Details of Courses from Learning and Development

These courses are currently offered. For details of how to book and the current schedule see our main Training Page.

Asylum and International Protection

Asylum law is complicated with laws and policies constantly changing. Some MPs represent areas with asylum-seekers, who may come to the MP for assistance. It is important that you get good background of the process by which a claim for asylum is made and determined to help you identify what action you can usefully take to assist.

Basic Life Support

At this three hour course the trainer will cover all the basic requirements for initial first aid. Including guidelines and regulations. This a Certificated course that will be valid for 12 months following completion.

Building Emotional Resilience

The course will focus on managing emotional health and empowering delegates to support others. It will help delegates to identify and respond to increasing demands in a way that helps them to get through challenging situations and continue to learn and grow.

Communications Trilogy

Over one day, three micro-masterclasses cover presenting with unshakeable confidence, understanding how to read personality differences to manage first impressions and having uncomfortable conversations with life’s difficult characters.

Data Protection for Members and their Staff (E-LEARNING)

This course will assist members of parliament and their staff to meet their obligations under the Data protection act (DPA).

Dealing with Challenging Situations and Vulnerable People

The course will focus on developing the skills and confidence of those attending to demonstrate to a caller that they have listened and understood, before they move on to deal with the practical aspects of the call.

Essential Writing Skills

The course will cover the principles of good written communication and how to put them into practice.  It will look at some essentials about the use of language, grammar, tone and writing style and will include an introduction to the ‘Plain English’ approach to business writing. 

Immigration Law

This course will cover resources and publicly available information; the structure of immigration control before, on and after entry, enforcement; diagnosis of cases, urgency and time-limits; the immigration rules; rights of European Economic Area migrants; Human Rights in immigration cases; MPs intervention and referring on, including what the UK Border Agency policy instructions say about MPs; support and access to services for migrants; UK Border Agency policies and concessions; nationality.

Media Handling & Social Media

This session will cover the opportunities and challenges that using social media in the Public Sector presents and introduce delegates to using social media platforms for themselves, their teams and their organisation. It will also cover understanding of how to effectively deal with the full range of media enquiries; from traditional print to on-line and social media, and using real-life case study scenarios and challenges, it will explore different ways of constructing and delivering messages for a range of audiences. Includes exercises to help those required to brief spokespeople ahead of media appearances, devise lines to take and manage relationships with journalists.

Mental Health Awareness

Attendees will discuss the causes signs and symptoms of mental health, how to respond to and deal with a situation and how they can support and unburden themselves after the event.

Personal Independence Payments

The course will cover eligibility criteria; the time table for PIP introduction; the schedule of activities and tactical advice regarding how to assist claimants makes successful claims. It will also deal with what evidence might be of assistance when making a claim.

Speech Writing

This course will cover the elements of a compelling speech, devising content, use of rhetorical devices and drafting & editing. It will focus on structure and ability to tailor to the best abilities of the speaker and understanding the needs of the audience.

Speed Reading & Taking Control of Your Time

This course consists of a 3 hour workshop on each of the 2 subjects, which previously ran as 2 separate courses.

Universal Credits

By the end of the course you will be able to identify: who can make a claim; the rules of entitlement; how to make a claim; role of the assessment period; inclusion of housing costs in the claim; calculation of the award; why and when sanctions, penalties and overpayments will be applied; transitional protection; benefit cap.

Welfare Benefits – 2 Days

This is for Constituency staff dealing with casework issues around various benefits.  This is a revamped course with up to date information provided.

Writing a Brief

This course will cover the essentials of good writing which are needed for drafting briefings such as content, structure, layout & use of language that meets the reader’s needs, and the process of drafting, editing and clearing a briefing