http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/innovationfund/

Workforce Development Innovation Fund

The Workforce Development Innovation Fund is a special funding stream within the Workforce Development Fund (WDF). It aims to fund projects that are innovative in their approach to influencing workforce development in the longer term. It has a similar focus to WDF – on supporting ongoing professional development of staff through vocational qualifications by increasing skills and competence.

The innovation fund can only be utilised by adult social care providers that employ social care staff within England.

What will be funded?
Skills for Care is keen to fund projects that address and fulfil some or all the following:

Themes

Overcoming current barriers in commissioning, accessing or delivering training
Delivering or accessing skills requirements that are essential in meeting the future needs of adult social care employers, employees and the people using social care services
Cost effective approaches to delivering learning and development and continuing professional developments
Skills and qualification development which support prevention and early intervention through health and social care integration

Priorities

Emerging or hard to reach areas of the workforce e.g. Personal Assistants and individuals who directly employ their own care and support staff
Continuing professional development e.g. QCF award and certificate qualifications in specialist skills, e.g. activity provision, stroke care management etc
Person-centred approaches that focus on dignity and respect

Outcomes

Projects that deliver (during and / or following the project phase) vocational qualifications that are aligned to the Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF)
Projects that are scalable, transferable and sustainable
Projects that deliver demonstrable business benefits and service quality improvements.

To see some of the projects funded last year through the innovation fund click on the links below:

WDIF case study – Awareness of autism project

WDIF case study – Deafblind champions and training project

WDIF case study – Personal assistant induction project

WDIF case study – Training courses for personal assistants and their employers