Caring Homes receives award for excellence in training

City & Guilds Group has this week celebrated Caring Homes along with 38 other UK-based businesses, with a virtual ceremony to present the prestigious Princess Royal Training Award.

The Princess Royal Training Awards recognise employers across the United Kingdom who deliver outstanding training and development programmes that have had a direct impact on their people and organisations. 2020 winners, which come from a wealth of sectors including health and social care, manufacturing, retail and technology, demonstrated exceptional commitment to training, learning and development, despite facing the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19.

Caring Homes have been recognised this year specifically in relation to the Chef Development Programme which upskills chefs and meets and exceeds industry criteria for care home catering and cooking for people living with dementia who may be experiencing dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

Caring Homes are already part of The Princess Royal Awards ‘Community of Excellence’ having been recognised by the awards in 2018 for the Future Leaders’ Programme and in 2016 with the ‘My World’ Dementia Training Programme.

Commenting on the latest award, Liz Willis, Director of Learning and Organisational Development, said, “I am delighted that our dedication to training and development has been recognised in this way. At Caring Homes we wholeheartedly believe that investing in our colleagues, their learning and ongoing development is pivotal to the success of our organisation, the exceptional standards of care, safety and wellbeing we provide our residents and indeed the way in which we have risen to the challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented.

“Our Chef Development Programme was formed using the very latest research and techniques which can be utilised by those throughout our homes preparing the very best, and most suitable, foods for the people we care for.”

Organisations can apply for an Award with any kind of training, learning or development initiative that is being used to address a business challenge as long as they are able to evidence increased business impact as a result. In 2020 applications focused on a wide range of challenges including using training to reinvigorate apprenticeship programmes, initiating organisation-wide culture changes and re-skilling employees to fill sector skills shortages.

This year applications were made from a wide range of organisations ranging from large multi-nationals through to public sector bodies and small charities. 2020 recipients include household names such as Royal Mail Group, The Co-op, HMRC and IBM and smaller businesses and non-profits including Springhill Hospice, IT agency Netmatters and a local radio station.

Applications were assessed against three Hallmarks of Excellence:

1. Training/learning and development is integral to business performance

2. The programme is designed and delivered efficiently and effectively

3. The programme has an impact on the success of the organisation and its people