I've started out on doing some volunteering as a Generalist Adviser with the local Citizens Advice which involves doing a 10 week training course once a week, so I'm officially back in school until early September....
I guess this makes it my summer school!
It's kind of odd given that just three years ago I was teaching the AET - which is what the trainers on a course just like this would have been sent on.
But I won't pass judgement on the quality of teaching here!
For now it's just really nice to be back learning again, being a student again - I've always enjoyed learning as an adult, much more fun than delivering the training... and 0 stress as opposed to a lot of stress as the trainer!
Lots to learn...
There's a lot to the course.... the first three weeks have been very much base level stuff - what is CA and systems for example.
The coming weeks cover the substantive areas they deal with such as employment, benefits (40% of their case load), consumer and debt (the last dealt with by specialists).
I'm looking forward to getting stuck into to meat of the substantive policies... as someone thinking about doing an MSC related to social policy it makes sense.
The face to face learning is backed up with a lot of online learning materials...
As with many systems, it's a bit of a pain to log in and navigate, but once you've used it a few times it's O.K. to use!
Research Opportunities...
I'm also interested in the CA databse.... every interview is tagged so they have hundreds of thousands of cases a year which show what government policies are causing the most social problems.
And I'm attending a research meet this Weds - part of what they do is collect data to advocate - something which interests me.
I am training to be a generalist advisor which is fine but I hadn't realised CA does more national level research - and there are paid opps that come up from time to time which appeals.
Overall it's been a really positive experience - with a nice mix of older retired people and younger law students looking for work experience - and a very high level of education and competence all round!
I like these kind of win-win-win ventures, they are rare finds these days!