Category: BCS

FOISA Practitioner Course: A Successful Candidate’s Observations

canstockphoto9881451_thumb.jpgDonald Maclean, Freedom of Information and Data Protection Officer at Perth College, recently successfully completed our certificated course; the Practitioner Certificate in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Here Donald shares his experience and tips for future delegates:

I undertook this course in 2013, and was delighted to see a course that offered certification, and training days that were spread out over 5-6 weeks, which made it much more manageable in terms of my employer’s willingness to sign up for it.

The venue was lovely (overlooking Princes St Gardens in Edinburgh) and the quality of the training was first rate. The trainer (Tim Turner) had a plan, but was willing to take a tangent to address individual issues raised by participants. These tangents, and the highlighting of issues that arise in different types of public authorities, were amongst the most interesting aspects of the course. Examination of the law itself, and how it applies in reality, was detailed, accurate and certainly widened my understanding of the law. Information Commissioner decisions, related to individual aspects of the law, were particularly useful and enlightening.

The course helped me immensely in my job: in terms of added knowledge, procedural aspects, and confidence that decisions and replies would bear scrutiny if examined or challenged. Some aspects of FOISA procedure were altered after this course, to ensure that procedure would lead to the most appropriate and legally sound treatment of FOISA requests. I still keep course materials close to hand, and do still refer to them at times.

Feedback was supplied to my HR department and line manager, and I was able to report that I considered the course to be excellent value for money. Certification was useful in terms of acknowledgement of CPD activities, and also for my professional status.

I tended not to worry too much about the exam. It was made clear that if we did the required reading and familiarised ourselves with course materials and Information Commissioner decisions, we would have the knowledge necessary to pass the exam. So, I did the homework, read the course materials, and paid attention to the content of the Commissioner’s decisions. On the odd occasion during the exam when I drew a blank, I suspect it was due to age and failing memory. The only part of the course I struggled with was the interpretation of the case studies for the projects. I found it difficult to settle on an approach to the case studies, without getting so wide in scope that several scenarios would be required. Once I settled on a case study, and thought about the best approach, everything flowed fairly freely after that.

For future candidates I would recommend the following:

  • Do the homework.
  • Remain focussed during training sessions.
  • Read the course materials, particularly the procedural and exemptions materials.
  • Learn to pick up the key messages and facts being discussed, and note them briefly in your course materials.
  • Pay close attention to the reasoning included in Commissioner’s decisions, particularly when undertaking the project.
  • Ask questions. You usually get a pertinent and helpful reply, and it encourages group discussion.
  • Don’t worry about the exam. If you’ve listened, discussed and read course materials, you will be fine.
  • Enjoy the course and the access to expertise.

The Practitioner Certificate in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 is suitable for the FOISA novice as well as the experienced practitioner. Thus far we have had very strong candidates from a variety of backgrounds.

If you’re considering joining the course, what can you expect? Read what the tutor has to say and have a go at the FOISA test.

BCS Data Protection Course – How I Passed

Sarah BrowBCS Logo4ne, Information Compliance and Records Management Assistant at Greater Manchester Police, recently passed the BCS (ISEB) Certificate in Data Protection exam with Act Now. These are her top tips for passing:

  • Give up any notions of a social life for 2 months – I did it – My friends and boyfriend supported my decision, because they knew how important it was to me.
  • Let the fear guide you – How many times do you really want to do the three hour exam???  Revise hard so failure isn’t an option.
  • Speak to those in the know – I’d only worked in Data Protection for six months when I began the course, so I ran anything I was unsure about by my colleagues, boss, and of course my Act Now trainer.  The more you talk to people, the more you’ll begin to understand the tricky concepts, and how they fit into the bigger picture.
  • Get your mitts on revision materials – I lent DP books from my local library (Peter Carey, Data Protection (3rd edition), and Data Protection and Compliance in Context by BCS were invaluable).
  • You can’t get around reading the Act I’m afraid – Filter your reading.  Start with maybe a text book explanation, then Act Now notes, then crack open the Act.
  • Rewrite the Act – To remember the Sections and Subsections (and very late on in my revision when I understood everything, but needed to memorise key parts), I spent one beautiful Saturday rewriting the Data Protection Act. I summarised all the key sections as an aide-memoir to the Act itself.  From then on, I had a 6 page document with the answers to pretty much any question the exam could throw at me.
  • Flash cards – A great way to punish your friends and loved ones for all their support – make them test you!!!  (They’ll hate you, my boyfriend actually said the words “I want to die” while going through my 100+ card pile, but by the same stretch he now knows the definition of consent off by heart because I do!)
  • Work in whatever way works for you – I’m a visual and kinetic learner – I learn by seeing things and doing things, so repeated copying is well up my street.  Find out what your learning style is and work with it! (Google what is my learning style, and be amazed!)
  • Mnemonics – I had one for the principles, one for Schedule 2 conditions, one for Schedule 3 conditions, one for categories of sensitive personal data, one for register-able particulars, and many to cover the various Principle 8 options.  Get creative!  Mine included names of people I know, characteristics of them, some of them were just plain bonkers.   Just come up with something memorable.
  • Basics – It sounds really obvious, but learn your basics off by heart.  Know the exact wording of the principles and the schedule 2 and 3 conditions.  They come into everything, so get them right!
  • Read before the class – You get an itinerary, so don’t go in to the class thinking you’ll learn everything there and then.  Go into the class with a broad understanding of what will be discussed, then you can build on that knowledge in class.  Plus you’ll be ready with questions which will help you, and your comrades!
  • Do the homework – End of.
  • Revision videos – When it comes to revision time, take a look at the Act Now revision videos which are available to all Act Now delegates in their online resource lab.  They cover all the nasty areas that everyone struggles with.

And finally a word for Act Now.

My Act Now Data Protection course got me more than just a certificate.  The course has given me a wealth of knowledge of Data Protection, in general, and more confidence in my current role.  My trainer, Phil Bradshaw, has a strong background in law, and is extremely experienced in the application of the Data Protection Act.  The course leaves you well prepared for the exam, but by no means do they simply train you up to pass.  They teach you everything you need to know so that you will pass! Suffice to say, I would recommend it to any Data Protection practitioner.

For more on more on how to pass the BCS (ISEB) exam see our earlier blog posts . Feel free to try the sample test.

Our next ISEB courses start in London and Manchester in December. More Information on our website or email us.

Scottish Information Commissioner’s Annual Report

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The Scottish Information Commissioner has published her annual report for 2012/13.  Key facts are as follows:

  • The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner (OSIC) received 594 FOI appeals in the year. This was an increase of 14% on last year, and an increase of 49% over the last 5 years.
  • 27% of appeals related to a failure to respond within FOI timescales.  This is the largest proportion of such appeals to date.
  • The OSIC found completely in the requesters’ favour in 37% of cases, completely in authorities’ favour in 37% and partially in favour of requesters / authorities in the remainder.
  • OSIC closed 564 cases, a 9% increase on last year.
  • OSIC has introduced new resources to advise and assist public authorities and requesters.
  • OSIC has announced its strategy for improving performance of FOI in Scotland by adding value.

FOI continues to be used predominantly by members of the public, as illustrated by the examples in report.  These show the range of important “real-life” community issues for which FOI is used on a daily basis.

During the year Act Now Training received valuable feedback from the Scottish Information Commissioner in respect of our certificated course; the Practitioner Certificate in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The course is also endorsed by the Centre for FOI based at Dundee University.

If you’re considering joining the course, what can you expect? Read what the tutor has to say and have a go at the FOISA test.

Forthcoming Webinars

EI(S)Rs 2004: An Introduction
18th Oct 2013  @ 10:00am | http://www.actnow.org.uk/courses/966

The FOI (Scotland) Act 2002: An Introduction
28th Nov 2013 @ 10:00am | http://www.actnow.org.uk/courses/971

FOISA 2002: An Update – 28th Nov 2013 @ 11:30am – http://www.actnow.org.uk/courses/972

Recordings also available – Please email info@actnow.org.uk for more details

At Last! A Certificated Course for Scottish FOI Practitioners

FOISAPageimageFor years Scottish Freedom of Information practitioners did not have a Scottish FOI qualification that they could study for. Unlike their counterparts in England and Wales, the BCS (formerly ISEB) FOI course is not suitable as it concentrates on the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Seeing this unmet training need, Act Now Training has now designed a new certificated course; the Practitioner Certificate in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The course is endorsed by the Centre for FOI based at Dundee University.

The course is suitable for the FOISA novice as well as the experienced practitioner. The course structure is designed to thoroughly examine the law as well as the practical aspects of dealing with FOISA (and EI(S)R) requests on a day-to-day level

Two courses were completed in the Spring/Summer season. Two more are scheduled for October and December. Thus far we have had very strong candidates from a variety of backgrounds. All have said how useful they have found the course.

If you’re considering joining the course, what can you expect? Read what the tutor has to say.

Think you know about FOISA? Have a go at the FOISA test.

Download the course flyer here

New Certificated FOISA Course: What the Tutor Saw

ANT FOISA Webpage (2)Act Now runs a Practitioner Certificate in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 – the inaugural course has been completed, the second one is currently running, and two more are scheduled for October and December. The course is endorsed by the Centre for FOI based at Dundee university. If you’re considering joining the course, what can you expect?

I wrote the course and I deliver it in Edinburgh (or elsewhere, if you’re interested in us bring the certificate to you). The first thing you can expect is to be in expert company – this is not to blow my own trumpet, but to reflect the high quality of the candidates we’ve welcomed. On both of the Spring courses, we had very strong candidates from a variety of backgrounds. But this mustn’t put off, the FOISA novice. One of the advantages of experience fellow delegates is that you can ask questions and get information from a wide variety of people with different experiences. The course also starts right at the beginning, with a clear explanation of the FOISA nuts and bolts.

More importantly, you get a focus on practicality. If you want an academic focus on the political and philosophical implications of FOI legislation, you may be disappointed. We don’t spend time on the history, and the comparison between FOI 2000 and FOISA is drawn only when it might be helpful for delegates. This course is designed to be for practitioners – people who have to deal with a daily influx of requests, difficult and challenging applicants, and tricky decisions. We look at the Scottish Commissioner’s guidance, useful decisions, and best of all, delegates themselves share their experiences. Some of the best ideas came from those people who work on FOISA every day. Most trainers like to show off, but it’s been good to shut up sometimes and let other perspectives be heard.

One of the chief objectives of the course is to demystify areas that are sometimes shrouded in uncertainty – not every candidate is convinced that they need to know about the Environmental Information Regulations, but many seem to have gone away with the ‘is it FOISA or EI(S)R?’ question slightly higher up their list of priorities. We have also had the traditional ‘what is personal data?’ debate to good effect, despite the risk of exposing who in the room is a real information rights geek (it is usually just me!).

At the end, we have an assessment, and again, the focus is on practicality. The feedback from the first round of delegates has been very positive, and so the format will remain unchanged. Many people who return to the exam room after years working in the office find the transition tricky and the effort of hand-writing an exam exhausting, so we have tried to find an alternative to the traditional 3 hour pressure cooker. The exam is a test of knowledge – candidates have to remember facts, and apply their knowledge to three detailed, list-style questions. Few FOISA professionals benefit from being able to remember specific subsections by rote, so the focus is on providing clear, accurate answers to practical questions. After this, delegates are given projects to choose from, and in 20 working days, they have to pick a request, consider all of the options, and then deliver a full response including a refusal notice.

The aim of the course is to give practitioners confidence, to ensure that they know how FOISA and the EI(S)Rs work, and to improve their ability to do their work. However, anything involving a ‘Certificate’ inevitably comes around to the big question of getting the marks. To pass this course, candidates need at least 50% of the marks on both parts of the assessment – exam and project. The first round of results are in, and everybody passed. The exam results were solid, but all candidates came into their own with the project. Every single one was really impressive, despite our demand for absolute precision on the project side. The results may be flattered by the quality of the candidates, but by giving people the chance to go away, consult other sources and have the time to make their case, we saw superb results.

This is not an easy course – day 1 is straightforward, but days 2 and 3 are hard work, with homework after each and the prospect of an exam shortly after the final day(see the course structure ). However, all candidates seem to have enjoyed it, and more importantly, all of them have shown so far that they are practitioners of a high standard. Roll on October!

Tim Turner is the tutor for the Act Now Practitioner Certificate in FOISA. More details of the course are on our website. Please get in touch if you have any questions (info@actnow.org.uk) 

Doing BCS (ISEB) Courses? Top Tips from a Successful Candidate

ANT ISEB WebsiteI have been asked to write a blog on what I had learned from recently taking – and thankfully passing – the ISEB/BCS courses in FOIA and DPA. Maybe I internalised the legislation too much, but for some reason I could only think of addressing it in terms of 8 principles:

1. Start from scratch

Whilst you may have a lot of knowledge and experience in FOI/DPA, try and go back to square one and approach the Acts like new legislation. You may find that, due to the demands of your sector and your role, you know different areas of the relevant Act much better than others. The syllabus leans towards no sector in particular so picking up the legislation again and starting from scratch can really help. Some of the areas I knew least about at the start of the course became the basis of my strongest essay answers.

2. The pen is mightier hard to write with than the keyboard

Writing legibly is one thing. Writing legibly for three hours is a whole different matter. If like me, you are so used to rattling away on a keyboard that you get cramp scrawling a shopping list, then it is time to do some training a good few weeks before your course starts. Start by trying to write a few pages of longhand, even if it is just copying some text. It is worth the effort. Investing in a couple of decent pens really helped my writing, which has never been the neatest.

3. Do your homework!

…as my mum used to shout! This is tough. You may feel inspired by the session and then find yourself back in a hectic day job, and suddenly training day comes round again. Try and find time for it, either over lunch at work or blocking time in the evenings. I knew people who wrote essays perfectly well on the tube – I don’t know how! The homework essay questions are essential to get back into that mode of constructing an argument and recalling facts. Avoid the ‘I did the essay in bullet points’ approach; presenting the argument in paragraphs and prose is as much part of the exercise as knowing the key points. It helps with principle 2 aswell.

4. Expand your mind

Many of us will make use of the ICO’s website or the JISC lists to pick up the latest information. For your exam and for your overall working knowledge it is really worth doing some ‘wider reading’. For matters FOI/DPA there is luckily a thriving blogosphere and twitterati (is that even a word?) to follow the latest developments. This is especially important for the DPA ISEB, where knowledge of the case law is vital. I found the following really useful (in no particular order) – there are many more:

Act Now Training http://www.actnow.org.uk/

Information Rights and Wrongs http://informationrightsandwrongs.com/

FOI Man http://www.foiman.com/

2040Information Law Blog http://2040infolawblog.com/

Panopticon http://www.panopticonblog.com/

Data Protector http://dataprotector.blogspot.co.uk/

David Higgerson http://davidhiggerson.wordpress.com/

whatdotheyknow.com https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/

Campaign for Freedom of Information http://www.cfoi.org.uk/

5. Enjoy the group

In both the DPA and FOI ISEBs, I have been really lucky to be in with a friendly and supportive group of co-students. The benefits of this go way beyond the practicalities of preparing for the exam. It is re-assuring to meet others who have faced the same challenges and problems. They may have tried different approaches to policy or procedural questions. Chat to the person next to you!

6. Don’t mock it

The mock exam is one of the most important parts of the whole course and invaluable in preparing you for the big day. You can do an essay question for homework under exam conditions but it won’t prepare you for starting the same question with only half an hour left on the clock and 25 pages of writing behind you. Treat it as much as possible like a real exam. Even going through the basics in the mock helped (e.g. how to fill out the multiple choice paper). It means that on the exam proper you can focus your stress on the questions themselves. I also learnt that eating an entire packet of mints in 3 hours would not necessarily enhance my exam performance.

7. Revise!

Forget DVD box sets or the football on TV for a few weeks – you have to make the revision count. Go for everything you can fit in: practice questions, podcasts, online seminars. I personally had a lot of difficulty with the Section B ‘bullet point’ questions, which rely on memorising information (e.g. the headings of the FOIA s45 Code of Practice). I found refuge in the humble index card to get the basics down and had friends or family test me. Make the time for yourself – you will reap the benefit come the exam.

8. Treat it as more than just a certificate

Education is becoming increasingly seen as a commodity, something you pay for and get a return from. Fair enough, the ISEB works like this. Work hard and get your certificate. And yet, like all education it does so much more than that. It fills you with ideas to take back to your workplace, makes you think about where you can take your new-found or rediscovered study skills (more part-time education or qualifications?) and develops contacts and networks with other practitioners.

Good luck!

Kit Good is University Records Manager and FOI Officer at the University of London. He has successfully completed both BCS (ISEB) courses with Act Now. Follow Kit on Twitter: @kit_urm and read his blog: http://allabouttherecords.blogspot.com/

Our next BCS (ISEB) courses start in June.  Delegates can now make use of our online resources page  with exclusive access to guidance notes, quizzes and over four hours of videos.

More advice about BCS ISEB and how to pass here:

http://actnowtraining.blog/2012/05/23/do-you-want-to-be-certified/

http://actnowtraining.blog/2012/01/31/how-to-pass-the-iseb-certificate/

New FOISA Qualification

Act Now Training is pleased to announce the Practitioner Certificate in Freedom of Information (Scotland).  This is the first certificated course specifically designed for those who work with Freedom of Information and the Environmental Information Regulations in Scotland. Successful candidates will receive a certificate  demonstrating that they possess a good knowledge of Freedom of Information and other information laws  they apply in Scotland, as well as an understanding of the practical implications for their organisation.

cfoi

The Certificate is endorsed by the Centre for Freedom of Information based at the University of Dundee. The Executive Director of the Centre is Professor Kevin Dunion (formerly the Scottish Information Commissioner). Professor Dunion says:

“On behalf of the Centre for Freedom of Information, I am pleased to endorse Act Now Training’s Practitioner Certificate in Freedom (Scotland). In my view it is important that the skills which our FOI(S)A practitioners have built up should be formally recognised through a certificated qualification. The training approach and course documentation reflect the distinctiveness of our Scottish FoI regime. I am confident that Scottish FOI(S)A practitioners will find this course invaluable in acquiring a greater understanding of all aspects of information rights legislation which impacts on Scotland. In particular the practical elements of the course will improve delegates’ ability to deal with the increasingly complex information requests received by Scottish public authorities.”

The course runs over four days followed by online sessions and an exam. Candidates also have to submit two practical case studies. In drafting the course syllabus we have consulted the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner and taken account of their comments and suggestions. We also have an independent exam board (chaired by Professor Dunion) consisting of FOI(S)A practitioners and renowned experts.

We are confident that the Act Now Practitioner Certificate in Freedom of Information (Scotland) will soon become the qualification of choice for FOI(S)A practitioners in Scotland.

Please get in touch if you would like more information.