Information, Advice and Guidance Policy

Purpose

Policies and practice for Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) are intended to support the County-wide delivery of the service to members of the general public, and to targeted priority groups identified through the Lancashire Adult Learning zones’ Adult and Community Learning teams.

Principles

IAG policies and practices will benefit all learners and potential learners by ensuring that:

• delivery of the service is planned and managed coherently
• access to the service promotes equality of opportunity for individuals and groups
• learners and potential learners receive a high quality, impartial service, which is appropriate to their individual needs

Responsibilities

1. The overall strategic management and co-ordination of IAG is the responsibility of a member of the Lancashire Adult Learning senior management team
2. The delivery of Information is the responsibility of Library front-line staff, Lancashire Adult Learning front-line staff and tutors
3. The delivery of Advice is the responsibility of Adult Learning Advisers, and Lancashire Adult Learning tutors for specialist subject advice, through clear communication and referral routes

Aims

IAG procedures and practice will ensure that:

1. effective and systematic referral routes enable all learners and potential learners to access specialist Advice and Guidance services delivered through other providers
2. all staff are aware of IAG and how it can be accessed
3. pre-course IAG is easily and quickly accessible to all adults in Lancashire
4. IAG is available throughout all stages of adults’ learning
5. IAG is appropriate to the individual’s or group’s identified needs
6. the delivery of IAG is centrally recorded and monitored, in line with the requirements of the local IAG partnership and the Lancashire Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
7. a comprehensive and wide range of resources is available
8. access to professional development ensures that staff are suitably trained and competent to deliver the service

Delivery

IAG will be delivered in a variety of ways:

• Information and signposting through Lancashire County Council’s eighty-four static library and information centres and Lancashire Adult Learning front-line staff
• Information and signposting by tutors to learners engaged on their courses
• Effective referrals from library front-line staff, Lancashire Adult Learning front line staff, and Adult and Community Learning (ACL) tutors to the Adult Learning Advisers
• Visits by Adult Learning Advisers to groups and individuals identified by tutors
• Systematic visits to target groups identified by programme area leaders, in particular Family Learning, Skills for Life, etc
• Effective referral to third party providers, including NOW! network partners, for further advice and guidance service