Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training

The Wilkes Institute is running an Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training session on Wednesday 9 December, from 09:00 at The Wilkes Institute Learning Hub inside St Luke's Hospice on Little Common Lane, S11 9NE. It's a full day's training for health and social care professionals, and it's delivered alongside the Speak Up Self Advocacy group, which is led by and for people with learning disabilities and autism. That's a key part of how the day works: you're learning from the people the training is actually about, not just from a textbook.

The training is named in memory of Oliver McGowan, whose experiences highlighted the need for health and social care professionals to better understand learning disability and autism. His story has helped shape national efforts to improve care and health outcomes for autistic people and people with a learning disability, and the session is developed in line with the Department of Health and Social Care's 'Right to be Heard' (2019) recommendations and the Core Capabilities Frameworks. It meets the national learning outcomes for Tier 2 training, so if you're working in care and need to tick that box, this is the one.

Rachel Whelan and Vicki Hoyland of St Luke's Hospice facilitate the day, and the whole thing is delivered with the Speak Up Self Advocacy group. The aim is to build understanding and practical skills through hands-on learning in a friendly, engaging setting where you can connect with other people in the room. It's less about sitting through a lecture and more about getting stuck in, with the people who know these issues best leading the way.

It runs from 09:00 on Wednesday 9 December at The Wilkes Institute Learning Hub, St Luke's Hospice, Little Common Lane, Sheffield, S11 9NE. The cost is £65 per person.