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Learning & Skills
Guidance & Tools
See guidance & tools for other inclusive practices and domains
Learning and Skills for People Experiencing Mental Health Difficulties
NIACE has a reputation for championing the needs of under-represented groups and has particular expertise in relation to mental health.
The LSC has worked closely with staff from NIACE on this important issue and to produce these briefing notes.
Download as a PDF file:
Research consistently shows that have fewer English language skills, are less likely to secure sustainable employment, have lower incomes and have fewer opportunities to participate in social and civic society than women from other ethnic groups. The cumulative effect is that some women from these groups are amongst the most disadvantaged women in the UK.
This state of affairs has rightly been described as an ‘extreme challenge' for those concerned with inclusion and equality. This ambitious research study aims to help to deal with this challenge by investigating the hindrances to learning that these women face, and pointing the way towards approaches that might help them progress.
The study's findings emphasise the differential experiences and factors affecting participation in learning of women in these groups, and hence the need for a range of strategies. The authors have drawn on their findings to develop a framework to support the identification of need and so inform the planning of focused strategies to formulate an effective response.
Download full press release and link to purchase publication:
A concise directory ready to print out of Bromley services in relation to learning and skills, produced by Develop with useful information and contact details.
Download listings:
Page from the NIACE website giving access to various documents explaining the Direct Payments Project.
Link to website:
NIACE have produced three new electronic leaflets to give support and advice to people experiencing mental health difficulties who are in learning or thinking of taking up learning.
- You Can Do It - Designed to encourage people experiencing mental health difficulties to think about the benefits of taking up learning.
- Should I Say? A short guide to help learners think about whether or not to disclose their mental health difficulty to their learning provider.
- Should I Say? A more detailed guide for people who want to think in more detail about disclosure.
Ideas for using these leaflets:
- Print copies of these leaflets and display them in waiting areas, lounges, common areas, and staff rooms.
- Use as part of any mental health awareness campaign.
- Use at open days and enrolment events.
- Use them in any group or 1-1 sessions or discussions with learners or service users.
- Place the pdfs on your website or intranet, especially on any areas relating to mental health or student support.
- Include them in induction packs.
NIACE are keen to get any feedback on the leaflets (including how you have used them), and also ideas for future leaflets in this series. Please send any feedback or ideas to caroline.law@niace.org.uk, or telephone 0116 2044249.
Visit website for downloads:
The National Office of the Canadian Mental Health Association has launched the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide resource in collaboration with a range of national partners including the Canadian Association for School Health and Curriculum Services Canada.
By combining collaborative learning strategies and interactive, multimedia tools to engage students in active learning the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide aims to increase students understanding of both mental health and mental illness and improve attitudes about mental illness.
The guide is now online and accessible here:
Subscribe to The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice and get 18 months for the price of 12
This inter-disciplinary Journal addresses key issues relating to mental health education and training and development of the workforce. It includes national and international features and articles highlighting service user involvement, as well as practice-based evidence relating to new and advanced methods of working.
This is a peer-reviewed Journal which prides itself on a speedy turn-around - articles, once accepted, are published within a year. The editors would welcome articles on any aspect of education and training for mental health practice. See below for guidelines for contributors.
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Written by Lesley Elmes and published by NIACE, this checklist is intended to help organisations to provide quality-learning opportunities for people with mental health difficulties.
The Anticipatory Quality Checklist is an important resource in implementing the aims of the strategy on Improving services for people with mental health difficulties.
Download checklist:
Website resource providing Excel downloads for data tables showing the highest qualification level of the population aged 19-59 or 64 (males aged 19-64 and females aged 19-59).
The figures relate to levels of highest qualification held, the relationship between qualification level and rate of employment, participation in job-related training by employees and the proportion of adults who participate in any form of learning.
Visit website:
The Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning 2010...
...is aimed at disabled people who are not working but would like to.
The book is full of information and advice to help people in their journey into work.
Niace are delighted to announce that they have copies of The Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning 2010 available to order.
The books are available as a pack of 5 for £12.50 or a box of 50 for £100. If you want more than 1,000 copies then please get in touch with Michael Lyden, on 0116 285 9701 to discuss discounts on bulk orders.
Place your order today by calling 0870 600 2400 or order online at:
Produced by NIACE, this is a detailed guide for learners about disclosing mental health difficulties.
If you are taking up learning and you have a mental health difficulty, you should think about whether you want to tell your learning provider. This is called ‘disclosing'.
Download guide:
The Develop Learning Inclusion Questionnaire was designed in Bromley with service users to be filled in by anyone wanting to plan their personal development around getting involved in further education.
Alternatively it can be used as a set of prompts in a conversation to find out what levels of support someone may want to be able to fulfill their learning needs. The questions concern the various steps that anyone might need to take in order to access any new learning courses.
Along the top are different kinds of support. You can record those you want by ticking the boxes according to your wishes. All you need to do then is decide which order you want to tackle the steps you have identified and then seek out the supports you need to get on your way.
Download as a PDF file:
Providing first class education for learners with mental health difficulties
The Planning for Quality: An Anticipatory Checklist is intended to help educational institutions provide quality mainstream learning opportunities for people with mental health difficulties.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act it is an anticipatory duty of the educational provider to make reasonable adjustments for learners with mental health difficulties, rather than wait until a person applies to join a course.
Anticipating the individual and varied needs of people with mental health difficulties can be particularly challenging for educational providers. Getting it right for this group of learners will make it more likely that providers can meet the need of all learners.
Download as a PDF file:
Staff wellbeing in the post-16 education and training sector
Produced by NIACE, This resource pack promotes the positive mental health of people working in the post-16 education and training sector. It raims to raise awareness of issues and supports employers so they can develop good practice.
Download document:
Produced by NIACE, this brochure is designed to encourage people experiencing mental health difficulties to think about the benefits of taking up learning.
Download brochure:
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