E-portfolio Workshop Social care

WELCOME This is an interactive session please feel free to join in at any points with your comments, thoughts and idea’s . 2 .5 hour session By the end of the session you will hopefully have a clear idea of the direction you want to take with your e-portfolio Location of toilets Breaks Feedback Fire Exits Mobile phones off/on silent

AGENDA FOR THE SESSION – E-PORTFOLIO What are e-portfolios? E-portfolios from a nursing employer prospective Voluntary work in the nursing sector Benefits of voluntary work in the nursing sector E-Portfolio – Best Practice in Nursing What to avoid Getting Started

FASCINATING FACTS Getting to know you: Please pick a partner and share with your partner a fascinating fact about you. Then please share with the rest of us your partners fascinating fact !

WHO ARE NEW DIRECTIONS SOCIAL CARE ? New Directions Recruitment was founded in 1994 and is part of the New Directions Holdings group which is Wales' leading independent provider of recruitment and training services. Recruiting within the social care and nursing marketplace, in the public and private sectors, its services cover temporary, contract and permanent recruitment. We are specialist recruiters in the following area’s: Nursing /Elderly Care Children Services Hostel Services Adult Services

EXPECTATIONS ACTIVITY: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET OUT OF TODAY’S SESSION?

WHAT WILL THIS SESSION COVER Sector specific voluntary work available for students in the nursing sector What part do e-portfolio’s play in making you attractive to employers Best practice for the nursing sector to enhance employability Case Study Reflective Practice Good and bad practice when using your e-portfolio Working together to make your e-portfolio professional, sector specific and overall a tool for you to use when seeking employment

WHAT ARE E-PORTFOLIOS? E-portfolio’s are an online space for you to bring together information and digital objects that demonstrate your learning development, skills and competencies.

E-PORTFOLIO’S In September 2012 The University of Glamorgan was successful in securing funding in order to develop an online tool where students would be able to store, manage and showcase some of their work and experiences which might then assist them in seeking employment. The main purpose of these sessions is to give students the opportunity to engage with an employer (relevant to their area of study) so that they may learn what an employer might like to see in their e- portfolio and hence how a good e-portfolio would help to enhance their employability.

Your e-portfolio is a chance to show case your skills therefore think about the following: Make your e- portfolio sector specific Keep in line with your area of interest

Your e-portfolio should represent you as an individual and include the following: Your interests and what they are Your academic development Professional Development Personal development Reflective accounts

Remember : Your e-portfolio is a reflective account and hopefully when you have completed your course you will be able to see your development throughout.

Most importantly your e-portfolio is a chance for you to appeal to the job market within your chosen sector it can be a great piece of work to chart your journey through studies, extra curricular activities and personal and practical development so use it wisely! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGTFDY1Cf64

E-PORTFOLIO –EMPLOYERS PROSPECTIVE SOCIAL CARE

E-PORTFOLIO – NURSING EMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE From a social care employers perspective work experience is crucial whether that be voluntary or paid experience. A social care employer will also be looking at your life experiences and the type of individual you are. When applying for jobs to gain experience /volunteering or even undertaking extra curricular activities the following points are important to remember : If applying for voluntary or paid work is it relevant ? What skills are you utilising in this position/activity which will make you attractive to an employer? Are you being exposed to experiences which you may come across in your chosen career? Are you going to develop a keen understanding of your chosen sector?

WHAT IS A NURSING EMPLOYER LOOKING FOR? SOCIAL CARE

SOCIAL CARE/NURSING A social care/nursing employer is looking for an individual who can be supportive, considerate and respectful of others regardless of background, opinions and attitude . Working in a nursing environment can be challenging at times and life experience as well as formal training is a must. One route to gain valuable experience is voluntary work in a mix of sectors ,types of work which are applicable and can gain you a valuable insight :

VOLUNTARY WORK – SOCIAL CARE Skills acquired Telephone Counselling e.g.- childline,samaritans Local Council Day Care Centre with children Voluntary in a care home Ability to listen, sensitively and carefully, to what they are telling you enhancing communication skills Allows you the ability to observe the running of a service and interact with children Gain experience in communicating with elderly with varying conditions e.g. hard of hearing, dementia patients etc. Gives you the opportunity to observe various job roles in the care home.

VOLUNTARY - CONT Befriending in own home Ward Visitor VOLUNTARY WORK SKILLS AQUIRED Befriending in own home Ward Visitor Develop a keen understanding of day to day challenges these individuals face enabling you to understand and develop empathy as well as increase your own confidence in dealing with people Develop an understanding of the pace of life within a busy hospital ward, develop skills such as communicating effectively ,showing compassion for others. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D_4IwTSDZI

VOLUNTARY WORK – BENEFITS Enhance your communication skills Make you more attractive to an employer Give you a unique insight into the sector you are going to work in Increase your confidence when interacting with people of all walks of life May lead to paid work in this sector Opportunity to forge links with employers

USEFUL CONTACTS FOR VOLUNTARY WORK : www.wrvs.org.uk www.hallmarkhealthcare.co.uk www.homelessuk.org www.nspcc.org.uk www.redcross.org.uk

15 min break!

BEST PRACTICE – E -PORTFOLIO Social care

E-PORTFOLIO – USE YOUR PDP EFFECTIVELY: The personal development page of your e-portfolio is important as this gives an employer an insight into you as an individual, as a social care employer a few things that we look for: Voluntary Work - relevant voluntary work as discussed in the last section will make you very attractive to an employer – even better would be if you were able to incorporate different types of voluntary work , this will show a potential employer that you have developed a realistic understanding of your chosen sector which is crucial in the social care sector Fundraising – This is an ideal opportunity to show that you are an individual who likes to give back to the community and it also draws upon skills such as event management, people management and marketing skills . Extra Curricular activities - These give a unique insight into the type of personality you have for example playing a sport can give an indication that you work well in a team and show good communications skills.

Conferences / Study Days attended - Attending as many nursing conferences/study days is very relevant as it shows your keen, your passionate and dedicated to widen your knowledge about nursing. Plus they are great learning experiences as you have the opportunity to meet like minded people and talk everything nursing related. Also many days will have workshops where you actually learn about topics. Memberships to professional organisations – rcn,nmc etc. @Twitter

E-PORTFOLIO – INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS: As an employer recommendations are invaluable not only do they back up what an individual is saying , they give added value as an employer/colleague has taken time out of their busy schedule to put pen to paper . A few things to remember regarding recommendations: They don’t always have to be from your employer they can be from colleagues that have worked alongside you. They can be more personal and can reflect on your personality as well as skills Be strategic and consistent when gathering recommendations – for example it may look odd if you have been recommended a lot for one placement but not at all for another this may ring alarm bells

RECOMMENDATION EXAMPLES “is a fantastic individual to work with - she has a great work ethic and is passionate about providing an outstanding service to her candidates and clients. She is a supportive colleague who has drive and a great sense of fun.” – colleague - this gives an insight into how an individual may fit into a team “always offers a professional and helpful recruitment service that produces positive results. It is a pleasure working with her.” – client , this gives an insight into an individuals work ethic, professional attributes etc.

E-PORTFOLIO – DETAILED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INFO As a social care provider one of the first things we look at and question are any gaps in your CV, this is where you can really utilise your professional development to show employers at a glance everything that you have done and skills you have acquired in each job whether that be voluntary or paid , a few tips below: Account for gaps in employment – if you haven't been working or haven't undertaken any work – why? It could be you simply haven't got time alongside your studies at this point in the course tell us! Explain any gaps in employment – so if you haven't been working just studying use this opportunity to explain how your studies have gained you invaluable time management ,experience of working to deadlines etc. Explain any skills you have acquired however big or small – working in the social care or nursing industry needs you to draw on a huge amount of skills in your everyday career give us an opportunity to understand what you have achieved .

E-PORTFOLIO -CONT Try and stick to a common theme – For example if you are looking to work within children services as your chosen sector your voluntary work, fundraising etc. should reflect this and if it doesn’t explain how it could gain you transferable skills relating to a job in children services

Overall the most important thing for a social care or nursing provider is: You have a good understanding of the industry we work in You have practical hands on experience You have validated that this is the right career/course choice for you You have a good transferable skill set.

PRESENTATION OF E–PORTFOLIO Use clear concise language Use the same font throughout Use visuals wherever possible Be reflective wherever possible to show the reader what you as an individual have learnt from your experiences Keep professional pages professional Make your personal development about you and how you have developed as an individual Be creative let you e-portfolio represent you as a person

WHAT TO AVOID Although your e-portfolio is a reflective account of your professional and personal development you must be mindful that it could also be shared with tutors and also potential employers, a few tips below of what to try and avoid: Job hopping – jumping from job to job rings alarm bells for social care employers if you were only employed on a fixed contract or temporary basis ensure you state this clearly Not giving enough details – ensure that if you have undertaken fundraising or voluntary work you give enough detail to ensure the reader is clear on what your job/activity entailed. Being too professional – although professionalism is extremely important ensure that you are also showing employers your personality you can do this by showcasing your extra curricular activities etc . Case study

YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT MAKES A GOOD CASE STUDY?

CASE STUDY Example of a good e- portfolio : A common theme throughout e.g. - the student is focused on a career in elderly care therefore all voluntary/paid work has been around that The student has included a section for recommendations allowing an employer to gain an insight into the student straightaway The student has used an alternative format e.g. – including reflections from a journal Throughout the student has reflected on what skills they have acquired from their pieces of work

Reflective practice By reflecting in an on-going way within your e-portfolio you will be developing the reflective skills that will enable you to become a reflective practitioner. Reflecting on your nursing care will increase the potential for learning within the different practice learning experiences.

SOME IDEA’S FOR E-PORTFOLIO You could complete one reflective writing per term You could incorporate reflective statements relating to placements You could reflect on voluntary work ,paid work Reflect on your experiences truthfully you can learn by them! Showcase yourself with your reflective writing.

WHY USE REFLECTIVE PRACTICE? Reflective practice enables nurses to develop their skills It will increase your knowledge It will help you deal with emotionally challenging situations By developing your reflective practice early on in your education it will pay dividends on every clinical placement you undertake, building a strong foundation for a successful career in nursing.

GETTING STARTED – THINGS TO REMEMBER Your E-portfolio is a work in progress and should be used throughout your studies Remember your objective and end goal and try to evidence you working towards that Capture all your achievements big or small shout about them! Keep a common theme throughout as discussed earlier - remember if your area of interest is in elderly care try to make your paid/voluntary work relevant Be Reflective!!

ACTIVITY List three things that you feel you can already add to your e-portfolio based on todays workshop

EVALUATION/CLOSE Any questions ?