About our training Our training ensures your staff are able to work confidently and effectively when supporting the needs of their LGBTQ+ clients. Opening Doors has been providing training for over 10 years and our team of specialist trainers and facilitators all contribute their lived experience as older lesbian, gay, bi and trans people. Our training is endorsed by Skills For Care and satisfies the equalities requirements of local Clinical Commissioning Groups, the Care Quality Commission and other bodies responsible for overseeing the quality of health and social care provision.For more info, read on or email [email protected]. Our Courses Opening Doors is proud to present a suite of brand new, refreshed training courses, now available for booking. Our course have been coproduced by older LGBTQ+ people, alongside experts in the health and social care sector, to produce content that is current, engaging, and exceptionally important for those working in this field. (1) UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF OLDER LGBTQ+ PEOPLE The 2014 Care Act requires health and social care professionals to address the health and care support of older LGBTQ+ people by tailoring services to their individual needs. Many front-line staff say they still lack the knowledge, skills and confidence to do this effectively. This training for, will identify, explore and explain some thoughts, beliefs and issues that participants may encounter in relation to an older LGBTQ+ client group. This training led by LGBTQ+ people with a specialism in health and social care, will enable participants to feel more confident in engaging with and caring for older LGBTQ+ people. (2) PERSONALISING CARE FOR OLDER LGBTQ+ PEOPLE Providing health, housing and social care to older LGBT+ people who have previously experienced discrimination and/or harassment can pose challenges to professionals seeking to build relationships of trust with these marginalised and sometimes vulnerable individuals. This course, led by experienced LGBTQ+ trainers with a specialism in health and social care, enables participants to employ best practice in the provision care and support of older LGBTQ+ clients. (3) MANAGING SERVICE DELIVERY TO OLDER LGBTQ+ PEOPLE Government and health and care sector regulators remain concerned that organisations are still not proactively engaging LGBTQ+ people or responding adequately to their different needs. This course uses the latest research to help managers identify key determinants of service quality which make a demonstrable difference to the lives of older LGBTQ+ people, including monitoring demographics, inclusive staff recruitment, organisational communications and staff bullying, discrimination, and harassment. To enquire about our course, click here. Who is it for? Our public and bespoke in-house training is specifically designed for individuals and organisations within the health, housing and social care sectors. Although our services are based in London, our training is available across the UK. Why is it needed? Stonewall research has identified that older LGBTQ+ people are a relatively vulnerable population with a lack of family support who rely more than their heterosexual peers on the support of their health and social care professionals. Finding solutions: ODL public and bespoke training courses Our training provides staff, managers and volunteers working in the health and social care sector with the knowledge and skills to provide quality care and support to older LGBTQ+ people, which enable them to live, healthy and independent lives, free from loneliness, isolation, prejudice and discrimination. “Lots of different scenarios given and ideas on how better to support service-users and staff.” “All information today has been helpful and informative – the pack is filled with useful resources; excellent!” “An absorbing LGBT+ experience. A very felt sense of life experience made it very real and immediate.” Why train with ODL? The courses we deliver are informed by the lived experience of our members - 2,000 LGBTQ+ people over 50 - who contribute to our work throughout London and beyond. We offer a rolling programme of public training workshops which are open to all. Our bespoke in-house training is a smart way to meet the specific needs of organisations as well as proving highly cost-effective for groups of 20 and above. Our team of trainers have over 30 years of practical experience delivering health and social care services to LGBTQ+ people. For more information, read about our trainers. Pride in Care quality standard Your organisation can gain the Pride in Care quality standard, which is endorsed by Care England and promoted by Skills for Care. It’s awarded to all organisations assessed as providing quality care and support to older LGBTQ+ people. This UK-recognised quality mark increases your organisation’s equality profile and provides independent recognition for the delivery of excellent services to older LGBTQ+ people. Check out our Pride in Care brochure below or read more about our Pride in Care quality standard. Download Pride in Care brochure “It challenged my thinking and attitude to LGBT+. Never done a training on LGBT+ before and have worked in social care for 40 years!” “Lovely, open facilitators made me so comfortable speaking openly. Trainer was amazing – there wasn’t a moment I wasn’t fully engaged.” Where can I get more information? We would love to talk to you about your training needs – it’s our passion! Please drop us an email at [email protected] for a copy of our brochure, which talks you through all the different elements in more detail. ODL Learning Network News Stay in touch with the ODL Training Team by subscribing to our quarterly ODL Learning Network newsletter and get a 30% discount on all public ODL training! Keep you up to date on training opportunities with ODL and our partner organisations, and the latest research on best practice relating to older LGBTQ+ people by signing up for our quarterly Learning Network News. To subscribe, email [email protected].