NND image1.pngNational Numeracy Day is a positive, celebratory annual event that helps to reframe attitudes and abilities around using numbers in everyday life. Its aim is to empower everyone in the UK to improve their confidence with numeracy.

It brings together individuals, employers, educators and supporters to show the importance of numbers and the benefits of using them more effectively.

National Numeracy empowers children and adults to ‘get on with numbers so they can get on in life’.

At North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, functional skills classes now run to support staff and numeracy champions have been trained.

Jean Hill, Workforce Development Lead/Numeracy Champion at the Trust, said: “The Trust has invested in training numeracy champions to begin to address this and to raise awareness and to start the conversation about numeracy.

“We can support staff who have asked for help via our functional skills classes - but we can’t help those who don’t have the confidence to ask. 

“The initiative to train Numeracy Champions at NCIC arose as part of the Trust’s strategy to recruit nursing apprentices from the existing Healthcare Assistant workforce. 

“It became apparent that some who expressed an interest were lacking the required Level 2 maths qualification. The Learning and Development department created a bespoke functional skills programme for those who were in this situation. However, discussions with the national charity for numeracy prompted the question how were we reaching those who aspired to do their training but didn’t have the confidence to put themselves forward for functional skills and what about the wider workforce?

“There is also a large amount of fear and negative associations or ‘maths anxiety’ among adults."

Leading the way and setting an example is Matron Linda Turner, who is currently studying for a Masters in Leadership. “When at school and again atNND Linda turner.jpg College I particularly struggled with maths and only managed to reach a GCSE Grade D.. twice!.” 

Linda has recently achieved her Functional Skills Maths Level 2 with the Trust’s Learning and Development team.  “On reflection, although this was hard work at times and I was anxious about passing, the sense of accomplishment now is huge and I can carry on with my Masters qualification journey.”

“The National Numeracy approach aims to build confidence as well as skills so an introduction to their free online resources is now being included in the Trust’s Care Certificate programme and pre-apprenticeship study skills days. 

“The numeracy champion’s role is to help get the conversation about maths started, sign-post staff to the resources, and to help people overcome their fear and take the first step.” 

Start the numeracy conversation where you work today!