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Unionlearn with the North West TUC Learning and Skills for all Fund
IntroductionThe Learning and Skills for all Fund represents a new and exciting development in the relationship between the regional LSC*, the NWDA and unionlearn. SupportThe Fund is supported by the LSC and the Regional Development Agency, who recognise such a Fund can enable Unions to become significant drivers in the agenda for improving the skills of adults in the region. We hope that over the next few years the fund will grow and enable the union contribution to skills to extend to new areas and will assist unions to develop innovative approaches to meeting the skills and learning needs of their members. Funding opportunityUnionlearn would welcome applications from trade unions and their partners to establish and develop learning initiatives in the North West of England that meet the key objectives of the Learning and Skills for All Fund*. Please do not hesitate to contact unionlearn for assistance in developing your project plans or to discuss ideas you may have. Applications submitted shall be considered subject to contract with the Learning and Skills Council in the North West and the Regional Development Agency, NWDA. Dave Eva The Regional Fund PilotsIn September 2007 unionlearn in the North West launched the pilot programme for our Learning and skills for all Fund. We received 25 high quality bids and were eventually able to award 23 pilot projects. These projects have all been able to demonstrate new and innovative ways to support union learners at work. We are now able to extend the fund and are inviting applications for a variety of projects to run between April 2008 and March 2009. This year the fund is available to support activities to promote learning and skills at three different levels. Supporting activities to promote learning This fund will be available throughout the year and can be used to organise events in the workplace to promote learning on key dates. A workplace can bid for a one off grant to organise and deliver open days, workshops and other events with the aim of attracting new learners. These events must include a learning activity and records of learners must be produced. The key dates are: This list is not exclusive and activities to support other key dates, festivals or events will be considered. Details of the various events and an application form for each event will be available on the unionlearn website approximately two months before the event. Applications for other events should be made in writing to Kath Dawson. A development fund to encourage new learning projects This fund will allow unions to bid for short projects of up to 6 months in duration to develop new ideas in their workplace to support learning and skills. The fund can be used to pay for ULRs to be released from their job to undertake activities to support learning, it can be used to run short courses and open days, it can be used to produce marketing and publicity material and it can be used to purchase equipment. Each bid will need to keep a record of all learners who access the fund and each project will need to demonstrate how their activity is supporting some of the regions key economic needs and skills priorities of the LSC and NWDA.* Each project can bid for a maximum of £10,000 A fund to grow and sustain learning This fund can be used to build upon previous projects and show how learning opportunities can be developed in the workplace for up to 12 months. The bids must include all the elements outlined above in the development fund but must also be able to demonstrate how long term learning opportunities and improved skills will be maintained and supported beyond the life of the project. Projects bidding for this fund must be able to demonstrate experience of running and supporting learning in their workplace and have a network of ULRs to support the project. Each project can bid for a maximum of £20,000 We welcome applications from unions for all areas of the fund and look forward to either building on our work together from the pilot projects or welcoming new unions and workplaces into the fund. Unionlearn staff and Project Workers are available to support you through every stage of the application process, for further details please contact me on Funding Programme Timetable
Core Project Outcomes - All bids must include some core outcomesSkills for Life* Level 2 and Level 3 Qualifications Train to Gain and Apprenticeships* New Union Learning Representatives Wider Project Outcomes: Some suggested ideasSome typical areas to consider Cultural Diversity Officer training in leadership and management Working with Sector Skills Councils Higher Level Learning The Skills Pledge* Collective Learning Funds* Bid Guidelines
Skills RegisterThe skills register can be used to record all learning activities in the workplace. Once an individual has been placed on the skills register you record each activty/learning /event they take part in. Download register {xls 25Kb) Completing the application formPlease download the Application Form ((5MB. DOC) Name of Lead Union: All bids must be led by a single union, joint unions or multiple unions. Permission must be sought from all unions before application and all nternal procedures and protocols must be followed before submission, Name of employer/workplace where the project will be based: Unions can decide where the project is to be based. It can be in a single workplace, over a number of sites or across a number of similar organisations. Bids covering the region or specific geographical areas of the North West can also be submitted. The fund can only be used to support projects based in the North West of England. For the purpose of this fund the region is Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Merseyside and Greater Manchester.. Project Title: A suitable name for the project should be given, this could include the nature of the project, the sector, the types of workers or any other key information.
Area of the fund applying for: Before submitting a bid applicants need to decide whether the bid is for A Fund to Grow and Sustain Learning in the workplace, these are bids for up to 12 months to build upon previous good practice of supporting learning or for A Development Fund to Encourage New Learning Projects in the Workplace, these are bids for up to 6 months to support new ideas and approaches to learning. It is possible that the panel may decide that bids to the fund to grow and sustain learning may be awarded a development fund project if their is not enough evidence of previous workplace activity or if there are insufficient funds to support the project in its entirety. Project Manager: The project manager must be one person, agreed by all participating unions who will act as the lead person overseeing the management of the project Lead Union Representative: Each bid at this stage should identify one person (usually a ULR* in the workplace covered by the bid) who will be responsible for submitting monthly progress reports on behalf of the project. Names of the Project Partners: Bids that can demonstrate a partnership approach to learning will have a greater chance of being successful. Partners could include, other unions, employers, training providers or any other stakeholders offering financial or other support. Project Aims:This should be a general overview of what the project is looking to achieve. Examples of suitable project aims would be:
Project Objectives: These should be more specific and should reflect the objectives of the learning and skills for all fund, in the North West. A bid to the fund should identify one or a number of the following amongst its objectives:
Core Project Outputs: All bids are expected to achieve several of these outputs. The application should identify which core outcomes you expect to be able to achieve if your bid is approved and secondly you need to give a clear indication of the number of learners likely to achieve in each category. It is important to give a realistic indication of your outputs as bids which are too low in their estimations are less likely to be successful whilst bids which are too high could be put under pressure to reach targets and a failure to deliver outputs in this bid may jeopardise the chances of future bids being approved. The panel may recommend changes to project outputs before a final decision is made. Wider Project Outcomes: The fund is looking to support the regional learning and skills goals of many agencies in the North West and where projects can show they are contributing to these areas they are likely to be more successful. Methodology: This section requires a bid to outline how it will achieve its aims and objectives. This could include identifying the number of hours a ULR may be seconded to support the project or give details of how a partnership with a provider may operate. Project Timetable: Projects for A development fund to encourage new learning projects in the workplace can run for any time between May 2008 and March 2009. Bids do not need to be for the whole period and can start any time after 1st May 2008 . Projects for A fund to grow and sustain learning in the workplace must start on 1 March 2008 and be completed by March 2009. All outcomes identified must be achieved by the project end date. To achieve the outcomes identified, clearly defined milestones need to be given stating key actions and activity during the project that will be achieved to enable the project to succeed. Equal Opportunities: All projects are expected to identify equality and diversity aspects within their bid. These values are core to the TUC and we would expect this to be reflected in all bids. In this section bids should explain how they aim to promote equality within their workplace and how they plan to use the project to increase equality of opportunity within their workplace. Sustainability: Successful projects would be expected to continue beyond the end date of the project, although a project may wish to bid for additional funding for future and further development this section requires the bidder to explain their long term plans and how they hope the project will either become self funding or through Project Costs: The total cost of the project needs to be identified at this stage; the cost should then be distributed amongst partners. Bids should be able to identify the Signatures: The bid must be signed by the Regional Secretary, or an officer designated by this person, of the lead union. By signing this, the lead person is agreeing that all unions named in the bid have been consulted and are in agreement to the bid being submitted. The ProcessStage 1 Working with partners to construct the bid Stage2 Completing the application process Stage 3Assessing bids and awarding projects • Project workers will be notified if additional work is needed on any bids and will be given the timescale to make any amendments or improvements Stage 4Notification and supporting successful bids • Successful bids will be notified in mid March 2008 Contact Details For further information on any part of the process please contact… … or any unionlearn project worker in the North West… Briefing document (2,800 words) issued 2 Jul 2007  unionlearn ULF national support project Union Learning Fund - Round 12 (2009/2010) ULR for hire – Taxi drivers in the North West |
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unionlearn Telephone 020 7079 6920 |
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