The Open University
The Open University, established by Royal Charter on 23 April 1969, is the leading university for flexible, innovative and world-leading research in the United Kingdom and in over 100 countries worldwide. Uniquely placed to understand the needs of part-time students, who wish to combine their learning within employment, their innovative, award-winning distance teaching credentials have seen over 2 million students access higher education to prepare them for the world of work.
We are proud to work in partnership with the Open University on their Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work, educating the new generation of social work practitioners in a way that integrates academic discipline, with the knowledge and skills priorities of front line employers. We aim to offer a number of fully sponsored Trainee Social Work (TSW) positions annually.
Our Academy of Social Work in Plymouth aims to support social workers to become authors of practice wisdom and research. We have also integrated front line practitioners and managers in teaching delivery for social work students.
The University of Plymouth
The Academy of Social Work, Plymouth supports qualifying social work courses at Plymouth University, through the provision of high quality student placements for the Undergraduate and Post Graduate qualifying programmes. We supply further opportunities for students to shadow front line practice.
We attend practice partnership meetings and programme committee meetings in our role as employers of qualified social workers. We contribute to programme matters as they arise and participate in recruiting student intakes.Working with the Peninsula South West Education group of local authorities, we aim to support the education of social workers in the far South West.
Bournemouth University (BU)
The National Centre for Post Qualifying Social Work at Bournemouth University specialises in providing high quality education, continuing professional development (CPD) and training for professionals within Health and Social Care.
In the Academy of Social Work in Plymouth, our staff are Lecturer Practitioners with Bournemouth University. This allows us to deliver a range of continuing professional development qualifications in partnership with the University locally and flexibly. We have been proud to work with BU on a range of innovative qualifications linked directly to front line practice, for example, our Assessed and Supported Year in Employment, a flexible Masters Pathway linked to Advanced Practitioner career progression and our new Employer Endorsement Unit.
University of the West of England
Step Up to Social Work is a fast track graduate scheme led by employers. Step Up provides an accelerated entry route in to the social work profession for high achieving graduates and career changers. It is a DfE sponsored programme, currently in its fifth year of operation, with proven success nationally in the recruitment and retention of high quality social work practitioners. Our academy works in partnership with Somerset County Council and 9 other local authority partners, who form the South West Regional Partnership for Step Up to Social Work delivery. Academy staff provide teaching, mentorship, practice education and assessment on the programme.
Step Up to Social Work is a Post Graduate qualification and is delivered in partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE). UWE have a reputation for delivering consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for students and was recently awarded a Gold standard in the National Teaching Excellence Framework.