants’ life
in their own abilities through having many
skills and helps them get involved in the
things done for them by family and carers.
running of arts projects – potentially giving
This course can help people with learning
them the opportunity to be employed as
difficulties develop their social skills as well
assistant artist tutors.
as the technical skills needed to effectively
Running for 12 weeks, the course is accredited by the Open College Network (OCN), so participants get a recognised qualification on finishing the course. The course was designed by Attend Academy, initially working with ActionSpace, a leading visual arts organisation for people with learning difficulties.
support arts workshops.
“I think the mentors completed the programme with a strong sense of the importance of helping others to learn.� Tutor Stuart Melton
How is the course run? The course is delivered by a tutor experienced with people with learning
Module 2: Weeks 5 – 7
disabilities. We advise that the host organisation
Understanding how to help a learner
provide an artist tutor to support the sessions.
to identify what they want to achieve.
Participants are encouraged to take part in group discussions and are supported by one-to-one feedback from a tutor, giving the course an informal feel. This creates a feeling
During these three weeks the ActionSpace participants learnt how to make papier-mache masks. They explored ways to help learners decide what they want to achieve.
of camaraderie amongst the participants and
Module 3: Weeks 8 – 10
a healthy momentum for the course.
Understanding effective ways
The course assesses each participant’s needs, both in terms of personal and professional development and also finding the best format for information to be delivered in. The assessment is not dependent on literacy – the feedback sheets utilise software (called Widget) which represents feelings using symbols.
Course outline: (Tailored for ActionSpace) The programme involved 12 sessions of two and a half hours each:
to help a learner. Each participant was allocated a learner to help. In these sessions, participants practised and extended the skills learnt in modules one and two as they helped their learners to produce independent pieces of artwork, focusing on portraiture and including the papier-mache masks. Module 4: Weeks 11 - 12 Understanding how to improve your own skills for helping others to learn. The participants evaluated the skills they obtained during the course and got feedback
Module 1: Weeks 1-4
from their learners.
Understanding the importance
The learners gave their views on the sessions
of helping others to learn. Participants explored the purpose, beliefs and practices of learning mentors, and reflected on how they learnt effectively.
they were involved in and the support that they received from the participants. These sessions give the participants the opportunity to look at their achievements and think about ways they can develop their abilities.
“Since the end of the course I have continued to work with some of the participants in our weekly studio projects and have really felt that the confidence the mentor trainees have gained continually shines through.� Artist Tutor Lisa Brown
What are the benefits and learning? At the end of the pilot course, the ActionSpace
What delegates have done since?
participants felt that they had learned about:
Two of the participants have been employed
• Knowing when to help others • How to establish a rapport • How to help people feel welcome • Finding out what people want to learn • What disability people have and what needs they have
as volunteers on Action Space projects. Another two of the participants are employed by ActionSpace as part-time Administration assistants. The participants who have continued to attend the weekly visual arts workshops are
• How they can help the learner
demonstrably more active in their sessions.
• How to support without directing
One in particular was actively involved in
• The importance of body language
welcoming a new participant and helping
• How to ask questions.
with his induction into the group.
Tutor Stuart Melton commented:
Action Space are hoping to be in a position
“I think the participants completed the programme with a strong sense of the
to employ two assistant artist tutors with learning disabilities within the next few years.
importance of helping others to learn (and
Two of the participants have said that their
achieve what they wanted to achieve),
participation in the course has helped with
both in the abstract and a more personal
advocacy work they do within the learning
understanding that they have the power and
disability sector.
potential to enable this.” The participants also thought the course gave them confidence in their own abilities and improved their self esteem. It had enabled them to make others feel welcome and comfortable and made them more aware of others and how they can help them.
How can we run this course? Helping Others to Learn is designed for adults with learning difficulties in arts settings, but the course can be re-designed to meet your group’s specific needs, whatever they are. For example, Helping Others to Learn has
We will provide trained Tutors to lead the
been re-designed from a visual arts course
workshops and all learning materials needed
to a theatrical arts course by Attend Academy,
for the course. The materials can be tailored
for inclusive theatre group, Haringey Shed.
to your clients, presenting them with the
There are many further ways for this course to be designed to fit the needs of a wide
information in a format that fits with their learning style.
range of projects involving people with
If you work with people with learning
learning difficulties.
difficulties and think they would benefit from
We will visit you and your group and work with you to tailor the course so that your clients can learn mentoring and social skills
a qualification in mentoring and coaching, then contact Attend Academy on 0207 307 2570 or email academy@attend.org.uk.
in a way that suits them. We can also work with you to help you find the funding to run this course.
Š 2010 Attend. 11-13 Cavendish Square, London, W1G 0AN Tel: 0845 450 0285 | Email: info@attend.org.uk | Web: www.attend.org.uk Attend is a charity registered in England under no. 1113067 and in Scotland under No. SC039237. Registered Company no. 5713403.
Enhancing Health & Social Care. Locally.