The Isle of Wight College has been awarded a significant new contract by the NHS to deliver the Tier 2 Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, a national programme designed to improve the quality of care for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was created following the death of Oliver McGowan in 2016, which highlighted the need for improved understanding among health and social care staff of the needs of autistic people and those with learning disabilities.
The UK Government committed to introducing a standardised national training programme after public campaigning and a parliamentary petition led by Oliver’s mother, Paula McGowan OBE.
The College believes it is the first further education college in England to be contracted to deliver the training directly, rather than acting solely as a venue.
The milestone has also created paid employment opportunities for 2 students from the College’s Pathways programme, Matthew and Hannah, who are working as lived-experience co-facilitators.
The opportunity was advertised exclusively to Pathways students. Applicants were required to submit a letter of intent and take part in a formal interview process designed to mirror real employment. Matthew and Hannah were successful and now co-deliver the training on a weekly basis, each leading 50 percent of the session.
They teach groups of up to 30 NHS and social care professionals at a time, including doctors, nurses, health and care managers, and other clinical and social care staff. All sessions are fully booked until the end of the year.
Throughout the programme, the students are supported by two Pathways teachers, who act as guides while ensuring the learners lead the training in a professional and authentic capacity.
The initiative reflects the College’s commitment to inclusion, employability and creating real-world opportunities for students with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring lived experience plays a central role in shaping future healthcare practice.
Ros Parker, Principal, has said:
“We are incredibly proud to be delivering the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in partnership with the NHS.
“This programme not only supports a national commitment to improving care for autistic people and those with learning disabilities but also reflects our belief in the power of lived experience. Matthew and Hannah are playing a vital role in educating NHS and Social Care professionals, and their contribution demonstrates exactly what our Pathways students can achieve when given meaningful, high-quality employment opportunities.”
