Me and Ted have been co-delivering training together for some time, and we work really well together. We’re both firm believers in the power of lived experience to bring training to life and really embed the lessons we want our learners to understand and take away with them.

United Response has co-delivered training in place across the country, and I’m proud to be part of a Learning and Development team that makes this more than a priority, but instead the norm. At the moment we’re delivering the Person-centred Training sessions, which are so well received and a testament to the work of co-trainers up and down the country.

So when we were asked if we’d be willing to answer some questions about our partnership work, Ted and I jumped at the chance.

How did you both come to deliver training together?

Matthew: I knew that Ted was involved in the People’s Forum and a quality checker and working in a café already and Teds supporters informed me he was looking for even more work to do. I visited Ted’s home and we talked about training and what Ted wanted to achieve and from there we got started on planning our first courses together

What course or courses do you co-deliver?

Ted: We deliver Person-Centred Support training. Aimed at all staff that have just joined United Response.

Matthew: The aim is to have participants attend within the first 6 months of employment. The course includes ‘What is meant by Person-Centred Support’, ‘Person-Centred Tools’ we can use, ‘How person-centred support impacts quality of life’ and ‘What person-centred support looks like in practice.’

How do you work out who does what? Do you plan which sections you’ll lead on?

Matthew: First of all, I sit down with Ted to talk about what is important to him and what is currently working in his life. This is something we visit on the course itself and one thing that stood out over anything else was Ted’s strong feeling of independence. So I wanted to ensure Ted was able to have a go at everything on the training delivery and then choose what he would like to lead on.

In the end Ted wanted to do everything and 2 sessions in and Ted is already greeting everyone that comes in, uses the pointer to navigate the slides, runs the activities and checks people’s working and participation throughout the sessions. My main role is to do the driving to the venue! Ted runs the rest!

What benefits do you think it brings to people on training to have you there to co-deliver sessions?

Ted: I am able to share my lived experience to the staff, which helps staff get an understanding of the job. Being person-centred

Do you think it has improved how we deliver our training? If so, what makes it better?

Matthew: Having someone on training with lived experience can only ever improve the training. It adds extra value. Direct experience

What do you most enjoy about co-delivering training?

Ted: I have delivered the training twice now. I enjoy meeting new people and sharing my experiences

Matthew – what do you most enjoy about it?

Matthew: Having a co-trainer does add so much value to the training and fosters a much deeper empathy towards people. When participants arrive for training, they meet Ted who doesn’t use words to communicate yet soon realise they are having a full conversation. You get that human insight into people we support’s lives and we are improving accessibility for all.

Are there plans to deliver different/new courses together in the future?

Ted: We hope so!

Matthew: We have talked about looking into the ‘Welcome To United Response’ course as an example which is currently run with co-trainers already. Also, the Oliver McGowan training will be rolled out fully this year and maybe other opportunities will come up along the way.

Ted – What advice would you give to people across United Response who are interested in becoming a trainer/supporting delivery of training?

Ted: If you want to give our staff team the best start when they take on the job and/or want to improve the quality of life for the people we support then this training is for you. It can be a good stepping stone to help you achieve your own goals and aspirations

What would you both say about United Response’s training offer in general? And are there any things you’d like to change or add in the future?

Ted: The training offer is strong and gets better all the time. I’m looking forward to delivering more training.

Matthew: The training offer planned for the year ahead is looking amazing, with a huge increase in training that involves people with lived experience. It’s about putting the person in the centre of everything we do and as Francesca (United Response Co-Trainer and Chairperson of our People’s Forum) says “The person we support should be in the drivers seat, We are just the instructors in the passenger seat, Let them drive!” We need to incorporate this into all of our training as much as possible and the new sessions we have coming out this year are going to do just that.

Find out more about how United Response is led by lived experience: Led by lived experience – United Response