Complaints Procedure for Ascend participants
At Ascend, we want to make sure you have the best possible start to your working life. Sometimes, things might not go as smoothly as we'd like, and that's why we have this friendly and empowering complaints procedure. It's designed to help you share any concerns with us, and to help us work together to find solutions.
1. Talk to Someone You Trust:
If you have a concern or complaint about something that’s happened during the Ascend programme, the first step is simple: talk to someone on the programme that you trust. This could be your mentor, employer, Liaison, or trainer. If you’re not sure about talking, you can always start by sending a text to your Liaison. No matter how small the problem seems, we’re really keen to help; get in touch as soon as you can. Open and honest communication can often solve issues before they become big problems.
2. Make a Formal Complaint:
If your concern doesn't get resolved informally, or if you're not comfortable discussing it with someone you know, you can make a formal complaint. Here's how:
- Write down what's bothering you and be as clear as possible about the issue.
- Mention what you've already tried to do to resolve it.
- Let us know what you'd like to see happen to fix the problem.
You can send your complaint to us via email, regular mail, or through the online form below: whichever you prefer. Our postal address is: Ascend, 3 Liberty Road, Sheffield, S6 5PT.
3. We're Here to Help:
Once we receive your formal complaint, we'll start working on finding a solution. Our goal is to make things right. This might involve speaking with the people involved and gathering more information.
We'll come up with a plan to solve the issue and make things better for you. We'll share this plan with you in writing.
4. Your Say Matters:
If you're not happy with our solution, you have the power to appeal. Your voice is important, and we're here to listen. Here's how you can do that:
- Write down why you're not satisfied with the resolution.
- Explain why you think things could be handled better.
We will have an independent review panel look into your appeal. They will talk to all the people involved and consider everything before making a final decision.
5. We Keep Records:
Every complaint, resolution, and appeal is important to us. We keep records to learn from and improve our program. We're committed to supporting you to succeed, and your feedback helps us do that.
We're here to support you, and we want to empower you to resolve any issues you might face. This complaints procedure is all about making sure you have a say in your own experience and that you feel comfortable speaking up when something isn't right. Together, we can make Ascend the best it can be!