GMB Reach Out Northern Ireland Newsletter
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Transcript of GMB Reach Out Northern Ireland Newsletter
www.gmbreachout.org.uk
@GMBReachoutNI
Reach Out
Comes to
Northern Ireland
Issue 1 Inside this issue: Regional
Secretary What is GMB
Reach Out? Reach Out
Training Room
Training Needs Survey
Open
University We Need You Useful
Links Contact
Details
Regional Secretary - Paul McCarthy
Welcome to Reach Out NI
This is an exciting new chapter in the Reach Out story for the GMB North
West & Irish Region as we develop the education and training agenda for our
members in Northern Ireland.
Across the Region I have seen Reach Out go from strength to strength . We
have forged new partnerships with forward looking employers who see the
importance of skills development for their workforce. The development of
sector specific skills offers has won praise by those in the Care and Retail
industries. The Response to Redundancy initiative gives support at a critical
time in peoples’ lives and “Work Clubs” are giving new hope to those who are
unemployed or returning to the labour market.
We are pleased to be working alongside the ICTU, Union Learn Northern Ireland and our colleagues in
other unions to raise the profile for good training and promote the wider skills agenda.
Paul McCarthy Regional Secretary
What is GMB Reach Out?
The project is funded through the Union Learning Fund and is specifically designed to help build and
support a network of Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) in partnership with employers as part of the
national strategy for developing workforce skills.
What is a ULR? ULRs are trained in advising members on learning needs and
opportunities. They have been recognised as having a significant impact
on increasing motivation and enthusiasm for learning among employees,
employers and in local communities.
ULRs often share a level of trust with their members and frequently
engage with individuals who lack confidence or feel embarrassed about
sharing their learning needs with their employer. The key tasks undertaken
by Union Learning Representatives include:
Providing information advice and guidance on learning to members
Helping GMB and employers to establish workplace learning centres
Assisting employers and members in securing funding for learning
Monitoring the quality of learning provision
Negotiating GMB Learning Agreements with employers including time off to study
Delivering the GMB equal opportunities strategy and policy for members through learning
Reach Out has developed, in partnership, a wide range of services and provision for members in work,
those facing redundancy, as well as members seeking help returning to work.
The Network of Learning Centres includes, Liverpool, Runcorn, Preston, Oldham, Manchester,
Accrington and now Belfast. These centres are leading the way in building partnerships to meet the
needs of workers and their families.
We Need YOU !!
Do you want to help your members more?
Would you like to be the person that helps members to enhance their skills or gain new
ones?
Do you enjoy working with people and making a difference to peoples’ lives?
Do you want to help your work colleagues and your employer to stay competitive and to
have a secure future?
Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) are doing just that every day. We need more members to come forward to train as a ULRs and to
ensure workers and their families are not excluded from the skills
agenda in their communities and workplaces.
We can negotiate paid time off with employers to enable you to
train. Speak to your Branch Secretary or convener.
Reach Out Training Room
We are pleased to announce the development of a new Training Room and office at the GMB Belfast
Office in Holywood from which we are developing the project across Northern Ireland. Thanks to the ULF
Fund in Northern Ireland in partnership with the ICTUNI we have developed the new facility which includes
a new faster broadband connection alongside and a bank of computers and printer.
A series of short workshops / courses for members and activists are on offer:
Introduction to Computers
Introduction to social media to promote learning
How to access online learning materials & resources
Using IT to improve communication with members
BOOK YOUR PLACE EARLY [email protected]
Training Needs Survey
We have launched an online training
needs survey to help us obtain
feedback from members and those
interested in developing their skills
further.
This is your chance to shape the Reach Out
Training Offer. The survey can be found at:
www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z8T85B6
Open University
The OU offers a range of courses including free
short courses to help people understand key
issues and develop their education and
knowledge.
The FREE Open Learn courses on a range of
topics may be worth exploring.
www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses
Education & Skills are Key
“Economic growth and recovery may be constrained by skill
shortages as the labour market responds to employer
requirements. While in most cases demand for skills is met
through successful recruitment, almost three in ten
vacancies are reported to be hard-to-fill, and shortages in
suitably skilled, qualified and/or experienced workers are the
main reason for this. Overall, such skill-shortage vacancies
represent more than one in five of all vacancies.”
From the UKCES Employer Skills Survey 2013,
Executive Summary 2014
GMB Reach Out N.I.
Victoria House 1a Victoria Road
Holywood Northern Ireland
BT18 9BA
T: 02890 393340 F: 02890 427360
Project Worker
Andy McCann: 07715 043640 [email protected]
w: www.gmbreachout.org.uk
e: [email protected] Twitter: @GMBReachoutNI
Project Manager
Kevin Flanagan 0161 877 9439
www.gmbreachout.org.uk
GMB
Reach Out N.I.
contact details
Resources and Links
GMB Reach Out
www.gmbreachout.org.uk
Reach Out NI Twitter feed @GMBReachoutNI
GMB NW & Irish Region Education Courses:
www.gmbnorthwest.co.uk
ICTU Report on Union Learning in Northern Ireland
www.ictuni.org/download/pdf
ICTU Training Programme 2015 This link takes you to the Trade Union Education & Training
Programme run by the ICTU Northern Ireland Committee
www.ictuni.org/publications/tussall-programme-201415
World Book Night www.worldbooknight.org
BBC Education www.bbc.co.uk/learning
North West Regional College www.nwrc.ac.uk/TheCourses