Code of Practice
Members of the nextstep Network are committed to working together to provide quality information, advice and guidance services to all adults in Nottinghamshire. The services we offer will be delivered to national standards, be clear and focused on meeting the needs of our clients whose interests are paramount.

Members of the network should support the strategic aims of the initiative outlined in the business plan, which are:

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To ensure provision of a co-ordinated local network of information, advice and guidance on opportunities in learning and work;
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To ensure that all members of the community (with no upper age limit) have access to information and advice which are available free of charge, with particular attention to the needs of disadvantaged clients;
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To ensure information, advice and guidance services meet the relevant quality standards for learning and work for National Animal Welfare Trust and others;
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To work with the LSC to ensure coherence between local information, advice and guidance services and other related services.

This code of practice is based on the Guidance Council Code of Principles, sets out the underlying principles member organisations have agreed to uphold in all their activities related to information, advice and guidance for learning and work.

The following are the underpinning key principles of the Network Code of Practice:

Impartiality

We will provide unbiased information, advice and guidance that will allow clients to consider all the opportunities available to them. Where our ability to give an impartial service may be restricted in any way, we will tell the client and provide information and the opportunity for them to obtain supports elsewhere.

Accessibility

We are committed to making all clients aware of the services we offer and to ensuring that all clients can use our services. We will do this by working together to provide facilities and materials suitable for all clients in a way that does not exclude anyone from receiving nextstep services.

Confidentiality

We will treat all information about our clients as strictly confidential as required by the Data Protection Act. We will not pass on any information without the written permission of the client.

Equality of Opportunity

We are committed to delivering equality of opportunity to all clients and will monitor our services on a regular basis to ensure that members of the nextstep Network uphold this principle in all their activities. We will provide a copy of our Equal Opportunities policy to any client on request.

Transparency

The information, advice and guidance process should be made clear to every individual recipient. We will aim to use clear language and ensure understanding of the services available, the roles and responsibility.

Individual Ownership

We will ensure that information, advice and guidance is focused on the needs of the individual, whose interests are paramount.

Staff Competence

We are committed to providing opportunities for continuing professional development and will ensure that all staff delivering nextstep services are qualified to national standards in information, advice and guidance.

Client Referral

We will endeavour to refer clients onto other agencies as appropriate.
Information about services available within the network will be detailed in the directory of services produced and updated every quarter by the Project team. We will provide details of our services on request by the Project team and inform the Network Co-ordinator of any changes in our provision.
We will show commitment to understanding the needs of the client, to understanding the limitation of our own capabilities to meet those needs and to making readily available information about services within the network that will best meet those needs.