The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) has teamed up with The Open University to offer a
Foundation Degree in Working With Young People aimed at adults who work with the Sea Cadet Corps (SCC).
The degree programme, jointly branded between The Open University and The Marine Society & Sea Cadets, will appeal to SCC adults who wish to take advantage of an opportunity to turn their experience of working with young people into a formal and recognised qualification.
The qualification is validated by the National Youth Agency on behalf of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and is recognised as a professional qualification for those engaged in or wishing to be employed in youth work. It is also sector endorsed by the DfES as meeting the Statement of Requirement for Sector-Endorsed Foundation Degrees in Working with Young People and Young People’s Services.
No formal qualifications are required to enrol and all volunteers would be eligible on account of their work with the SCC. Delivery is by means of distance learning but attendance at optional face-to-face tutorials is highly recommended.
As well as offering a fulfilling and enriching experience for the learner, their colleagues and charges, it’s expected the programme will assist in the recruitment and retention of SCC adult volunteers. There are plans to build the offering into the SCC training schedule.
There are five courses to complete. They are: Introduction to Working with Young People (E131) - £340; Introduction to Working with Young People in Practice (E118) - £640; Leading Work with Young People (E132) - £340; Leading Work with Young People in Practice (E218) - £640; and Childhood (U212) - £610. Grand total = £2570.
Most students take one course each year, though the more ambitious may wish to accelerate the process by taking more than one course at a time.
The Foundation Degree will be awarded on successful completion of the five courses (240 points). The learner may then elect to study a further 120 points at Level 3 to secure a full degree with honours.
The first intake of the OU/MSSC offering was in October 2007 (course lasts nine months).
The next opportunity to start arises in September this year: but you should get your application in well before that start date. The final closing date for applications this year will be 15 August 2008.