With only one month to go until the Freedom of Information Act comes into full effect, Video Arts, providers of memorably entertaining training, issues a stark warning to the UKís 100,000 or so public authorities currently readying themselves for the January 2005 deadline:
Martin Addison, Director of Video Arts said:
By now, the majority of public authorities have adequate IT systems and publication schemes in place that will allow them to store and retrieve data. However, all their hard work could come undone if employees donít understand whatís being asked of them.
One of the biggest problems for public authorities is uncertainty. Nobody knows how many requests they will receive or when. And if staff havenít been properly prepared; poor communication, information silos, slow response rates, and human error could open the floodgates to complaints and even legal action.
In order to help staff in the public sector understand the implications of the Act for their organisation and the way it operates, Video Arts has teamed up with Masons Solicitors, experts on compliance and legislation, to co-produce Freedom of information - a training programme designed to help staff at public authorities get to grips with the Act.
The new programme will help organisations understand their legal obligations and prepare them for the changes in the way they will have to manage records, publish information and deal with specific requests within the 20 day deadline. It brings the Freedom of Information Act to life by getting users to interact with realistic scenarios and helps them to learn the legal consequences of their actions when applying the Act.
Freedom of information comprises six modules each focusing on a different part of the Act. It cleverly combines video material with detailed legal learning points and is supported by a section on practical implications.
The overall concept of Freedom of information is of a TV channel with a different programming style for each module to enhance understanding and inject interest into what is without doubt a challenging topic. The modules
include:
Overview
Publication Schemes and Records Management
Handling a Request
Exemptions
Data Protection Act interface
Enforcement
Freedom of information is available on CD-ROM and an e-learning version is also available for intranet and network delivery. Prices start at 995 for the CD-Rom version and between 5 - 12 per user per annum for the e-learning version.
Training oversight could jeopardise compliance with freedom of information act
.
