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 Union Learning – Adding Value to the Union Card Union Learning: adding value to the union card Education, Learning and Skills Forum Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Manchester Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Lancashire Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Cumbria Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Chester Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Merseyside Launch Event  |
TUC Education UpdateNovember 2008 Issue Welcome to the November edition of TUC Education Update, which is mailed three times a year to union education officers, TUC course co-ordinators and tutors, and everyone with an interest in union education and training, with news and views from TUC Education. The Update is also available as an e-bulletin, register via the TUC unionlearn* website at www.unionlearn.org.uk/register or www.unionlearn.org.uk/changedetails Over 6,000 people have subscribed to the Update, receiving up to date news as soon as it is published.
Women officers' summer schoolA trip to Downing Street and a meeting with Health Minister Alan Johnson were part of the fourth annual women officers' summer school in London during the summer. This year's event focused on organising, leadership and women's participation in the work of unions.  Health Secretary Alan Johnson and then Business Secretary John Hutton welcome students to No. 10 The summer school is aimed a union women professional officers and designed to build their knowledge, skills and confidence, motivating them to become more widely involved in union activity and higher positions I the trade union movement. Angela Perry, Southern & Eastern Regional Education Officer said: 'I think this course is very special and all union women professional officers got something really useful out of it. It was also a real plus having guest speakers that you would not usually get a chance to speak with so frankly about their experience of climbing the ladder in the trade union movement'. Tolpuddle goes greenOver 30 reps attended the Green Camp at Tolpuddle festival to complete the TUC Education environment course and become green reps. The course gave participants an overview of how climate change and environmental matters are at the heart of the trade union movement and how reps can raise awareness and take practical action within their workplaces. The course enabled reps to gain ideas on how to raise the profile of green issues. It also gave them ideas about bargaining with employers on green issues.  Lu White, Green workplaces project leader from the South West TUC, discussed highlights of the new Green workplaces project, which aims to support union green reps who are driving the sustainability agenda within their workplaces. The main aim of the project is to enable reps to bring about a joint approach to greening the workplace - by bringing the workforce on board with specific workplace issues and ensuring environmental improvement measures are not forced upon workers by management. For more details of the project contact lwhite@tuc.org.uk Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) updateTUC Education is now out of the tests and trials for the QCF and locates the programme fully within the new arrangements for qualifications. There is a simpler structure to the qualifications and credit levels and the revisions have now been uploaded to the web-based accreditation (WBA) framework and all learners registered from the beginning of term will be eligible for the qualifications. Ministers have now signed off on the QCF and it has been agreed that the National Qualifications Framework will cease to be funded from 2010, with transition arrangements for the rest of adult education to be agreed as part of the curriculum review. Safety reps survey 2008Key findings from the trade union trends survey: TUC biennial survey of safety reps 2008, are now available from the TUC website at http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-15500-f0.cfm This is the seventh biennial TUC safety representatives' survey. The survey is designed to provide the TUC and its affiliated trade unions with valuable information, which will shape safety campaigning and organisation in the period ahead. Union professional development programme 2009The Union Professional Development Programme 2009 will be published at the end of November. Available online at the unionlearn website and in hard copy, the programme will feature the core courses offered for union professionals together with details of the Organising Academy programme and special on request and bespoke courses for next year.  The programme has proven highly successful over the past few years and the core programme of courses - The Union Professional Officer, Organise! A Voice in Every Workplace, Equality, Handling Casework, Employment Law, Running a Workshop, and Pensions - will be supplemented by the addition of three major new courses which will be available next year. Health and Safety, Reading Financial Accounts and Bargaining courses will debut in 2009 adding to the range of courses currently running. Health and Safety covers essential knowledge in these areas:
Reading Financial Accounts will cover:
And Bargaining will look at:
For further information or to order copies of The Union Professional Development Programme 2009, contact Martin Hegarty at mhegarty@tuc.org.uk Union professionalsunionprofessionals , which launched in December 2007, is the new online community for employees of affiliate unions and the TUC. It is designed to respond to concerns of union officers & staff about keeping up-to-date, in roles that are more challenging than ever, by providing a space for cross-union networks to meet & share resources, experiences & advice. Regular features include course announcements, the General Secretary's report to General Council and a popular monthly newsletter that reaches thousands of trade unionists. Last month we launched a Pay & Bargaining feature from IDS , the independent pay data resource. The IDS feature will highlight the findings of their incomes research across the various sectors of the economy. Soon unionprofessionals will have regular content from the Labour Research Department and in the New Year we will be introducing an Employment Law Update feature. Tutors can direct officers on courses to the unionprofessionals website as a resource for Continuing Professional Development. A page for CPD* Resources has just been developed and can be accessed here: https://www.unionprofessionals.org.uk/CPDresources/ If you would like further information or for free copies of the unionprofessionals brochure, please contact us at unionprofessionals@tuc.org.uk or 020 7467 1304. Pensions ChampionsIn the current financial crisis more worries about pensions have come to the fore and demands on champions will have increased. The need for someone in the workplace who can explain the various options to their colleagues has never been greater. Not least among these options may be the temptation to reduce personal spending by suspending or reducing pension contributions, lowering retirement income in the process. Following a successful TUC Tutor Briefing held at Newcastle College there are now 15 more tutors available who can deliver the Pensions Champions 3-day course. Over a very busy day the group reviewed the latest version of the course activities, the development of guidance for individuals, and were introduced to the online version of the course which is to be launched early in the New Year. The tutors all agreed to take part in piloting the online course. The database of individuals interested in the project and wishing to become Pensions Champions now stands at 550+ and courses are being publicised directly to them. An increase in courses is anticipated in the coming term, including some aimed at single unions, industries or services.  Visit the website at www.pensionschampions.co.uk or for more information contact Terry Segars, Pensions Education Officer, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS, tel.020 7467 1363, mob.07769 706104, email tsegars@tuc.org.uk Learning and careers advicelineNeed advice on careers and learning? The unionlearn advice line is a free, impartial, confidential service which helps people to develop new skills, improve their job prospects or change jobs. This service is for all unionlearn and union staff, trade union education tutors, union representatives and union members. Telephone: 08000 92 91 90 Online learning for January 2009The following online courses are available during January 2009:
To find out more about online learning with TUC Education or to apply for one of the above courses, visit www.unionlearn.org.uk/online If you have any questions about TUC Education's online learning programme visit www.unionlearn.org.uk/onlinefaqs or contact Craig Hawkins, TUC Online Learning Officer by emailing chawkins@tuc.org.uk . What's new?Look out for:
Coming soon
Who to contactRegionalHarry Cunningham - REO in Scotland t 0141 221 8545 e hcunningham@tuc.org.uk Pete Holland - REO in the North West t 0151 236 7678 e pholland@tuc.org.uk Julie Cook - REO in Wales t 02920 347010 e jcook@tuc.org.uk Marie Hughes - REO in the South West t 0117 947 0521 e mhughes@tuc.org.uk Trevor Sargison - REO in Northern, Yorks & Humber t 0113 242 9296 e tsargison@tuc.org.uk Ian West - REO in Northern region t 0191 232 3175 e iwest@tuc.org.uk Pete Try - REO in East& West Midlands Rob Hancock - REO in Southern & Eastern Angela Perry - REO in Southern & Eastern t 020 7467 1238 e aperry@tuc.org.uk Clare Moore - Northern Ireland ICTU Education & Training Officer t 02890 247940 e clare.moore@ictuni.org NationalLiz Rees - National Trade Union Education Manager Jackie Williams - Education & Training Officer Martin Hegarty - Education & Training Officer Craig Hawkins - Online Learning Officer t 020 7079 6947 e chawkins@tuc.org.uk Newsletter (1,800 words) issued 18 Nov 2008  TUC Education in the Midland region ONLINE PENSIONS COURSES FOR UNION REPS Pension Champions online course |
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