Empowerment & Advocacy
| Award Name | Minor Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Minor |
| Awarding Body | QQI |
| NFQ Level | Level 6 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) | Minor | QQI | Level 6 NFQ |
Duration
8 weeks.
Entry Requirements
To apply you must:
Be either 23 years of age when you apply, or
Have successfully completed a Leaving Certificate/QQI/FETAC Level 5 Certificate.
International Applicants must provide appropriate documentary evidence of proficiency in English (i.e. IELTS 6.0).
Careers / Further progression
How will this Empowerment and Advocacy Course Support my Career?
This minor award is aimed at qualified practitioners who wish to ensure the people they support even those with complex needs have the best options based on the life they want to live.
The qualification enhances any CV where you may want to go into residential services, day services, community inclusion or empowerment.
Further information
Contact the college for the next start date.
€395
This accredited Level 6 course, Certificate in Empowerment and Advocacy, equips the student with the knowledge, skills and competencies to support people with disabilities in empowering themselves on a day-to-day basis, thus facilitating self-defined visions of a desirable future.
This includes guidance and skills in relation to effective facilitation through a number of empowering approaches and in particular, advocacy. Advocacy is one of the most predominant methods of empowerment that has emerged to facilitate people with disabilities.
If you are serious about supporting people to achieve what they want, then advocacy is key.
Who is this course for?
The course is aimed at staff in the disability sector whose role involves:
-Facilitating advocacy/person centred plans with people using the service; and/or
-Performing a supervisory role within an organisation that supports advocacy/PCP
It is ideal for a practitioner with a social studies/care/community development qualification who would like to:
-Gain an in-depth knowledge of this area
-Critically reflect upon their role as a practitioner
-Obtain academic recognition
What Will I Learn on the Empowerment and Advocacy course?
Learning Objectives
After completing this course you should be able to:
-Discuss the overall concept of empowerment, and its development from an international and national perspective.
-Explain the qualities of empowerment as it applies to people with disabilities and reflect on the support worker’s own practice in relation to these.
-Describe the many elements of advocacy as a means of empowerment, its history and legislative framework, particularly from a national perspective.
-Illustrate facilitation skills to support empowerment of people with disabilities.
-Analyse the work environment in terms of level of empowerment and how the support worker can have an impact on this.
-Discuss the social care worker's role in supporting service users to -identify and access appropriate assistive technology supports to enhance wellbeing and empowerment.
Course Content
In Unit 1 you will explore the overall concept of empowerment, its development on an international basis and from an Irish perspective. It is important that you are familiar with the overall concept of empowerment in your role as support worker and this unit will also focus on the meaning of empowerment as it applies to people with disabilities. The legislative background to empowerment will also be discussed, along with its growth and influencing factors such as person-centred planning.
Unit 2 focuses on the qualities of empowerment. Chamberlin (1997) puts forward a framework of 15 qualities that should exist for a person to be considered truly empowered, these qualities range from having power, having a voice, and being part of decision making. Each of these qualities will be examined in relation to their meaning to people with disabilities and how each element can facilitate empowerment. The challenges this presents and the benefits associated with people becoming empowered and in determining their own lives will be explored.
In Unit 3 we will discuss the concept of advocacy from a historical perspective, including its growth in Ireland and how this has led to greater empowerment for service users. Definitions of advocacy will be explained in terms of people with disability. You will also be presented with some examples of advocacy in action, which can be applied to your own practice to support service users.
Unit 4 explores the factors that facilitate empowerment along with examining how support is provided with some guidance in relation to its provision in a positive empowering manner. Throughout this unit you will be provided with practical guidelines on how you can facilitate empowerment through advocacy and through everyday support.
Unit 5 focuses on the work environment and asks the question: to what extent do you shape your work environment in terms of empowerment and to what extent does it shape you and your practices? It is important that empowerment is promoted at many levels in an organisation.
Unit 6 focuses on the value of assistive technology and on the range of assistance available in this regard. Influencing factors such as legislative developments and how this has impacted on the field of assistive technology, particularly in relation to empowerment is explored, along with its value and benefits.
Successful completion of the course is dependent on undertaking a series of assessments.
These involve:
• Completing a practical project (2,500 words) that ties together your learning and professional practice
• Critically reflecting on how the course has change your perceptions of your role
• Participating in an online discussion with a learning community made up of fellow practitioners and tutors
You will be supported in your assessment through the OTC's innovative, award winning learner support model.
Qualification
The course is certified by QQI as a Higher Education and Training (HET) Level 6 Award. Successful participants will obtain a component certificate in:
Certificate in Empowerment and Advocacy (10 credits) (PG22416)
Contact Conor: (+353) 86 0756580 (Business hours 9am-5pm)
Mail: enquiries@opentrainingcollege.com