One Year On - unionlearn annual report
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Transcript of One Year On - unionlearn annual report
Foreword
This publication is an outcome of the TUC High Road
project. The project is part of a community programme
called Equal – a European Social Fund initiative which
tests and promotes new means of combating all forms of
discrimination and inequality in the labour market. The GB
Equal Support Unit is managed by ECOTEC.
Our mission
We will increase workers’
life chances and
strengthen their voice
at the workplace
through high quality
union learning.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Forewords 2
Our structure 4
Our targets 6
Our strategy 8
Regions 10
TUC Education 12
Union Learning Fund 14
Union learning representatives 16
Working with partners 18
Stimulating innovation 20
Commissioning research 22
Strategic support 23
Communications 24
Funding 25
A year of unionlearn 26
Contacts
Contents
1
Foreword Foreword
Unionlearn has been one of the most signifi cant developments in the union world in recent times. The Government’s substantial investment in its establishment is a testimony to its high regard for union work in learning and skills.
Much has been achieved since Gordon Brown launched
unionlearn a year ago. Public confi dence in its many
achievements was sealed in April, when unionlearn
was given responsibility for the Union Learning Fund,
with an annual budget of £12.5 million. We hope the
Comprehensive Spending Review in the autumn will
ensure that its important work is sustained until 2010/11.
Although mainly funded by the Department for
Education and Skills, unionlearn is run by the unions for
the unions. Its strategy is driven by its board, comprising
senior TUC General Council members. Over the year,
they have been hugely proactive in developing its
strategic plan.
The Board has also been identifying how unions can
help deliver those parts of the Government’s skills
strategy that meet the needs of union members. It has
raised policy issues with Ministers, such as proposed
changes to the funding of English as a Second
Language provision.
Finally, the Board has commissioned research on key
unionlearn issues, such as learning and organising and
learning agreements, which have informed its strategy
over the year.
I look forward to another successful year for unionlearn.
Billy HayesChair of the unionlearn board
2
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Unionlearn was established to help unions open more learning opportunities to their members, particularly those disadvantaged in the labour market. Its unique selling point is that it promotes collective action to increase individual learning in the workplace.
Unionlearn’s key annual target is for 250,000 learners
to access learning and skills through the union route
by 2010. Most of these will be advised and supported
by union learning representatives (ULRs). That is why
another key target is for 22,000 ULRs to be trained and
accredited by 2010. Our strategic plan is based on these
two pivotal targets and sets out key success indicators.
A major challenge for unions will be to take advantage
of the Government’s Skills Pledge. This requires that
employers provide free training for all employees who
don’t have a fi rst level 2 qualifi cation underpinned
by Skills for Life. Unionlearn will actively promote
this entitlement and help unions secure employer
commitments to deliver the training. We will also assist
unions to negotiate employee development through
learning agreements and by establishing collective
learning funds.
Major themes across our operations include assuring
quality, promoting equality, infl uencing policy
and communicating effectively. Over the year, our
development work has centred on these themes.
Innovations have included establishing a quality award
for provision, devising tools for information, advice
and guidance and planning a knowledge management
system to record and disseminate good practice.
Our aim for year two is to build on the substantial progress
made so far and help unions sustain and develop their
learning activity to a consistently high standard.
3
Liz SmithDirector, unionlearn
Foreword Our structure
Unionlearn was established under the auspices of the TUC. It includes the former TUC Learning Services in England as well as the TUC Education Service, which covers the United Kingdom.
The driving force behind unionlearn is its Board,
comprising 16 senior General Council members. The
Director reports to the Board.
The Partners Advisory Group is a body of external experts
from key learning and skills organisations. Their role is
to advise the Board on how unionlearn can effectively
engage with stakeholders, secure quality and mainstream
best practice.
The Board is also assisted by a Union Advisory Group of
union specialists on trade union education and learning
services. Their role is to ensure that the planning, standards
and delivery of services meet union needs.
Unionlearn has six sections covering its national function,
which are run by national managers. Five of these sections
are based in Congress House, with union development
located in the TUC North West offi ce.
Unionlearn also has a regional structure, with six regional
managers overseeing localised work. All national
and regional managers are members of the Senior
Management Team, led by the Director.
Unionlearn had an income of over £11 million last year
and employs more than 145 staff, most of whom provide
support to unions in the regions.
National structure
4
Regional
structure
Business
and fi nance
Trade Union
Education
Union
developmentStandards
and quality
Research and
strategy
Communications
and marketing
Board
Director
Union Advisory Group Partners Advisory Group
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Partners Advisory GroupRemit ❙ Contribute to discussions about
the strategic direction of
unionlearn.
❙ Advise unionlearn on ways in
which it could develop in order to
better achieve its objectives and
further its role.
❙ Champion the value of union
learning in the wider world of
learning and skills.
Chair Frances O’Grady
Deputy General Secretary, TUC
Group members Richard Beamish Asset Skills
Dr John Brennan
Association of Colleges
Graham Hoyle
Association of Learning Providers
Linda Siegle
Campaign for Learning
Tricia Hartley
Campaign for Learning
Victoria Winkler
Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development
Chris Humphries City and Guilds
Paul Head
College of North East London
Garry Hawkes Edge Foundation
Simon Jones
Investors in People UK
David Way
Learning and Skills Council
Alison West
National Extension College
Karan Green
National Open College Network
Alan Tuckett NIACE
Professor David Vincent
Open University
Teresa Bergin QCA
Andrew Thompson
Quality Improvement Agency
Dinah Caine Skillset
Sarah Jones Ufi
Jacqui Henderson UK Skills
Richard Bolsin
Workers Educational Association
Baroness Margaret Wall
The Board Remit
To oversee the strategic direction of
unionlearn by:
❙ helping to establish it as a high-
profi le organisation that is the
union voice on learning at work
❙ maximising its potential to support
union organisation and growth
❙ considering and approving its
strategic plan
❙ monitoring progress against
objectives and key performance
indicators.
The Board’s composition broadly
refl ects unions within the General
Council. Some members are elected
at Congress. Others are appointed.
Chair Billy Hayes CWU
General Council membersBob Abberley UNISON
Mary Bousted ATL
Barry Camfi eld Unity
Gail Cartmail Unity
Sue Ferns Prospect
Allan Garley GMB
John Hannett USDAW
Chris Keates NASUWT
Michael Leahy Community
Paul Mackney UCU
Mark Serwotka PCS
Alison Shepherd UNISON
Steve Sinnott NUT
Pat Stuart Unity
Ed Sweeney Unity
Staff members Frances O’Grady Deputy General
Secretary, TUC
Liz Smith Director, unionlearn
Matthew Fernandez-Graham
Business and Finance Manager
unionlearn
ObserversDavid McVean Department for
Education and Skills
David Way Learning and
Skills Council
5
“ Unionlearn had an income of over £11 million last year and employs more than 145 staff, most of whom provide support to unions in the regions.”
6
Foreword
Unionlearn was established by the TUC in May 2006 to provide a strong, high-profi le strategic framework and support for unions’ work on learning and skills, and the training of reps and offi cers.
Unionlearn has two overriding targets
❙ 22,000 trained and accredited union learning
representatives by 2010.
❙ 250,000 learners annually via the union route by 2010.
0
50
100
150
200
250
2004/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10
(comprises learners
supported by Union Learning Fund projects
as well as union reps trained)
Learners via the union route
All unionlearn’s work is concerned with, and
supports, unions in:
❙ strengthening their organisation through training/
supporting offi cers and reps
❙ helping their members to access learning opportunities.
Achieving our objectives will require more learning
agreements with employers that provide facilities for
union reps and support for learners.
It will also require more unions to integrate their work
on learning and support for unionlearn representatives
(ULRs) into wider regional, national and sectoral
strategies.
Our success in meeting our targets will be underpinned
by high quality standards, enhanced equality, managing
information and research effectively, an effective
communications strategy, and secure, well managed
arrangements for funding.
Our targets
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
The Skills PledgeThe Government’s review of skills set out a number
of objectives for 2020. The Leitch Review set out the
following targets:
❙ 95 per cent of adults to achieve basic skills of
functional literacy and numeracy.
❙ More than 90 per cent of adults qualifi ed to at
least level 2.
To reach these goals Leitch proposed that:
❙ the Government launch a pledge for employers to train
all eligible employees up to level 2
❙ there should be a review of progress in 2010
❙ if the improvement rate proves to be insuffi cient, the
Government should introduce a statutory entitlement
to workplace training at Level 2, in consultation with
employers and unions.
The TUC supports the pledge as a way of securing
employer commitment to training low-skilled members
of staff.
Unionlearn will track the progress that is made and
assist unions to make learning agreements with
employers which offer higher and broader levels of
learning – not just level 2 provision. This is unionlearn’s
‘Pledge Plus’.
A key part of this pledge is to provide Skills for Life
opportunities.
Skills for LifeThe Union Learning Fund (ULF) continues to receive
£3 million a year from the DfES Skills for Life strategy
unit for union work.
Last year saw 18,129 Skills for Life learners gaining
21,089 literacy and numeracy qualifi cations
A priority for the ULF this year is to focus Skills for Life
provision to encompass a ‘Skills for Work’ theme,
refl ecting government priorities on progression
pathways to fi rst full Level 2 qualifi cations (5 GCSE A-C
grades, or an NVQ2). This will help unions ensure that
those receiving Skills for Life training can explore further
learning opportunities.
The 62 union Skills for Life Advocates have been
supporting union work on Skills for Life by speaking at
conferences and contributing to various publications
and newsletters.
7
“ Last year saw 18,129 Skills for Life learners gaining 21,089 literacy and numeracy qualifi cations.”
ForewordOur strategy
- Increasing use of unionlearn centres by reps
» An expanding training and development programme for reps and offi cers
» Good progress towards the target of 22,000 ULRs by 2010
» The role of ULRs to be better recognised in union rulebooks and structures
» Growing evidence-base linking unionlearn to recruitment, retention and
organising strategies
» An increase in both the number and effectiveness of learning agreements with
employers, including joint learning committees and collective learning funds
» Increase in the incidence of collective bargaining over training
» Effective management of the Union Learning Fund and regional funds, with
tailored support packages for unions
» Effective and well-used management information systems providing robust data
» Increased union input and infl uence on learning and skills policy bodies
» Strong relationships and workplans with key stakeholders and agencies
through memorandums of understanding
» Knowledge of external sources of funding (including mainstream
programmes) that will support union learning
» ULRs integrated into local/national/sectoral union structures
» Unions committing more resources to support work on learning
» Increasing use of unionlearn centres by reps
» Memorandums of understanding with key organisations that facilitate delivery
to learners by unions
» Unions using new electronic tools, such as the Climbing Frame (see page 20),
to support learners
» Growing use of and demand for the unionlearn ‘Quality Award’ (see page 21)
for provision
» Recognition by stakeholders of the ULR role in Information, Advice and Guidance
Key strategic objectives
Reps and unions
Ensure that
unionlearn
contributes to the
growth of unions and
the number of reps
Develop quality
services that support
the union contribution
to learning and skills
in the workplace
Develop strategies
for the sustainability
of this work
Key success indicators
8
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Help unions increase
the number of union
learners, in all types of
learning
Develop quality tools
and support services
for unions to use with
unionlearners which
promote progression
Develop sustainable
strategies and
frameworks for union
learners
» Learners accessing mainstream programmes, including Train to Gain and
Learner Accounts
» Learners covered by learning agreements, providing them with time off to
train and access to qualifi cations
» Learners supported by collective learning funds or other long-term
funding strategies
» Good progress towards the target of 250,000 union learners per annum
» More online provision and support to access e-learning
» Data refl ecting take-up of Skills for Life, NVQs at level 1, 2 and 3, CPD and
higher level skills/qualifi cations
» Data refl ecting take-up from groups disadvantaged in the labour market
» Increasing number of learners supported/drawing on the Climbing Frame
and other unionlearn tools
» Union Information Advice and Guidance Strategy for ULRs used by unions
and understood by stakeholders
» Increased use of unionlearn centres by learners
» Increased take-up of services linked to memorandums of understanding
Learners
Key strategic objectives Key success indicators
9
“ Key strategic objectives include developing quality services that support the union contribution to learning and skills in the workplace.”
Foreword
Most of unionlearn’s activity is delivered at regional level, where the majority of staff work, supporting union projects and managing trade union education programmes. These are a few of the many activities the regions have been involved in over the past year.
MidlandsThe Midlands region has been supporting unions
with a range of workplace learning developments,
including facilitating activity with sector skills councils,
engaging with Train to Gain, providing support for matrix
accreditation and Information, Advice and Guidance
(IAG) training for ULRs. Regional projects have opened
up learning opportunities for large sectors of the
workforce, including migrant workers, to take Skills for
Life national tests and level 3/4 management skills
courses. Successful new courses, such as training for
environmental reps, have been added to the region’s
TUC Education offer.
NorthernOver 70 projects have been supported since the region’s
Learning for All Fund was formed. In the bidding round
this spring £1.1 million worth of bids were received. More
than £600,000 was distributed, with 21 current projects
receiving additional funding and new funding pledged
to 14 projects due to launch in July. An evaluation of the
fund found that 63 per cent of people who engage with
a ULR during projects progress to some form of learning
and that 71 per cent go on to take two or more courses in
their fi rst year.
Regions
10
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
North WestThe North West region has set up a steering group of key
affi liates, stakeholders and partners to help increase
awareness of unionlearn and inform its strategy. It
has also launched a scoping project measuring union
contribution to the learning agenda in the region. Projects
have been established to contribute a trade union
perspective to the regional sector skills strategy, develop
union support for people with mental health issues and
promote social inclusion. Unionlearn in the North West
has also contributed to the development of the City
Employment initiatives, ensuring a union input.
Southern and Eastern Building on the successful work undertaken by trade
unions in the South East on Learning at Work Day in
2006, the South East England Development Agency
agreed to work with unionlearn again for Learning at
Work Day 2007. The London Development Agency has
also agreed to run something along similar lines. Over
150 activities will be funded and it is estimated that
more than 6,000 trade unionists took part in the South
East and London.
South WestThe South West region is spreading good practice by
networking union reps of all kinds. As well as running
established networks for ULRs, regional events have
been organised for health and safety and union reps.
All the events – however large or small – allow reps to
meet together and share ideas and information. They
also feature inspiring speakers and useful workshops.
Yorkshire and the HumberYorkshire Forward and unionlearn have committed
£20,000 to workplace union learning supported
by the Campaign for Learning on Learning at Work
Day. Unionlearn activities in the region, including
the establishment of ULR and union project worker
networks and a regional Steering Group, have
culminated in around 70 successful bids.
11
“ Yorkshire Forward and unionlearn have committed £20,000 to workplace union learning supported by the Campaign for Learning on Learning at Work Day.”
Participation in the union representatives’ programme organised and run by TUC Education continued to grow during 2006.
The number of reps being trained rose to over 49,000
– the highest ever, and an increase of 5.7 per cent on
2005 fi gures. Growth is concentrated in the shorter
programmes, an indication of the diffi culties reps face
in gaining release from the workplace to attend training.
There is evidence to suggest that fewer reps are able to
return for updates or further training.
Nonetheless, unionlearn with TUC Education is reaching
more union reps than ever before and delivering
learning to them more fl exibly than has been possible
before. Trade union education studies departments have
received 10 consecutive Grade 1 ‘outstanding’ Adult
Learning Inspectorate reports, giving them an unrivalled
reputation for quality and innovation in adult education.
Training opportunities for union professionals also
expanded signifi cantly in 2006, during which one in six
offi cers received training through TUC Education; a total
of 544 from 37 unions – a rise of almost 200 offi cers from
2005. Sixty one per cent of course participants during
2006 were women offi cers.
TUC Education OnlineDuring the past year, TUC Education has made
considerable progress in developing its online
programme. A revised version of the Online Learning
Strategy has been produced to help inform and shape
the direction TUC Education’s online offer will take.
Demand for online courses is strong. New courses have
been made available and delivered successfully. Online
course provision is expected to grow rapidly.
Out at WorkDuring 2006, unionlearn with TUC Education launched
Out at Work, an education workbook on lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues at work. During
the summer term, more than 15,000 union reps on TUC
courses will receive a copy of the workbook and take a
short activity on raising awareness of LGBT issues and
how to support LGBT members at work.
o
10
20
30
40
50
60
1998 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06
Total number of reps, 1998-2006
TUC Education
12
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Qualifi cations Credit FrameworkA range of new qualifi cations for reps will be developed
through the new Qualifi cations Credit Framework,
enabling appropriate recognition for reps’ achievements
in learning and further recognition of the sophisticated
nature of the work they carry out and learning they
undertake. TUC Education is involved in trialling the
new framework. The project will look at how reps can
build credits to gain recognised awards, certifi cates and
diplomas in a fl exible way which meets their primary
needs as learners.
Occupational standardsNew occupational standards were drafted in
partnership with ENTO, the sector skills body which has
responsibility for trade union roles. The standards cover
shop stewards, safety reps, learning reps and trade
union professional offi cers. The standards, launched in
June 2007, will be available in hard copy and online.
New coursesA range of new programmes were introduced this year,
including:
❙ Trade Unions and the Environment
❙ UK Unions and the EU
❙ Countering the Far Right
❙ Pensions Champions
❙ Health and Safety Update
❙ Developing Safety Representative Skills
❙ Workplace Accident Investigation and Reporting
❙ Smoke-free Workplaces
❙ Negotiating with Employers on Learning
❙ Skills for Life – the Whole Organisation Approach
❙ Working with Providers.
A tutor pack on Learning and Organising was also
launched in the spring.
13
“ Unionlearn with TUC Education is reaching more union reps than ever before and delivering learning to them more fl exibly than has been possible before.”
The Government established the Union Learning Fund in 1998. From its inception it has involved over 50 unions in projects in 700 workplaces. Its key aims are to:
❙ ensure learning and skills are core activities for unions
❙ develop the key role of ULRs in raising demand for
learning, especially among those with low or no
qualifi cations
❙ help unions and ULRs to provide quality information,
advice and guidance to stimulate the take-up of
learning and promote progression
❙ assist unions to form active partnerships with
employers and develop learning agreements
❙ promote partnerships with learning providers and
secure high quality provision
❙ develop union capacity to engage in effective
partnerships with public organisations such as sector
skills councils and regional development agencies.
The ULF currently stands at £12.5 million a year and,
since April, has been administered through unionlearn.
An assessment panel made up of representatives from
unionlearn, the Learning and Skills Council, Department
for Education and Skills and trade unions will make
recommendations on all bid applications.
The key themes for Round 10 include:
❙ building and supporting the ULR network
❙ Skills for Life and NVQ level 2 provision
❙ progression and professional development
❙ ICT and e-learning
❙ technical infrastructure
❙ sector-based union initiatives.
Overall themes include working with employers, access
to high quality information, advice and guidance and
promoting commitment to equality and diversity.
Over 100,000 learners are supported every year on
programmes through ULF projects – most on ICT
learndirect courses, Skills for Life and further
education programmes.
Union Learning Fund
14
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
New learning centres opened 81
Learning centres signifi cantly enhanced 117
Courses customised/developed 163
Formal learning agreements signed with employer 213
Number of employers making facilities agreements to support ULRs 239
Number of employers giving time off for learners not included above 451
Number of participants in dissemination/networking events 86,911
ULF outcomes: union capacity, April 2006–March, 2007
100,000+
o
5
10
15
20
25
Total number accessing learning
ICT learndirect
Skills for Life
FE
CPD
NVQs
ULR training
eLearning
ESOL
Others, plus predicted learner outcomes from unreported ULF projectsA B C D E F G H I J
20,736
17,47416,991
8,001
6,8754,775
3,864
17,460
3,838
ULF outcomes: learners, April 2006–March, 2007
ULF projects have strengthened unions by helping to train and support ULRs,
establishing learning centres and facilitating learning agreements with employers.
15
“ Over 100,000 learners are supported on programmes through ULF projects.”
Union learning representatives are the driving force of union-led learning.
According to research done for unionlearn by the Leeds
University Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation
and Change, ULRs are associated with signifi cantly
higher levels of training. More than 3,000 new ULRs
were trained in 2006, with over 720 more taking
additional modules such as Skills for Life; Information
Advice and Guidance; Learning and Organising; and
Running a learndirect Union Learning Centre. In addition,
unionlearn has developed and is running online courses
for ULRs, designed for those who require a convenient
and more fl exibly delivered course.
Although ULRs in union-recognised workplaces have
statutory rights to time-off for training and carrying out
their duties, many still face barriers. That is why the
TUC has called for legislation to formalise ULR rights
and duties, aimed at encouraging more employers to
make learning agreements with unions. So that more
can be learned about the needs of ULRs, unionlearn is
supporting a major survey by Nottingham University
Business School.
Union learning representatives
16
Union learning reps recruited
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
2001/02
03/04
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
09/10
02/03
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Learning and organising Union learning reps are key to the integration of
union learning and organising strategies. Unionlearn
is supporting unions to integrate ULRs into local
branch and workplace structures. There is a general
recognition that recruitment should be part of their
role. As well as organising a workshop on learning
and organising, unionlearn arranged a number of
regional focus groups. This series of six groups was
held during January to fi nd out how unionlearn can
improve its services to affi liates and make an effective
contribution to building trade union organisation
across all activities. Information was also sought to
help build an evidence base to demonstrate the link
between learning and organising.
Learning centres are pivotal to union organisation. The
Win Win campaign pilot aims to put learning centres at
the heart of organising activity.
17
“ The TUC has called for legislation to formalise ULR rights and duties, aimed at encouraging more employers to make learning agreements with unions.”
Ufi /learndirect Unionlearn has worked with learndirect to deliver a
free and independent learning advice line to support
learners. Union representatives can access the service
on behalf of learners or signpost learners to the service.
The advice line’s dedicated phone number, 0800 92
91 90, is open seven days a week, from 8am to 10pm.
Professional advisors, with a specialist understanding
of the needs of union members, are on hand to give
advice and information on learning in nine different
community languages.
As well as information on courses, the telephone line
offers a free careers advice and guidance service.
Resources, including the national database of courses
and job profi les, are to be made available through
www.unionlearn.org.uk.
Working with partners
18
The Open UniversityUnionlearn is working in partnership with
the Open University (OU) to help more
union members into higher education. A
key goal is to widen participation in
higher education by increasing the
number of union learners on the OU
route. A special arrangement between
the two organisations means union
learners can claim a 10 per cent discount on fees for OU
fi rst year undergraduate courses that carry 30 and 60
points towards their qualifi cation. The aim is to
encourage 4,000 union members a year into taking one
of the wide number of OU courses.
Other priorities identifi ed in the MOU include:
❙ working with employers and SSCs to close skills gaps
❙ developing progression pathways for workforce
development
❙ providing access courses for potential OU students in
the union movement.
Unionlearn can only meet its objectives by working with partner organisations. That is why it has established programmes of work with a number of leading organisations, set out in memorandums of understanding (MOUs).
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Investors in People UKUnionlearn is working together with Investors in People
UK (IiPUK) to promote the workplace learning and skills
agenda. The agreement builds on the good relationship
between unionlearn and IiPUK by providing a strategic
framework for developing future joint work to deliver key
shared priorities. Under the memorandum:
❙ unionlearn will raise awareness of IiP among unions
and ULRs
❙ IiPUK will promote the role of unions and ULRs inside
its own networks
❙ the TUC will get involved in the IiP Ambassadors and
Champions programme
❙ both organisations will share good practice.
19
National Extension CollegeUnionlearn is working with the National Extension
College (NEC) to develop a long-term strategic
relationship, initially in the area of widening
participation, including progression pathways and
access provision. The collaboration between unionlearn
and the NEC gives union learners access to more than
120 Level 2 and 3 accredited courses.
This agreement offers unionlearn the security of working
with a long-established educational charity which shares
the values of mutuality that the trade union movement is
based upon. The MOU gives union learners a 10 per cent
discount on NEC courses and targeted help for disabled,
young and minority ethnic members. The NEC’s ability
to move students through Level 1, 2 and 3 contributes to
one of unionlearn’s key objectives – progression.
Skills for Business NetworkUnionlearn is collaborating with the Skills for Business
Network in the area of skills related information,
advice and guidance (IAG). Both partners recognise
the advantage of collaborative working to progress the
mutual skills agenda through the provision of IAG in the
workplace by:
❙ ensuring IAG provided in the workplace will address
skills gaps and help to develop progression pathways
for workforce development
❙ providing information, advice and guidance to union
members
❙ working with other stakeholders to promote the role of
IAG in contributing to skills development
❙ developing joint opportunities for staff development
on IAG within unionlearn, unions and SSCs
❙ increasing co-operation in IAG research and
development activities.
The MOU means that sector skills councils (SSCs)
are able to work with unionlearn to refer learners
to SSC IAG services. SSCs can also benefi t from
unionlearn’s strategic links with government and
business to progress the skills agenda. Unionlearn
benefi ts from Skills for Business’s infl uence in
skills policy, access to resources, provision of
employer-based labour market intelligence and
strategic activity to progress skills issues.
“ Unionlearn has established programmes of work with a number of leading organisations, set out in memorandums of understanding (MOUs).”
The Union Learning Climbing FrameAn integral part of unionlearn’s Supporting Learners
Strategy is the development of the new online Union
Learning Climbing Frame tool.
This tool is designed to hold summary information about
a broad range of learning themes and opportunities
which can be updated and continuously developed. It
also signposts workplace learners to relevant learning
opportunities whatever their skills levels.
In a climate increasingly focused on skills for work, the
Climbing Frame has, at its core, a holistic approach
which recognises that union learners have aspirations,
skills and experience that can help them move towards
personal goals as well as work and career goals.
ULRs can use the Climbing Frame to:
❙ give them up-to-date information to help in discussions
with individual learners
❙ work with learners to develop an individual action plan
❙ gather information about learning needs which can
support negotiations with employers.
The Climbing Frame will be regularly updated and can
be customised to meet the needs of different unions
and sectors.
Collective learning fundsBoth the Further Education White Paper and the Leitch
Report highlighted collective learning funds as a key
union priority. The establishment of the TUC/DfES
Collective Learning Funds (CLF) project in the North West
refl ects this. The objective of the project is to:
❙ help defi ne a strategy for developing joint funding
models to support sustainable and affordable learning
in the workplace
❙ identify, pilot and evaluate a number of different
potential models for pooling funds
❙ prepare a fi nal report that sets out proposed models,
with supporting case studies.
There are 10 workplace pilots within the CLF project.
Much activity has taken place over the year and this will
be evaluated for purposes of policy dissemination, with
a view to mainstreaming effective models.
Stimulating innovation
20
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Unionlearn Quality AwardThe new unionlearn Quality
Award will be awarded to
providers whose programmes
and courses meet unionlearn’s
good practice criteria. It will only be given to providers
who can demonstrate that union learners’ needs are
considered in the design, development and delivery of
courses and programmes and it will help signpost ULRs to
providers that are working successfully and fl exibly with
unions. It will be easily recognised by growing numbers of
ULRs and union learners as a mark of good practice.
Achieving the unionlearn Quality Award will:
❙ be an incentive for providers to work with unions and
reach more learners
❙ provide a standard for working with unions and union
learners
❙ signpost ULRs to union-friendly provision
❙ increase union leverage and infl uence with providers
❙ help unions to get high quality data about their learners
from providers.
The Quality Award will be given for three years and will
be reviewed annually. There are no fees involved.
Supporting Learners The purpose of the Supporting Learners project is
to support the delivery of Information, Advice and
Guidance (IAG) services to union learners.
After consultation with union learners, ULRs, unions
and IAG service providers a strategy was agreed setting
out plans for mainstreaming and embedding a network
model within unionlearn and affi liated unions. The
model will refl ect regional and sectoral variations.
The project has developed a strong relationship
between unionlearn and IAG network providers who
can support union representatives and individual union
learners. This has resulted in MOUs and joint action
plans between the Skills for Business Network, which
includes the SSCs, and learndirect advice.
Work is in progress to develop a range of resources to
support the work of union reps, including new training
activities and materials, a handbook and briefi ngs for
ULRs, guidelines for IAG providers for working with
unions and a series of case studies.
The project has provided an opportunity to promote
unionlearn to a range of external organisations and
encourage joint working with unions.
Quality StrategyThe aim of this project is to produce a Quality Strategy
that is ‘fi t for purpose’ across the range of settings and
situations that are unique to unionlearn.
It is intended that the strategy will be based on the
objectives and priorities outlined in the three year
strategic plan and, in particular, the strategic goal of
‘improving quality’. It will take into account both external
and internal priorities for quality improvement.
An advisory group has been convened and provided
feedback on themes and approaches to consider. It
will be informed by the views and expertise of staff and
by existing effective practice within unionlearn. A key
aspect of the strategy will be Continuous Professional
Development (CPD) for unionlearn staff.
21
“ The new unionlearn Quality Award will be awarded to providers whose programmes and courses meet unionlearn’s good practice criteria.”
A major objective for unionlearn is to become the authoritative voice of union-centred research and strategic thinking on workforce learning and skills. To this end, unionlearn is informing policy development by commissioning research from universities and research institutes.
The fi rst report, Union learning, union recruitment and organising, undertaken by the Working Lives Research
Institute at London Metropolitan University, is a major
survey of union views on learning and organising. The
report found evidence of unions working to promote
practical links between learning and organising agendas
in terms of both full-time and lay offi cer structures, and
through training. Despite this, learning offi cers claim that
progress in integrating union learning with core business
is slow and needs to speed up.
In Organising to learn and learning to organise the
Scottish Centre for Employment Research at Strathclyde
University Business School features a series of in-depth
case studies on learning and organising. The report fi nds
evidence that union-led workplace learning can lead
learners to progress up a ‘learning escalator’, starting
with learning that is not directly job-related to learning
that is. The case studies also show that when unions are
able to offer an additional learning service to existing
and prospective members, attitudes to unions are
positively changed and recruitment is enhanced.
A third report by Leeds University’s Centre for
Employment Relations, Innovation and Change,
A collective learning culture, analysed case studies on
learning agreements. They demonstrate that the best
outcomes, in terms of employee participation in learning
and the development of organisational learning cultures,
are associated with learning partnerships in which there
is a relatively even balance of power between employers
and unions. Another report by the centre found a
consistent association between unionised environments
and higher reported levels of training coverage and
duration.
The fi ndings of these reports have been disseminated
through unionlearn seminars and through its research
network. Future research includes qualifi cation barriers
to migrant workers and a national ULR survey.
Sian Moore and Hannah Wood
Commissioning research
22
Three case studies on the effects of union-led workplace learning
Paul Thompson, Chris Warhurst and Patricia Findlay
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
During the year unionlearn has worked with unions involved in 14 sector skills councils to develop trade union action plans for delivery of the sector skills agreements (SSAs).
Tangible outcomes include ULF funding for a Prospect
project to improve ULR coverage in the Lantra footprint
and a joint ULF project between the GMB, Unison and
SkillsActive to promote learning for staff and volunteers
of rugby and boxing clubs in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Unionlearn hosted launch events for the SSAs of Skills
for Health and Cogent. It also co-ordinated trade
union support for SSC bids to the Women and Work
Sector Pathways Initiative, aimed at improving the
opportunities for women to move into jobs where they
are under-represented.
Unionlearn is helping to encourage more union
members to apply for positions on public bodies
such as SSCs, regional development agencies,
further education college and school governing
bodies. A ‘Get on Board’ pilot seminar has been
held in one region and is being planned for all
regions, supported with necessary resources.
A three-day TUC Education programme has been put
on to support existing union representatives on SSCs,
regional development authorities and LSCs. The course,
Representing Unions on Public Bodies, is designed
to help union offi cers enhance their effectiveness as
representatives on learning and skills bodies. It will
help them use their role more strategically in order to
maximise their infl uence on policy development and
implementation.
Strategic support
23
Communications
24
The new unionlearn brand has become widely recognised over the past year, particularly within the learning world, but beyond as well.
The TUC’s education and skills organisation has received
consistent coverage in the learning media, on websites
as well as in regional, specialist and some national
outlets. The new unionlearn website receives over one
million hits per month and has been widely praised
for its publications list, lively discussion board, events
listings and coverage of courses. Unionlearn’s quarterly
magazine, The Learning Rep, was relaunched last year
and its circulation expanded. It is supported by a range
of publications aimed at assisting ULRs, which have
been distributed free of charge.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
In the 2006-07 fi nancial year unionlearn had an income of over £11 million. This included over £4.8 million from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for existing work and to establish the new organisation.
Unionlearn has also benefi ted signifi cantly from being
part of the ESF Equal High Road Project, which has
provided substantial development money to underpin
unionlearn, as well as funding other innovative work on
learning with a variety of partners. Equal funding fi nishes
at the end of this calendar year.
The income for the 2007-08 fi nancial year is budgeted to
be about £26.9 million. This includes an additional £1.5
million from the DfES to refl ect the fact that unionlearn is
now fully operational.
The substantial increase in total income on last year is
due to the fact that on 1 April 2007, unionlearn was given
responsibility for managing the Union Learning Fund,
which will distribute £12.5 million of funding to unions for
strategic learning projects across the country.
There are also regional learning funds in the South West
and Northern regions and unionlearn intends to create
these in other regions where funders are willing.
Full audited accounts will be presented to Congress in
September as part of the TUC’s overall accounts.
National and regional funding for unionlearn in 2006/07
National and regional unionlearn expenditure 2006/07
25
Funding
Unionlearn’s magazine The Learning Rep
is relaunched. Liz Smith interviews Education
Secretary Alan Johnson, who said: “ULRs are an
extraordinary plus for the trade union movement.”
TUC Education Manager Liz Rees (right) with Angela
Eagle MP (middle) at the launch of TUC Education’s Out at Work book, a training manual on how unions can best
support lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people at work.
Unionlearn is working in partnership with
the BBC’s RaW campaign, which is aimed at
improving adult literacy.
The TUC formally launches unionlearn on
2 May, 2006. Gordon Brown, speaking to a
packed Congress House, said: “Nothing we
do in the next few months and years is more
important than extending union learning.”
A year of unionlearn
» 1 million web hits a month » 18,000 Union Learning
26
27Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
A builder develops new
skills thanks to the Women
Build West Yorkshire
project, supported by
building union UCATT. The
project aims to get 150
more women into local
building fi rms.
Young apprentices learn about rail infrastructure at
the Royal Navy’s training facility in Gosport, Hampshire.
Increasing high quality apprentice provision is a high
priority for unionlearn.
A London bus in Finland? Just one of many discoveries
for bus worker and TGWU ULR Sonia Mullins during
the international Equal High Road “Agents for Change”
conference for European learning reps.
Huge amounts of free publicity materials, including posters, leafl ets,
info packs and books, have been distributed to workplace learning
centres via unionlearn’s website. This poster, available in seven
languages, aims to highlight the benefi ts of learning at work and home.
» 100,000+ learners » New learning centres opened »
Reps » 100s of learning agreements » New partnerships
Lifelong Learning Minister, Bill Rammell, presents
a DfES award to Zoë Davies of unionlearn’s Skills for
Life Whole Organisation Approach project.
USDAW ULR Charlton Charles (third from left) joins fellow learners to celebrate their
graduation from the Lifelong Learning
scheme at the Bristol branch of Ikea.
TUC Deputy General Secretary, Frances
O’Grady, presents government review chair,
Lord Leitch, with the union case for learning.
Author, actor and comedian Ricky Tomlinson joins union
members on a Mersey ferry to promote his Quick Read
book, Reading My Arse!, on World Book Day – an initiative
to get more people reading, backed by unionlearn.
Six regional set-ups » Promoting equal opportunities
established » Working with Olympics Delivery Authority
Unionlearn starts work with the Financial
Services Authority to promote a new series
of free hour-long workplace seminars on
“Making the most of your money”.
Learning on the move: bus companies
with active ULRs and learning agreements
have been innovative in converting buses
into mobile Learning Centres.
29
Foreword
Champion hurdler Colin Jackson presents
GMB project co-ordinator Steve Walker with
a National Training Award – one of many
training awards won by trade unions.
TUC’s union learning rep of the year award
2006 is presented to Nikki Simpson from
Unite (Amicus) by Tony Blair.
Chair of the unionlearn Board, Billy Hayes
of the CWU, tells Gordon Brown how to
promote workplace learning.
» TUC Education: 10 Grade 1 ALI inspections awarded »
» £12.5 million ULF taken over »
Guitarist Martin Bowie from Hayle, who has
taken advantage of a fi nancial management
course run by unionlearn Cornwall.
Get a learner – gain a 1 Gb memory stick, with
unionlearn’s ongoing Win Win campaign.
30Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Unionlearn is working to ensure that the skills
gap is closed in time for the 2012 Olympics. Equally
important is the build up to the 2011 London World
Skills Competition.
Workers at VT Shipbuilding in Portsmouth take part in an ICT
course. A study of the company’s training programme revealed a
return on investment from their workplace training.
Unionlearn with the TUC has campaigned to get the
Government to review plans to restrict access to free
ESOL courses for migrant workers.
New Learning Climbing Frame piloted
New Board elected » Learning Rep relaunched
First Bus UK wins Business
in the Community award and
signs a far-reaching learning
agreement with the T&G,
covering 40 learning centres.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber signs a partnership
agreement between Unionlearn and Investors in People.
Similar agreements have been signed with the Open
University and National Extension College.
31
» Southern and Eastern team
Barry Francis Regional Manager
020 7467 1251
» Midlands team
Mary Alys Regional Manager
0121 236 4454
» Northern team
Barney McGill Regional Manager
0191 227 5552
» North West team
Dave Eva Regional Manager
0151 236 2321
» South West team
Helen Cole Regional Manager
0117 947 0521
» Yorkshire and the Humber team
Alan Roe Regional Manager
0113 245 4909
» unionlearnTel: 020 7079 6920
Fax: 020 7079 6921
Liz Smith Director
020 7079 6922
Managers
Ian Borkett
Standards and Quality Manager
020 7079 6940
Bert Clough
Research and Strategy Manager
020 7079 6925
Matthew Fernandez-Graham
Business and Finance Manager
020 7079 6936
Mike Power
Communications and Marketing Manager
020 7079 6942
Liz Rees
Trade Union Education Manager
020 7079 6923
Judith Swift
Union Development Manager
0151 243 2568
» National unionlearn
Contacts