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Spotlight on the learning and development design and delivery team

26 September 2025

You may have seen the learning and development design and delivery team featured in the Innovative value deep dive article in Our Derbyshire. Over the coming weeks, we’re excited to share more about who we are, what we do, and how we’re living the council’s values through learning.


Here’s a quick look at how we support learning across the council:

Who we are

Design and delivery is one of 3 teams within learning and organisational development, alongside organisational development and organisational inclusion. Together, we help shape learning that drives performance, growth, and impact.

What we do

From mandatory courses to bespoke learning experiences, we support:

  • formal training – e-learning, face-to-face, and webinars
  • on-the-job learning and coaching
  • practice improvement and role effectiveness.

Meet the team

  • business partners: work with departments to identify learning needs and recommend tailored interventions.
  • delivery team: facilitates a wide range of training from communication skills to specialist equipment use.
  • design and commissioning team: creates new content and leads our evaluation strategy to improve future learning.
  • digital learning team: supports Derbyshire Learning Online (DLO), our digital learning hub which hosts nearly all of our training. The team manages the system, creates e-learning content, and supports email: derbyshire.learningonline@derbyshire.gov.uk.
  • our practice development and vocational qualification teams support frontline colleagues through apprenticeships, placements, and qualifications. As a registered centre, the vocational qualification team have consistently achieved high standards in external audits. The practice development team are all qualified social workers, supporting existing and new adults and children’s colleagues through apprenticeships, work placements and ongoing learning and development.

We also champion informal, on-the-job learning, which is flexible, immediate, and often complements formal training. It helps colleagues adapt, solve problems, and grow continuously.

Here’s how:

  • peer learning – asking colleagues or observing their work
  • mentoring and coaching – guidance from experienced colleagues
  • on-the-job – learning by doing and reflecting
  • networking – sharing in teams or forums
  • shadowing – watching others to learn processes

We’ll be sharing more stories and updates from the team in the coming weeks. If you have any questions or want to learn more, feel free to email: james.hodges@derbyshire.gov.uk learning and development design and delivery manager.