Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
Foreword
Our mission We will increase workers’ life chances and strengthen their voice at the workplace through high quality union learning.
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.
Contents
Forewords Our structure Our targets Our strategy Regions TUC Education Union Learning Fund Union learning representatives Working with partners Stimulating innovation Commissioning research Strategic support Communications Funding A year of unionlearn Contacts
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 24 25 26
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
1
Foreword Foreword
Unionlearn has been one of the most significant 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 confidence 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 Hayes Chair of the unionlearn board
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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 first level 2 qualification 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, influencing 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.
Liz Smith Director, unionlearn
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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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.
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 office.
The driving force behind unionlearn is its Board, comprising 16 senior General Council members. The Director reports to the Board.
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.
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.
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.
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.
National structure Union Advisory Group
Board
Partners Advisory Group
Director
Regional structure
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Business and finance
Trade Union Education
Union development
Standards and quality
Research and strategy
Communications and marketing
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The Board Remit To oversee the strategic direction of unionlearn by: ❙ helping to establish it as a highprofile 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 reflects unions within the General Council. Some members are elected at Congress. Others are appointed.
Partners Advisory Group Remit ❙ 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 Billy Hayes CWU General Council members Bob Abberley UNISON Mary Bousted ATL Barry Camfield 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
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
Staff members Frances O’Grady Deputy General Secretary, TUC Liz Smith Director, unionlearn Matthew Fernandez-Graham Business and Finance Manager unionlearn Observers David McVean Department for Education and Skills David Way Learning and Skills Council
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
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Foreword Our targets
Unionlearn was established by the TUC in May 2006 to provide a strong, high-profile strategic framework and support for unions’ work on learning and skills, and the training of reps and officers.
All unionlearn’s work is concerned with, and supports, unions in:
Unionlearn has two overriding targets
❙ helping their members to access learning opportunities.
❙ strengthening their organisation through training/ supporting officers and reps
❙ 22,000 trained and accredited union learning representatives by 2010.
Achieving our objectives will require more learning agreements with employers that provide facilities for union reps and support for learners.
❙ 250,000 learners annually via the union route by 2010.
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.
Learners via the union route
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250 200 150 100 50 0 2004/05 05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
09/10
=IEV 8EVKIX RYQFIV SJ PIEVRIVW 8SXEP RYQFIV SJ PIEVRIVW (comprises learners supported by Union Learning Fund projects as well as union reps trained)
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The Skills Pledge
Skills for Life
The Government’s review of skills set out a number of objectives for 2020. The Leitch Review set out the following targets:
The Union Learning Fund (ULF) continues to receive £3 million a year from the DfES Skills for Life strategy unit for union work.
❙ 95 per cent of adults to achieve basic skills of functional literacy and numeracy.
Last year saw 18,129 Skills for Life learners gaining 21,089 literacy and numeracy qualifications
❙ More than 90 per cent of adults qualified to at least level 2.
❙ there should be a review of progress in 2010
A priority for the ULF this year is to focus Skills for Life provision to encompass a ‘Skills for Work’ theme, reflecting government priorities on progression pathways to first full Level 2 qualifications (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.
❙ if the improvement rate proves to be insufficient, the Government should introduce a statutory entitlement to workplace training at Level 2, in consultation with employers and unions.
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.
To reach these goals Leitch proposed that: ❙ the Government launch a pledge for employers to train all eligible employees up to level 2
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.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Our strategy Foreword
Reps and unions Key strategic objectives Ensure that unionlearn contributes to the growth of unions and the number of reps
Key success indicators » An expanding training and development programme for reps and officers » 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
Develop quality services that support the union contribution to learning and skills in the workplace
- Increasing use of unionlearn centres by reps » 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
Develop strategies for the sustainability of this work
» 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 influence 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
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Learners Key strategic objectives Help unions increase the number of union learners, in all types of learning
Key success indicators » Good progress towards the target of 250,000 union learners per annum » More online provision and support to access e-learning » Data reflecting take-up of Skills for Life, NVQs at level 1, 2 and 3, CPD and higher level skills/qualifications
» Data reflecting take-up from groups disadvantaged in the labour market
Develop quality tools and support services for unions to use with unionlearners which promote progression
» Increasing number of learners supported/drawing on the Climbing Frame
Develop sustainable strategies and frameworks for union learners
» Learners accessing mainstream programmes, including Train to Gain and
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
Learner Accounts
» Learners covered by learning agreements, providing them with time off to train and access to qualifications
» Learners supported by collective learning funds or other long-term funding strategies
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Regions 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.
Midlands The 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.
Northern Over 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 first year.
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North West
South West
The North West region has set up a steering group of key affiliates, 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.
The 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.
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.
Yorkshire and the Humber Yorkshire 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.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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TUC Education
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 figures. Growth is concentrated in the shorter programmes, an indication of the difficulties 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.
Total number of reps, 1998-2006 8SXEP RYQFIV MR XLSYWERHW
60 50
TUC Education Online During 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.
40
Out at Work
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02
03
04
05
06
Nonetheless, unionlearn with TUC Education is reaching more union reps than ever before and delivering learning to them more flexibly 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.
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Training opportunities for union professionals also expanded significantly in 2006, during which one in six officers received training through TUC Education; a total of 544 from 37 unions – a rise of almost 200 officers from 2005. Sixty one per cent of course participants during 2006 were women officers.
During 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.
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Qualifications Credit Framework
New courses
A range of new qualifications for reps will be developed through the new Qualifications 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, certificates and diplomas in a flexible way which meets their primary needs as learners.
A range of new programmes were introduced this year, including:
Occupational standards
❙ Workplace Accident Investigation and Reporting
New 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 officers. The standards, launched in June 2007, will be available in hard copy and online.
❙ Smoke-free Workplaces
❙ Trade Unions and the Environment ❙ UK Unions and the EU ❙ Countering the Far Right ❙ Pensions Champions ❙ Health and Safety Update ❙ Developing Safety Representative Skills
❙ 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.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Union Learning Fund
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 qualifications ❙ 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.
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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.
100,000 learners are supported on “Over programmes through ULF projects.”
ULF outcomes: learners, April 2006–March, 2007
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100,000+
25 % Total number accessing learning
20,736
20
& ICT learndirect
17,474
17,460
16,991
' Skills for Life ( FE
15
) CPD * NVQs
10
+ ULR training
8,001
, eLearning
6,875 4,775
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3,864 3,838
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. Others, plus predicted learner outcomes from unreported ULF projects
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ULF projects have strengthened unions by helping to train and support ULRs, establishing learning centres and facilitating learning agreements with employers.
ULF outcomes: union capacity, April 2006–March, 2007 New learning centres opened
81
Learning centres significantly 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
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Union learning representatives
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 signiďŹ 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 exibly delivered course.
22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
20
01 /0 2 02 /0 3 03 /0 4 04 /0 5 05 /0 6 06 /0 7 07 /0 8 08 /0 9 09 /1 0
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Union learning reps recruited
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16
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.
TUC has called for legislation to formalise ULR “The rights and duties, aimed at encouraging more employers to make learning agreements with unions.”
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 find out how unionlearn can improve its services to affiliates 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.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Working with partners
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).
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 profiles, are to be made available through www.unionlearn.org.uk.
The Open University Unionlearn 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 first year undergraduate courses that carry 30 and 60 points towards their qualification. The aim is to encourage 4,000 union members a year into taking one of the wide number of OU courses. Other priorities identified 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.
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has established programmes of work with a “Unionlearn number of leading organisations, set out in memorandums of understanding (MOUs).”
Investors in People UK
Skills for Business Network
Unionlearn 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 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:
❙ unionlearn will raise awareness of IiP among unions and ULRs
❙ ensuring IAG provided in the workplace will address skills gaps and help to develop progression pathways for workforce development
❙ 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.
❙ 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.
National Extension College Unionlearn 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.
The MOU means that sector skills councils (SSCs) are able to work with unionlearn to refer learners to SSC IAG services. SSCs can also benefit from unionlearn’s strategic links with government and business to progress the skills agenda. Unionlearn benefits from Skills for Business’s influence in skills policy, access to resources, provision of employer-based labour market intelligence and strategic activity to progress skills issues.
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.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Stimulating innovation
The Union Learning Climbing Frame
Collective learning funds
An integral part of unionlearn’s Supporting Learners Strategy is the development of the new online Union Learning Climbing Frame tool.
Both 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 reflects this. The objective of the project is to:
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.
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❙ help define 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 final 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.
new unionlearn Quality Award will be awarded “The to providers whose programmes and courses meet unionlearn’s good practice criteria.”
Unionlearn Quality Award The 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 flexibly 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 influence 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.
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 briefings 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 Strategy The aim of this project is to produce a Quality Strategy that is ‘fit 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.
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 affiliated unions. The model will reflect regional and sectoral variations.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Commissioning research
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 ďŹ 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 ofďŹ cer structures, and through training. Despite this, learning ofďŹ cers claim that progress in integrating union learning with core business is slow and needs to speed up.
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 ďŹ ndings of these reports have been disseminated through unionlearn seminars and through its research network. Future research includes qualiďŹ cation barriers to migrant workers and a national ULR survey.
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 ďŹ 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.
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Strategic support
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 officers enhance their effectiveness as representatives on learning and skills bodies. It will help them use their role more strategically in order to maximise their influence on policy development and implementation.
Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Communications
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.
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Funding
In the 2006-07 ďŹ nancial year unionlearn had an income of over ÂŁ11 million. This included over ÂŁ4.8 million from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for existing work and to establish the new organisation.
The income for the 2007-08 ďŹ nancial year is budgeted to be about ÂŁ26.9 million. This includes an additional ÂŁ1.5 million from the DfES to reect the fact that unionlearn is now fully operational.
Unionlearn has also beneďŹ ted signiďŹ 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 ďŹ nishes at the end of this calendar year.
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.
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Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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A year of unionlearn 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.”
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.
» 1 million web hits a month » 18,000 Union Learning
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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.”
» 100,000+ learners » New learning centres opened » 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 firms.
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.
Huge amounts of free publicity materials, including posters, leaflets, 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 benefits of learning at work and home.
Reps » 100s of learning agreements » New partnerships
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” Unionlearn Annual Report 2007 conference for European learning reps.
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Six regional set-ups » Promoting equal opportunities 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.
Lifelong Learning Minister, Bill Rammell, presents a DfES award to Zoë Davies of unionlearn’s Skills for Life Whole Organisation Approach project.
Learning on the move: bus companies with active ULRs and learning agreements have been innovative in converting buses into mobile Learning Centres.
established » Working with Olympics Delivery Authority 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.
TUC Deputy General Secretary, Frances O’Grady, presents government review chair, Lord Leitch, with the union case for learning. 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”.
Foreword » TUC Education: 10 Grade 1 ALI inspections awarded » 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.
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.
» £12.5 million ULF taken over » Guitarist Martin Bowie from Hayle, who has taken advantage of a financial management course run by unionlearn Cornwall.
Get a learner – gain a 1 Gb memory stick, with unionlearn’s ongoing Win Win campaign.
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New Learning Climbing Frame piloted 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.
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.
New Board elected Âť Learning Rep relaunched
Unionlearn with the TUC has campaigned to get the Government to review plans to restrict access to free ESOL courses for migrant workers.
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. Unionlearn Annual Report 2007
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Contacts
» unionlearn Tel: 020 7079 6920 Fax: 020 7079 6921 Liz Smith Director 020 7079 6922
»
National unionlearn
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
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» 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
Published by unionlearn Congress House London WC1B 3LS Tel 020 7079 6920 Fax 020 7079 6921 www.unionlearn.org.uk June 2007 Design by Rumba Printed by Newnorth Print Photography in main report by Mark Thompson