At Independent Age we are committed to fostering a culture of continuous growth and development, which is why we invest significantly in learning and development opportunities.
Our dedicated learning and development team provides a bespoke training offer by gathering valuable insights, including through a dedicated email inbox, informal conversations, business partnering and post-training surveys. This collaborative approach ensures that we are able to deliver an innovative and impactful training programme that is informed by our colleagues and shaped by our organisational purpose and values.
88%
of our employees agree or strongly agree that we have a good learning and development programme.
87%
of our employees agree or strongly agree they are given the training necessary for them to do their job effectively.
87%
of our employees agree or strongly agree that Independent Age encourages them to learn and develop in their role.
We are always learning
At Independent Age, learning extends far beyond statutory courses. Learning is a continuous conversation, and we take pride in offering a comprehensive learning and development programme that is engaging, easily accessible and caters to our employees' diverse learning preferences.
For example, we have a wealth of self-directed, on-demand learning modules available through an online resource library and we regularly signpost to learning resources through our internal communication channels. Employees can explore all these resources at their own pace.
Knowledge sharing and networking with colleagues who can offer new perspectives is also promoted throughout Independent Age – for example, through speaking opportunities at all-staff meetings. Opportunities to learn more about ourselves and each other are also fostered through workshops and the use of psychometric tools. We are passionate about aligning our training offer and internal events calendar to raise awareness about various health topics and awareness days, and collaborate internally with colleagues to share their lived experiences through an internal blog to support more learning, reflection and important discussion.
For those employees who prefer to attend more structured training sessions, we have a wealth of expert-led training sessions to join, delivered by internal colleagues and external facilitators. Here's more information about some of the training sessions we offer.
Equity, diversity and inclusion training
At Independent Age, the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are at the core of everything we do. When it comes to learning and development, this means providing every employee with access to a comprehensive and effective EDI learning and development programme that educates, inspires and drives change. All sessions are facilitated by individuals with lived experience, including external trainers and current employees of Independent Age.
In 2022...
we held 22 unique EDI courses.
In 2022...
100% of our senior leadership and department heads attended EDI training.
In 2022...
100% of EDI training attendees agreed or strongly agreed that the sessions were engaging.
Communication training
Whether our employees communicate from behind a screen or face to face, strong communications skills allow us all to share ideas, expertise and information effectively. We understand that communication is key to us delivering our work – that's why we provide a specific training offering on communication. This offering includes sessions on influencing, building trust and public speaking, alongside other accessible resources.
Digital skills training
To ensure full training accessibility, we offer a series of short, facilitated sessions (or Find out more sessions). Topics include getting started with OneNote, Excel and SharePoint, and a social media miniseries about how to effectively use Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.
Mental health and wellbeing training
To support the mental health and wellbeing of our employees, we have a wealth of wellbeing-focused resources and training courses available. We also provide the opportunity for our employees to become accredited Mental Health First Aiders and Champions – investing in colleagues supporting colleagues.
Manager training
We have a catalogue of manager-specific training to support anyone from aspiring managers to established senior leaders. For example, we run a six-part manager development programme designed to increase confidence in essential management skills such as performance management, delegation and inclusive recruitment.