Get on and build a stronger union where you work!
Are you a workplace union representative or activist?
Are you interested in making the union stronger and more effective where you work?
Would you like to get new skills and additional resources to help you to recruit more members, get more people involved, develop new reps and raise the profile of the union?
If you've answered yes to any or all of the above - READ ON!
Introducing the TUC Activist Academy
The Activist Academy is a new programme from the TUC and unionlearn* aimed exclusively at union reps and activists. The Activist Academy, by linking training to activity and action, will help reps develop their skills and provide them with support and resources to build a stronger union in their workplace, branch or beyond.
Activist Academy courses will be delivered via a national network of Centres of Organising and Recruitment Excellence (COREs) based at specially selected TUC Education centres. All training will be linked to an on-going workplace or branch based campaign. Most courses will last six days and will be delivered in three, two-day blocks.
The importance of workplace reps and activists
There are around 200,000 lay reps and activists in the UK. For the majority of members their workplace rep - not the General Secretary or Full Time Officer - is the face of the union. In workplaces that have reps - even when there is just one -union members are more likely to regard the union as more relevant and effective.
Today, in UK workplaces where a union is recognised there are around 3 million non-members and the latest research suggests that up to two-thirds of these have never been asked. Workplace reps and activists are ideally placed to both recruit these non-members and to get the members we already have more involved in the union.
Activist Academy: what's in it for reps and activists?
Reps are important but they are also volunteers so we are using the Activist Academy to give reps and activists new and additional skills, together with extra support to make the union stronger in their workplace or branch. So all reps attending Activist Academy courses will get the following;
Specialist training in organising and campaigning - delivered by experienced and specially briefed Trade Union tutors. All training is accredited and when you complete the course you will get the Activist Academy certificate in Organising and Campaigning [check this].
Support from the TUC Activist Academy and your union - linked to the workplace or branch campaign that you will bring to the course, all Activist Academy course participants will have a nominated mentor from their union and will get additional support from their tutor. Both the union mentor and tutor will help you to develop your campaign by using the skills that you will develop during the course. You will also have access to special TUC resources and become part of the Activist Academy Reps and Activists network.
A route into the Organising Academy - for those interested in becoming full time union organisers via the TUCs prestigious Organising Academy Trainee Organiser programme. If you complete the Activist Academy course you will get an automatic interview for the Organising Academy candidate pool, meaning that you won't have to attend one of the Organising Academy Summer Development Centres.
As well as the above, the Activist Academy will give you the chance to make the role you do on behalf of your members easier, less stressful and more effective. Getting more members involved obviously helps share the workload of running the workplace union, but it can also make the union more effective at the bargaining table helping you to represent your members more effectively.
The Activist Academy can help you to develop and win workplace and branch campaigns on issues that members care about, that at the same time help you increase membership and union activity. It can help you use your precious time more effectively. Just think, more members turning up at meetings, responding to surveys and questionnaires and doing their bit in recruiting new members and getting others involved!
How to get on a course
Details of course dates can be obtained from COREs directly or by visiting the TUC website www.tuc.org.uk/activistacademy.
You can also get course dates and additional information by emailing activistacademy@tuc.org.uk.
Guidance on submitting applications can be obtained from Activist Academy Centre of Excellence to which you are applying.
CORE Details and contacts
Northern TUC
- Newcastle College
- Tel: 0191 2004823
- Email: tracey.errington@ncl-coll.ac.uk
Yorkshire & the Humber TUC
Park Lane College, Leeds
Midlands TUC
Southern & Eastern Region TUC
North West TUC
South West TUC
Wales TUC
Trade Union Education in Scotland
Activist Academy quotes
'If we are serious about organising and recruitment we need to give our activists the tools they need to recruit new members and find new activists. The TUC has set up the Activist Academy to do just that! It will give reps new skills and access to additional resources to help them build a stronger union in their workplace and branch.'
Brendan Barber, General Secretary TUC |
'My involvement in the TUC Activist Academy course has brought immediate benefits to me and my branch in helping us not just to recruit new members, but also to find new activists. It was great to be involved' .
Rick Arrand , FBU Rep |
'The Activist Academy has helped us to provide new skills, additional support and resources to our reps. Such help has obviously benefited the reps, but it also increases our capacity to address the union's organising challenges. I would recommend the Activist Academy to any union wanting to do the same.'
Matt Wrack, General Secretary Fire Brigades' Union |
Briefing document (1,100 words) issued 1 Dec 2008
