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Today marks one year since we began our journey of delivering The Oliver McGowan Mandatory training, and as we celebrate being Quality Assured by Skills for Care recently, I reflect on the journey we have taken, which started with a singular ambition: to provide quality and impactful Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT), that truly makes a difference.
When we first started exploring the possibility of delivering Oliver’s training, we made a conscious decision not to rush. “We must learn to walk before we try to run”, is something I often reminded myself and the team.
Like many organisations, we could see the opportunity. Demand was growing, organisations were looking for trusted delivery partners, and there was a clear need for high-quality training across the country. However, before making any commitments, we wanted to fully understand what OMMT represented, why it mattered, and how we could ensure we delivered it in the right way.
Over a number of months, I spent time exploring the landscape, speaking with existing Oliver McGowan trainers and training providers, learning about the challenges, opportunities, and practicalities involved in delivery. More importantly, I listened to the stories and experiences that sit at the heart of the programme.
It quickly became clear that this training is about far more than compliance.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training exists to improve understanding of autism and learning disability across health and social care settings. It is designed to help professionals develop the knowledge, confidence, and awareness needed to provide better, more personalised support. Most importantly, it has the potential to improve outcomes and experiences for autistic people and people with a learning disability.
Once we had taken the time to fully understand the programme and our role within it, we began building the foundations.
Our vision was simple. If we were going to do this, we were going to do it properly. Walking first, running later.
One of our first priorities was recruitment. We wanted to build a team that could support organisations across England whilst ensuring quality remained consistent regardless of location. We recruited Facilitators and Experts by Experience from all corners of the country, creating a geographically diverse team capable of supporting our clients wherever they are based.
However, recruitment was only part of the challenge.
We recognised early on that delivering OMMT successfully requires a significant amount of support behind the scenes. Facilitators and Experts by Experience need ongoing guidance, communication, and pastoral support. We wanted every member of our team to feel valued, supported, and empowered to deliver their very best.
To help us achieve this, we recruited Jax Blunt as Trainer Lead for Oliver’s Training.
Jax brought not only extensive experience as a Tier 1 Facilitator and Tier 1 and Tier 2 autistic co-trainer, but also a deep understanding of the lived experiences that make this programme so important. Their insight and commitment have been instrumental in helping us shape the culture of our OMMT team.
By ensuring Jax has the support they need to thrive in their role, they have in turn been able to extend that support to the wider team, creating an environment where everyone feels heard, valued, and equipped to succeed.
As the programme continued to develop, it quickly became clear that additional leadership support would be needed.
Our Co-Head of Clinical & Quality Assurance, Paula Gee, recognised the scale of the work involved and immediately stepped forward to help. Paula played a pivotal role in the recruitment and onboarding of our growing team, helping to establish quality standards, support teaching delivery, and provide invaluable guidance to both Jax and the wider team. Drawing on her senior nursing background and extensive healthcare experience, Paula has provided invaluable guidance to team members and venues, ensuring appropriate support is in place to support those who are vulnerable or have complex medical needs.
Her contribution during those formative months was significant and helped lay many of the foundations that continue to support the programme today.
As our OMMT provision continued to grow, Paula made the decision to step back in order to focus on her clinical responsibilities within Ashfield Services. To support the next stage of our development, we were delighted to welcome Lyndy Tinculescu as Manager of Oliver’s Training.
Strong leadership is essential as any programme grows, and Lyndy brings a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to the role. Working closely alongside Jax, she is helping to strengthen and develop our growing provision, ensuring that our Facilitators and Experts by Experience continue to receive the support they need whilst maintaining the exceptionally high standards we set for ourselves.
Today, one year on, I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved. Our commitment to quality has always been central to everything we do. Just recently, we successfully achieved Quality Assured status by Skills for Care on The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training. This recognition reflects the standards we set for ourselves, not only in how we deliver the training, but also in how we recruit, support, and develop our Facilitators and Experts by Experience. For us, quality assurance is not simply a badge to display; it is confirmation that the systems, processes, and values we have invested in are helping us deliver training that consistently meets and exceeds expectations.
We are now delivering this incredibly important training to organisations across England, supported by an exceptional team of Facilitators, Experts by Experience, administrators, and leaders who share a genuine passion for making a difference.
Most importantly, we continue to receive feedback that demonstrates the impact this training is having on learners and, ultimately, on the people they support.
Whilst we are proud of how far we have come, we know there is still more to do. The need for high-quality Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training remains significant, and we have built a team with the experience, expertise, and capacity to support even more organisations across England.
If your organisation is looking for a trusted, quality assured delivery partner for Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, we would be delighted to start a conversation.
Thank you to every member of the Oliver’s Training team for helping us reach this milestone, and thank you to the organisations who have trusted us to support their learners over the past year. I look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.