SUPPORTING OUR ORGANISING CULTURE

Thirty experienced activists are helping develop UNISON’s organising culture after taking part in the first National Organising School last year.

“Running the course nationally allowed for sharing good practice between the different regions, seeing what they all have in common and the way they do some things differently,” says Education Officer Sarah Hayes.

The course opened and closed with in-person sessions, with four virtual modules in between.

In the opening session, Assistant General Secretary, Kevan Nelson, who heads the Organising and Recruitment Strategy Development (ORSD) project, gave an overview of the union’s organising agenda.

In the second session, Online to Offline Strategy Group Deputy Director Bianka Nora and other international and UK speakers examined the most effective ways of blending digital and face-to-face organising strategies.

Later sessions examined effective integration of all union voices in organising campaigns; the new Branch Support and Organising Fund; member engagement; phone banking; maximising the potential of social media; building the union; and sustainable organising. Many activists said afterwards that taking part had given them the tools to influence and deliver organising in their regions.

“The opportunity to network with like-minded colleagues from across the country was a real benefit of the course,” one participant said. “On top of that, the opportunity to hear from and talk to leading organisers within the union movement and within UNISON itself was particularly valuable.”

Learning and Organising Services (LAOS) are drawing up templates to help strengthen regional organising training.

“We’re hoping that the templates and recommendations that we share with them can be incorporated into their already fantastic programmes to maximise our organising strength across the union,” Sarah says.