Your Learning a Living

Learning a Living, the CPD programme for Occupational Psychologists, is provided by the Division of Occupational Psychology's Learning a Living Working Group in conjunction with the BPS Learning Centre.

The Working Group is always interested in improving Learning a Living and welcomes your suggestions on future topics and ways of delivering CPD to members.

Please email your suggestions for topics and how you would like to receive CPD other than via workshops to learningcentre@bps.org.uk.

Q1. Who produces Learning a Living?
Q2. How do you become a member of the Working Group?
Q3. How are the workshop prices derived?
Q4. Why are nearly all the workshops at the BPS London Office?
Q5. Why can't you use the BPS Leicester Office?
Q6. How do you select the workshops each year?
Q7. Who is Learning a Living aimed at?
Q8. Why do you only run one-day workshops?
Q9. How can I contact the Learning a Living Working Group?

Q1. Who produces Learning a Living?
Learning a Living is designed and delivered by the Division of Occupational Psychology’s Learning a Living Working Group. All members of the group volunteer their time (i.e. they are not paid and do not work for the British Psychological Society) to produce Learning a Living. Members of the group are all members of the Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP). Administrative support is provided by the Conference Team at the British Psychological Society’s Leicester Office.

Q2. How do you become a member of the Working Group?
When vacancies on the committee arise a request for statements of interest will be widely distributed to DOP members. The existing committee will select new members from the statements received.

Q3. How are the workshop prices derived?
The fee structures for workshops are as follows:

• DOP/SGCP members - £220 (+VAT)
• BPS members - £260 (+VAT)
• Non-BPS members - £345 (+VAT)
• There are a limited number of concessionary places available on each workshop priced at £65 (+VAT). A concession is a full-time student or an unwaged person, both with proof of identification.

These costs reflect the actual costs of running the workshops, including materials, catering, facilitator fees, and marketing. Typically each year the more popular workshops subsidise the less popular ones so the few delegates wishing to attend these are not disappointed. We endeavour each year not to cancel a workshop if we can. The fees are reviewed each year.

Q4. Why are all the workshops at the BPS London Office?
Over the years we have consistently found that the majority of delegates find it easier to travel to London. We try to run one workshop each year outside of London, but find attendance is often poor. Other DOP committees, e.g. the Training Practitioner Support Group, have had similar experiences with their events outside London.

Further, there are no venue hire costs for the BPS London Offices, whereas there would be for other venues. In an effort to keep costs down we try to avoid using other venues and the few we do run are subsidised by the London workshops.

Q5. Why can’t you use the BPS Leicester Office?
The BPS Leicester Office does not provide a suitable training environment, with all the facilities required, and is primarily office space for BPS staff.

Q6. How do you select the workshops each year?
Early each year the Working Group issue an invitation to tender for workshops. Facilitators complete a structured form and the working group evaluates each tender in order to make a final selection of workshops.

Q7. Who is Learning a Living aimed at?
Learning a Living is a unique programme in that it has something for everyone. Irrespective of your level, sector or role there will be a workshop that addresses your development needs.

For the most part the workshops cater for a broad range of expertise, but sometimes workshops are at a ‘basic’ or an ‘advanced’ level - these are clearly labelled in the brochure. The facilitators are usually more than willing to discuss your experience level with you before you commit to a workshop. So please do get in touch with us before you make a selection.

Research conducted on the Learning a Living programme showed that, in common with other training, the best value is achieved if delegates have selected a workshop that addresses a specific development or career goal. Importantly, there must be mechanisms in place to transfer the learning back to the workplace.

Q8. Why do you only run one day workshops?
The Learning a Living Working Group is exploring ways of expanding the range of Learning a Living development activities. We would welcome your suggestions on new activities. These new activities will take time for the T&D members to develop, so please bear with us.

Q9. How can I contact the Learning a Living Working Group?
Please direct your query to the BPS Learning Centre who will pass it on:
Email: learningcentre@bps.org.uk
Telephone: 0116 252 9925