Graduate Leader Fund

[Guest]

Hi,

 

During my EYPS course, I've heard a lot of talk about the Graduate Leader Fund.

 

However, I can't actually seem to find much information about it online. All I could come up with were:

i) a Graduate leader application form - Liverpool City Council

www.liverpool.gov.uk/Images/tcm21-130499.doc

 

ii) some guidelines on the DCSF website http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/s...yearsworkforce/

 

Does anyone have more info on the fund? I.e. criteria to qualify, and who to approach to actually obtain the funding.

 

I'm in Manchester. Not really enquiring for myself, more for a colleague at one of my work placements. Trying to be a practitioner enabling change and all that. =-P

 

Thanks!

 

Regards

Mark

http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com

[HappyMaz]

Hi Mark

 

Unless someone on here is from Manchester and knows exactly what criteria your LA sets on who is eligible for the GLF, I'd say your best bet is to call your setting's development worker to find out from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

 

It is almost certainly likely that terms and conditions will vary from LA to LA!

 

Maz

[Deb]

Hi Mark

Contact the training department of your local SureStart.

 

In our LEA there are 3 different strands to funding.

 

Level 1 - escapes me at this time of night.

 

Level 2 is for funding up to £1,500 per year for a student undertaking the Foundation Degree and willing to undertake EYPS.

 

Level 3 is for £5,000 for the setting with a student who has achieved the Foundation Degree and embarking on the EYPS pathway.

 

HTH

[hali]

as debs and Maz has said criteria varies from LA to LA - so you will need to ask yours

[Guest]

I agree with Debs, except our LA pay £3000 to the setting for cover/ expenses etc whilst I am out one day a week doing my foundation degree.

 

They also pay 75% of the course costs.

 

This should continue so that I can take the first 4 modules of the top up degree to give me 300 points so that I can then gain EYP status!!

 

These funds are not for staff in maintained sector of childcare in our area anyway x

[Rea]

They dont give it in Birmingham if you're in a sessional setting, only full day care.

[Inge]

same here.. only full daycare can get it..

 

and the person had to be in a position of leadership...

 

we also could not get it until the person had completed the degree bit and was undertaking eyps...

 

so as said.. you or they would have to check locally...

 

Inge

[Rea]

Nice to know equality is alive and well in early years

[Guest]

I agree with Debs, except our LA pay £3000 to the setting for cover/ expenses etc whilst I am out one day a week doing my foundation degree.

 

They also pay 75% of the course costs.

 

This should continue so that I can take the first 4 modules of the top up degree to give me 300 points so that I can then gain EYP status!!

 

These funds are not for staff in maintained sector of childcare in our area anyway x

 

Could I just ask about your £3000 and how your setting works it? We've been told to cover our costs and then give the rest to the person doing the course for books, travel, etc. That seems fair enough to me, is that how your LA works it?

 

Here, we get £2,000 for covering our costs for each year of the foundation degree, about £300 is left over to go to the staff member.

[Guest]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

Yes, I have mostly been hearing stories about the GLF, where the setting receives the funding, but very little, if any, actually ends up in the pockets of the graduate/graduate to be.

 

Regards

Mark

http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com

[Deb]

Hi

 

It is right that there are different criteria to be met ie with regard to the number of hours your setting is open but don't be put off by the phrase full day care as in my case it was something along the lines of having to be open for 4 hours or more for 5 days a week. I think technically the term sessional day care no longer exists, aren't we all classed as full day care under the new register - I could be wrong!

[Guest]

And where I am because my degree is not specifically Early Years but Nursery Management I can't access the GLF either

[Guest]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

Yes, I have mostly been hearing stories about the GLF, where the setting receives the funding, but very little, if any, actually ends up in the pockets of the graduate/graduate to be.

 

Regards

Mark

http://earlychildcare.wordpress.com

 

The idea is that the fund enables us to release our staff member and still pay her, rather than her having to take the day off unpaid. We obviously then have to pay to cover her with another staff member while she is away, so I think it's right that the fund is paid to the setting. We then work out what is left over and this goes to her for other costs, e.g. books, travel. I don't see that she should be 'paid' to attend a course that is for her benefit as much as it is for ours, beyond receiving her usual pay for that day? I think with the EYP, the money goes directly towards paying an increased salary, so that is slightly different.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Guest

[Guest]

Exactly how the money can be spent is dependent on how the LA has interpreted the rules and guidance. And excacty how much ends up going to the student/graduate/EYP depends on how robust a system the LA has for auditing the money once it is released to the setting in my experience.

[Guest]

In our area settings recieve money to cover staff absence to attend college separately from the GLF, the fund must be used to and I quote here from the letter:-

 

Offer the member of staff a salary enhancement

Support them by offering additional study time

Re imburse any costs already incurred (Eg. for purchase of books, travel)

 

Or be used in any way that encourages retention or recruitment of this (named) staff member.

 

Hope this helps!

[Guest]

In my area, I was invited to apply for the GLF, which I did and between me and the setting, we have been awarded £5000. Half is to come to me, either in one or two instalments, depending on how the funds are released, and the other half goes to the setting.

 

As far as I am aware, and I don't have the paperwork to hand, but the intention of the funding is to be used for cover costs if I have to attend training during work hours, other placements (I have to do babies and toddlers as I'm slightly over the three years), salary enhancement, and apparently, I am supposed to have one day off per week to do EYPS related studying. In addition, I am supposed to buy study materials, such as books, stationery and funds are to be used to purchase equipment/resources, training etc for the whole staff team as well as me in order to enhance the provision.

 

The conditions of it were that I had to be in paid employment (which I am) and had to work a certain number of hours (think it was 16 minimum). I also had to be doing the BA (hons) top up alongside it but they were offering funding for those just about to start on a recognised EY FD/Degree course.

 

This funding is in addition to the CWDC funding that the setting will get, which, as far as I am aware, is meant for salary enhancement? Not too sure on that last one, but think that is right.

[TORO]

In my area, I was invited to apply for the GLF, which I did and between me and the setting, we have been awarded £5000. Half is to come to me, either in one or two instalments, depending on how the funds are released, and the other half goes to the setting.

 

As far as I am aware, and I don't have the paperwork to hand, but the intention of the funding is to be used for cover costs if I have to attend training during work hours, other placements (I have to do babies and toddlers as I'm slightly over the three years), salary enhancement, and apparently, I am supposed to have one day off per week to do EYPS related studying. In addition, I am supposed to buy study materials, such as books, stationery and funds are to be used to purchase equipment/resources, training etc for the whole staff team as well as me in order to enhance the provision.

 

The conditions of it were that I had to be in paid employment (which I am) and had to work a certain number of hours (think it was 16 minimum). I also had to be doing the BA (hons) top up alongside it but they were offering funding for those just about to start on a recognised EY FD/Degree course.

 

This funding is in addition to the CWDC funding that the setting will get, which, as far as I am aware, is meant for salary enhancement? Not too sure on that last one, but think that is right?.

 

l am currently undertaking the EYP course, but my borough informed me that they do not give GLF, but l should be getting CWDC funding, not sure what is happening here, seems different boroughs with different rules, but are they right not to give GLF to my setting.

[HappyMaz]

Your setting will receive funding from the CWDC to support you through your pathway to EYPS. Your provider will arrange this with your employer.

 

The GLF is another pot of funding designed to help settings employ a graduate or grow their own graduate leader, and I thought every LA had ths pot of money to disseminate to groups. However each Local Authority can set their own terms within certain parameters - some will fund one EYP candiate per setting, others a maximum of two. Some stipulate the percentage that should be used to supplement the graduate/potential graduate's salary, others give a list of things the money can be used for - perhaps CPD for the candidate, wider training for the staff team and perhaps to support salary enhancement of the whole team.

 

Of course we are almost in March, so it may be that your Local Authority has exhausted its GLF for this year. However it might be worth asking a second opinion!

 

Maz

[Guest]

I get the GLF, I was told for Somerset only PVI settings qualify. This year i have recieved 1,200 for the setting, 2,500 salary enhancement and my foundation degree fees paid in full 3200.

 

Claire x