Elearning courses - Staffordshire Parish Councils Association

Self Study Courses

A variety of self study modules designed to improve your general knowledge about Parish councils. In partnership with our neighbouring county association colleagues, we offer from time to time our members access to a broad range of general topics as e-learning courses. Whilst they are not specifically tailored to the local council sector they enable officers and local councillors to gain a good understanding on a range of topics such as data protection and health and safety. Once you have booked your place you will be registered onto our e-learning portal and provided with a login and password. This will enable you to access the programme you have enrolled onto, which you can complete over the next 12 months.

Freedom of Information Essentials
Cost £16 members, £32 non-members

Course length – 45 minutes

Being able to access information held by public authorities is an important right in an open society.

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act gives a structure to the way information is accessed and disclosed in the public domain. Public authorities have to adhere to the Act and publish information correctly and deal with requests for information as outlined in the Act.

This highly interactive course effectively demonstrates the provisions of the FOI act using engaging case studies throughout. Both publishing information and requests for information are explained and discussed in-depth with examples and detailed case studies.

Objectives

After completing this course, learners will be able to:

Recognise when and where the main provisions of the Freedom of Information Act apply

Understand the types of information that will be shared in an organisation’s publication scheme

Make or handle requests for information in an appropriate way

Understand the rights of individuals under the Act and the consequences of not complying with the legislation

Topics

Main provisions for the Freedom of Information Act

Types of information covered under the Act

Public authority duties

Publishing information

Dealing with requests for information

Providing information and refusing a request
Health and Safety Essentials
Cost £16 members, £32 non-members

Course length – 45 minutes

Keeping your employees healthy and safe should be a major consideration for your organisation; to comply with the Health and Safety legislation and to make sure you have happy and healthy employees. All incidents and injuries in the workplace affect the well-being of your employees and the productivity of your organisation.

There are many measures you could put in place to protect the physical and mental well-being of staff. This course discusses these measures and stresses the importance of health and safety to keep employees safe and healthy at work and at home. It uses interactions and specifically designed content to maximise learning outcomes.

This course includes a range of learning activities to help you develop your understanding of health and safety. When you’ve finished the course, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your understanding by completing a short assessment‍.

Objectives

By the end of the course you should be able to:

Recognise why health and safety is important for individuals, employers and society as a whole

Understand the frameworks of health and safety legislation

Recognise the responsibilities your employer has for your health and safety

Use a range of health and safety techniques and good practice to help keep yourself safe at work (and beyond!)

Topics

Health and safety problems

Health and Safety at Work Act

Government’s responsibilities

Risk assessment and reduction

Safe systems of work

Accident reporting

Lifting and carrying

Personal safety

Aggressive behaviour

Working with computers
Display Screen Equipment Assessment
Cost £16 members, £32 non-members

Course length – 35 minutes

Any employer that employs individuals who are desk-based for more than 2 hours a day are legally obliged to analyse workstations, assess and reduce risks. This course ensures organisations comply with the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Health and Safety Regulations. It will also help reduce absenteeism and injuries in employees, and improve staff well-being and performance.

Much more than just another DSE course, this course also includes extensive all-embracing information about posture. It provides learners with fundamentals on posture, as well as a practical manual on making adjustments to their workstation.

This course was designed in collaboration with industry expert, Rachel Stevens, from Optimum Performance Training Ltd.

Optimum Performance Training has over 30 years’ experience in offering display screen equipment (DSE) workstation assessments, posture training, and musculoskeletal advice.

Objectives

This course will enable you to assess your own workstation, to make sure it’s as well arranged and safe as it can be!

By the end of the course you should be able to:

Understand the importance of DSE workstation assessments

Identify whether you are a high, medium or low-risk user

Recognise the effects of poor posture

Adjust your posture so you have a good posture while working

Adjust your workstation to suit you

Carry out a DSE risk assessment

This training ensures:

Your employers meet health and safety requirements

The risk of injuries and absenteeism is reduced

Staff wellbeing and performance is maintained or improved

Topics

Health and Safety DSE Regulations

DSE user risk levels

Good and poor posture

Step-by-step adjustments to workstations

Workplace assessment
Leadership Essentials
Cost £16 members, £32 non-members

Course length – 35 minutes

In this course we’ll look at how you can leverage your natural attributes to find a leadership style that suits you. We’ll explore core leadership skills and provide practical tips for leading your own team effectively.

This e-learning module aims to give you a deeper understanding of leadership and offers practical advice to help you on your way to becoming a great team leader.

When you finish the course, you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of some of the key points by completing a short assessment.

Objectives

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

Understand your own leadership style

Apply your knowledge of leadership styles in different situations

Know how to build relationships and engage your team members

Identify and employ effective team leadership skills and techniques

Topics

Effective leadership

Different leadership styles

Strategic thinking

Effective communication

Motivational qualities

Personal qualities

Leadership skills

Leading your team
Time Management
Cost £16 members, £32 non-members

Course length – 45 minutes

What’s your best work avoidance tactic? Making coffee? Chatting to accounts? Watching squirrels in the car park? Ironically, the more we have to do, the better most of us get at avoiding it!

Everyday demands and distractions often result in daily ‘to-do’ lists that exceed what we’re physically capable of achieving in 24 hours, which leads to increased stress and anxiety at work. As time trickles on despite us, it becomes our responsibility to manage our workloads most effectively within the hours we have available.

Particularly beneficial to those working in an office environment, this Time Management course explores the principles and practicalities of effective time management; providing techniques and coping mechanisms to make you more productive and efficient at work, and by default, everyday life!

Objectives

By the end of this course, learners should be able to:

Understand why good time management is important

Recognise common challenges to effective time management

Apply techniques to improve your own time management skills

Topics

Common challenges

Time robbers

Procrastination busters

Interruptions

Prioritising

Setting goals

Managing your work environment
Managing and Reducing Stress
Cost £16 members, £32 non-members

Course length – 45 minutes

Most people experience stress from time to time, and this isn’t necessarily bad; stress is a natural response, but prolonged periods of stress can be harmful. There are many ways in which employees can reduce or avoid stress, and if they are experiencing stress already, there are approaches they can follow to manage their stress most effectively.

This highly interactive course helps your employees prevent, reduce, and manage their stress levels, by providing them with a wide range of tools to deal with stress.

Objectives

After completing this course, learners will be able to:

Understand and identify stress and why it can be detrimental

Identify stress and stressors in themselves and others

Reduce their exposure to stress

Develop a Wellness Action Plan

Implement coping strategies in work and personal life

Topics

Causes of stress

Responses to stress

Reducing stress

Wellness Action Plans

Stress coping strategies