The Institute of Family Therapy is a registered charity founded in 1977. It has established a national and international reputation for its work. The Institute offers a four year training programme in Family Therapy and a wide range of workshops and conferences.
JOB DETAILS
- Title: Research Module Lead
- Working Hours: 14 hours/week (2 days) - Thursday & Friday
- Reporting to: IFT Directors
Some flexibility with days may be required.
JOB PURPOSE
The IFT QLT training course has 3 module leads (1 for Theory, 1 for Research and 1 for Clinical skills). All module leads will have overall management responsibility for the smooth running of the Family and Systemic Psychotherapy Qualifying Level: MSc Equivalent course, which includes admin tasks that support tutors, supervisors, trainees and the institute.
The three module leads will also help with the recruitment and interview process. In addition, the three module leads will take turns joining and taking minutes/writing action plans for the Three IFT external advisory Boards: Academic Quality Standard Committee, Professional Standard Board and Participation Board.
JOB ACTIVITIES
General description of the role
The Research Module Lead will be responsible for:
- Leading on all research related elements of the Qualifying Level Training Course
- Designing creative teaching sessions on research as social action, that adhere to IFT values based on systemic practice as social action
- Keeping all training materials updated - PowerPoints, reading lists and so on - and ensuring that they represent diverse voices, particularly those from marginalised and minoritised backgrounds
- Supporting trainees with their systemic learning, practice and research and encouraging them to embed IFT's values in everything they do
Management
- Working with the Theory Module Lead to plan the curriculum, and deliver the research programme.
- Supporting the research tutor staff, and ensuring their work is properly and sensitively managed, appraised, and reviewed
- Line management responsibility for the in-house and external IFT research teaching staff.
Course planning and developing the QLT Handbook
- Overseeing preparation of the QLT Course Handbook and supporting with making sure the handbook is up to date, in conjunction with the Course Administrators and the other Module Leads
- Reviewing and acting on feedback
- Reviewing and updating references for each teaching session
- Understanding, engaging in and supporting trainees through an academic concern/misconduct, complaints and/or appeals process where necessary
Updating training materials and decolonising the curriculum
- Updating training materials such as PowerPoints, reading lists and so on, by drawing on anti-oppressive, global majority, feminist and social justice perspectives on the research process
- Developing creative ways of conveying complex systemic research ideas that do not rely solely on the written word e.g. using videos, music, photography, group activities, and so on
- Ensuring that teaching adheres to IFT values based on social justice
- Reviewing and further developing the IFT Guidance for Speakers, Tutors, Teachers and Supervisors and ensuring tutors and supervisors adhere to it
Research Teaching and Marking
- Working with the Theory Module Lead to take overall responsibility for the quality of the teaching
- Direct Systemic Participatory/Practice Action Research (SPAR) teaching on the course
- Planning and delivering induction days Years 3 and 4, with the other module leads
- Planning and delivering research seminars for Years 3 and 4
- Planning and coordinating the IFT research process
- Finding research supervisors for each cohort
- Supporting trainees with writing their ethics proposals/applications
- Third marking Research Projects, where required
- Double marking fails and high distinctions research assignments
- Supporting trainees with research ideas, theory and practice
- Ensuring there are sufficient markers for all research projects (including second markers)
Administration Tasks
- Using SharePoint, OneDrive and Turnitin as
- Eliciting feedback from trainees to feed back into the training design and development of the course
- Responding to individual issues from trainees and tutors
- Notifying trainees of any changes to the research process
- Supporting with making sure the handbook is up to date on a regular basis
Measuring impact
- Developing ways of measuring, evaluating and auditing the training process
- Thinking with trainees about how they measure impact of their practice and research on clients and/or members of the community
- To collate and use feedback, with consent, as part of IFT's evaluation and quality assurance processes, on course content, teaching quality and relatability
Meetings
- Attending weekly QLT action meetings
- Attending regular line management meetings
- Attending one Open Evening a year
- Alternate attending termly Course Committee meetings and bringing feedback to the QLT meetings for all Module Leads to discuss
- Alternate attending monthly Academic Board meetings
- Attending CONFETTI, Examination Board, and ethics committee meetings
Ethics Committee
- To oversee the work of the Ethics Committee and work with them to ensure that research processes are ethical, relational and systemic.
- To attend the Ethics Committee along with the Ethics Committee Lead
Ethics, Complaints and Anti-Oppressive Practice
- Operating within the policies of the Institute of Family Therapy, including Equal Opportunities and Codes of Ethics and to actively pursue a commitment to anti discriminatory practice
- Ensuring that Equality and Diversity issues are regularly monitored and evaluated in accordance with the IFT Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy
- Ensuring that the IFT Ethics policy is regularly updated with respect to the values that IFT wants to embed within its organisation and service, and as per developments in the field and as per developments within the IFT research ethics process
- To work with the other Module Leads and the Directors of the Institute to ensure the programme meets the standards of its accreditation body the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapists (UKCP)
Other Responsibilities
- Supporting with the annual application, interview and recruitment Process, by:
- Going through application forms
- Attending individual/group Interviews for QLT applicants
- Being part of strategic planning with the other Module Leads and the IFT Directors, in order to develop the Family and Systemic Psychotherapy Qualifying Level: MSc Equivalent course
- Carrying out other appropriate duties as and when required
- Attending QLT 'away days' - may require flexibility with days worked.