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U-Net Newsletter

Issue 6, June 2009

In this issue

Diary Dates
Karl's Bit
Getting Ready for 2009/10
Learning Through Technology Award Winner
Running a U-Net Learning Centre Training Course
Train to Gain Engage
Readability
Useful Links
Support

Could centres please use the support e-mail and telephone number as a first line helpdesk. Email unet@tuc.org.uk Tel 0191 227 5580

Diary Dates

June	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thu	Fri
	1	2	3	4	5
	8	9	10	11	12
	15	16	17	18	19
	22	23	24	25	26
2009	29	30	29	30

11^th June, unionlearn 3^rd Annual Conference

Karl's Bit

Thanks to those of you that attended the recent Partners' Meeting in Newcastle. The meeting was very well attended and this really highlights your commitment, so thanks again! Following on from this, work has taken place behind the scenes in pulling together the feedback from the workshops around inspection. Your USO will support you through the next stage of the activity.

Congratulations once again to Paulette Lapin who won first prize in the U-Net Writing Competition. Paulette was presented with an award by our very own Helen Gagliasso, at the recent Merseytravel Awards Ceremony. Paulette's poem will be available for all to see on our website shortly.

Paulette Liz Noble recently e-mailed all centres asking for ideas around the new U-Net website which is currently under development. A few of you have come back with some great ideas. If you haven't already responded to Liz's request please have a think about features you'd like to see on the site and let Liz know. Remember it's your website.

Thank you to all of you for your continuing support.

If there are any topics you'd like to see in future newsletters please contact enoble@tuc.org.uk

Karl Schofield, U-Net Strategic Coordinator

Getting Ready for 2009/10

In preparation for 2009/10 you should be keeping a close eye on Providers Portal for information on planned changes.

There is a section on the site dedicated to getting ready for 2009/10.

http://providers.learndirect.co.uk/development/ready0910/enrolment/

Further information will be published between now and August 2009 along with information about other areas of business change as it becomes available.

Learning Through Technology Award Winner

Congratulations to Newcastle College learner Cath Mitchell, who won the 2009 Adult Learners' Week* 'Learning through Technology Award.

Cath's story

When Cath Mitchell was 52 she was forced to give up her job as a neighbourhood services employee due to ill health. Now she is gaining new skills to help her find employment in an office. Cath has a form of muscular dystrophy which affects her mobility and in 2006 was referred to the Trade Union Education Centre, through her union Unison. 'I needed to gain employability skills to enable me to move to a

less physically demanding role and at 52 I needed to access my learning at my own convenience,' she says. 'Online learning with learndirect* means I am able to repeat any sections of the course as required and I really like the self-paced approach.' Starting with a basic IT course, Cath then went on to take the Adult Certificate in Numeracy. This was then followed with further qualifications in IT including the European Computer Driving Licence part 1. Cath then enrolled on and completed the IT2 Word Processing course and then IT1 Computer Art (IT for Life) course. Cath says 'I feel my confidence in using computers has definitely improved. I now use the computer for formal letters, internet research and email.' 'Learning to me means that it keeps me alert, it keeps me up to date with society and what is going on in the world of technology. Hopefully it will lead me to finding future employment.'

Running a U-Net Learning Centre Training Course

Date: 20th-24th July inclusive
Venue: New College Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 1AH
If you are interested in booking a place(s) for this course please contact enoble@tuc.org.uk

Train to Gain Engage

Train to Gain Engage is a new website for anyone working to engage employers in the Train to Gain Service.

It provides you with the information and resources to inform employers about the Train to Gain service, explaining:

What the Service is and how it benefits employers
Train to Gain funding, and who is eligible
The different training options available to employers
Where to find skills information
How Train to Gain works with other organisations
The processes for making referrals

To find our more about Train to Gain Engage please visit http://engage.traintogain.gov.uk/about

Readability

http://www.niace.org.uk/development-research/readability

The Readability Project has revised and updated the leaflet about readability originally published by the Basic Skills* Agency. This leaflet gives advice on how to write and present written material in a way that is easy to read. It is now available as a free download from the NIACE* website. The leaflet includes a simple formula for calculating a "readability level", and an online calculator based on this formula (created in conjunction with Nottingham University) has now been included on the NIACE website.

Useful Links

Calling all SfL Tutors

An excellent resource to support your practice.

Just follow the link:

http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/sflcurriculum

BBC raw Gallery

Visit the BBC raw gallery to see video clips following the stories of different people gaining basic skills by completing courses or using raw and other BBC sites. It might give you some ideas about what could be useful for you.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/raw/community/gallery.shtml

BBC Languages

Choose from six different courses in four different languages for free on the BBC Languages site! The aim is for you to complete a course in 12 weeks, followed by an 'end of course' assessment to see how well you've done. You'll even get a BBC certificate! Choose from: French Steps, Ma France, Spanish Steps, Mi Vida Loca, German Steps and Italian Steps.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/steps/

Move On National Test Preparation

Move On has developed some newer practice tests L-N, which are more in line with the current National Tests.

http://www.move-on.org.uk/practicetests.asp

Time Out