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Last Updated: Thursday, 28 May 2020 11:26
The COVID-19 pandemic presented huge challenges for Positive Steps.
Over two weeks in March, we moved quickly, efficiently and strategically to remote working. This was achieved while maintaining client support, partnership communication, business continuity and employee well-being.
We are now planning for the transition back into the new, post Covid-19 ways of working, ensuring staff and clients safety whilst maintaining service delivery quality, quantity and achieving positive outcomes for our clients.
Interestingly, our staff and clients have reported that remote working has many benefits so not everything will be going back to the old, old-ways of working, we will learn from our experiences during lockdown.
However, there are areas of our work where remote working isn’t enough, these are predominantly face to face service delivery, where clients don’t have good access to ICT, where confidentiality is required and for the most vulnerable of our clients.
This plan provides guidelines on how we will return to a new-normal way of working; however, these dates will be constantly under review and may change dependent upon local or national guidelines.
Timeframe
• Stage 1 - Moving out of full lockdown (1st June 20 – 1st September 20)
• Stage 2 - Working alongside Covid-19 (1st June 20 – 1st June 21)
• Stage 3 - The New Normal (1st June 20 - onwards)
Note that all stages start on 1st June 20, this is to recognise that these stages will not be discrete from one another, and there will be significant ‘blurring’ between timescales and phases, and that multiple phases are likely to be operational at once.
Principles
We will:
• not put our staff or clients at unnecessary risk
• provide adequate and appropriate PPE
• remain true to our company vision and values
• learn from and be informed by experiences during lockdown
• continue working from home for everyone who can, as long as is advised
• uphold advised social distancing measures wherever we work
• be informed by local and national guidance
• work with our partners to develop strategy and deliver operational services
• prioritise safeguarding and public protection work
• risk assess any face to face work before it is undertaken
Detailed timeframe - Stage 1
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Activity undertaken
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Monday 1st June 2020
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All staff will continue working from home
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Remote working wherever possible where this can be effective.
Face-to-Face contact will increase for vulnerable and at risk clients. (doorstep visits/ individual contacts at social distance etc)
PPE must be used or any contact where social distancing cannot be guaranteed.
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Monday 29th June 2020
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Sexual Health Clinics open in Medtia Place – for appointments only
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Monday 6th July 2020
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Appointment only services restart in Medtia Place (all service areas) Social distancing measures will be in place.
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Monday 3rd August 2020
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Front of house fully opens including drop-in services alongside appointments. Social distancing measures will be in place.
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Limited staff return to First Floor Offices, planned to ensure safe practice and where social distancing can be achieved.
(front line staff for appointments and Duty Officer)
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The Senior Management Team will each work from the office base for 1-day a week on a rota.
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The Service Leads will each work from the office base for 1-day a week on a rota.
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Partners return to their offices in Medtia Place
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Tuesday 1st September 2020
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Meeting Rooms open
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Medtia Place
You will see from the table above the timeframe we expect to resume normal working practice. It is important to note that this will be a gradual process over the next 12 months closely following local and national guidance and ensuring health and safety measures are in place.
The plan for return will be needs-based and each step forward will be risk assessed and signed off by the Senior Management Team before activity commences. During Stage 1 all staff that can work from home will continue to do so. The focus for Medtia Place will be on providing a safe environment to deliver our targeted work with our most vulnerable clients. We have included in our plans to ensure management availability when the building is open.
Staff that are based in other areas
The guiding principles are the same wherever staff are based. Direct delivery in any venue will require risk assessment and agreement by Senior Management before the work commences. This includes direct delivery work from any venue including, for example, schools, children centres, health centres or other partner premises.
Office based activity in Rochdale and Tameside offices will follow the same timetable, however, as Tameside is a partnership venue it will have to be considered alongside the plans for Tameside LA staff to resume office based activity.
Priority Service delivery
All service delivery will follow social distancing guidelines and use PPE as instructed and provided by Positive Steps. Details will be regularly updated, and the current guidelines will be followed. There will be a management presence for specified times as agreed to support service delivery.
Sexual health clinics will open first, this will be an appointment only service, followed by wider delivery from across our services on an appointment only basis, this will be for:
• One to One appointments where risk and/or safeguarding issues are a concern; for people unable to access appropriate ICT in order to engage fully; where confidentiality is required and can’t be facilitated via digital or home based appointments; where it’s important for accurate assessment to be undertaken
• Small group activity where risk and/or safeguarding issues are a concern; where confidentiality is required and can’t be facilitated via digital or home based appointments; where it’s important for accurate assessment to see the client and/or associated children
Front of house opening
From Monday 3rd August the centre will open for advertised hours for both appointments and drop-in support. The reception will open, and adequate staff will be working in the building to respond to ‘drop-in’ clients and support the appointment based activity. This will be agreed with Operational Mangers, Service Leads and overseen and authorised by Senior Management. All other staff will continue to work from home in order to safely operate distancing measures in the building.
Service Leads and Directors will return to office based working on a one-day-a-week basis in order to ensure a Senior Management presence in the building and monitor that safe distancing measures are in place during this time.
From September 1st Onwards
We will be looking to open meeting rooms and allow for more office based activity, numbers will be limited, and priority will always be for service delivery staff.
This is potentially a rapidly changing situation so detailed plans will continue to be prepared and updated with more information provided nearer the time.
Steph Bolshaw
Chief Executive
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Last Updated: Friday, 22 May 2020 09:14
The current covid19 pandemic has resulted in sixth forms and vocational colleges having to suspend their usual transition activities for school leavers; in response to this many colleges have been looking at different ways to ensure a smooth transition for prospective students – be that via telephone calls and emails, virtual tours, and for those who still haven’t applied, virtual open days.
Each college is responding to the current difficulties in different ways so, in order to help you navigate the transition and other virtual offers, please see below for a list of links to sixth form, vocational and specialist colleges in the Greater Manchester area.
Please contact your POSITIVE STEPS CAREER GUIDANCE ADVISER if you would like to discuss your plans or concerns. We can also help you with Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Study Programme opportunities.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
https://employgm.org/
As ever, should you have any questions about post 16 plans, please do not hesitate to contact Positive Steps on 0161 621 9300.
Oldham – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rochdale – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tameside – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
COLLEGE INFORMATION
SIXTH FORM AND VOCATIONAL COLLEGE (BY REGION)*
* Please note that this is not an exhaustive list – there are other colleges offering a range of training programmes across Greater Manchester.
ROCHDALE
Cardinal Langley Sixth Form https://www.clrchs.co.uk/sixth-form
Hopwood Hall College http://www.hopwood.ac.uk
Redwood School http://www.redwood-school.com/ (SEND/no Level 3)
Rochdale Sixth Form http://www.rochdalesixthformcollege.co.uk
OLDHAM
Blue Coat Sixth Form https://www.blue-coat.oldham.sch.uk/
Croftend Equestrian Centre https://www.croft-end.com/
Crompton House Sixth Form https://www.chs-sixthform.org/
Newbridge http://www.newbridgegroup.org/ (SEND/no Level 3)
North Chadderton Sixth Form http://www.northchaddertonschool.co.uk/sixth-form
Oldham College http://www.oldham.ac.uk
Oldham Sixth Form College http://www.osfc.ac.uk
TAMESIDE
Ashton Sixth Form College http://www.asfc.ac.uk
Clarendon Sixth Form http://www.clarendonsixth.com
Tameside College http://www.tameside.ac.uk
MANCHESTER/SALFORD
Access Creative http://www.accesscreative.ac.uk
BIMM (music) http://www.bimm.co.uk
Connell Sixth Form http://www.connellsixthformcollege.com
Loreto Sixth Form http://www.loreto.ac.uk
Manchester College http://www.tmc.ac.uk
MEA (Sport, H&SC, Business) http://www.manchesterenterpriseacademy.org.uk
Pendleton Sixth Form http://www.salfordcc.ac.uk
Salford College http://www.salfordcc.ac.uk
UTC MediaCity http://www.utcmediacityuk.org.uk
Xaverian Sixth Form http://www.xaverian.ac.uk
STOCKPORT
Aquinas Sixth Form http://www.aquinas.ac.uk
The Cheadle College & Marple Sixth Form http://www.camsfc.ac.uk/
Stockport College http://www.stockport.ac.uk
BURY/BOLTON
Bolton College http://www.boltoncollege.ac.uk
Bury College http://www.burycollege.ac.uk
Holy Cross Sixth Form http://www.holycross.ac.uk
HUDDERSFIELD
Kirklees College http://www.kirkleescollege.ac.uk
Greenhead Sixth Form http://www.greenhead.ac.uk
SPECIALIST COLLEGES
Access Creative http://www.accesscreative.ac.uk
Creative media, music, games technology and design
BIMM http://www.bimm.co.uk
Music
Croftend Equestrian Centre https://www.croft-end.com/
Equestrian studies, based in Oldham
Myerscough College http://www.myerscough.ac.uk
Land-based and sports subjects, main campus in Preston, opportunity for live-in study
Reaseheath College http://www.reaseheath.ac.uk
Animal, Land/Environment, Sports and Health, Food and Rural Business, Engineering, based in Nantwich, Cheshire
USEFUL WEBSITES | COLLEGE INFORMATION
Upcoming events – Hopwood Hall have several upcoming events over the next few months, please see below for more details;
Virtual open day – 21st May (3pm-8pm)
Pre-enrolment – packs available online from 5th June
Virtual new starter day – 30th June (more details to follow)
Year 10 taster day – Autumn term (more details to follow)
Open days – October/November (more details to follow)
Upcoming events – RSFC have several upcoming events over the next few months, please see below for more details;
Virtual subject introduction session – end of June (more details will be sent to applicants)
Virtual new student welcome day – 8th and 9th July
Year 10 taster day – Autumn term (more details to follow)
Open days – 10th October and 19th November (more details to follow)
Interviews – Still taking place as normal, although they will be done via telephone.
Please contact Admissions for any interview enquiries:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 0161 280 8200
Virtual offer - To support year 11’s in the transition to college, as well as the Be Bury College Ready resources, we are currently developing an interactive campus map inviting pupils to take a virtual tour of the college and our facilities, as well as access course information and any additional resources – Date TBC
College offer - Year 11 pupils holding an offer with Bury College can confirm their place by the following methods if they haven’t already done so:
Online http://applicantportal.burycollege.ac.uk/
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 0161 280 8200
New applicants - For anyone who hasn’t already applied to Bury College we are still welcoming applications for the next academic year. To support Year 11 pupils in securing their future progression we have created a handy step-by-step guide: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wO7t8joJEf0
Applications - If you have already applied for a course or apprenticeship to start in September, your place at Oldham College is safe. Our Admissions and Schools Liaison teams are working hard to contact you if you have not already had an offer, or if you have recently applied. Once you have your GCSE grades, we will work with you to make sure you start on the right course at the level that’s right for you If you want to speak to us about your application, please get in touch:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 0161 785 4378.
New applicants - Still taking applications for courses and apprenticeships starting in September 2020. Please find your course and apply: Online: oldham.ac.uk/our-courses Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Additional information - If you have already applied for a course or an Apprenticeship at Oldham College but have not been able to visit College due to the current situation, we have prepared some useful information on all our courses, Apprenticeships, Work Experience offers and Enrichment activities, so you have a flavour of what to expect when you join us in September.
Online: www.oldham.ac.uk
Interviews - Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., including your full name and DOB. We will then be able to update you on the status of your application.
Virtual Offer - We have been working hard to make our events virtual, so you still have access to the information you need before starting college in September. Our virtual Progress to Success event is a great way to find out more about all the amazing support and activities available at OSFC and is available to watch at www.osfc.ac.uk/progresstosuccess
Year 11 events - We are closely monitoring government guidance for all our college events. We will be updating students via email once we have more information, so please keep an eye out for messages from OSFC.
Additional information - Please see the college link above for tasks and reading lists that year 11s can be working on in preparation for starting at OSFC in September.
If you have decided you want to make a course change at enrolment or if you’re still undecided between subjects, then you can complete work for any of these courses, you aren’t limited to the subjects you have been provisionally offered a place on.
Year 11 events – We are currently reviewing planned events for the coming months here at the college and looking at how some of these might be made into virtual or socially distanced activities.
New Welcome day – Monday 6th July – if you wish to register your interest, then please see the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-career-adviser-day-2020-tickets-92334100781
Coming soon
We are excited to be launching a new Connect2College programme in partnership with schools. The purpose of this programme is to support year 11’s through these uncertain times and to ensure their transition from school to college is as smooth as possible. The programme will include useful information and subject specific curriculum activities for pupils to get involved in from home, with lots of additional resources that will be added to a brand-new section of the website.
Should you have any questions about post 16 plans, please do not hesitate to contact Positive Steps on 0161 621 9300.
