Established in 2012, Connect ‘n’ Grow is an award winning Registered Training Organisation delivering high quality health training services. Our Vision is “To Unlock the true potential of humankind through education”. We aim to meet this by using our healthcare programs to provide our students with career pathways through strong collaborations between secondary, vocational, higher education and relevant industry institutions.This handbook outlines the standard of service you can expect when you enrol in a Connect ‘n’ Grow Program and your responsibilities as a student. Connect ‘n’ Grow’s programs are delivered as senior year (Year 10, 11, & 12) subjects.Connect ‘n’ Grow has a partnership in place with your school. Basically this means training and assessment will be undertaken by your school but Connect ‘n’ Grow issues the qualifications and/or ‘statements of attainment’ and has the responsibility to ensure that the training and assessment meets the national registration standards and the requirements of the Australian Skills Quality Authority.We believe our quality is judged by our clients – that’s you! So we welcome any suggestions or comments you may have to help us improve the way we do business. At any stage you can contact us with the details on the previous page.
STUDENT ENROLMENT
At Connect ‘n’ Grow our approach to enrolment and induction is to provide a pathway for students to make an informed decision about their training and assessment. Connect ‘n’ Grow strives to identify a student’s needs during the enrolment process to ensure that our services to each individual student are appropriately adjusted to allow for their unique requirements.
To achieve this Connect ‘n’ Grow:
- Provides students with accurate and ethical information that enables them to make a confident and suitable decision;
- Informs students if there are special requirements for their desired training programs and what pathways there are to obtain these;
- Conducts an induction which provides students with information about their rights and obligations;
- Advises students of language, literacy and numeracy skill requirements;
- Advises students of how training programs are adapted to suit the needs of students;
- Ensures that there are no barriers for people with a disability;
- Informs students about alternate pathways to training such as gaining national recognition for current competency or recognition of prior learning.
UNIQUE STUDENT IDENTIFIER
All learners enrolling in a qualification with Connect ‘n’ Grow will be required to supply a Unique Student Identifier (USI). A USI account contains all your nationally recognised training records and results from 1 January 2015 onwards.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
Vocational Education and Training in Schools Initiative, Funded by Queensland Government.
Government funding can be made available through the Vocational Education & Training in Schools Initiative. Under the Skills Assure Supplier (SAS) system, funding follows the eligible student to their chosen SAS and is paid directly to the SAS on submission of the student’s validated training data.
Vocational Education & Training in Schools funded by the VET investment budget is fee-free for students. The VET investment budget will only fund one employment stream qualification. This means if a student has previously enrolled in Vocational Education & Training in Schools funded qualification prior to enrolling in a Connect ‘n’ Grow Vocational Education & Training in Schools -funded qualification, then this student would only be able to enrol as a ‘fee for service’ student.
Please refer to the Queensland Government’s student fact sheet developed specifically for Vocational Education & Training in Schools program:
https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/providers/funded/vetis.
FEES & CHARGES
Connect ‘n’ Grow’s training programs are delivered by way of a partnership agreement with the nominated school (partner school). The partner school will have a signed Agreement in place with Connect ‘n’ Grow and as such, is authorised to deliver training in partnership with Connect ‘n’ Grow.
Connect ‘n’ Grow does not charge secondary students directly for course fees. Rather, the respective school is invoiced a fee per participant.
REFUNDS
All fees related to Connect ‘n’ Grow VET in School Programs are invoiced directly to the school, therefore any refund requests would be coming from the partner school.
Students that withdraw from the program before the cut-off (start of term 2) and where CnG is notified of this withdrawal will not incur the participant fee. These students will be issued a Statement of Attainment for any competencies successfully completed.
Students that withdraw from the program after the enrolment cut-off (start of term 2) will incur the participant fee and will be issued a Statement of Attainment for any competencies successfully completed.
Refund may be considered
- Withdrawal from current enrolled course at Connect ‘n’ Grow
- Withdrawal from future scheduled course at Connect ‘n’ Grow
- Connect ‘n’ Grow is unable to provide the course for which the original offer was made
- Overpayment of course fees
Refund will not be given
- A student whose enrolment is terminated for failure to comply with Connect ‘n’ Grows policies and procedures
- The student does not commence and student/school does not advise Connect ‘n’ Grow
- The student/school cancels the enrolment less than two weeks prior to the course commencement date
The RTO management guarantees the organisation’s sound financial position and safeguards that training fees are only deemed to be cleared and available when the training/assessment services have been rendered.
Should the RTO cancel any training program, all participants are entitled to a full refund or a transfer of the funds paid to another training program.
ACCESS & EQUITY
Connect ‘n’ Grow is committed to integrating Access and Equity principles within all services provided. All staff recognise the rights of learners and provide information, advice and support that is consistent with our Code of Conduct.
This Policy is aimed at ensuring that VET is responsive to the individual needs of clients whose age, gender, cultural or ethnic background, disability, sexuality, language skills, literacy or numeracy level, unemployment, imprisonment or remote location may present a barrier to access, participation and the achievement of suitable outcomes.
The policy is designed to remove barriers and to open up developmental opportunities for all students by creating a workplace and training environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, bigotry, prejudice, racism and offensive behaviour.
LEARNER SUPPORT
Connect ‘n’ Grow’s language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) policy is used to assess and support students during their study with training and assessment materials and strategies that are easily understood and suitable to the level of the workplace skills being delivered.
Language, literacy and numeracy support is accessible to all students and can be organised by the students’ schools throughout the program. Each school has processes in place to identify and support students with needs.
All assessment instruments and resources have been developed and adjusted to meet learner needs. Where it is determined that a student does have deficiencies with language, literacy or numeracy skills, CNG will make the necessary reasonable adjustments. Basic skills in communication, literacy and numeracy include:
- Using digital technology to access online WHS resources, environmental legislation, codes and regulations
- Preparing Incident reports, hazard reports and risk assessment tables and other work forms
- Interpreting work schedules and identifying strategies to respond to workplace problems
- Documenting work diary records
- Using basic strategies for work-related learning
- Writing reports that include photos, charts and tables
- Using numeracy skills to comprehend charts, plans and to conduct health assessments.
ASSESSMENT INFORMATION & COMPETENCY BASED ASSESSMENT
Competency based assessment is a system for assessing a person’s knowledge and skills. Assessment is based on actual skills and knowledge a person can demonstrate in the workplace or in other relevant contexts. This is different from some other assessment systems which only measure knowledge and not the application of that knowledge. Competency based assessment is also a system for providing portable qualifications and statements of attainment against nationally recognised competency standards. In a competency based assessment system, it is
recognised that learning can come from a variety of sources, both on-the-job and off-the-job, formal and informal. Recognition is given for prior learning and for skills and knowledge which can already be shown.
You are supported by your Trainer to compile a portfolio of evidence through a variety of assessment methods including:
- Multiple choice questions
- Short written responses
- Simulations and scenarios
- Practical activities
- Observations
- Additional activities are provided at the end of each module
COMPLAINTS & APPEALS
Connect ‘n’ Grow is committed to providing a fair complaints and appeals process.
What is a complaint? A complaint is generally negative feedback about services or staff, which has not been resolved. A complaint may be received by Connect ‘n’ Grow at any time and does not need to be formally documented by the complainant in order to be acted upon. If you would like to submit a formal complaint, please complete the Complaints Form.
What is an appeal? An appeal is an application by a student for reconsideration of an unfavourable decision or finding during training and/or assessment. Before lodging a formal appeal, the student should make an appointment to discuss the matter with your trainer. If you are not satisfied that the matter has been resolved, please complete the Assessment Appeals Form.
Complaints and Appeals Forms are also available upon request from Connect ‘n’ Grow administration: admin@connectngrow.edu.au.
Connect ‘n’ Grow will manage all complaints and appeals with a fair, unbiased, equitable and efficient process. To review the Complaints Policy and/or the Appeals Policy regarding the steps and timelines of each processes.
All documentation relating to complaints or appeals will be electronically stored (scanned and saved where required) for audit purposes.
ISSUANCE OF QUALIFICATIONS
By the end of your training program, Connect ‘n’ Grow will have been provided with all assessment records and outcomes relating to your achievement. This information will then be reviewed by Connect ‘n’ Grow who will issue a qualification or Statement of Attainment. Connect ‘n’ Grow will verify that code, course or qualification descriptions and other information is correct for issuing.
A full Qualification Certificate is issued when student has achieved competency in all units which satisfy the qualification. A Statement of Attainment is issued if a student does not fully complete the Program.
Statements of Attainment will be issued within 14 days of notification of cancellation. This period shall also apply for statement requests. Qualifications will be issued within 21 days from date of completion. It is noted that these timeframes are maximums and every effort shall be taken to issue certification and statements in the shortest possible timeframe.
Connect ‘n’ Grow, as RTO, will collect information on learner enrolments and results. The final assessment outcome for each unit of competency will be retained by Connect ‘n’ Grow for a period of 30 years. Where required, we will forward this information to the relevant state/national body for use in national data collection processes as well as to bank learner results for secondary students undertaking their Queensland Certificate of Education.
PRIVACY
Connect ‘n’ Grow takes student privacy very seriously and complies with all legislative requirements. These include the Privacy Act 1998 and Privacy Regulation 2013 and 2009 Queensland Information Privacy Act.
Information is only shared with external agencies to meet our compliance requirements as an RTO. All information shared is kept in the strictest confidence by both parties and is available on request.
In some cases we are required by law or by the Standards for Registered Training Organizations 2015 to make student information available to others. At the time of enrolment permission is gained from the student for such disclosure.
Photography Privacy At Connect ‘n’ Grow we recognise that in some circumstances there are sensitivities relating to the taking of photographs. This is particularly relevant to capturing images of children. Connect ‘n’ Grow may, from time to time, wish to take photos of training activities. At the time of enrolment permission is gained from the student.
USI Privacy Connect n Grow will verify USI’s provided by learners and gain consent to store the USI in its database.
Authority to collect and store information Under the Data Provision Requirements 2012, Connect ‘n’ Grow is required to collect personal information about and to disclose that personal information to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research Ltd (NCVER).
Student personal information (including full name, date of birth, address, contact number and student USI) is provided at enrolment on the cloud based Job Ready Learner Management System where it is stored.
The personal information may be used or disclosed by Connect ‘n’ Grow for statistical, regulatory and research purposes. Connect ‘n’ Grow may disclose your personal information for these purposes to third parties, including:
- School – if you are a secondary student undertaking VET, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship;
- Employer – if you are enrolled in training paid by your employer;
- Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies;
- NCVER;
- Organisations conducting student surveys; and
- Researchers.
- Personal information disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed for the following purposes:
- Issuing a VET Statement of Attainment or VET Qualification, and populating Authenticated VET Transcripts;
- facilitating statistics and research relating to education, including surveys;
- understanding how the VET market operates, for policy, workforce planning and consumer information; and
- administering VET, including program administration, regulation, monitoring and evaluation.
The student may be sent a NCVER student survey which may be administered by an NCVER employee, agent or third party contractor. They may opt out of the survey at the time of being contacted.
NCVER will collect, hold, use and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols (including those published on NCVER’s website at www.ncver.edu.au).
