Recognition of Prior Learning and Looked After Young People

www.celcis.org

• represents a possible method for recognising achievements obtained beyond school and college;

• potential benefits of RPL profiling include widening of career and opportunity awareness, motivational benefits, and increased self esteem.

Recognition of Prior Learning:

The SCQF

• aims to help learners develop the skills they need for learning, life and work, and has a strong emphasis on the development of well-rounded individuals;

• encapsulated in the four capacities: successful learner; confident individual; responsible citizen; effective contributor;

• experiences and outcomes describe the expectations for learning and progression in all areas of the curriculum.

The Curriculum for Excellence:

• in 2011, 16,000 children were looked after in Scotland;

• statistics linking social work and educational data have highlighted relatively poor educational outcomes for looked after children;

• looked after children, in common with many other children with unstable pasts, are often not resilient.

RPL and Looked After Children:

• factors contributing to the success of adults and young people who had previously been looked after include:– having people who cared about them;– experiencing stability;– being given high expectations;– receiving encouragement and support;– being able to participate and achieve.

• Celebrating Success, 2006

RPL and Looked After Children:

• advisors were recruited from West Lothian and East Renfrewshire and received training;

• advisors completed RPL profiling with young people of their choice;

• thirteen advisors attended the initial training day, and eight advisors completed RPL profiling;

• thirteen young people consented to taking part, and 12 completed RPL profiling.

Pilot:

• open discussion and observation took place at the training day and support sessions;

• questionnaires were completed by advisors before RPL profiling;

• questionnaires were completed by young people before and after profiling;

• advisors and young people were interviewed (separately) after profiling.

• eight advisors and eight young people took part in the research evaluation.

Research Evaluation:

• what were the outcomes of undertaking RPL profiling?

• did the young people find it useful in clarifying learning and training ambitions?

• were the materials suitable for use by looked after children?

• were advisors able to adapt to their role?

Research Questions:

The MSMF Toolkit:

Step 1 ‘My Experience’

activity

Step 2 ‘My Experience’

Review

Step 3 ‘Who do you

think you are?’

Step 4 ‘My Examples’

activity

Step 5 ‘SCQF Benchmarking’

activity

Step 6 ‘My Skills’ activity

Step 7 ‘My Future’ Skills

Profile Activity

Optional CfE activity

Working Through the MSMF Toolkit:

‘My Experiences’ Cards:

• young people choose 2 or 3 of these cards (out of a possible 30);

• they tick the skills that represent their actual experience;

• in ‘who do you think you are? Young people count symbols to find out their skill personality.

Who Do You Think You Are?

My Examples:

SCQF Benchmarking:

My Skills:

My Future:

• links between Experiences and Outcomes and ‘My Experiences’ activity cards;

• identified experiences and outcomes can be selected by hand, or can be entered onto a young person’s Glow account. They can be used to help the young person to express their skills on their skills profile.

MSMF and CfE:

• identify relevant experiences and outcomes and levels, and record these in the skills profile.

My Experience Cards – Links to CfE:

Perspective of an Advisor.

Tam Hall, Youth JusticeWest Lothian Council.

• what were the outcomes of undertaking RPL profiling?

• did the young people find it useful in clarifying learning and training ambitions?

• were the materials suitable for use by looked after children?

• were advisors able to adapt to their role?

Research Questions:

• engagement with process;• increased self esteem;• getting recognition;• increased skills/ self awareness;• increased motivation and ambition;• feeling nurtured.

Outcomes of Profiling:

• career and opportunity awareness;

• suitability of materials for looked after children;

• were advisors able to adapt to their role?

• first impressions – what are the pros and cons of using this toolkit?

• what are the potential benefits for your client group?

• what would you like to see for the future?

Group Activity:

• many of the resilience building and success promoting factors previously associated with RPL profiling occurred during the pilot;

• although not all of the young people experienced all of these outcomes, benefits for many of the young people included:

• engagement with the process;• increased skills/ self awareness;• feelings of being nurtured;• recognition of skills;• increased self-esteem;• increased motivation and ambition.

Summary of Findings:

• advisors reported that increased awareness of career options occurred more than increased awareness of opportunities during RPL profiling;

• advisors and young people stated that the materials would be suitable for use with looked after children;

• advisors were able to adapt effectively to the role of RPL advisor with the training and support given, irrespective of their professional background.

Findings:

• one and a half day training course being run by CELCIS at Glasgow Caledonian University on 23rd April and 18th June;

• toolkit training by SCQF;• formal accreditation;• use with other SQA accredited awards, such as PDA on self-

awareness;• study on views of end users;• potential application within Scottish Government Learner Journey

Project;• potential use by colleges as part of the pre-application stage;• value of making the toolkit electronic and interactive;• relationship building with universities and colleges.

Next Steps:

• alison.hennessy@strath.ac.uk• Tam.Hall@westlothian.gov.uk

• CELCIS: www.celcis.org.uk• GCU(LEAD): R.G.Whittaker@gcu.ac.uk• SCQF: J.Cavanagh@scqf.org.uk

• Publications: http://www.celcis.org/resources/entry/recognition_of_prior_learning_and_looked_after_young_people

Contact details: