ADDITIONAL SUPPORT POLICY

RELEVANT STANDARD(S):

Standards for Registered TrainingOrganisations (RTOs) 2015

Chapter 3 – Support and progression ▪ Clause 1.7 – Supporting students

PURPOSE

Energy Training Group is responsible for ensuring the educational and support services it provides meet the needs of the student cohort/s undertaking the training and assessment.

This policy ensures that Energy Training Group has mechanisms in place to collect, analyse and act on any support requirements that are additional to the provision of standard services. This ensures individual students are provided access to the educational and support services necessary for them to meet the requirements of the training product as specified in training packages or VET accredited courses.

This policy also ensures that Energy Training Group determines the amount of training required in accordance with the requirements of the relevant training package and in consideration of each individual student’s existing skills, knowledge and experience with respect to the relevant vocational competency.

POLICY PRINCIPLES

Energy Training Group is responsible for collecting, recording, analysing and acting on additional support information that could adversely impact on a student’s ability to undertake and complete a course.

This includes, but is not limited to any disability or impairment that restricts access and equity as well as English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) information obtained from students prior to enrolment and prior to the commencement of their first unit of competency.

Educational and support services may include, but are not limited to:

1. Pre-enrolment materials;
2. Study support and study skills programs;
3. Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) programs or referrals to these programs;
4. Equipment, resources and/or programs to increase access for students with disabilities and other students in accordance with access and equity;
5. Learning resource centres;
6. Mediation services or referrals to these services;
7. Flexible scheduling and delivery of training and assessment;
8. Counselling services or referrals to these services;
9. Information and communication technology (ICT) support;
10. Learning materials in alternative formats, for example, in large print;
11. Learning and assessment programs contextualised to the workplace;
12. Additional support for limited digital literacy skills to ensure students meet the required technological knowledge and capability to participate effectively in the course;
13. Reasonable adjustments for any disability or impairment; and
14. Any other services that the RTO considers necessary to support students to achieve competency.

Energy Training Group will abide by the following principles:

Assessment of Need and Identifying Additional Support

1. Each eligible student of Energy Training Group is asked to provide information prior to enrolment to a full qualification or training regarding any additional support requirements. The Enrolment Form and Pre-Enrolment Assessment Form provides students with the opportunity to identify and advise if they are aware of LLN issues, disabilities or impairments that may impact their ability to undertake study in their chosen course.

2. Energy Training Group will conduct assessment of need prior enrolment or prior commencement of training. It will ensure that assessment of need is undertaken at the earliest possible opportunity and that it manages any identified support needs.

3. Energy Training Group may also identify and act on student support needs at the time of enrolment, and/or any time prior or during the delivery of training. Energy Training Group trainers will be monitoring attendance during online training sessions and/or webinars. Students missing critical training sessions will be contacted by the student support team and/or provided webinar recordings as needed.

4. It will document the results of the assessment of need and ensure that this is reflected and managed in the student’s training records.

5. Energy Training Group’s assessment of need involves, but will not be limited to the following:
   1. Eligibility assessment to assess eligibility of student for the course;
   2. LLN skills assessment to ascertain whether the level of the qualification and proposed learning strategies and materials are appropriate;
   3. Determining the most suitable qualification for the student, based on the student’s existing educational attainment and capabilities;
   4. Offering RPL to the students when applicable, explain credit transfer obligations and identifying any relevant competencies previously achieved (refer to the RPL Policy);
   5. Assessing the need for additional support;
   6. Identifying any actions or strategies to be implemented to address identified needs for the student including any adjustment required to the learning program, delivery of learning and materials used for learning to ensure that retention and completion outcomes are improved.

Access to Educational Support Services

1. Energy Training Group ensures individual students are provided access to the educational and support services necessary for them to meet the requirements of the training product as specified in training packages or VET accredited courses.

2. Energy Training Group will ensure that students are made aware of opportunities for recognition before the start training and that adequate information, support and opportunities are provided to the students to engage in the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process when applicable. (Refer to the RPL Policy)
3. Energy Training Group will ensure that when additional costs are required to provide additional support, the student will be notified and provided information prior to enrolment.
4. Energy Training Group will inform students prior to enrolment of any limitations to the additional support it can provide, so students can make informed decisions regarding their training.

Provision for Reasonable Adjustment

1. Upon student advice of any disability or impairment that may impact on their studies, Energy Training Group will review the information provided and where necessary, make contact with the student to determine the additional support requirements.

2. Energy Training Group will arrange for reasonable adjustment to be applied to training or assessment tasks where it is appropriate. It will ensure that the reasonable adjustment applied does not impact the integrity of the training package requirement. (See the Training and Assessment Policy)

Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN)

The Language, literacy and numeracy assessment is part of Energy Training Group’s initial skills and upfront needs assessment process. LLN assessment will help to ensure prospective students have the minimum levels to access the vocational course of their choice.

LLN Assessment

Energy Training Group uses the Pre-enrolment Assessment Form to review and assess each student’s training needs, relevant current competencies, Language, Literacy and Numeracy skills and eligibility for recognition of prior learning (RPL). Information gathered through this form will be used to facilitate provision of additional support required in areas such as language, literacy and learning and assessment, whilst ensuring that students receive the maximum outcomes and benefits from the training, in relation to set learning objectives, career opportunities and skill level.

When the LLN assessment outcome identifies that the student does not have adequate language, literacy and numeracy levels of their chosen course, the admissions officer will:

1. Explain to the student the challenges that will be encountered in completing the course with their LLN level;
2. Provide information on where they can obtain assistance with their LLN issue; and
3. Offer other options and pathway for training until they are within the ACSF level requirement of the course.

Disability and Impairment

1. The admissions officer will advise the trainer in writing of any identified disability or impairment that may impact the studies of the student. The trainer is responsible for reviewing the information provided and where necessary making contact with the student to determine any further additional support requirements. The support will vary depending on the individual needs of the student.

2. Energy Training Group trainers may arrange for reasonable adjustment to be applied where it is appropriate to the assessment and does not impact the integrity of the training package requirements. (See Training and Assessment Policy)

3. Energy Training Group trainers will endeavour to work with the student to determine and provide reasonable access to training facilities, materials and resources to allow them to undertake their studies.

4. Where appropriate, Energy Training Group will seek external assistance to ensure additional support services are available.

Determining the Amount of Learning

Energy Training Group ensures each student’s skills and experiences relevant to respective vocational competencies are considered in the development of their learning plans. It follows the procedures outlined in the Upfront Assessment of Need procedural document in determining how the student’s existing skills, knowledge and experience impacts the amount and level of training they will require.

Access and Equity

Energy Training Group does not discriminate against any student enrolling or engaging in any course. Its aim is to advise students as much as possible on how they can attain support with any additional support requirements and how it will be able to support them (including on limitations of support). Ultimately, it is the choice of student as to whether or not they wish to proceed with their enrolment.

Records Management

1. Energy Training Group will document the assessment of need for each student in their student

2. Energy Training Group will retain all documents and reports pertaining to a student’s individual record following enrolment.

MONITORING AND IMPROVEMENT

1. The Training Manager will be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Student Enrolment Policy and Processes. All Administration Staff are responsible for the correct and accurate enrolment in accordance with this policy and relevant procedural documents.
2. All enrolment practices will be monitored by the Training Manager. Areas for improvement will be identified and discussed during the Continuous Improvement Meetings. (See Continuous Improvement Policy)

3. Students and employers (if applicable) are encouraged to provide feedback on their experience and through Energy Training Group’s continuous improvement process.

4. Students can lodge a complaint or appeal an enrolment decision, as per Energy Training Group’s Complaints and Appeals Policy.

Annex A: LLN Support Services

Students with LLN issues may be referred to the following services to discuss any additional LLN support services available to them:

1. Reading Writing Hotline

Phone: 1300 655 506

http://readingwritinghotline.edu.au

2. Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL)

Phone: (03) 9546 6892

http://www.acal.edu.au/index.htm

3. Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council (VALBEC)

Email: info@valbec.org.au https://valbec.org.au/

4. Resources for people teaching or tutoring adult literacy

Literacy Face to Face Resource

VERSION CONTROL

Version Control Table
Date	Summary of Modifications	Modified by	Version	Date of Implementation	Next Review Date
8/07/2020	Policy creation and branding	360 RTO Solutions	v.1.0	08/07/2020	29/04/2022
29/07/2020	Added pre-enrolment requirements and provisions for monitoring student engagement for online training	360 RTO Solutions	v.1.1	29/07/2020	29/04/2022
17/05/2021	Updated RTO code and ABN	360 RTO Solutions	v.1.1	29/04/2021	29/04/2022