New job opportunity opens to provide potentially life-saving training 

Friday 11th of October 2024

Autism Hampshire is looking for its next recruits with lived experience to provide pivotal training for health and social care staff. 

 

Part of Avenues Group, Autism Hampshire has been awarded the contract to provide lived experience trainers for the Oliver McGowan training in Hampshire. This includes one trainer with a learning disability and a second trainer who is autistic. 

This pivotal training, which became mandatory in law in 2022, was named in memory of Oliver McGowan, an autistic young man with a learning disability who died at the age of 18 after being administered anti-psychotic medication against his and his parents’ wishes.  

It aims to educate health and social care staff, ensuring they have the necessary skills and understanding when treating individuals with learning disabilities and autistic individuals. 

Maxine Gibson, Head of Community Services at Autism Hampshire, said: “Oliver’s death highlighted a critical need for better training among health and social care professionals and we’re honoured to have been selected as one of the training providers in Hampshire.

“This is a significant opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives. It is also a recruitment opportunity as the trainers need to be autistic or have a learning disability. With our support and the support of the commissioners, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, this could be the chance for someone to potentially help save lives.” 

After recruiting the first cohort in September to deliver training in Eastleigh, Autism Hampshire is now looking for candidates to deliver training in and around Winchester and Basingstoke.  

Each session will be run by a trio of experts including a facilitator and two trainers. These trainers will be autistic individuals or people with learning disabilities, ensuring that the training benefits from their lived experiences.  

Autism Hampshire already offers a range of training courses and workshops for school staff, parents and autistic adults. The team also offers bespoke training courses tailored to the specific needs of individuals and organisations.  

To apply for one of the new job vacancies or to register your interest, visit https://careers.avenuesgroup.org.uk/jobs/home/. The closing date is the 1st November 2024. For more information on training opportunities, visit www.autismhampshire.org.uk/how-we-can-help/training-consultancy/. 

Visit NHS England’s The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training webpages for more information and guidance about Oliver’s Training.