Blog Page

Leadership and management

Some people may be natural leaders and/or managers, and this is a fantastic combination, however, some of us may need to learn these skills and practice them on a daily basis.

Whats the difference between a leader and a manager?

Do adults learn in the same way as children?

When we think about how we learn, it is really interesting to know that adults learn in different ways to children. We are not going to go into the theory of adult learning here, but what we are going to do is explain some of the differences, so that when you look at commissioning your training, or choosing a course to study, you have a basic understanding of what you are looking for, and can ask providers questions about how they design their training with adult learners in mind.

Planning V's winging it!

There is often a lot of debate between me and my business colleagues about whether to plan it or wing it!

As a natural planner I would say that planning is always best as it helps to mitigate risk, helps me to feel more comfortable in what I am delivering/saying and gives me peace of mind that I am prepared for whatever lies ahead. 

That is not to say that winging it doesn’t have its place, as sometimes we just need to ‘go with the flow’ and see where it takes us!  

Empathy and emotional regulation

Empathy is the ability to understand what other people are feeling, put simply, it is seeing things from another person’s viewpoint, and imagining yourself in their place. For example, you see another person who is upset after losing their job and you are able to envision yourself going through the same experience and understand what that feels like.

What is a Jamboard?

We are always looking for different tools to make training interesting and interactive in the classroom, but especially more so, on Teams and/or Zoom. A Jamboard could be the answer!

The Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week occurs on the first full week of February. For 2023 that will take place from 5th to 11th February

If  you are worried that a young person and/or an adult are experiencing sexual abuse and/or sexual violence, there are services that can help. If you google help after sexual abuse or assault there are a lot of options to explore. Read the article to find out more.

Empathy and Emotions and their impact on learning

Empathy is different from sympathy. Sympathy focuses on responding or reacting to experiences, empathy takes this a step further as the person will be able to put themselves in the other persons shoes.  

Read the article to see how empathy is beneficial in the classroom.

What safeguarding training do I need and how often do I need to renew it?

At The National Training Academy we cater for both English and Welsh legislation and guidance. When it comes to safeguarding there are differences. So let us take a look.

OMG - How is it December already! Where does the time go?

Time – once it’s gone you can never get it back. Have you ever noticed as you get older time appears to pass more quickly? The long summer holidays you had as a child seemed to go on forever, but now a month flies by in the blink of an eye. 

We all have 24 hours in a day, but how and what you choose to do with your time can have a massive impact on your work and personal life. Read our top tips on effective time management.

December can bring a lot of stress and pressure in to your life. What can you do to help yourself? 

The holidays can be a stressful time. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, other traditions or events; or you just have the children off school, it can be a very difficult time of year.

One of the best things we can do to help us to cope with stress is build our resilience.

December - a time of celebrations. But where do they originate?

Santa, Christmas trees with all the decorations, advent calendars, where did these originate?

If you have 3 minutes to read this it may help you one day in a pub quiz!!

Learning through play- Role play - love it or loathe it?

The dreaded ‘role play’ (or skills development as we like to call it!). Is it as bad as we think? Well actually no! 

Role play is a really effective learning tool as it increases learning retention, it provides hands on training in a ‘real life’ scenario, it has us thinking on our feet, working together as a team and can increase communication and understanding. It also allows us to make mistakes and learn new strategies and ways of working in a safe and controlled environment.

Renters' Reform Bill - When are the changes happening?

A number of our courses refer to Section 21 notices – A Section 21 enables landlords to repossess their properties from assured shorthold tenants without having to establish fault on the part of the tenant. The Renters’ (Reform) Bill will abolish section 21.

What are the changes? When does it come in to force? What other changes are coming in?

Can you believe it is November already? It’s time to get wrapped up.

Fireworks and bonfires are common feature in November with events such as Guy Fawkes Night or Diwali, which are celebrated in November. These festivities can provide opportunities for enjoyment and social gatherings. 

Enjoy the celebrations but be careful. With all these fireworks there is always a risk of accident. November course offers. Take advantage of £10 off both courses, for November you can by these each at a cost of £25 instead of £35 (inc. VAT)

• Fire Marshal course

• Fire Safety course

Assertiveness is a communication style characterized by expressing one's thoughts, feelings, and needs in a direct and respectful manner. It involves confidently and effectively expressing oneself while also respecting the rights and opinions of others. Assertive individuals are able to clearly communicate their boundaries, make requests, and stand up for their rights without being aggressive or passive. This communication style promotes open and honest dialogue, fosters mutual respect, and helps individuals advocate for themselves in a professional and assertive manner.

Learn more about the benefits of being assertive and 7 quick tips to help you improve your communication skills.

I don't want to feel stressed anymore

Often, when you think it can’t get any worse, it does! But sometimes however hard we try, life just doesn’t give us what we WANT. This is because we often NEED something different to what we want.

You won’t always understand why life works the way it does, and that’s OK. The key is detachment – letting go of your expectations and making the best of what is happening in your life right now. You can never relive a day once it has passed and if you do not take the time to enjoy it and appreciate the good, you will end up looking back with regret. That is a stressful thought in itself! 

Emotions – Help or hindrance when it comes to learning?

It wasn’t that long ago that learning was thought to be a strictly rational process and that emotions didn’t play a big part. However opinions are changing…

Feeling emotional? Research shows that your feelings affect how you learn. This includes how you process new information, how you solve problems, remember information and even how much attention you have.

• The chat bar
  
• Raise your hand function
• Reactions
• Break out rooms
• Slide share
• Videos with sound

ADHD - Learning difficulty or superpower 

We hear a lot about ADHD these days via social media, with more adults becoming aware of the condition and some recognising traits in themselves. Whilst not all of these individuals will have ADHD many of them will and they just have not had a formal diagnosis. 

Having a non-linear way of thinking provides a great way of thinking when it comes to problem solving. Here is one person’s experience.

My brain jumps around, it is like a ping pong ball bouncing from one side of the room to another, but at super speed!

Read more...

Goal setting - you CAN do it! 

Set goals and you’ll achieve them, sounds easy right? Then how come so many of us don’t achieve our goals?

* The goals are too big and take a long time to achieve so we feel demotivated and give up.

* We place unrealistic expectations on ourselves.

* Our lives are busy with general living and then unexpected circumstances and events get in the way.

* Negative self-talk.

* Procrastination- just getting started seems difficult.

* Fear.

* Lack of support, negative influences.

Question – Are these barriers real or are they perceived?

Read more...

October is Lupus Awareness Month 

Our super administrator Sheryl wanted to share her experience of lupus and fibromyalgia, which are both hidden disabilities

She shares how employers and work colleagues can help people in a similar situation to hers.

Read more...

Deep Vein thrombosis awareness month

March is DVT awareness month, sitting for hours working away with little activity could predispose people to venous problems. With dark days, cold weather and lack of motivation to exercise it is easy to have a sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary lifestyles can be a risk factor associated with DVT. 

What are the risk factors and what you can do to help yourself. Read more...

10 years in business and counting!

Sitting here 10 years older but also 10 years wiser sometimes feels like a dream. Has it been easy, no, has it tested me to the limit, yes, but would I change it, absolutely not!

As a little girl I always knew I wanted to help others and I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, but it wasn’t until I got into my late 20’s that I realised by true calling was teaching and learning. I have never looked back

Nothing gives me greater pleasure than helping others to realise their potential through learning and to celebrate 10 years in the business, I want to share with you 5 key things that I have learnt along the way. Read more...

Why sleep matters

The pandemic is effecting people in different ways, stress levels are rising for most and as a result sleep is impacted. What can you do to help yourself?

A good nights sleep has many benefits just like regular exercise and a healthy diet. This blog looks at how to improve your sleep pattern and tips for a good nights sleep.

Why a clear out is good for the mind

Every time I have a clear out, I get overwhelmed with a feeling of satisfaction, like I have achieved something great! I get a feeling of calm and I instantly feel better. So many people who I have spoken to feel the same when they de-clutter so I think it is something we can all benefit from.

This made me want to look into this further and it is amazing what I found out...

Act or React???

You cannot control exactly what happens in life, but what you can do is control how you respond. ACT don’t REACT, this is your greatest power.

Learning how to respond to life’s surprises and challenges more effectively is one of the best skills you can have. 

Learn to let go

It can be difficult to leave a long-term life situation behind, even when your inner-wisdom tells you that things aren’t right and it’s time to let go.

you can choose to let go and endure the sudden pain of leaving behind the familiar to make way for a new chapter in your life, or you can stay and suffer a constant, aching pain that gradually eats away at your heart and mind.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication 

This famous quote from Leonardo Da Vinci could not be closer to the truth. 

Here are a few easy ways that I have applied that help me live a simpler life.

Pick yourself up when life brings you down

So often in my life I have felt drained, anxious, negative, stressed and down. I have tortured myself with negative self-talk and have let fear dictate my actions and decisions. Sound familiar? I bet everyone reading this has felt at least one of those things in their life. Sometimes life brings even the best of us down to our knees.

We spend so much time in life looking after our physical body; healthy eating, going to the gym, stopping smoking, the list goes on. Can you honestly say you send as much time and dedication on the thing that needs it most, your mind?