« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
TRAINERS' PACK
INTRODUCTION
This pack contains resources for those who are delivering training on the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 ("FOISA") ("the Act") using the workbook made available by the Scottish Executive.
Leadership and culture change
It is important that the introduction of FOISA is supported and seen to be supported by top level management. Effective and committed leadership has been described as one of the most important contributions to the introduction of an effective regime for freedom of information.
Training alone will not deliver culture change but it can contribute significantly by leading participants to see how the changes in the legal regime will affect their work and the impact it will have on them as members of the public.
The resources are divided into three sections:
Section 1 - Additional training material and resource
Section 2 - Guidance on developing and delivering training action plans
Section 3 - Training techniques for FOISA
The pack is part of a suite of training materials commissioned by the Scottish Executive for use by Scottish public authorities. It is designed to be adaptable so that it can be used by different organisations in a variety of situations. The other materials in the suite are the introductory leaflet and the open learning workbook. The open learning workbook delivers a range of learning materials, case studies and exercises organised on a modular basis and includes a strategic perspective section in each module.
Relation between the training materials
All the materials in the suite follow the same broad structure and, wherever possible, use the same headings and terms. They are designed for flexibility in use. For example materials can be used vertically, drawing on the introductory leaflet, the workbook and the additional training resources in this pack to provide detailed training on a particular topic, or the overview slides and introductory leaflet could be used to provide an overview using material from one or more modules of the workbook to give more depth on a particular issue. The suite of materials has been designed to enable each organisation to develop its own specific approach tailored to each organisational or sectoral need while maintaining consistency. There is no obligation on organisations to make use of all the material in the pack.
Level of training material
Taken together the suite of materials is aimed to meet the vast majority of training needs in the public sector in Scotland, with the exception of some specialised roles, for example in-house lawyers, who need specific kinds of training. It is suggested that freedom of information practitioners should work through the workbook and cover the additional material available in this pack whereas managers may find it sufficient to read through sections of the workbook concentrating on the strategic materials. As the Scottish Executive Freedom of Information Implementation Group explained in its training strategy document:
"Decisions on training can only be made at a local level and will very much depend on type and structure of an organisation and the type of information held."
Trainers need to give careful consideration to the nature of the organisation in which they work in formulating the correct approach to training in each case. The suite of materials is intended to offer a range of resources to support Scottish public authorities in this task.
It is important that the suite is used in the context of other resources and guidance. Valuable materials have been produced by
- The Scottish Executive;
- The Scottish Information Commissioner;
- The Implementation Group advising the Scottish Executive.
The contribution of other bodies such as the Campaign for Freedom of Information Scotland should also be recognised.
Trainers should ensure that they have current copies of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, the two codes of practice issued under the Act, any relevant regulations, for example the fees regulations once those are available, and any relevant guidance from the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner. They should also be aware of initiatives or work in their own authority or department.
The materials in this pack have been designed to work with and not to duplicate existing materials; for example the Scottish Executive has produced a set of Frequently Asked Questions available on the website therefore the suite does not include a set of FAQs as trainers are encouraged to utilise those available already.
Training Expertise
It has been assumed that in many organisations the training will be delivered by staff with existing experience as trainers. However it is recognised that in some smaller organisations this may not be the case. The pack therefore includes some material on assessing needs and running training programmes and some pointers on training for FOISA.
« Previous | Contents | Next »