Karen Lee used all her organisational skills as a Branch Chair and ULR and pulled off an excellent Learning At Work event on 11 February 2015. Working with unionlearn in the North West and the PCS ULF team, her employer and a range of learning providers, Karen arranged an excellent first event which engaged colleagues not only in taking part in activities on the day but in signing up for further learning with the providers present.

Sponsored by unionlearn’s North West development fund, Karen’s unique approach involved not only ensuring that colleagues not only had access to information and activities but also creating welcome packs which included an introductory note which detailed her motivations for becoming a ULR and for organising the event.

As part of her excellent reflective report written shortly after the event, Karen writes:

Last year, in October, I did Stage 2 of the Union Learning Reps course at Manchester College with unionlearn, and for the course, I had to have a project. I chose to organise a Learning at Work Day (LAWD), as I wanted to do something that was of benefit to my colleagues as well as myself.

I wanted to help reignite the enthusiasm for self-improvement and get people interested in learning, as I’m very passionate about it, and am personally not happy if I’ve not got a course or two on the go! I chose February, as I thought after the initial enthusiasm for New Year’s Resolutions had worn off, and with end of year reporting period looming, people would hopefully respond well to the opportunities on offer.

So week by week, the planning began to take shape. I researched sources of learning both locally and online, through my own department, colleges, PCS, unionlearn and the many websites that offer free courses. I made a PowerPoint presentation to email out to all the staff, explaining what I was planning, how it would benefit them, and asking them to complete a Learning Survey. I was hoping to get a flavour of what people were interested in, so I could find the appropriate providers to come to the LAWD. However, responses were low, and I realised that people wanted to see what was out there before saying what they wanted.

I spoke to people who had either organised or attended similar events, and got some good advice, especially when it came to deciding how many providers to invite. I applied to unionlearn and was granted a £250 grant. I received fantastic support in what was a new area for me, having only ever managed a personal budget before!

In the days before the LAWD, I prepared my materials - I’d obtained brochures from the local college and various leaflets about topics such as mental health awareness, physical ailments that affect office workers, such as back problems and RSI, and I had a stack of Learning Surveys ready for those who might feel ready to complete one.

I ordered a buffet and arranged parking for the providers. I made some posters and put them up around the building, and bought a load of supplies and put little packs together for the people attending- a plastic wallet so they could put any leaflets they picked up in it, and a project wallet for them to use if they do a course, a free pencil and notebook, and a couple of inserts - a feedback sheet and a letter addressed to each colleague explaining that I hope they found the day useful and to take away information and come and talk to me anytime in the future if they decide they want to explore the opportunities on offer.

On the day, I decorated the room with tablecloths and notices identifying each provider, put some background music on, the food was delivered and the providers came and set up. There were representatives from PCS, unionlearn, HMCTS Learning & Development, a local Adult Education Centre, and a team of NHS Heathcare Trainers, who brought some brilliant information with them on health, wellbeing and welfare.

As people arrived, my nerves about nobody attending disappeared. People weren’t just coming in; they were engaging with the providers and seemed genuinely interested in the opportunities on offer. Perhaps having the NHS team there telling us how much fat and sugar were in all the foods we like and then a table full of those very items wasn’t the best idea, but everyone saw the funny side, and ate the food anyway. People were also taking information away and having conversations with the union rep who came about issues affecting members at the moment. Unionlearn had come armed with not just information about courses but a stack of books as an incentive to take part in career reviews on the day, which, along with theirs and PCS’s free pens and bookmarks on offer in exchange for taking part in surveys, went down a storm. Promoting reading is always a good idea - it keeps the grey matter active! We held a raffle, tickets being given out to people in exchange for completing diversity monitoring forms, with prizes donated by PCS and myself.

I was pleased to get some great feedback from the providers about the organisation of the event. The feedback forms from colleagues were pretty positive too, with suggestions that they would have liked even more providers there if anything, but the general consensus was that the information on offer was interesting and relevant to them.

Most people who attended completed a sheet to help me assess their learning requirements, so my next task will be to analyse those and match courses to people and help people record and monitor their own learning. All in all, an exhausting but rewarding day. I am looking forward to following it up, now I’ve got some momentum going!”

This report demonstrates the power of planning and of people working together – unions, unionlearn including Trade Union Education, employers, providers and most of all colleagues who so enthusiastically supported and participated in an excellent event, which is only the start as far as Karen is concerned!