Across the UK and throughout most countries of the world our population is ageing. With this trend set to continue, promoting good mental health and well-being in older people is more important than ever.

Policy and service frameworks for older people's services across the UK support an emphasis on health promotion and prevention, including the area of mental health and well-being, and the prevention of mental health problems, which in the past has often been excluded from mental health initiatives.

City & Guilds and  Age Concern have worked together and produced two new vocational qualifications in promoting the mental health and well-being of older people. These qualifications are aimed at all individuals involved in improving and maintaining the mental well-being of older people, whether they are based in health services, housing, social care, advice and employment, education, sport and leisure, or the criminal justice system,  in the voluntary, public or private sectors.

These qualifications are relevant to people who are new to their role as well as those who already have experience of working with older people. The aim is to build on any previous work and life experiences.

Qualification Structure

The level 2 Award in Promoting the Mental Health and Well-being of Older People

The achieve the level 2 qualification learners must complete the following 5 mandatory units:

• The principles and values that underpin the promotion of well-being and mental health with older people
• Mental well-being, mental health problems and older people
• Communication, relationships and promoting mental well-being with older people
• Working within services to promote well-being and mental health with older people
• Developing yourself in your role to promote the well-being and mental health of older people.
  

The level 3 certificate in Promoting the Mental Health and Well-being of Older People

Learners need to complete 8 units to achieve the level 3 certificate. Units 1 - 6 are mandatory and learners must select two optional units from units 7 - 11. 

• Unit 001 The principles and values that underpin the promotion of well-being and mental health with older people
• Unit 002 Well-being, mental health and older people
• Unit 003 Promoting well-being and mental health with older people
• Unit 004 Mental health problems and the main interventions and approaches that are used with older people
• Unit 005 The legal, policy and service framework in relation to promoting well-being and mental health with older people
• Unit 006 Communication and relationships to promote the well-being and mental health of older people
• Unit 007 Working with carers, families and significant others to promote the well-being and mental health of older people
• Unit 008 Supporting participation in meaningful activity and engagement with life to promote the well-being and mental health of older people
• Unit 009 Supporting older people with dementia
• Unit 010 Supporting older people with depression and anxiety
• Unit 011 Assessment, care and support planning and risk management to promote the well-being and mental health of older people.
  

How are the qualifications delivered and assessed?

Level 2 units are assessed by a variety of centre-devised assessment methods to provide evidence. The main methods are likely to be questioning, observations and assignments. Each level 3 unit is assessed by an assignment, externally written and internally marked. These will then be externally verified by City & Guilds verifiers.

Learning materials

City & Guilds and Age Concern have been working closely with Pavillion who supplies the City & Guilds endorsed learning materials for the qualifications.

Age Concern and the Mental Health Foundation launched a UK inquiry in to Mental health and Well-being in later life. The findings from this inquiry can be found in the 2 documents attached, Improving services and support for older people with mental health problems and Promoting mental health and well-being in later life Inquiry reports.

Centre approval

In order to offer this qualification, organisations which are not already City & Guilds centres must apply for centre and qualification approval. Existing City & Guilds centres will only need to apply for qualification approval. 

Progression

The level 2 and 3 are designed to work in tandem in order to allow learners to progress. On completion of the level 2 and level 3 qualifications learners may be interested in the following qualifications:

• NVQ in Health and Social Care
• NVQ in Leadership and Management.
  

We also offer a wide range of Leadership and Management qualifications through our sister organisation ILM.