National Learning Network

panda100

Just wondering what peoples experience of the National Learning Network was on these forums?

I work for a disability organisation where I support people back to employment and education. I have never had any dealings with the NLN until I started this job a year ago, and my experience of them up to date has been absolutely terrible.

I was contacted by them last Summer when they were looking for people to fill places in their employer based training programme in the Dublin region. I had already set up courses for my three clients, but the employer based training programme with the NLN sounded so good, myself and the clients decided to apply to that. We met with the NLN staff member, got all the forms filled out and my clients were looking forward to starting in September.

September came and went with no word from the NLN. In October I started ringing every week as I was getting quite concerned that we had not heared anything. My phone calls were left unreturned. In November I decided to give one last week of emailing and phoning, and then looking at other options. I finally got through to the person we had been dealing with in August, and when they heared my voice they just hung up. Despite always being very polite in emails and voice mesages, I couldnt believe how rudely I was treated.I realised then that they obviously didnt have any spaces for my clients but for some bizzare reason felt too scared to tell me that.

It was too late to enter my clients back into the original courses as intended, and we had filled out so many forms and medical documents for the NLN, that I decided to try another NLN centre closer to the clients homes. We met with a member of staff in November, and she said there was no problem with the clients staring on the 9th January.Myself and my clients were very excited, as she really sold the course to us and it was going to be a perfect match for them and their skills. So the 9th January has come and gone with no word from the NLN. Despite phoning before Christmas and in the last week, my messages have been left unanswered and emails unreturned. I can't believe the same thing is happening again!
My clients are having a terrible time. They all suffer from mental health difficulties and physical disabilities, and have just been sitting at home for the last 6 months while we wait and hear back from the NLN.

I really wish to make official complaints about these two members of staff,but the disability world in Ireland is so small, and its not in my nature to complain. I guess this has turned into a bit of a rant, but I am so angry and upset that my clients could have been doing the courses they initally were meant to be doing. Now we're in the situation, that I have a massive waiting list and cannot invest anymore time into these client,s so they are stuck at home untiil their original courses begin again in September.

I would be interested if anyone has anything positive to say about the NLN, because I can honestly say I will never do work with them again.

mylittlepony

Contact the Equality Authority about your story and they will give advice:
http://www.equality.ie/

The Equal Status Act
http://www.equality.ie/index.asp?locID=18&docID=-1

• The Equal Status Act 2000 came into force on the 25th October 2000.
• It was amended by the Equality Act 2004 on the 19th July 2004.
• The Acts relate to discrimination based on the following 9 grounds: Gender, Civil Status, Family Status, Age, Race, Religion, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Membership of the Traveller community.
• The Acts apply to people who:
  1. Buy and sell a wide variety of goods,
  2. Use or provide a wide range of services,
  3. Obtain or dispose of accommodation,
  4. Attend at, or are in charge of, educational establishments,
  5. There are separate provisions on discriminatory clubs.
• However all complaints must relate to at least one of the 9 discriminatory grounds listed in the previous point.

Disability Act 2005
http://www.assistireland.ie/eng/Information/Education/Relevant_Legislation/Disability_Act,_2005.html
In summary, the Disability Act's main aims are to provide for:
assessment of health and education needs of people with disabilities
provision of resources to meet those needs
making of plans for services
complaints and appeals procedures
access to public buildings, services and public service employment
restrictions on genetic testing.


Best of luck

SerialComplaint

It sounds more like very poor customer service rather than a case of discrimination. I noticed that one of the former senior folk from NLN is now showing on LinkedIn as an 'independent consultant', so perhaps they have been losing staff.

I think we have to get over this fear of making complaints. What's the worst that can happen? Give the head office a call.

boo3000

I know this is an old thread but I wouldn't be inclined to bother complaining.

Angela Kerins is the head of the NLN (being the head of the Rehab group) and she is also the head of the Equality Authority.

Only in Ireland.

SerialComplaint

boo3000 wrote: »

I know this is an old thread but I wouldn't be inclined to bother complaining.

Angela Kerins is the head of the NLN (being the head of the Rehab group) and she is also the head of the Equality Authority.

Only in Ireland.

You're about a month out of date. The old Board of the Equality Authority that Kerins chaired stepped down last month, and has been replaced by the interim board of the new combined Equality and Human Rights AUthority.

boo3000

Well I'm glad to be corrected on that.

Has she still got her snout in the trough or is she out of the new organisation?

SerialComplaint

She's out of the new organisation. Her main connections were with FF.

boo3000

I thought she was well in with the new crowd aswell. Didn't she get some new role with the UN? And with it destroying whatever semblance of credibility the UN might once have had.....

SerialComplaint

boo3000 wrote: »

I thought she was well in with the new crowd aswell. Didn't she get some new role with the UN? And with it destroying whatever semblance of credibility the UN might once have had.....

I think she might have spoken to or at the UN or something, rather than a particular role.