Learning and development
Welcome to Integrated Care Northamptonshire's learning and development hub for colleagues in health and social care.
Learning and development
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Learning and development
Integrated Care Northamptonshire is dedicated to supporting health and social care colleagues to access learning and development opportunities to help you achieve your career goals and reach your full potential.
On this page you will find details of all the learning and development programmes which are currently accepting applications.
Looking for inspiration? Why not explore our Leadership Matters Conversations homepage for details of our free online webinar series bringing world class leaders to our virtual space.
Digital Skills Academy
Enhance your digital and data skills with this free training programme for health and care colleagues in Northamptonshire.
The Integrated Care Northamptonshire Digital Skills Academy offers a choice of three courses beginning in September 2023 which are open to applications from anyone working in the NHS, health or social care in our county.
Please note that entry for the 2023 intake of the Digital Skills Academy is now closed. We hope to launch further opportunities to join the programme in future and details will be announced here as soon as this is confirmed.
Programme overview
Delivered in partnership with Multiverse and open to applications from anyone working in the NHS, health or social care in Northamptonshire, the Integrated Care Northamptonshire Digital Skills Academy will be launching in September 2023.
Academy courses are provided free of charge and offer a unique opportunity for colleagues who work with data for at least five hours a week to develop and enhance their data and digital skills.
You can find out more about the Digital Skills Academy by watching this recording of an online information session:
Who is the Digital Skills Academy for?
The Digital Skills Academy is for colleagues working in the NHS, health or social care in Northamptonshire.
If you are involved in any aspect of patient or citizen outcomes in Northamptonshire, want to improve your data and digital skills, are contracted for at least 30 hours per week and work with data for at least five hours a week, you are eligible to apply for the free programme.
Courses available are:
Integrated Care Northamptonshire partner organisations participating in the Digital Skills Academy include:
- Kettering General Hospital
- NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board
- Northampton General Hospital
- Northamptonshire Children's Trust
- Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- North Northamptonshire Council
- Primary care
- St Andrews Healthcare
- West Northamptonshire Council
What is in it for me?
The ICN Digital Skills Academy offers you the opportunity to gain new digital and data skills to future-proof your career and become more productive with your time.
You will achieve a formal qualification whilst continuing to flourish in your role. You’ll be supported by a Multiverse coach, a mentor and gain access to exclusive networking opportunities.
Detail and timetable
Please note that entry for the 2023 intake of the Digital Skills Academy is now closed.
We hope to launch further opportunities to join the programme in future and details will be announced here as soon as this is confirmed.
Data Literacy
This is a 13-month course commencing 28 September 2023.
The Data Literacy programme is for anyone who would benefit from building their confidence in using data to inform their team’s work. This could be people early on in their career or those already managing a team. The main requirement is a clear desire to embrace the future and develop their knowledge in this area. You work with data over five hours a week and want to be able to clean, manipulate, make decisions with and tell stories of the data you work with.
Data Fellowship
This is a 15-month course commencing 27 September 2023.
The Data Fellowship is for anyone who works with data more than 10 hours a week. You will learn how to clean and manipulate data and predict and forecast with data. You will become a data champion with skills in dashboard analytics, database management, data science, advanced Excel, SQL, Python and Power BI. Roles include, but are not limited to, analysts, finance, procurement, HR, commissioning managers, project managers, data / information leads, systems and research.
Advanced Data Fellowship
This is a 36-month course commencing 25 September 2023.
The Advanced Data Fellowship program is a full degree and requires someone to be in a data-focused role (working with data more than 20 hours a week), and the ability to lead data projects in your role.
Time commitment
The expected time commitment for those participating in Digital Skills Academy programmes is 10% learning (a mix of training, one-to-one sessions and reflection) and 90% working in their current roles (80% business of usual and 10% application of learning in their work).
How to apply
Please note that entry for the 2023 intake of the Digital Skills Academy is now closed.
We hope to launch further opportunities to join the programme in future and details will be announced here as soon as this is confirmed.
If you would like to submit an application to be considered for a future intake you are welcome to do so in the meantime.
Apply for Advanced Data Fellowship
For more information and guidance about how to complete your application, access the online application toolkit.
If you have any questions about your application please email admissions@multiverse.io
Course feedback
“I used to spend 2-3 days a week manually checking through things in Excel. Now I do it in 1 or 2 hours. Any piece of data work I do now involves things I’ve learned on the programme.” Data Literacy Apprentice, Commissioning Manager, Leeds City Council
"It has enabled us to share ideas and knowledge and skills, which we do regularly. I feel we have all helped each other improve, and we can troubleshoot between us. Not only have I made friends within my own organisation, I have made friends with people in other Leeds health and care organisations.” Libby Adams, Data Manager for Children's Diabetes, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust
“Before joining the programme, I had no prior knowledge of Python but before long, I was able to develop and enhance my Python skills whilst also applying the content taught on the programme directly back into my role addressing business critical needs.” Christine Wells, Data Fellowship Apprentice, NHS England
“These skill sets go a long way in providing efficiencies to the NHS, with apprentices reporting a 24% efficiency increase when working with data after completing the programme. It has also enabled us to invest in our employees and their futures and is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to hone their data skills or reskill into a data role, as well as those at the very start of their career.” Ming Tang, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, NHS England
“It’s been amazing so far, especially the Applied Learning. This is drastically different from doing a course or corporate training. Multiverse...makes a real difference.” Dan Jennings, Apprentice
"Apprentices are overwhelmingly positive about the holistic support that they get from their coaches." Ofsted, 2021
"Coaches are highly qualified, knowledgeable and experienced, for example coaches on L4 Data have experience in data at doctoral level." Ofsted, 2021
Reverse Mentoring
A pioneering equality, diversity and inclusion initiative for colleagues in health, social care and other Integrated Care Northamptonshire (ICN) partner organisations. Reverse Mentoring offers members of staff with protected characteristics (i.e. Black, Asian or any other minoritised ethnic group; LGBTQ+; or disability / long-term condition) the opportunity to mentor senior leaders over a six-month period, with full training and support from ICN.
Programme overview
Reverse Mentoring involves a colleague in a senior position being mentored by someone in a more junior position than themselves, with a focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.
It enables colleagues with protected characteristics (i.e. Black, Asian or any other minoritised ethnic group; LGBTQ+; or disability / long-term condition) to give senior staff and leaders an insight into their experiences through safe, honest, open and respectful conversations.
In this ICN pilot programme we are looking for individuals with the protected characteristics mentioned above who are interested in sharing their experiences and insights with leaders to sign up as Reverse Mentors. We are also looking for leaders interested in benefiting from those experiences and insights to sign up as Reverse Mentees.
All participants are expected to fully commit to engaging in the one-to-one Reverse Mentoring relationship for six months. Mentors and Mentees will be encouraged to meet at least six times between May and November 2023. They will also be required to complete training and preparation before the programme begins.
The deadline to apply for the Reverse Mentoring programme is 31 March 2023 and training and preparation begins in April. The programme itself is scheduled to take place between May 2023 and November 2023.
Who is it for?
Reverse Mentors
Colleagues who consider themselves to belong to an underrepresented or minoritised group (i.e. Black, Asian or any other minoritised ethnic group; LGBTQ+; or disability / long-term condition) are encouraged to apply to become Reverse Mentors.
Reverse Mentors will be required to:
- Seek consent from their line manager before signing up and committing to the programme
- Fully commit to leading and engaging in the one-to-one reverse mentor/mentee relationship for six months
- Attend a one-day training session. Time dedicated to this training session will be fully supported by management
- Attend six reverse mentoring meetings during the six months
Reverse mentors will have access to regular facilitated peer support and participate in the evaluation of the Reverse Mentoring programme at various stages throughout.
Find out more about Reverse Mentoring for Reverse Mentors.
Reverse Mentees
Board members and very senior managers in health, social care and other ICN partner organisations who are interested in benefiting from the experiences and insights of colleagues with protected characteristics are encouraged to apply to become Reverse Mentees.
Reverse Mentees will be required to:
- Fully commit to engaging in the one-to-one reverse mentor/mentee relationship for six months where you will have honest, open and respectful conversations with your Reverse Mentors about barriers and challenges of underrepresented groups
- Attend a two-hour preparation session
- Attend six reverse mentoring meetings during the six months
- Attend three facilitated reflective practice sessions one, three and five months into the programme
- Participate in the evaluation of the Reverse Mentoring programme
What is in it for me?
Reverse Mentors
Being a Revers Mentor will provide an opportunity for you to build an open and honest relationship with a senior leader in a safe environment. The Reverse Mentoring programme will not only help you to build your self-esteem, but at the same time you will gain experience in leadership and communication.
By participating in the Reverse Mentoring programme, you could:
- Help our leaders to reflect upon and challenge their attitudes to equality, diversity and inclusion
- Help senior leaders become more aware of cultural and systemic issues within their own organisations
- Support senior leaders to cut through held biases and improve understanding between cultures
- Positively influence organisational culture across Integrated Care Northamptonshire
- Help to improve the experiences of colleagues and build a culture of trust, transparency and inclusivity
Find out more about Reverse Mentoring for Reverse Mentors.
Reverse Mentees
Pairing a senior leader with a junior colleague from a diverse background in a Reverse Mentoring relationship gives senior leaders a better understanding of the issues and challenges that minority groups face in the workplace. Equipped with this knowledge, the senior leader can more effectively advocate for change within an organisation.
The Reverse Mentoring programme is for you if you:
- Are a Board member or very senior manager
- Would like to take your ability as an inclusive leader to the next level
- Would welcome the chance to develop your cultural humility
- Are ready to be challenged about your unconscious bias and thinking patterns about people different to you
- Want to raise your level of conscious inclusivity
- Are prepared to reflect upon and challenge your attitudes to equality, diversity and inclusion
- Are keen to drive improvements to our organisational culture across Integrated Care Northamptonshire and improve experiences for staff
Detail and timetable
Drop-in information sessions for Mentors and Mentees
We are hosting a series of informal online events in February 2023 for anyone interested in participating or finding out more about the Reverse Mentoring programme.
Follow the link to join whenever you like during the times shown.
- Thursday 23 February 2023 – PLEASE NOTE THIS SESSION IS NOW CANCELLED
- Tuesday 28 February 2023 – 1pm to 2pm Click here to join the meeting
If you are interested in taking part in the Reverse Mentoring programme, don't forget to complete an online expression of interest form.
Training and preparation sessions
All Reverse Mentors and Reverse Mentees will be required to complete an online training and preparation session before they can participate in the programme. You will be able to choose your preferred date for training when you complete the online form registering your interest.
Reverse Mentor training dates:
- Wednesday 19 April 2023 – 9.30am to 3.30pm
- Tuesday 25 April 2023 – 9.30am to 3.30pm
Reverse Mentee training dates:
- Wednesday 26 April 2023 – 9am to 11am
- Wednesday 3 May 2023 – 9am to 11am
How to apply
If you would like to participate in the Integrated Care Northamptonshire Reverse Mentoring programme, there is a short, online form to complete.
We will then contact you with further details of what happens next.
Please note that the closing date for expressions of interest in Reverse Mentoring is Friday 31 March 2023.
Participant feedback
“This has been the most important piece of work I have done in the 30 years I have worked for the NHS....”
Board member/reverse mentee, NHS Mental Health Trust
“It’s gift isn’t it… reverse mentoring?”
Reverse mentor
"It’s like she turned on the light in a room where I thought the light was already on. I didn’t know there was more light."
Board member/reverse mentee
"I am so grateful I got to be part of this programme and it’s been one of the best experiences of my entire working career. It’s not only been a pleasure to build this bond with 'D', but it’s been a journey of self-discovery for me. I have enjoyed sharing this experience with my colleagues and hearing how much of an impact everyone has had on the senior management team."
Reverse mentor