Last Updated on May 25, 2017

Applications are now open for the Workforce Development Innovation Fund backing trailblazing adult social care workforce development projects that are in development, being tested or improved.

The Workforce Development Innovation Fund supports innovative projects which increase the skills and knowledge of workers. The Fund has a proven track-record in helping improve service quality and embedding person-centred values in the 1.43 million strong social care workforce.

One example of how the fund works is money granted to The Association for Real Change (ARC) who worked with Speak up for Autism Group to make the Level 3 Award in Education and Training accessible for seven people with autism. The first objective was to create more accessible learning and development by making reasonable adjustments to the way the course was designed and delivered. As a result, six of the seven people achieved the Award and have already delivered training on understanding autism to more than 60 health and social care professionals.

Skills for Care's Chief Executive, Sharon Allen said, 'Adult social care is an ever-evolving sector, so this fund exists to support organisations to be innovative and think differently about the way they deliver services.

'We know it works as some of the projects it has supported have created some brilliant solutions to difficult problems, so I would urge anyone who wants to test their innovative ideas to make an application.'

Funding applications must meet one of the advertised priorities in the ‘What will be funded?’ section on Skills for Care's website, and then be able to deliver to Skills for Care tangible resources or products that have been rigorously tested as part of the project.

Interested parties can visit Learn from Others on the Skills for Care website to see how others have used the Workforce Development Innovation Fund. The deadline for applications is 1pm on Thursday 22nd June 2017.