The Role Of The NUT Learning Representative

THE ROLE OF THE NUT LEARNING REPRESENTATIVE

Introduction

Over 26,000 union learning representatives in over 60 trade unions had been trained by the TUC by 2013.

TUC and government research has shown that learning representatives carry out a broad range of activities, which include:

 offering learning information and advice to union members;

 identifying union members’ learning needs;

 negotiating learning agreements with employers;

 securing equal opportunities in learning; and

 assisting members in accessing funding for learning.

The learning representative role within the NUT

The principal role of the NUT learning representative is to promote learning, support members in accessing training and to build awareness of educational campaigning among NUT members.

Working at school level

School-based learning representatives represent NUT members in their own school or in a local cluster of schools.

The School Rep-Learning plays a different role within the Union structures to that of the division/association based Union Learning Rep. They are seen more as an activist working alongside the school rep in recruiting new members, retaining existing members and promoting Union learning and CPD.

Growing activists across the Union is essential in the current climate of threats to facilities time. Encouraging members to take up the role of School Rep-Learning will ensure that recruitment levels across the Union are maintained whilst allowing the school rep to focus on negotiations with management. Both reps will work within school to build support for Union campaigns.

The School Rep-Learning will:

1  Promote Union learning courses, CPD and conferences in their school

 Promote regional and local training to members

 Promote the Union‘s vision of education to members

 Promote Union education campaigns to members in schools through facilitating school and cluster meetings

 Support the School Rep in recruiting and retaining members through promotion of the Union’s learning ethos and strong education policy

 Be part of the active Union team in a school setting working alongside the NUT School Rep and Health and Safety Rep to recruit new members and promote the Union’s campaigning agenda.

The School Rep-Learning may:

 Work with division ULRs and/or local clusters to organise events and broker deals on training

 Organise Learning at Work events within the school

It is not suggested that the learning representative should carry out every task on this list. The learning representative needs to work according to local priorities and to set boundaries for his/her role.

Working at division level

NUT learning representatives have been operating at divisional level since 2002. The Union Learning Representative (ULR) role is an established local lay position in the Union.

In 2004, the National Executive agreed to the addition of the role of learning representative to the Union’s Model Rules for Single Association and Multi-Association Divisions. This amendment to the Model Rules was adopted at Annual Conference 2005.

Divisions are advised to add the role of learning representative to the list of officers in the rules of the division. The division can decide to have a job-share to cover the learning representative position. Alternatively, the division may decide to have more than one learning representative, though the National Union recommends that only up to three learning representatives are appointed. As with all other local lay positions in the Union, the NUT learning representative role is subject to annual election.

As a local representative, you cannot do everything. If you carry out only a few of the tasks listed below, then NUT members will benefit.

2 The role of a local learning representative within the NUT could include:

 the organisation and delivery of training courses within the local division of the Union;

 supporting the division or association secretary in organising events for NQT’s and new teachers to the area;

 the promotion of regionally and locally based NUT training.

 the promotion of the NUT’s national training programme;

 the promotion of the NUT’s professional development programme;

 the provision of information and advice on outside sources of training and funding for training such as Learndirect, the University for Industry; and

 acting as the broker in the provision of training at local colleges of further education.

Networking

The NUT supports and encourages networking between NUT learning representatives. The NUT has established learning representative networks in each region and in Wales. Further information about local NUT Learning Networks is available from your regional office.

Getting started

The NUT is working to develop a national network of learning representatives. You are not alone!

The Union has worked with unionlearn (previously TUC Learning Services), The College of North East London (CONEL) and Dunstable College to develop a bespoke accredited training course for NUT learning representatives.

The NUT has also developed a second level learning representatives’ course for established NUT learning representatives.

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