University of East London

Adult Learner Approach

The programme is underpinned by a learner-led model and develops trainees' own learning styles and skills throughout the three years. We recognise that learning is facilitated by the availability of personal support systems.  In practice, this involves:

• recognising that trainees bring many skills to the programme and using these in academic and clinical contexts;
• reflexive teaching where trainees learn to apply to themselves skills that they may also try to develop in clients;
• learning contracts which specify experiences to be gained and skills to be learned in placement;
• an individual training plan by which trainees record their progress and which can be used for future planning;
• the encouragement of collaborative activities and of the practice of learning from each other.

Support

The programme provides a variety of personal support systems which offer choice and recognise that support should be available on a day-to-day basis as well as for crises. These include:

• mentoring: all Year 1 trainees are allocated a Year 2 trainee to act as a buddy to them to facilitate support between trainees from the very beginning of the programme;
• academic and clinical year tutors meet with trainees regularly at scheduled tutor meetings to discuss any issues arising for the cohort;
• academic tutors can meet with individual trainees to support their learning and study, application of knowledge in clinical practice, and to prepare for academic assessment;
• clinical year tutors can meet with individual trainees to discuss any issues relating to placement experience, and issues related to their role with the host NHS trust;
• individual tutors support trainees in monitoring their individual training plan and specific training needs;
• independent personal advisors  (clinicians in the North Thames region) are available to act as independent advisors, offering meetings to discuss and review training experiences, personal stress or personal circumstances, and any problems should they arise;
• personal and professional development groups (PPD) provide the opportunity to make personal sense of training experiences and develop as reflective and critical practitioners.

Programme Management & Development

The programme’s main decision-making body is our Programme Committee which consists of the staff team, trainee representatives (one per year), People's Committee members, clinical supervisor representatives, heads of local services, and the commissioners’ (Health Education North Central & East London) clinical psychology sub-group representative.

The Programme Committee has four subcommittees to oversee the operational arms of the programme, all of which have trainee and relevant stakeholder representation:

• Selection
• Placements
• Academic syllabus
• People’s Committee (experts by experience, service-users, and carers)