Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,

• Essential Skills

• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 4 Pathway Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) is 63 credits.

Entry requirements

There are no specific qualifications required for entry to this apprenticeship framework.

The apprenticeship involves interacting with, supporting, and advocating on behalf of individuals who have been subjected to violence and/or abuse and therefore apprentices will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service Check.

Individual employers may have requirements relating to flexible working hours and locations in order to meet service needs. 

Individual employers will have their own policies and procedures that meet service needs which should be adhered to.

Apprentices will be required to understand and adhere to the mission and values of the placement organisation.

Apprentices should have basic literacy, numeracy, and communication skills on which the apprenticeship will build.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 4: Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)

Level 4: Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Qualifications

Participants must achieve the following combined qualification below.

Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

The total amount of training hours - which includes both on and off-the-job learning for this Pathway is 650 training hours.

On-the-job learning will comprise:

Agored Cymru Level 4 Diploma in in Advocacy and Support Skills for Working with VAWDASV Survivors

This a combined knowledge and competence qualification with 28 credits for knowledge and 19 credits for competency.

Evidence to support the application for an apprenticeship completion certificate for on-the-job training will include a copy of the qualification certificate for the above qualification detailing the units completed.

Off-the-job learning will comprise:

Level 2 Essential Communication Skills

Level 2 Essential Application of Number Skills

Level 2 Essential Digital Literacy Skills

Recognition of prior learning will be considered on a case-by-case basis, in line with Agored Cymru RPL Policy.

It is expected that:

· On-the-job and off-the-job training hours are both planned, reviewed, and evaluated jointly between the apprentice and a tutor, or teacher, their workplace supervisor or manager and, where relevant, the apprentice’s coach or mentor.

 · On-the-job and off-the-job training support via either a tutor, teacher, mentor, or manager is made available when required by the apprentice.

 · On-the-job and off-the-job training hours are delivered through one or more of the following methods: individual and group teaching; e-learning; distance learning; coaching; mentoring; feedback & assessment; collaborative/networked learning with peers; guided study.

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits / 45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication

• 6 credits / 45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

• 6 credits / 45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy

Other additional requirements

• Enhanced DBS Check

Job roles

Learners who complete the Level 4: (Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)) can go on to have careers in a variety of roles including:

• Independent Domestic Violence Advisor/Advocate
• Independent Sexual Violence Advisor/Advocate
• Sexual Violence Support Worker
• Domestic Abuse Support Worker
• Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker
• Domestic Abuse Support Refuge Worker
• Children and Young People Support Worker
• Court Independent Domestic Violence Advisor or Independent Sexual Violence Advisor / Court Domestic Abuse or Sexual Violence Support Worker
• Hospital Based Independent Domestic Violence Advisor or Independent Sexual Violence Advisor / Hospital Based Domestic Abuse or Sexual Violence Support Worker
• Domestic Abuse Housing Officer
• Violence Against Women and Girls Officer (Local Authority)

Progression

The Level 4 Diploma in Advocacy and Support Skills for Working with VAWDASV Survivors is the mandatory qualification within the Apprenticeship Learning Programme Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)and will include one Level 3 Unit within the overall Level 4 Qualification.

Learners may progress from this framework onto further qualifications specific to their work context. A range of qualifications are available for use both within and outside the VAWDASV sector. These may include further apprenticeship frameworks e.g., Level 4 Apprenticeship in Independent Advocacy, Level 4 Apprenticeship in Social Services Practitioner, work-related education, and training e.g., Diploma of Higher Education in Advocacy, the Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care as well as the opportunity to progress up to full degree level e.g., BA (hons)in Advocacy, BSC in Health and Social Care and BSC (hons) Psychology. Learners may also choose to continue studying and complete postgraduate qualifications through progression onto Master’s Level or PhD Level programmes.

Progression should not only be seen as vertical. In some instances, progressing into another role at the same level may be just as rewarding as it offers the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge. Many Supporting Survivors of Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) apprentices complete their apprenticeships and continue to work as specialist violence and abuse support workers in roles relating to the units they have completed (e.g., Independent Domestic Violence Advisor/Domestic Abuse Support Worker, Independent Sexual Violence Advisor/Sexual Violence Support Worker.

Others may wish to move into a different helping profession and may select to undertake qualifications in mental health, counselling, or social work (e.g., Diploma of Higher Education in Counselling, Level 5 Diploma in Mental Health Care & Psychiatry with Health & Social Care, BSc (hons) Social Work)

Others may wish to move up into management-based roles by undertaking further qualifications in service management and leadership (e.g., Level 5 Leadership and Management of Health and Social Care).

Progression routes into:

• Further Apprenticeships

• Certificates & Diplomas of Higher Education       

• Degree Level Qualifications

• Additional Continuing Professional Development Courses

Progression from:

• Relevant Level 2 & 3 Qualifications

• Some apprentices may already have significant knowledge and work experience within the sector.

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers must also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

Our aim is to see the progression of all under-represented groups.

Current legislation regulating equality and diversity has introduced new requirements that firms must now comply with. Such legislation prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on specific protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation. Compliance with the Welsh language standards is also expected, recognising that the need for Welsh speakers to have equal access to learning opportunities.

 As of 6 April 2018, gender pay legislation mandates all employers with more than 250 employees to report annually on their gender pay gap.

Information to help disabled students to understand the Equality Act has been produced by Disability Rights UK and can be found here:

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/understanding-equality-act-information-disabled-students  

All partners involved in the delivery of the apprenticeship - providers, assessment centres and employers must be committed to a policy of equal opportunities and must have a stated equal opportunities policy and procedure. 

Apprenticeships should have flexible entry and progression routes into the professions which can support mid-career, career interchange and career returner opportunities. 

This will help talent, regardless of background or qualifications to have the opportunity to develop and thrive.

This framework therefore aims to tackle these issues.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory.  But it is recommended that all apprentices receive a company induction programme.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of

this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government/Medr Apprenticeships

Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Medr

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