INTERCHANGE opportunities

Once you login to Interchange you will find that there are different types of opportunity available, here is a summary of what these offer:

Secondments
These will be between 1 and 12 months (or longer by agreement) on a full or part-time basis, without affecting employment status. This could be short-term cover for a sudden vacancy or a planned development as part of succession planning.

» Feedback from a secondment opportunity filled through Interchange (March 2009, IDeA - Improvement East)

Buddying/twinning
This is a very flexible format for development which can include regular meetings or communication with someone at a similar level in a different organisation for mutual benefit and support. Like a discussion group but more personal with just 2 people

Shadowing
Accompanying someone throughout their working day or week. This could be to gain an understanding of your existing role or to look at possible career development

Attachments
Normally under 3 months to undertake short-term projects or studies. This can be helpful for project work in a different area that may contribute to a qualification or could be the loan of an expert with particular skills for a one-off project

Partner Search
A mechanism for finding other organisations who might want to jointly commission seminars and longer training programmes, consultancy or jointly work on some kind of project

Discussion Groups
Regional and Sub-Regional groups can be set up to discuss issues of the day and matters of common interest

Troubleshooters
Individuals can register to be a troubleshooter in an area that they have specific expertise or experience. Authorities can then view the database of troubleshooters if they have a particular one-off requirement

Of course these definitions only give an idea of what opportunities are advetised through Interchange, register or login to the system to see the diveristy of opportunities currently available.