ISMA^UKAccredited Training

There are some first class Stress Management Practitioner training courses available in the UK, many of which are externally accredited (click here for details), and ISMA^UK will continue to approve of those courses that have been submitted for assessment and accept graduates from those courses as Individual Members of ISMA^UK.  These courses have been assessed as complying with the ISMA^UK Comprehensive Knowledge for Stress Management Practitioners.

Stress Management Trainer Training

It has been identified that there is no standard training courses for Stress Management Trainers , for continuous assessment of the quality of training they provide or the efficacy of that training in reducing the incidence or impact on stress in the workplace.  It was also identified that most training focusses on UK requirements whereas the needs of EU legislation has to be addressed.

Setting Trainer Training Standards

ISMA^UK engaged in negotiation with the British Standards Institute(BSI), University of Nottingham and other key organisations to formulate a framework for training which would ensure the maintenance of a high standard of training of Organisational Stress Management Trainers whose standard of training would be continually assessed. 

Publicly Available Specifications (PAS)

These standards of training are decided by a steering committee, membership of which includes ISMA^UK, University of Nottingham, Leading insurance companies, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and World Health Organisation (WHO) and are laid down in Publicly Available Standards (PAS) 1010 (Implementation of a Stress Policy), 1011 (Management Standards and competancies) and 1012 (Employees awareness and responsibilities). 

PAS1010 has been written by University of Nottingham who will also write PAS 1011.  ISMA^UK will be writing PAS1012 which will be available in September 2011.

These Specifications have taken best practice from the UK and Europe (defined as Psychosocial Risk) and how to manage it at a proactive Board/Senior Management Level (PAS1010), proactive Middle Management level (PAS1011) and at proactive Staff levels (PAS1012).

Train the Trainer Courses to the new standards

ISMA^UK has taken the lead in making these new standards of training available by working with a sponsor to provide funding for PAS1012 and for them to make train the trainer courses available for each of these specifications.  Coordination of the courses, assessment of training and publication of the Register of ISMA^UK Accredited Trainers  has been placed with Working for Wellbeing (www.workingforwellbeing.co.uk)  to whom all enquiries should be addressed.

These Train the Trainer courses, which are accredited by ISMA^UK, are available to anyone with an up to date foundation level knowledge of stress and its management (Comprehensive Knowledge for Stress Management Practitioners).  Each of these courses provides knowledge of the relevant PAS, extensive training materials and entrance to a publicly available data base. 

Delegates trained by an accredited trainer will be required to pass an on line examination, write an essay, and demonstrate practical application of the course information before being awarded a Certificate.  A person trained by an accredited trainer will then have evidence of the information learned plus an assessment of their ability to deliver that information.  This is useful for organisations to clearly demonstrate their commitment to reducing Psychosocial Risk through training various levels of staff in proactive and reactive approaches using best practice.
Graduation from all 3 PAS Train the Trainer courses will result in the award of Master Stress Management Practitioner.

Below is an article in Business Leader, the magazine for Essex Chamber of Commerce, written by Sadie Hopson, Director of Euthenia Touch, and can be downloaded from here.