How to Use This Booklet to Do the Training Programme 3

Certificated Helpline Training

1 Contents

Introduction 3 How to Use this Booklet to do the Training Programme 3

Progress Chart 4

Step One - Your L.D.A. Helpliner Induction 5

Step Two - Fundamentals of Dyslexia via B.D.A. Elearning 6

Step Three – SEND Reform by recorded webinar 7

Assess Your Progress 8

Assessment by Others 9

Step Four – Developing Effective Listening and Questioning Skills 10

Step Five - Learning about information for parents 12

Step 6 - Learning about information for adults 13

Step 7 – Managing Stress and Your Emotional Resilience 14

The Accreditation Process 18

Assessment by Others 17

Application for External Accreditation 19

Notes 20

2 Introduction

Welcome! This booklet will give you a complete picture of what is involved in participating in the Accredited Helpline Training. It will also be your guide to undertaking the training, if that is what you decide to do.

It is an exciting project that has been developed jointly between the Local Association Board (LAB) and the British Dyslexia Association (B.D.A.) So, we hope you do decide to participate and get a lot out of it which will benefit you and all the people you encounter through your Helpline.

How to Use this Booklet to do the Training Programme

The booklet has been laid out so that you can work your way through it logically, step by step. On the back cover, you will find a progress chart so that you can fill it in every time you complete a step. This will help you celebrate each stage of your learning journey and help you see how much progress you are making.

In addition to the learning activities, you will find templates for applying to do the e-learning modules and for the assessments.

3 Progress Chart

Item Date Started Date Completed Signature Induction

Fundamentals of Dyslexia

SEND Webinar

Listening and Questioning

Information for Parents’ Queries

Information for Adults’ Queries

Stress and Emotional Management

Countersignature by Chair:

4 Step One - Your L.D.A. Helpliner Induction

The first stage is to participate in an induction session at your L.D.A. This is a requirement for insurance policy for all Helpliners.

By the end of the induction, you should:

o know who the other volunteers and, where applicable, staff are in your L.D.A. and what roles they carry out o Know how your Helpline is organised, funded and advertised o Know how your L.D.A. organises record keeping and Data Protection o Be aware of your L.D.A. Policies o be able to state the purpose of the Helpline and understand that we give information and guidance but not directly advise people on actions they might take o know who to go to if you feel you are out of your depth or are significantly affected by a call or email to the Helpline o be able to say how and when you will staff the Helpline o plan the timescale o agree how you will get the necessary knowledge to undertake Helpline calls

Talk to your Chair or whoever has taken you on as a volunteer Helpliner as the induction needs to be arranged and carried out locally within your L.D.A. but the learning objectives above are a really good guide for you and the person inducting you in what should be covered.

5 Step Two - Fundamentals of Dyslexia Awareness via B.D.A. Elearning

This is where you will get a thorough grounding in dyslexia awareness. It is delivered through elearning and takes about 3 hours to complete (though you can break this into bite sized pieces for yourself).

When you are ready to start this module, you will need to send the following by email (if you can scan in signatures) or post to the elearning team at B.D.A. You will then be sent a username and password so that you can access the module.

Dear Elearning Team,

I am a Helpliner at ………………………………… L.D.A. and I am undertaking the accredited helpliner training. I am now ready to enrol on Fundamentals of Dyslexia Awareness.

My name is ……………………………………………………………………….. My email is ……………………………………………………………………….. Repeat of email address …………………………………………………………

Signature:

Name and signature of the L.D.A. Chair endorsing this request:

………………………………………………………………………….

The email address is [email protected] and the postal address is:

BDA Training, Unit 8, Bracknell Beeches, Old Bracknell Lane, Bracknell RG12 7BW

6 Step Three – SEND Reform by recorded webinar

In 2014, there was a significant change to the support structures for children and young people (up to age 25 years) with dyslexia and other SEN. As a Helpliner, you will get many calls from parents about how the Government through schools and colleges should support their dyslexic children. Therefore, you will need a really good understanding of the provisions which you can gain from listening to this recorded webinar.

The webinar takes about an hour and you can access it by going to: http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/services/webinars and scrolling down to the SEND Reform one.

You will also find a guide published by the Government at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-guide-for-parents-and- carers

There is an easy read version included for parents and one for children and young people with lots of graphics which you may find additionally helpful to recommend to others.

Some Local Authorities and I.A.S.S. (formerly Parent Partnerships) also have user-friendly guides as well, if you are looking for more material on this topic.

7 Assess Your Progress

You have done quite a lot of learning now so it’s a good time to reflect on your progress and also to think about what you might want to learn more about. Here are some questions to guide your reflection.

1. What have you found particularly interesting?

2. Are you progressing as quickly through the programme as you intended?

If you are going faster, then that’s great.

If you are not going at the pace you intended, then it doesn’t matter but think about the reasons for this. Were you over ambitious, did you underestimate just how much new knowledge there is in this or did you think you would have more time to devote to it and life has just got in the way?

3. Are you maintaining your motivation for learning?

If yes, that’s really great and keep doing bite sized pieces and extend your learning into areas that you feel passionate about.

If not, then talk to your Chair about why that is and review the last page of this booklet with them to see your progress. When adults learn, they have to see the relevance of what they are studying to the work they will be doing. Sometimes you have to learn a bit more to understand how it all fits together, that will certainly be true about this programme.

4. If you are keen to learn more on a particular topic, then look out for B.D.A.s webinars http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/services/webinars . New ones are advertised on the website at www.bdadyslexia.org.uk. You will also find a wider reading list at the end of your elearning modules.

8 Step Four - Developing Effective Listening and Questioning Skills

Effective Listening

There are two types of listening – passive and active. Passive listening is when you hear things around you, you might hear the background music but unless it’s something you really want to enjoy, you are passively listening to it. Active listening requires focus. You are concentrating on interpreting the words, understanding any body or verbal hints. This is hard work and here are some tips in terms of making your listening as effective as possible.

1. Stop Talking

Listen not talk, leave space for the other person to talk. When somebody else is talking, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. When the other person has finished talking you need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately. So, summarise the key issues back to the caller before going on to suggest possible information that might help them.

2. Prepare Yourself to Listen

Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is easily distracted. Concentrate on the messages that are being communicated. 3. Put the Speaker at Ease Indicate to the speaker that you are there to listen. Use “ums and ahs” if required to show that you are focused on them and actively listening. 4. Remove any Distractions Try and ensure that you can be uninterrupted while you are taking a call. If necessary, remove things that you might play with which can be heard, such as paper rustling. 5. Show Empathy You might need to say that you understand occasionally. Feedback information given to acknowledge what you have heard. At the end of the initial description of the issue, if you summarise it concisely, the caller will know that you understand the issue (or can clarify it further) and feel empathy. 6. Ask Open Questions See “Questioning Skills” for information on these. 7. Listen for Tone Listen out for hidden or unexpressed messages. 9 Effective Questioning Questions have many different uses, including: o to gain specific information o To clarify o To confront discrepancies o To consider alternatives o To check understanding

On the helpline, we often need to explore a situation with the caller or seek clarity and details. To do this we often use a funnel technique, using open and closed questions.

Open Questions These are questions you can’t answer with just “yes” or “no”. They require a more detailed answer. They usually start with “what, why, who, when, how” and here are some examples. o “What happened next?” o “Why did they say that?” o “How did you go about that?” The only things you have to watch out for with open questions are that you don’t sound accusing (“why did you do that?”) and that you don’t open up so many areas that your call takes all day!

So, we use open questions to open up the funnel of information, and then we used close questions to shrink the funnel when we are distilling the essence of the request.

Closed Questions These are questions that are answered by a simple “yes” or “no”. For example, “Did you receive our information booklet?” or “How long has your child been receiving help from the teaching assistant?”

This funnel technique may take a little time to get used to, but it is very effective when handling calls such as those to a helpline. Here is an example. Caller: I am desperate. I am a social worker and about to lose my job because of my dyslexia, can you help me? Helpliner: I will try and help you. Now what has happened that suggests that you are about to lose your job?

10 Caller: I struggle with spelling in reports and organizing my time and workload. My boss has written to me saying that they want to hold a formal meeting to discuss these issues. Helpliner: OK, Have you had a workplace needs assessment? Caller: Yes. Helpliner: Have the recommendations been implemented? Caller: Not all of them And so on. Can you spot the open and closed questions here? Can you see how the conversation is being funneled from a wide discussion of the topic and then being narrowed to elicit specific information?

What do you need for effective questioning as a Helpliner? o the ability to use open and closed questions o knowledge about your subject, which will also give you confidence to handle calls o Sometimes a check list helps to ensure that you do cover everything you need in the call o A step by step approach (which includes reflecting back a short summary of the key issues raised by the caller and agreeing actions at the end of the call) o Effective listening as well as questioning skills.

11 Step Five – Learning about information for parents

1. Read the information provided on the B.D.A. website under Parents (www.bdadyslexia.org.uk) for Frequently Asked Questions, Getting Help for your Child and Choosing a School. These FAQs are frequently updated and will provide an ongoing resource for you in keeping up to date.

2. There is an elearning module which covers support for a dyslexic person at all ages. This will give you information to be able to help parents, and also other enquiries to the Helpline. The module is Fundamentals of Dyslexia Support and when you are ready to start this module, you will need to send the following by email (if you can scan in signatures) or post to the elearning team at B.D.A. You will then be sent a username and password so that you can access the module.

I am a Helpliner at ………………………………… L.D.A. and I am undertaking the accredited helpliner training. I am now ready to enrol on Fundamentals of Dyslexia Support.

Signature:

Name and signature of the L.D.A. Chair endorsing this request:

………………………………………………………………………….

The email address is [email protected] and the postal address is:

BDA Training, Unit 8, Bracknell Beeches, Old Bracknell Lane, Bracknell RG12 7BW

3. You may wish to do some further reading into this area and so here are some suggestions. The B.D.A. produces a handbook every year in January. This also has a wealth of information about parental issues, your L.D.A. may have a copy of this so see if you can borrow it to read. B.D.A. also produced a book specifically for parents which is purchasable via the website at www.bdadyslexia.org.uk There is further free information at the Dyslexia/SpLD Trust ( a DfE funded collaboration of work by the dyslexia charities) at www.thedyslexia-spldtrust.org.uk

12 Step Six - Learning about information for adults with dyslexia

1. You can now do the elearning module designed for employers but about adults with dyslexia.

Here is a template for you to apply for this module at no cost.

I am a Helpliner at ………………………………… L.D.A. and I am undertaking the accredited helpliner training. I am now ready to enrol on Specific Learning Difficulties and Performance in the Workplace.

Signature:

Name and signature of the L.D.A. Chair endorsing this request: ………………………………………………………………………….

2. There is also a good section on adults with dyslexia on the B.D.A. website (www.bdadyslexia.org.uk) under Employers.

3. At the time of publishing this document, there was no help for unemployed adults with dyslexia, other than Access to Work which is eligible for individuals who are starting work within 2 weeks. However, this situation may change so check the B.D.A. website for updated information, at www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

13 Step 7 – Managing Stress and Your Emotional Resilience

Whilst you are giving to others, it’s really important that you ensure that you stay healthy. Here is some material to help you do that.

Your Own Feelings

Having feelings is an integral part of being human! We value positive emotions such as happiness but often other feelings are considered to be unacceptable, such as anger or sorrow. However, the harder we try to suppress our feelings, the more they are likely to leak out. Research shows that other people find it easier to interpret (and believe) our non verbal communication than we what we say! If someone says “I’m OK” through gritted teeth, we know full well they are not currently ok.

The desire to stay in control of our feelings, not make a fuss and keep a “stiff upper lip” tends to mean that we often underplay the strength of our emotions. Not everyone has the skill to verbally express their feelings in an appropriate way. Unfortunately, feelings can bubble up until something trips a full blown explosion, the straw that breaks the camel’s back. This explosion may be completely out of proportion to the most recent event.

So, if we are to build helpful relationships with another person, in this case someone calling our helpline, then we need to understand and recognise our own feelings and that of others.

Basically, there are four “root” feelings. All more complex emotions can be thought of as combinations of these. Here you can see them on a spectrum from mild to strong emotions.

Mildly nervous ………………FEAR ……………………….. Terror

A bit upset ………………….SORROW…………………….. Grief

Mild irritation ……………….. ANGER ……………………….. Fury

Pleasure …………………….. JOY …………………………. Ecstasy

Dealing With Other People’s Feelings

Most people who ring our helplines are delighted that we are there to help them and have useful information. However, callers will ring or write in all sorts of different emotional states. Some may be in grief or resigned that the world feels against them; others may be extremely angry having just been told the support they want for their child isn’t available; or, they may become very 14 happy during a call to you as you are able to give them exactly the information they need. The key thing to remember here is that the caller’s feelings are not likely to be related or directed at you personally.

Sometimes, it’s not what the person says but they way that they say it. The caller may be perfectly pleasant to you but you can read the emotion and it suggests they are not happy. Remember, behaviour builds behaviour and so it is important not to react to some of the way the caller might behave as it will just make things worse. So, if someone is being a bit difficult, you need to have some strategies to manage your own feelings and response.

1. Distance yourself psychologically. It is their situation you are talking about not yours. It may remind you of a previous experience you had, but try to think of the differences between you to keep it separate.

2. “Put on your jacket” metaphorically, by this we mean when you are being a Helpliner, you have a role, you are acting professionally and so you don the appropriate clothing for that role. This “professional cloak” will keep you separate and act as personal protection.

3. Listen. Ask questions about facts, and feelings. This will let you empathise with the feelings (which will help to diffuse them) but it’s the facts that you need to provide good information and guidance.

4. Use a calm voice. Speaking quietly can also help diffuse someone’s anger.

5. If the person is angry, for example, because they have had trouble getting through to the Helpline, then apologise and inform them that it is run by volunteers (many people believe the helplines are funded by the Government!) Then ask them what they would like to talk about. Avoid arguments because you have taken their words personally!

Remember the majority of calls will be straightforward and pleasant. You will be able to give what the caller wanted, be it appropriate information, their choice of options or just a listening ear.

Dealing With Your Own Feelings After a Call

Your feelings are normal, belong to you and you cannot stop feelings happening. You must look after yourself by making sure you let go of feelings appropriately though. An important first step is to recognise your feelings and accept them. Acknowledge that it might take a bit of time for the feeling to subside, that is normal. Occasionally, we all take a call which disturbs us more than others. This will generate strong feelings and you shouldn’t feel that this is inappropriate but you must take action to let go of those feelings. Identify the real cause of the feeling and talk to someone about it. You will be more effective for your callers if you are not carrying a huge burden of unresolved feelings around.

Reducing Personal Stress

15 Stress is normal and a feature of life. Positive stress, where we are interested to achieve something and work to do so, is generally good for us. Even negative stress in very small doses is now thought to give our immune system a short workout now and again and therefore be useful.

Different people react to stressful conditions in different ways. The trick is to know what sort of things can trigger our own negative stress reactions. Then we can handle them. Think about some situations you know you find stressful.

Some people might say public speaking, whereas for others who do this for a living, might actually enjoy it so much that they don’t find it causes them any negative stress. What tends to differentiate these reactions is our confidence and our control. So if someone has been trained to do public presentations then they will have increased confidence and it all becomes less scary and stressful.

We also tend to be less stressed if we have control over a situation. In fact, many people use up a lot of emotional energy fretting over things they have no control over or influence.

So here is a suggested way of reducing your personal stress:

1. Consider whether the situation actually is your responsibility. If not, for example, on the Helpline, you may hear something you would like to assist with but is this your responsibility? Not usually, our role is to provide information and guidance, the situation is the caller’s responsibility.

2. If the situation makes you feel strongly, imagine you are in a helicopter hovering above it. Can you look down and see the situation more clearly? Is there anything you can do to help with advice and guidance?

3. Is this situation within your ability to control or influence? It probably won’t be within your control but you may be able to influence outcomes by the advice you provide. This is where you may get great feelings of satisfaction from helping someone.

4. If you can help do so and move on. If you can’t help, then recognise it and let go of the situation. Tell yourself that no amount of fretting will make the situation better if it’s outside of your influence or control.

16 Assessment by Others

In order to reach the status of Certificated Helpliner, your knowledge and skills need to be assessed by others.

So at some point during your later training, you will be called by one of the helpline assessment team. They will do this as a “mystery shopper” but afterwards will give you feedback on how you are doing. The helpline assessment team is composed of individuals who have themselves been helpliners for a long time, or they have very specialist knowledge of dyslexia and the education or workplace scene.

Here is a template of the assessment sheet they will be using.

Assessment Form

1. Did the helpliner introduce her/him-self at the start of the call? Yes/No Did they take a contact number in case disconnected? Yes/No

2. Did the Helpliner tease out what the main issues were and reflect these back to the caller for agreement? Yes/No

3. Did the Helpliner demonstrate empathy? Yes/No

4. Did the Helpliner demonstrate effective listening skills? Yes/No

5. Did the Helpliner use effective questioning techniques? Yes/No

6. Was there evidence of engagement but emotional resilience by the Helpliner? Yes/No

7. Was the process of call handling appropriate? Yes/No

8. Were all the queries from the caller met? Yes/No .If not was a referral recommended? Yes/No

9. Was the Helpliner sufficiently knowledgeable on the topic? Yes/No If "No" - did the Helpliner respond appropriately and have a plan of what happens next? (eg. Agree to find out and contact the caller back / Refer to a more experienced Helpliner)

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, please can you make comments below and suggestions for how the knowledge or skill can be further developed and arrange for this to be feedback to be given to the Helpliner.

17 The Accreditation Process

Well done, you have done all the learning you need to satisfy the initial requirements for you to be a Certificated Helpliner. In addition to this, there is a need for one of the Helpliner Assessment Team to sign off your actual performance, that is your knowledge and skills on the Helpline. This is done through the mystery shopper assessments discussed earlier. Once you have completed all the training programme to this point, you can apply to be considered to be a certificated Helpliner, supplying a copy of your progress report signed off by your Chair, using the template below. This will be matched up with the assessment calls that have been made to you. Provided it is felt that you have the necessary knowledge and skills, you will then be sent a certificate as an Certificated Helpliner.

Dear Training Department,

I now wish to apply for consideration as being an Accredited Helpliner. I attach a copy of my progress chart which has been signed off by my Chair.

Accreditation to Level 2

Having got this far, you may decide that you would like to apply to get a level 2 accreditation from OCNCredit4learning which is recognised by employers and colleges nationally. During the course of your programme above, you will have done sufficient study to meet the requirements for hours of study and content. You would need to do an assignment (known as a “workbook”) which asks you to answer questions about dyslexia awareness and support in a fairly detailed way.

B.D.A. has funded your training thus far but if you want to go on and get external accreditation like this, then either you or your L.D.A. will have to pay the registration fee (c. £20), and for marking and verification of your workbook at cost (£40). To apply, complete the following application form and return to [email protected] together with a copy of your progress chart (this is on the last page of this booklet.)

18 B.D.A. Training: Certificated Helpliner Booking Form for Gaining a Level 2 accreditation Bookings are subject to our terms and conditions. See our website www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Accredited Helpliner Programme Title Forename(s) Surname Your name Address

Postcode Telephone number Emergency mobile no.

Email address* *IMPORTANT: please ensure that you have unrestricted access to the email address you provide, as confirmation for all courses will be sent to this email address.

Method of Payment: please include all courses and books ordered in your total Cheque (please make payable to the B.D.A) ☐ Card ☐ Invoice ☐ Purchase Order Number Total amount to be paid: £ 60.00 (if required): Invoice email address (please note we operate paperless billing):

Please note that payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date and must be paid 14 days prior to the delegate attending the training event. If payment is not received then we reserve the right to cancel your booking. Credit Card Payment: please fill out the form below *Credit / Debit Card Payments – Please add administration fee of £2.50 Please debit my account for the amount (including admin fee) of: £ 62.50 Switch/Maestro Card type: Visa ☐ Mastercard ☐ Delta ☐ Please provide card number & details: ☐

For Maestro cards insert the whole of the long number which appears across the middle of the card Security Code on Reverse

/ / Name as it appears on the card:

Cardholder’s signature: Date: 19 Notes