Case Study: Fermanagh Women's Aid Transforms Staff Development Through Online Training

In a rapidly evolving work environment, Fermanagh Women's Aid, a small charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable women and children, has utilised a solution to the challenges of staff development—13 staff members have taken time out to invest in enhancing their knowledge and capacity through participation in a series of online training courses offered by the Investing in Community Leadership Programme. The team have completed over 60 free courses covering a range of topics.

Fermanagh Women's Aid CEO Kerri Flood has highlighted several significant benefits this approach has brought to their team, emphasising the positive impact on service delivery, cost-effectiveness and staff wellbeing.

 

Deputy Director of Fermanagh Trust Sonya Johnston and Fermanagh Women's Aid CEO Kerri Flood

Flexibility and Accessibility:
• "The flexibility that online training offers has been an absolute game-changer for us. In the past, trying to coordinate in-person training sessions meant shutting down our services for an entire day, which was simply not feasible given the nature of our work. With online courses, our staff can dip in and out of training modules at their own pace, allowing us to maintain our operations without any interruptions. This has been particularly beneficial for our crisis response services, where availability and responsiveness are critical."

Cost-Effectiveness:
• "Online training has significantly reduced our costs, which is crucial for a small charity like ours. Previously, we faced not only the fees associated with in-person training but also the travel expenses and the cost of covering shifts during training days, there is also a cost to the organisation when staff build up TOIL travelling to and from courses which they need to take back at some point. By eliminating these expenses, we can allocate our limited resources more effectively. The fact that these online courses are free has also made a massive difference, allowing us to focus our increasingly restricted budget on other essential areas."

Customised to Individual Needs:
• "One of the biggest advantages is the ability to tailor learning to the specific needs of each team member. For example, through our appraisal process, we identified one of our staff members needed to brush up on public speaking skills after not doing it for a while due to the pandemic and losing confidence, another required specialised training in working with children on the autism spectrum. In the past, we couldn't justify bringing in a trainer for just one or two people, or the expense of sending people off to Belfast for a whole day but with online training, each staff member can access the courses they need when they need them, this ensures everyone is getting the most relevant and timely support, tailored to their specific role and needs."

Enhanced Staff Buy-In:
• "The diversity of courses available online has made it much easier to get buy-in from our staff. When they can balance mandatory training, like GDPR, Lone Working or health and safety, with topics they're personally genuinely interested in, their engagement levels go up. For instance, someone might complete a cybersecurity module in the morning and then choose to delve into a topic they're passionate about in the afternoon or in their own time. This flexibility not only keeps them motivated but also ensures they're more likely to stay on top of their required training."

Improved Safety and Response:
• "One of the most tangible benefits we've seen from online training is in the area of staff safety. After completing a module on lone working, one of our team members, who has a particular interest in technology, quickly connected us with a company that provides a lone worker safety app. Within weeks, we had the app in place across our team, dramatically improving the safety of our staff, especially those working in remote or high-risk environments. The app even works in areas with no mobile signal, providing an extra layer of security that we simply didn't have before. I think because the whole team had completed the training it instigated greater group discussion on the subject in our team meetings and this ensured more ‘buy-in’ from the whole team when we agreed the new procedures and as a result the team feel safer and more valued by the organisation"

Efficient Use of Resources:
• "The efficiency of online training extends beyond just time-saving; it also streamlines our administrative processes. Staff are now responsible for managing their own training records, which reduces the burden on our management team. Previously, I would spend a significant amount of time tracking who had completed which course and ensuring everyone was up to date. With this platform, this is now largely automated, staff can download certificates upon completion and upload them directly to our online staff portal, instantly updating their training log. My time can now be better spent focusing on more strategic tasks and ensuring that our team remains compliant without my constant oversight."

Rural Considerations:
• "For our team, many of whom are based in rural areas, online training is not just a convenience—it's a necessity. Attending in-person training often meant a full day of travel, with staff leaving home early in the morning and not returning until late in the evening. This was especially challenging for our all-female staff, most of whom must plan around caregiving responsibilities, we recognise our service demands a great deal of flexibility from our staff and we have to be respectful and know when our expectations are going too far.  Online training removes these logistical barriers, making it possible for everyone to complete their courses without disrupting their personal lives or our service delivery."

Support for Staff Wellbeing:
• "The online training has also been instrumental in opening up important conversations about staff wellbeing, which is critical in our line of work. For example, after completing a module on anxiety, one of our team members recognised that they were struggling more than they realised. This prompted them to seek additional support, which we've been able to provide through our counselling services. The training modules offer a safe space for reflection, allowing staff to identify and address issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, ultimately leading to a healthier and more supportive work environment."

 

The Community Leadership Programme is committed to empowering individuals within the charity sector through participation in a comprehensive range of training courses and workshops aimed at achieving several key objectives. The programme prioritises confidence and capacity building, recognising these are essential for effective leadership, for delivering community development activity in the Western Region. This programme offers a mix of accredited and non-accredited courses catering to diverse learning abilities, needs, preferences and goals, courses are determined through on-going consultation with the sector, looking at the gaps in essential knowledge for the effective governance of voluntary and community groups and organisations. Many of the short courses and online courses act as a gateway to further learning, enabling participants to develop the confidence and appetite for further personal and professional development and increasing skills.

Accredited courses provide formal recognition of skills and knowledge, enhancing participants' credentials for career advancement, while non-accredited courses focus on practical skills development and personal growth. When a workforce is qualified, they are regarded with greater credibility and professionalism, a skilled, qualified community sector can provide better quality services and may be more confident and competent in managing their interactions and challenges with other external agencies, stakeholders and Sectors. Lastly, the programme aims to level up opportunities for professional development within the charity sector, ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds and locations have access to high-quality training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Through these initiatives, the Community Leadership Programme seeks to build a more diverse, resilient, and effective charity sector capable of meeting the evolving needs of communities in the West.

The diverse range of short course opportunities provides newcomers to the sector with a valuable entry point for further learning and development. For those with years of experience working or volunteering in the field, these courses offer an opportunity to refresh, reflect and re-assess their learning needs, enhancing their skills while expanding their professional networks and exploring new partnerships. By offering courses in the western region of Northern Ireland, access to these opportunities is greatly improved, ultimately empowering both sector volunteers and professionals to perform their roles more effectively.

As well as face to face courses, the Community Leadership Programme provides an accessible online training suite with access to almost 200 certified courses which have been pre-paid. High quality, video-based, virtual courses last from 10mins-2 hrs and once registered you can complete in your own time and at your own pace, whenever works for you.

 

Register through us and you can gain accreditation for free. Open to any individual volunteering or working in the Community / Voluntary Sector in the West of Northern Ireland. Wide range of courses available including Heath & Safety, HR, Compliance and Soft Skills Training etc. For more information / to register CLICK HERE / email sonya@fermanaghtrust.org

The Community Leadership Programme is facilitated by three organisations based in the West of Northern Ireland - Fermanagh Trust in partnership with Holywell Trust in Derry/Londonderry and the Rural Community Network, a regional support organisation based in Cookstown. The programme is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.