AP Connect Communities of Practice (CoP) 2019-2020

Programmes

touchconsulting Ltd is a small organisation that co-designs and delivers big quality improvement programmes for the education and training profession

#APConnect – Communities of Practice (CoP)

2019-2020

The team at touchconsulting Ltd piloted an exciting Communities of Practice strand, funded by the Education and Training Foundation. The CoP strand evolved into a rhizomatic movement of 250 + like-minded professionals with a passion for supporting others’ practice and engaging in quality improvement within and across their organisations.

Developing Advanced Practitioners’ CPD programme

Zoe reflecting on her experiences of being involved in the CoP instigated by the Professional Development Programme for Advanced Practitioners. [0:46]

Reflections from our visual artist on Reconnections day for constellation B, Oct 2019

So far, touchconsulting Ltd has directly supported 250+ APs, across England through the CoP programme strand. This strand was a leap of faith by all parties which turned into an adventure. Fifty Advanced Practitioners signed-up in year one to an emerging model which began as an online space for Action Learning Sets and ended up being so much more. We rapidly learnt face-to-face connections were crucial to build relationships and to grow self-sustaining CoP. Read our end of year 1 reflections here. Suffice to say we moved rapidly to a blended programme which in its second year matured and reached 106 APs across England.

Do browse stories from APs’ adventures over the past years.

June 2018 – CoP online induction for 50 APs
Oct 2018 – Preparation for our CoP Connecting APs event
Nov 2018 – Reflections on our CoP Connecting APs event
Dec 2018 – Online modules update
Jan 2019 – APs Networking on a blended strand
Feb 2019 – Matrix of Opportunities
April 2019 – Reflections on the CoP adventure
June 2019 – Year 2 CoP adventure begins!
Sept 2019 – Constellations A, B & C busy gearing up to the new term
Nov 2019 – Constellation A,B & C adventures
Jan 2020 – Focus on Constellation C

CoP portfolio

APs on the CoP strand have developed a range of resources which you may find useful in your practice – all freely accessible.

Mental Health

Mental Health Coach and Mental Health First Aider, Simon Horner, is supporting staff and learners via a comprehensive programme including CPD, a YouTube Channel and Instagram.

The Inner Coach

AP, Lynn Taylor has developed a pod-cast series on self-coaching – The Inner Coach

#ukfechat

This original and best FE twitterchat has been running for several years, created and hosted by Sarah Simons. During 2019, it has regularly been hosted by APs from Constellation C, some of whom were nervous and new to Twitter but they’ve done brilliantly and the Team #APConnect support network has been strong!

APSouth event

The strap line for the South AP-led event – ‘Fostering a Culture of Collaboration.’

This Padlet houses artefacts from the day including all presentations. Do browse this link to get a flavour of the difference the day made.

The CoP strand is fully subsidised by the Education and Training Foundation.

Exciting, innovative, digital…Do you want to join a growing community of APs from across England. We will be releasing the next wave of applications shortly. Register your interest here.

I was really nervous as a new AP, but this has been brilliant, and I am excited to develop my skill set with this course.
Great experience – so motivating and energising. I am a new AP, and this is the best thing I could have attended.

Inception #APConnect Communities of Practice Constellation B, June 2019 - Birmingham
It has been a really amazing, empowering and highly motivating experience to continue to participate in the AP initiative and collaborate further with a number of colleagues in the ALS and wider groups.

CoP Impact Survey, March 2020