Keystage Housing’s Trauma course achieves formal accreditation to be delivered externally 

A training course created by Keystage Housing has received official accreditation and is being delivered to staff from Luton Borough Council.  

The Knowledge Hub – developed in-house by Assistant Director of Quality & Learning Development Jan DeVyott and Learning and Development Co-ordinator Michelle Whitley – gives staff the chance to improve their knowledge and skills through online and in-person learning.  

Since launching last year, the Knowledge Hub now includes a host of learning opportunities from mental health to menopause.  

Read more: Keystage Housing staff benefitting from new in-house training Knowledge Hub

Now, one of the courses has gained official Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accreditation and is being offered to those outside of the organisation.  

The Trauma Informed Approaches course has received official CPD Level 2 accreditation and is being provided to staff from Luton Borough Council.  

The course was accredited through external company Advantage – a training provider and CPD educational accreditation company – with a health and social care industry base.  

Jan said: “We have a year’s commission to run the course for Luton Borough Council staff. I run monthly training sessions for staff in person. It’s a four-hour programme and staff achieve a Level 2 CPD accreditation on completion of the course. It’s great that they wanted to use a local provider and chose us.” 

Jan explained the benefits of Keystage Housing partnering with external organisations to deliver training.  

“It provides awareness of what being trauma informed means and how professionals, regardless of what discipline they are in, have an awareness in their everyday interactions with people,” she said, adding: “It’s about providing a benchmark for training. Providing the course externally is an endorsement of the work that we do.  

“The benefits are creating a partnership with multi-disciplinary working. Some of the professionals attending the course will be familiar with us. But, for others, they might have a new experience of what we do as accommodation providers which goes far beyond working in just accommodation. Essentially, we are working with people and this partnership creates a stronger link.” 

The course provides theoretical learning based on psychological theories as well as real-life examples from Keystage Housing.  

Jan said she now hopes to expand the Knowledge Hub further by achieving accreditation for other courses and through working with other organisations.

The training courses have been tailor-made and designed to perfectly meet the needs of the workforce, with a diverse range of topics including finance, safeguarding, and health and safety, giving staff the confidence and skills needed for their work.  

Jan said: “It’s a life-long learning hub which will equip staff with the knowledge and skills they need at work but also help them to develop personally. 

“By casting our net further afield and offering courses externally, we can share our skills and knowledge to benefit partners we work with. It creates a more joined-up approach and multi-disciplinary working.”