User led organisation funding
User led organisations can apply for a grant to deliver training for individual employers and personal assistants
We want to increase the number of individual employers (IEs) and personal assistants (PAs) who can access training, by working with user led organisations (ULOs) that can:
- identify the training needs of IEs and PAs
- meet those training needs by delivering or organising, purchasing and supporting training for IEs and PAs.
If you’re a ULO, you can apply for a grant to cover these training costs. Applications are now open and will close at 12 noon on Thursday 28 March 2019.
The learning delivered may include, but will not be restricted to, accredited health and social care qualifications. Any learning that you want to be funded must be completed by Friday 28 February 2020.
This tendering process is being undertaken subject to confirmation of funding from the Department of Health and Social Care.
You must read all of the information on this webpage before you apply. If you don't fill in the application form and full cost breakdown spreadsheet correctly, the panel might reject your application.
Eligibility criteria
- This funding is only available to support training for IEs and PAs.
- Applicants must be a user led organisation and explain in the application form how they consider their organisation to be user led. You may be asked to provide additional information in relation to this. We will not fund any organisation that is not user led. See the information below for a definition of what a ULO is.
- Applicants must have a database of contact details of IEs and PAs. We will not fund any organisation that has to go through a third party to contact IEs and PAs.
Working in partnership
User led organisations who have received this funding in the past must work with one or more partners (new or existing) in their proposed project. Partnerships must be with an employer or employer representative group and could include, but aren't limited to, other user led organisations, co-production groups and local authorities. Learning providers cannot be recognised partners. The user led organisation making this application will be referred to as the ‘lead partner’.
User led organisations who haven’t received this funding in the past are encouraged, but not required, to work with one or more partners.
Ensuring transferability of learning
Any funded training must result in a completion certificate that confirms the learning outcomes, for example, an attendance certificate, a certificate from an awarding organisation, or continuing professional development certificate. Skills for Care will not fund any applications that cannot meet this requirement.
Financial information
This tendering process is being undertaken subject to confirmation of funding from the Department of Health and Social Care.
All costs must be outlined in the application form (including VAT).
Skills for Care will transfer grant funding using BACS. If your application is successful, we’ll request your organisation’s bank details as part of the grant letter.
Timeline
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Applications open
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Tuesday 12 February 2019, 10.00
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Applications close
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Thursday 28 March 2019, 12.00
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Outcomes notified
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During May 2019
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Interim report 1
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Thursday 5 September 2019, 16.00
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Interim report 2
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Friday 6 December 2019, 16.00
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All training completed
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By Friday 28 February 2020
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Final evaluation report
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Wednesday 18 March 2020, 16.00
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Evaluation
Skills for Care will evaluate how this grant funding has been used in the following way.
- Successful applicants will be required to provide interim reports to Skills for Care by 16.00 on Thursday 5 September 2019 and Friday 6 December 2019. We’ll send you a link or template to fill in for this purpose. We’ll follow this up with a telephone conversation in September and December 2019, with the project manager or their representative. We’ll agree the dates for this call once we’ve issued the grant letter.
- Successful applicants will be required to provide a final evaluation to Skills for Care by 16.00 on Wednesday 18 March 2020. We’ll send you a report template to fill in for this purpose.
- Successful applicants will be required to submit a case study by 16.00 on Wednesday 18 March 2020. Skills for Care will share this case study with the sector, as an example of good learning and development practice. We’ll send you a template to fill in for this purpose.
What is a ULO?
Applications will only be accepted from user led organisations.
A general definition (from SCIE) is:
A ULO is an organisation that is run and controlled by people who use support services including disabled people, people who use mental health services, people with learning disabilities, older people, and their families and carers.
A more specific definition from the Office of Disability Issues (as part of a programme to strengthen ULOs) is:
- they are led and controlled by disabled people and have a minimum membership of 75% of disabled people on their board
- actively demonstrate their commitment to disabled people by employing disabled staff and volunteers
- actively demonstrate their commitment to the social model of disability.
Please note that experience of working with and/or providing services for service users will not be sufficient to demonstrate that your organisation is user led.
How to apply
To apply for the funding grant, you need to complete the application form and full cost breakdown spreadsheet, and send it to us by 12 noon on Thursday 28 March 2019.
This must be sent from the senior manager (i.e. the person authorised to accept the terms and conditions on behalf of your organisation).
We will not accept paper copies of the application form that are sent in the post.
We will not accept any applications that are received after the deadline. Please allow sufficient time to submit your application as the final deadline is non-negotiable.
We'll send you a confirmation email shortly after we receive your application form. You'll be informed of the outcome of your application during May 2018.
Skills for Care will announce the details of the successful grant holders and the training they expect to deliver on our website, and promote them through local contacts, newsletters and social media. We hope this will increase the number of IEs and PAs who can access training, and support grant holders to achieve their training targets. We won’t share the details of the amount of funding awarded.
What will be funded?
We'll consider applications to fund, via a grant, the cost of learning that meets the needs of IEs and PAs, for example:
- moving and assisting
- first aid
- food safety
- the role of an employer and employment law
- managing staff
- boundaries and expectations
- medication awareness
- training to support specific conditions (e.g. autism, dementia etc.)
- knowledge elements of the Care Certificate standards and where appropriate assessment that leads to the award of the Care Certificate.
Applications can include the direct costs of training, travel and the cost of hiring replacement support whilst the employer’s usual PA is attending training during their normal working hours.
If you have any questions about this funding email funding@skillsforcare.org.uk or call 0113 241 1275.
Queries
If you have any questions about completing the application please read the frequently asked questions (FAQs) in the first instance.
If you cannot find an answer to your question, email funding@skillsforcare.org.uk or call 0113 241 1275.
Support for individual employers
ULOs and other support organisations can also tell people who employ their own care and support staff about individual employer funding. This money can pay for learning and development for themselves and their personal assistants, and can be used to support qualifications like diplomas.
More information for people who employ their own care and support staff can be found on the information hub for individual employers and personal assistants.
ULOs awarded funding in 2018-19
Here's a list of organisations that were awarded user led organisations funding in 2018-19.