All professionals are required to continuously engage in professional development with a feature of this being not only being able to identify and meet learning needs, but to apply the learning to practice.  

Resilience, Advocacy and Wellbeing are terms that have come into focus during the past years, and their importance has been accelerated through the Covid-19 Pandemic. Professional practice has moved from team-based peer support to working from home for many, juggling competing personal and professional tasks in times of global crisis. This has impacted on individuals in terms of mental and physical health and staffing pressures have arisen for organisations as a result.  

The concept of Self-Care or caring for self has come to the forefront of practitioners across health and social care, alongside with personal and organisational performance.  

This unit is designed to enhance knowledge and skills to support Leadership practice around Resilience, Advocacy and Wellbeing.

• The unit will refer to the contemporary theory, research, policy, guidance and legislation which supports their practice. 
• Students will critically examine professional, organisational, social and cultural contexts of practice.
• They will critically reflect on the management of staff who are exposed to stress, trauma and vicarious trauma. 
• Students will receive structured opportunities for critical reflection within a well-resourced and research-informed learning community.  
• Teaching for this unit will take place online, physically or in a hybrid mode, depending on the requirements of the purchasing employer.

Learning and teaching methods

Blended learning and teaching methods (online and face to face if appropriate); seminars, case studies, guided discussion and debates, student presentations, tutorial support, online resources provided through Brightspace.

Students will also be expected to undertake additional research and reading to support formal learning.  

This course requires 100% attendance. 

We would strongly recommend for students who already have a degree to consider to undertake this unit at Level 7 (Master's level). This will enable them to gain academic credits that can lead into a MA pathway for Advanced Practice or Leading and Developing Services.  

Normally students may enter Level 7 (Master's level) study if they have been awarded:

• Undergraduate degree (honours or non-honours)
• An equivalent qualification (the learning outcome of which are demonstrably appropriate in terms of knowledge, understanding and skills) equivalent to 120 credits at Level 6.

If you do not meet this criteria you are still able to apply for this unit but we may ask you to complete a study skills handbook to familiarise yourself with academic writing at masters level or pre-admission work. This will be sent to you when we have received your application form.

This unit is also available at Level 6 (degree level). 

Fees and funding:  

You will need to pay or indicate employer support of payment for unit or course fees to the university.  

Applicants should contact their employing organisation for further details.  

Pre-purchased places  

The Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has contractual arrangements with NHS organisations and Local Authorities for pre-paid places on specified modules including NHS South of England and the Pan-Dorset and Wiltshire Social Work Teaching Partnership. If you work within Dorset & Somerset or Hampshire & Isle of Wight you may be able to access the pre-paid places. These arrangements allow NHS Trusts and Local Authorities to nominate the staff they wish to send on each unit or course.  

The pre-arranged agreements allow individuals, such as yourself, a route to access appropriate professional development opportunities that are seen as strategically important to your organisation (in consultation with your Line Manager/Education Co-ordinator). All requests for pre-paid places must first be agreed by your organisation prior to completing an application.  

The coursework comprises a 3000 word reflective essay outlining the learning gained, how it has impacted practice and how the new found knowledge would be disseminated.

Having successfully completed this unit the student is expected to:  

1. apply relevant theory, research and policy to the topics of resilience, advocacy and wellbeing in the practice context
2. develop awareness of self in organisational, social and cultural contexts as part of a process of evaluating resilience, advocacy and wellbeing in leadership practice
3. apply critical reflection to inform and provide a rationale for leadership practice
4. develop skills and knowledge to support staff resilience, advocacy and wellbeing in the wider organisational context

Course review:

In order to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in practice to benefit our students we regularly review all of our courses. This course is currently going through this process and we will update this page to give you full information about what we will be offering once the review process has concluded.  These changes will come into effect for all new students from September 2025. Applicants will be notified by our admissions team of any changes.