Celebrating 20 Years of the Union Learning Fund
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unionlearn.org.uk | Autumn 2019 Celebrating 20 years of the Union Learning Fund • Learning at Work Week • Helping civil servants • New unionlearn publications • Union learning makes a difference • Tommy gets royal recognition SALUTING WORTHY WINNERS Unite signs breakthrough ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR ANNUAL agreement with Nissan conference is always the part when we recognise some of our union learning reps for promoting learning opportunities in English, maths, digital skills and supporting three important (but often overlooked) groups – disadvantaged workers, older workers and apprentices. Photos © Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk / Christopher Furlong/Phawat Topaisan/Getty Images Topaisan/Getty Furlong/Phawat / Christopher Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk © Jess Photos Like all the conference participants, I always enjoy the short films we make to introduce each of the winners, who this year were Jayne Barry and Jane Yugire from UNISON, Sean Dixon and Michelle Whitley from Usdaw, Rachel Vine from BFAWU and Claire Thorpe from PCS. “Like all the Watching this year’s films conference reminded me of the first Unite’s North-East, Yorkshire members on courses time I heard about Jane, & Humberside region through our online platform participants, back when I was Regional launched its new learning LearnWithUnite; and in I always Secretary of the Northern agreement at Nissan with a September we’re going TUC. It was my very good series of six events across to be launching Keeping enjoy the friend Kenny Bell, who the car manufacturer’s Up With The Kids, to help short films was secretary of UNISON’s Sunderland plant during parents help their children we make to Newcastle City Branch for 10 Learning at Work Week with maths homework,” years until his death in 2011, (LaWW) in May. Anna says. introduce who put Jane on my radar. The agreement, which In addition, Anna and each of the “I’ve got this young rep covers 7,500 workers, the team of three ULRs on winners.” coming in and she’s going represents the first time site have been helping the to be brilliant,” he told me. the company has worked in functional skills learners by And he was right. partnership with Unite on organising revision sessions the learning agenda. on site ahead of their exams, Of course, all our winners are brilliant – in fact, “We have an extremely as well as planning a second every learning rep has done amazing things, strong Unite branch on set of promotional events to thanks to the backing of their unions and site and once the convenor enrol even more learners in unionlearn. We know both new and experienced and deputy convenor got the autumn. ULRs need support, which is why we are running involved, they drove it Many employers in our popular Supporting Learners programme forward, which enabled us Nissan’s massive supply again this autumn. Make sure you book your free to bring our learning on site, chain are also getting in place at your regional event today! something we have been touch with Anna to find trying to do for many years,” out what Unite could explains Regional Learning offer them in terms of Kevin Rowan is Director of unionlearn Manager Gill Pearson. workplace learning. Through its series of launches across the site, the union was able to engage New digital jobs almost 500 members of and skills service staff, says Unite Learning begins rollout Organiser Anna Lavery. “We now have a pilot of 30 Get Help to Retrain, the Funded by the Department for Education (DfE). Learning Rep magazine is learners studying functional government’s new digital published four times a year by unionlearn, Congress House, Great Russell skills English and maths jobs and skills service, is Street, London WC1B 3LS. with training provider Stream set to arrive in Leeds City Editor: Yusuf Dadabhoy | Writer: Martin Moriarty | Design: TUC | © unionlearn, 2019 Cover photo: © Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk on Demand; we’ve enrolled Region, Cambridge and Peterborough and the Barnsley FC • Barnsley FC’s sport and skills by Ben Perkins from south-west this autumn, expands learning fitness facilities and National Numeracy. after successful launches offer to youth programmes in Liverpool City Region, • free physiotherapy • Click here to find out more the West Midlands and the Ten Yorkshire 16-year-olds • sports psychology and about unionlearn’s new maths north-east this summer. have kicked off the current lifestyle one-to-ones treasure hunt resource • Click here to try the new Part of the National season with a place on • nutrition and anti-doping everyday finances assessment Retraining Scheme (NRS), Barnsley FC’s Shadow workshops and podcasts. on SkillCheck Get Help to Retrain is Scholarship programme, an online service now in its second that aims to help year of operation Workout week builds people identify at the club. maths muscles REPTECH the skills they The team’s already have, find Academy, which ULRs across the country Essential training courses to oversees the celebrated everyday maths gain the skills they development of during unionlearn’s Maths new app need and explore local the club’s youth Workout Week, which ran Whether you job opportunities. teams, is already recognised from Monday 7 to Friday 11 are thinking of During the initial rollout, as providing an October this year. enrolling on an adults aged 24 and over, excellent training In the run-up to apprenticeship, with a qualification below and education the week, three already on one or degree level and working programme for teams of PCS supporting colleagues below a certain wage young players, learning reps on apprenticeships, threshold are being invited who leave either were the first to unionlearn has a new to trial the new service to with a professional trial unionlearn’s app and web-based tool help develop and evaluate contract or the new maths-based to help. it ahead of its release to all qualifications to go treasure hunt activity The Apprenticeship eligible adults in England to university. as part of a learning day in Essentials app next year. The new Shadow Loughborough, using a trail is available for With the help of UNISON Scholarship programme around a park. Apple and Android learning rep Norman Hunter, extends the club’s learning “I loved the way we used smartphone users and staff at Liverpool City Region and development offer to our maths knowledge in on the web via the Combined Authority (LCRCA) local youngsters by giving a fun way while learning unionlearn website. were among the first them the chance to train something about a beautiful The app contains workers in the country to see every day in a professional area,” commented ULR helpful tips for young Get Help to Retrain in action environment and study too. Herma Hughes, who works people entering when they took part in the It’s aimed at nurturing at the Department of the world of work, pilot this summer. the talent of late developers Work and Pensions (DWP) a breakdown of What began with including former members in Birmingham. employment rights and interviews with eight staff, of Barnsley’s own Academy Unionlearn also added training entitlements, including union reps, and academies at other a new Everyday Finances an explanation of what grew to more than 25 staff clubs in the area, by assessment to the popular unions are and a job working with the digital giving them a second SkillCheck online tool, search function. service, while Norman has chance at a career in which tests learners’ It also includes tools also encouraged all LCRCA professional football. financial know-how by using to help you choose the staff to take a look at the Participants can enrol on examples from day-to-day best apprenticeship website and leave feedback. a BTEC National Diploma life (eg applying for credit for you and to rate your “All our staff and reps in Sport at Level 1, 2 or 3 cards, paying for holidays, apprenticeship, using involved have said they or a foundation degree in taking part in a lottery pool). the swipe left and swipe enjoyed the experience football coaching that has In addition, several right gestures familiar to and many, but not all, see been specifically written contributors added new dating app users. the potential changes to for such programmes by maths-related pieces to the work and digitalisation the English Football League unionlearn blog, including • Click here to find out as an opportunity and (EFL) and the University of a helpful breakdown of more not just another threat,” South Wales. three excuses for not Norman says. They also have access to: improving our maths LEARNING REP AUTUMN 2019 03 Supporting Learners The programme kicked is back this autumn off with a packed event in London, where TUC Regional Secretary Sam Gurney said he met “loads of amazing union learning reps”. Leicester and Manchester also hosted successful events. The three remaining events are: Union learning reps (ULRs) • Tuesday 12 November: are sharing experiences Sheffield, Showroom Photos © Antonio Guillem/Christopher Furlong/FatCamera/Getty Images Furlong/FatCamera/Getty Guillem/Christopher © Antonio Photos and ideas and finding Workstation out more about new tools • Tuesday 19 November: WEST MIDLANDS and resources during Newcastle, Centre for Life APPRENTICES SET unionlearn’s ever-popular • Wednesday 20 November: programme of Supporting Exeter, Mercure Rougemont FOR BETTER DEAL Learners events across the country this autumn. • Click here to book your place Apprentices in the West Midlands are set to ULRs are also learning on your regional Supporting get a better deal now that the West Midlands how to get the most out Learners event Combined Authority (WMCA) has signed the TUC’s of new resources such as Apprenticeship Charter with unionlearn and the new Apprenticeship Midlands TUC.