The VSTU was established in 1994 as part of a Middlesbrough City Challenge project in conjunction with Teesside TEC and Middlesbrough Council. We offer a wide variety of training opportunities, as well as a range of accredited qualifications, for both the Private and Voluntary/Community Sectors. The Unit also offers a Consultancy Service allowing you to design training to meet your organisation's particular needs. These can be delivered either in Middlesbrough or at your own venue. 

In October 1995 the VSTU became the very first Voluntary Training Organisation in the Tees Valley area to be awarded the prestigious "Investor in People" award and achieved re-recognition in October 1998. Malcolm Shorney, Director of the VSTU, said "To us the award was extremely important. People are our business".
In April 1998 the VSTU contracted with Tees Valley TEC to deliver the Investor in People programme for Voluntary/Community Organisations across the Tees Valley taking them through to IiP recognition. This is a first as a Voluntary Sector Organisation delivering the IiP programme to the Voluntary Sector. We were successful in assisting five organisations proceed through to IiP recognition by March 31st 1999. The VSTU is in its second contract year with Tees Valley TEC delivering the IiP programme to the Voluntary/Community Organisations across Tees Valley area.

• Tees Valley TEC
• Langridge Development Centre
• Middlesbrough MIND
• Darlington Association on Disability (DAD)
• Future Regeneration of Grangetown (FROG)

• NCH Action for Children (Harrogate)
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• University of Teesside
• Northumbria TEC
• Peterlee College
• Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council

Products, Services and Programs:

Offering qualifications from certificate and diploma level, through to a wide range of NVQ's levels 1 - 4, in areas including Information Technology, Child Care, Administration, Conservation, Advice, Guidance & Counselling, Leadership, Management Development and 7306 Adult Tutors Award (including the D units eg D32/33).

We are registered and accredited with:

• OCR/RSA
• City & Guilds
• Institute of Management
• TROCN
• NEBS Management
• MCI Management Charter Initiative
  We are unique to the Voluntary/Community Sector in the UK as the only licensed distributor/deliverer of the MCI Continuous Professional Development Programme (CPD), which can lead directly to an NVQ qualification in Management (MCI National Standards).

Location and Facilities:

We are based in The Cleveland Scientific Institution Building, Corporation Road in the centre of Middlesbrough with a state of the art computer suite. Outreach work is undertaken at various sites nation-wide.

Staff: