Level 4 Diploma in Advice and Guidance (IAG)
The Level 4 Diploma in Advice and Guidance (RQF) is aimed at experienced practitioners who work directly with clients. The qualification looks at developing the practical skills of learners working in all advice and guidance settings.
Learners will acquire and consolidate their knowledge and skills in communication and interactions to support clients in preparing and completing their chosen actions, the knowledge required to work with procedural and legislative frameworks, mediation, advocacy, representation and formal proceedings. The qualification also focuses on developing learners’ ability to work with other services through liaison, negotiation and referral; understanding and promoting careers education guidance within organisations; and enabling clients learning through group work.
Additionally, this qualification recognises the value of utilising skills and competencies of other candidates in the workplace, whilst regularly reviewing own development.
On completion of this course, learners will be able to:
- Be able to enable clients to explore their issues
- Be able to sustain interactions with clients
- Be able to bring interactions to a close and maintain case notes
- Be able to review personal case load and understand factors that affect case loads
- Be able to establish priorities for dealing with personal case load and understand the process of evaluating practice
- Be able to carry out evaluation of practice and identify development objectives
- Be able to identify and access networks which could benefit the service
- Be able to maintain memberships and exchange information within networks
- Understand legislation and codes of practice which impact on their role
- Understand how to deal with urgent situations
- Be able to record contacts, interactions, agreements, and provision of information
- Understand the actual or potential effect of own values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours when working
- Be able to enable clients to decide whether to use the service
- Understand why the effectiveness of methods may vary depending upon the situation and clients involved
- Be able to identify and provide accurate information required by clients
- Understand and be able to provide by other suitable services
- Be able to agree with clients their use of the service and assist in clarifying their requirements
- Be able to negotiate boundaries with client
- Be able to assist clients to review, prioritise their decisions, assist in selecting a course of action
- Understand the importance of autonomy for the client
- Be able to assist clients to prepare and develop an action plan, and assist clients to identify how the plan might be implemented
- Understand a range of methods to review achievements and be able to review progress with clients
- Be able to review the key objectives and stages of the course of action
- Be able to identify sources and availability of information
- Be able to collect data to meet research objectives and analyse and report on the data collected
- Be able to facilitate collaborative learning, manage group dynamics and establish and maintain effective communication with group members
- Be able to enable individuals to reflect on the way in which they have been learning and participating in the group
- Learners must be aged 19+.
- Ideally, learners will need to have literacy skills which are at a minimum Level 2 of the National Standards in Adult Literacy.
- Be experienced working in a role, or have access to a work experience opportunity, which involves providing information, advice and guidance.
To show sufficient understanding of all learning objectives, learners must:
- Complete a series of written theory-based assignments.
- Complete a series of practical tasks, during which they demonstrate their ability to provide high-quality information, advice and guidance, and self-evaluate their own performance.
Upon completion of their qualification, learners receive both digital and hard copies of their nationally accredited qualification, at no additional cost.