Wednesday, 27th November marked the final INOU scheduled training session, bringing a close to our Training Calendar for 2024. We would like to inform readers that we have finalised our Training Calendar of scheduled training for next year.
Since Covid, our scheduled training has moved online. This has been useful for individuals and organisations as it removes the need to travel for training (and depending on the distance, sometimes overnight accommodation also). Online training also facilitates the rostering of staff.
Our training upskills and develops the welfare rights and welfare to work knowledge and expertise of staff whose work supports people who are unemployed or in receipt of social welfare payments. The training is aimed at staff at all levels of experience. For instance, our two half-day Introduction to Social Welfare online training is ideal for newer staff or staff who would like a refresher programme at a foundational level. Our four half-day Welfare to Work online training is a perfect opportunity for staff, who have a good basic knowledge of the social welfare system to further develop their knowledge and expertise on the different ways in which social welfare and work overlap.
As a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) accredited provider, we also deliver two online programmes, leading to minor QQI Level 6 awards. The two programmes are Welfare Rights (leading to the Social and Civil Information minor award) and Information, Advice and Advocacy. Both are training programmes consisting of 16 half-day online sessions.
Our four half-day Welfare to Work online training is a perfect stepping stone to the Welfare Rights QQI training. The Welfare Rights QQI training includes very detailed subject knowledge to enable participants to become expert Information Officers dealing with multifaceted and complicated queries. Similarly, the Information, Advice and Advocacy QQI training programme equips people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become autonomous information and advocacy workers.
One of the aspects that our training participants have commented favourably on is the use of case studies and calculations to practically demonstrate ‘real life’ situations. We also provide significant time for questions, clarification and discussion, which offers training participants an opportunity to highlight queries or issues arising in their work.
A newer aspect of our training has been our two-hour online training sessions. We were asked by some of our member organisations to provide short training sessions on Social Welfare / Welfare to Work topics, to ensure staff’s knowledge remain up to date in these areas. These have proven to be very successful. Four short online training sessions organised for 2025 are: Housing and Social Welfare: A comprehensive guide to the payments and supports; The Social Welfare System: Identifying, Addressing and Resolving problems practically and effectively; Back to Education; and Budget 2026.
Finally, we would like to thank Lorraine Hennessy, Sylvia Ryan and Gerry McGaughey for delivering this year’s training and to specially thank everyone who booked into our training throughout the year. Our Training Calendar for 2025 will be available on our website. If you have any questions about our training, please contact Michelle Kelly, our Head of Training Services at training@inou.ie