GUIDE
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Supporting Learners
Why and how union reps should support learners
Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Why it is important to support learners Unions, their union reps and union learning representatives (ULRs) are now established as key players in the drive to improve skills due to their unique position in the workplace. As a union rep you understand the organisation that you work for and have the trust of members which means that you are often the first port of call for advice on learning in the workplace. You have a key role in motivating and encouraging members to become learners and fulfil their goals. However, although you have an important role to play when supporting learners you are unlikely to be a professionally qualified Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) worker. It is intended that the Supporting Learners series of guides will help you to provide union learners with the right level of support that encourages their learning and progression. The term ‘supporting learners’ has emerged over time as it is more meaningful and understandable when describing the activities of ULRs. It does involve some elements of IAG, but mainly mentoring, coaching and signposting. In a union context the term ‘supporting learners’ rather than IAG is used throughout these guides.
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unionlearn learning and careers advice service
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Making the case: benefits of supporting learners The following information is not intended as a comprehensive list of the benefits to be gained from supporting learners but it does provide you with some examples that you can draw on.
the chance to find out about opportunities for learning in the workplace
Unions will receive some of the following benefits by supporting learners:
agreement on realistic learning goals and actions
identification of their learning and skills needs
direction to the right course or training, which might be in the workplace ongoing reviews and support as required during learning
learners decide to join a union learners decide to become ULRs
an opportunity to consider what to do next
access to more funding, e.g. Union Learning Fund (ULF) access to a range of resources for union reps from unionlearn, e.g. union learning Climbing Frame and unionlearn learning and careers advice service a demonstrable commitment and contribution to developing the workforce opportunities to develop partnership arrangements, e.g. local providers, local nextstep services
the chance for reps to negotiate reduced fees for learning from providers.
Employers may gain some of the following benefits when employees are supported to learn: The organisation shows a commitment to workforce development. Their profile as a learning organisation is improved.
profile as a learning organisation improved. Staff motivation and enthusiasm may be improved.
Union members will receive the following benefits from receiving support: access to services and opportunities collectively access to support from union reps who have a unique understanding of colleagues and the workplace
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There is potential for increased levels of production. Staff are more likely to respond positively to structural change or change within their jobs. A culture of lifelong learning is promoted. A contribution is made to achieving national standards, e.g. Investors in People.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Equality and diversity: supporting every learner In your role as a union rep it is important that you make sure that members are supported by using resources that are appropriate to their needs. This means you will need to think about how you might need to work differently and how you are going to adapt your ideas and ways of working. The following are three examples of working with different groups of learners but do remember to check with your own union who may have projects, resources or campaigns to support specific groups of members.
Example 1 Ethnic minorities If you are supporting ethnic minorities or vulnerable workers such as migrants, especially where English is not their first language, you may find it helpful to refer them to the unionlearn learning and careers advice service language lines. Currently, there are nine language lines with trained advisers who can provide free, impartial and confidential advice and support about learning and work. You will find detailed information about the unionlearn careers and advice service and the telephone numbers for the language lines in Guide 2 Supporting Learners: Sources of help for union reps. In addition the website advice-resources, for IAG advice service workers, www.adviceresources.co.uk have produced two free downloadable guides if you are working with either asylum seekers or refugees.
Example 2 Disabled workers Workers with disabilities, including learning disabilities, are already disadvantaged in the workforce and difficulties associated with access to learning can make things worse. If a member requires extra or additional help with their learning you may need to speak to or refer the member to a specialist agency. Contact details for some of the specialist agencies are in Guide 2 Supporting Learners: Sources of help for union reps. The advice-resources (www.adviceresources.co.uk) free online guide Disability Awareness is a good introduction to learning difficulties and disabilities that will help you understand how a learner can manage their disability in work and whilst in learning.
Example 3 Older workers Older workers may also need access to learning opportunities if they have been in the same job since leaving school and are now facing redundancy, or need to re-skill to stay in employment. Adviceresources (www.advice-resources.co.uk) has produced a guide to help you support older workers that is available as a free downloadable PDF. If you require more information about equality and diversity issues your union will be a good first point of contact. There are also some very useful publications, for example, Disability and Work: a Trade Union Guide to the Law and Good Practice that can be downloaded from the unionlearn website www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications
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unionlearn learning and careers advice service
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Making a start: identifying needs As a ULR you will have undertaken either the unionlearn or your own union’s Learning Reps course and will have found out about learning and organising. You will also have received information about using different approaches to identifying learner needs through a survey, quiz or questionnaire approach. If you are looking at the workforce as a whole, it is important to get some initial feedback from members about what they would like to learn so that you can arrange for oneto-one interviews or group sessions to find out more. Further information about identifying learners’ needs and a sample questionnaire can be found in your Learning Reps training manual.
It is all in the preparation A lot of the contact you have with members may be informal but if you are able to spend more time with them there are five key steps to setting up a successful discussion about their training/learning opportunities: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Preparing members Preparing yourself The meeting place How to work with each other Building rapport
Preparing members
Preparing yourself
It is important that members are told when you are planning to see them and that the meeting isn’t just sprung on them. Be clear about the time and place for the meeting as well as telling members about any information they may need to bring along, e.g. an individual learning needs assessment or course information.
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Spend some time, even if it is only five minutes, planning for the discussion. Consider what information you will need and if necessary where you will find that information as this will help you think about some of the topics you might want to talk to members about.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
The meeting place You may not have a choice over the meeting environment but if you have, then: Choosing the right time and location is important in terms of setting the scene. You may need to book a meeting room in advance or check a space will be available for the time you need to use it. Members may prefer a place where there will be no interruptions. Make sure the space you are working in is comfortable, the seating not too formal and provide drinks if possible.
Some members will approach you with very clear ideas of what they need to know; others will present very general queries about training/ learning. Some will not know what they want. Your contract with members should cover: the amount of time available for the discussion or meeting an explanation of the level of support on offer from you and others agreement about the main focus of the discussion confidentiality issues whether any records will be kept
Avoid talking across a desk as this can be seen as confrontational and puts up an immediate barrier. Allocate double the amount of time you think the meeting will take and then you will not be under pressure to rush things and you will have time for record-keeping or writing up your notes.
Agreeing how to work with each other We are using the word ‘contract’ here to mean the agreement you make with members about the way you will work with them: A contract should be made with members when you start; it need only take a short amount of time and can be quite informal.
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information about what will happen at the end of the meeting, e.g. agree an action plan, and whether there will be a follow-up discussion.
Building rapport Building rapport is about developing a trusting relationship with members so that they are comfortable to express their views and ask questions. Non-verbal rapport using the sound of your voice, posture, eye contact pattern and facial expressions is the quickest and most useful way to begin. One of the most effective ways of creating rapport is by having a genuine interest in the other person and what they have to say. Use active listening and questioning skills. (See Guide 3 Supporting Learners: Role and skills of the union rep).
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Interviewing members
The first meeting The first meeting with members is critical. As a union rep you can use the initial discussion with colleagues to establish their interest in learning and to help identify learning needs and goals. The interview may take place as the result of an informal discussion, following a learning needs survey or because of a more specific request from a member. It may or may not be about work-related learning.
Be well informed Members and other learners will have a range of questions and concerns and your positive response will make the difference in giving them a new start. The kind of questions colleagues may ask might include:
“What’s the best course for me?”
Topics to cover Every discussion with a union learner is going to be different, depending on the circumstances. You will find it helpful to include some or all of the following topics:
Personal details
“Where can I go to do my learning?”
Keep these details for record keeping purposes if members are happy for you to do this.
“How do I take the next step?”
Work history
Make sure you have any information you need, or know where you can get it. There is a section in this guide called Finding and Using Information.
Discussing this information will provide a picture of the learner and provide you with information about current and previous work related skills and experiences. Work can be paid or unpaid (voluntary).
Short-term goals at work Establishing short-term goals will help you identify members’ next steps. You will use these ideas to inform and develop their plan of action or, if your union has developed its own Climbing Frame, then their own personal Climbing Frame.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Long-term career goal
Additional information
This information helps identify ambitions that members may have for the future.
You may also want to discuss the following during an initial meeting:
Learning history This can provide you with valuable information about members’ previous experiences of learning and their level of qualifications.
Personal aims Understanding people’s personal aims helps you to build up a full picture of them. For example, a personal aim might be to learn to use spreadsheets for home finance, or to get healthier.
Learning preferences It is important to know something about how members learn best as this may impact on the choices and decisions made. For example, some people do not learn effectively in the evening and undertaking learning at this time will lessen their chances of success. Others prefer to learn in a group. These are sometimes called learning styles and as members become more aware of their personal learning preferences, they can develop more effective and independent learning strategies. There are a range of learning styles inventories and questionnaires that may be helpful. Visit www.unionlearn.org.uk/ulr/learn-286-f0.cfm to look at an example and find out how two ULRs in Hartlepool used a learning styles questionnaire.
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Strengths Always start with the positives and help members identify their strengths. This is a good way of encouraging members who have low selfconfidence. It can also provide you with information about most appropriate learning opportunities. For example, a member might be good at DIY and mending things, so they may need a very practical course to learn effectively. Current concerns This may be an opportunity for the member to discuss work-related, personal or more complicated concerns that need to be signposted elsewhere. Members may find this difficult to raise or explore in a group. Interests and previous experiences This will help you get to know the member and understand the kind of learning opportunities to discuss. Any support needs You will need to establish particular needs for members who may, for example, have disabilities or childcare needs or who work shifts, as these may impact on their ability to take up learning opportunities. Helping to overcome any barriers is a key aspect of your role.
unionlearn learning and careers advice service
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
During the meeting Aim to create a relaxed atmosphere by starting in a friendly way. You should consider the effect of your own body language on the people you are talking to. For example, facing them, making good eye contact and nodding your head to show that you are hearing and understanding will all help to make less confident people feel at ease. Be aware that body language may be different in other cultures.
Listen actively
“What do you think your main strengths are?” You are likely to use both closed and open questions in any meeting about learning.
Clarifying and summarising
This means you should keep your speaking to a minimum and concentrate on what is being said – don’t assume anything. Summarising what has been said to you will help check your understanding, and give the member confidence that you have been actively listening.
Good questioning techniques Good questioning will ensure that both you and members get the most out of an interview. Remember that a member’s first question might not always be the most important one. For example, someone might initially talk about a work-related issue, but further questioning might reveal that they also have Skills for Life needs that they want or need to address. Sometimes you will need to ask ‘closed’ questions such as:
“Do you know where the local college is?” Questions like this generally require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer and are used to gather key information. They can also help bring an interview ‘back on track’ if a member is particularly talkative.
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At other times, using ‘open’ questions will allow you to obtain much more detailed information. For example:
Throughout the meeting you will need to make sure that both you and members agree on what has been discussed. A good way to do this is to summarise and repeat back their questions or statements, but in your own words. This technique will also reassure them that you have correctly understood their ideas or concerns. An example of this might be:
“So you want to do an IT course, but you are concerned about how you can do this when you work irregular shifts?” At the end of the meeting, you will need to identify and agree possible next steps with members. You should all have a clear understanding of what happens next and what you have each agreed to do.
Need more information? Further information about interviewing tips and techniques can be found in Guide 3 Supporting Learners: Role and skills of the union rep or in the skills development section of your learning rep training manual.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Information: finding and giving Not as easy as it sounds? Making sure members have simple and up-to-date information is not as easy as it sounds. Your main role as a union rep is to signpost learners to other organisations, but often members would prefer to get their information from you. There are various problems involved in this: You may not know where to find it. It may not be available in a simple way. You may get it wrong. The organisation or website you got it from may have got it wrong. You may find what you think is needed but not all the possible options. What you have found may be out of date. What you have found may not be applicable locally or to the member who has asked you. It may be needed in a different language or format. No one can be expected to know all the information needed about learning and work. Information about courses and programmes, job profiles, careers, the labour market, funding and finance, childcare and travel – the range is enormous. Professional information and advice workers will always check that they have got the right information before they pass it on, and there is a whole industry involved in producing and updating databases and resources for use by professional services.
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unionlearn learning and careers advice service
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Help for you and your members This is why the unionlearn learning and careers advice service has been set up to help you in this part of your role www.unionlearn.org.uk/uladvice or call 08000 92 91 90. Calls are free from a landline. You can either telephone seven days a week from 8am to 10pm, or book a call back, or you can use the web portal to search for a course or to look at extensive databases and websites about courses, funding, or jobs. The advisers understand the limits of your role and that you may be short of time. They also understand that you may be calling on behalf of other union members or groups of members. If there is something the phone adviser needs to know or has to check they will arrange to call or email you back. If by any chance they get it wrong, it is very important that you feed back any problems you have so that they can correct their information. You can do this by contacting Ian Borkett (iborkett@tuc.org.uk) the Standards and Quality Manager at unionlearn. If you need more local or short-term information than the advice service can find, then there are various places you can try: your local nextstep service – all adults are entitled to free information about learning and work your local library or Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) websites and information services for specific organisations, some of which are listed in Guide 2 Supporting Learners: Sources of help for union reps.
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Empowering members Helping members to use the unionlearn learning and careers advice service or to research information for themselves is a very important part of your role and can empower members to take control of their own learning, progression and careers. Knowing that they can get help and that they have your continued support will give them confidence to take the next steps.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Goal setting and action planning Goals These are short or long-term aims which can be very broad in scope and include lots of elements. They may be personal, to do with current work, or a learner’s long-term career.
Setting targets can help members to: develop problem-solving skills take responsibility for planning their own future be realistic about what they can achieve
Targets
break goals down into manageable actions Targets need to be SMART identify resources needed to take plans forward SPECIFIC – having a clear idea of what your aim is e.g. I will have completed a beginners Spanish course before my holiday in August. MEASURABLE – being able to check if progress has been made e.g. I will lose a stone in weight before my daughter’s wedding in December.
check on own progress and adjust plans if necessary.
The union representative can help members identify:
ACHIEVABLE – realistic and can be broken down into steps e.g. I will cut down my alcohol consumption to 20 units a week by the end of September, then to 14 units by Christmas.
existing skills
RELEVANT – to the person, their goals and the time they have available e.g. I want to attend an assertiveness training course before my next job review in June.
how they will get there
possible areas for improvement where they want to go
who might help.
TIME-BOUND – identifying dates (short- or longterm), including steps and a plan to check progress e.g. To plan a workplace language course, I will get quotations from three learning providers by the end of this month, report to members, and aim to start the course a month later.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Problems in achieving goals and how to overcome them Problem
How to help
Members are unsure how to set about achieving their goals.
Ensure the goals are clear and understood. Help to set appropriate targets to achieve goals. Talk about the action needed.
The goals or targets were not specific enough.
Challenge goals and targets that are too woolly.
The targets turned out to be unrealistic.
Challenge members if they are being unrealistic. Encourage them to involve someone else who can help.
The goals were too ambitious for the time available.
Note down short-term as well as long-term goals. Encourage members to be realistic about timescales. Help members to consider the pressures they are under.
The targets were too big to achieve in one go.
Break the targets into smaller chunks. Ensure that the targets are written down in logical order.
They were let down by other people.
Be specific about the targets and whose responsibility they are.
Members did not ‘own’ their goals or targets.
Allow them to set their own goals and targets, with support. They should identify how and when they will achieve their goals.
The member changed their mind.
Discuss what actions should be taken if the member changes their mind. Help them identify a backup plan.
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
Keeping a record
Why keep records? All union reps should keep records about supporting members but some unions may have different arrangements. If you do not keep records you may find it helpful to discuss whether this would be a good idea with your union. The amount of record keeping you do will depend on whether it is helpful for both you and your members to have a note of what has been discussed. You may also be working in a way that means you are required to keep a record in a certain way in order to provide reports of what you are doing. If you have access to a computer, you may also be using a version of the union learning Climbing Frame, which allows you to keep records with members and to print them out. Keeping a record of members’ details and their plans can also be helpful if you are signposting them to another organisation, because they can take the record with them. Members may find it helpful to use the records you have kept together as the basis for an individual learning plan drawn up with a tutor, a development plan drawn up with a line manager or an action plan or CV developed with an adviser from the unionlearn learning and careers advice service or IAG provider. Record-keeping procedures must take due account of the provisions of the Data Protection Act with particular attention to confidentiality. You can find out more about this from your union.
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What are the key principles for record keeping? If possible, help members to keep the record themselves, and make sure they have a copy or know where the record will be kept. Make sure that members knows who else will see the record or have access to the information in it. Be aware of the information you need to log and record. Be aware of why and how the information you record will be used. Keep a pen and paper handy. Keep spare supplies of log sheets or enquiry forms if you use these. Make sure that you record information about members accurately – read back the details you have noted to check for accuracy and to reassure members that you have understood them. When you take details from a member spell out their name and address if you are unsure of the correct spelling. Manage your time and prioritise to allow time for record-keeping. Be aware of the organisational procedure for dealing with errors in record keeping and how to correct them. Be aware of the organisational procedure for storing information and log sheets, and how the data is classified (e.g. alphabetically, numerically, date order).
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Supporting Learners: Why and how union reps should support learners
What to record about the member What is bad practice in record keeping?
Select from the following as appropriate:
Personal details
not being aware of the key principles of record keeping just keeping things in your head not bothering to log enquiries even if you have been asked to do so only noting some of the information and missing out details leaving your enquiry log for someone else to keep up-to-date collecting information for which there is no subsequent use.
What might be included in a record?
Work details Employer Workplace Postcode Work history Short-term work goals Long-term career goal
Learning details
What is included depends on what the record is for. If it is simply for members’ use you can agree between you what they would find helpful. You may have to use a set format for keeping a record of members’ details and their action plans. On the right are basic headings that might be included in a record. These are based on the learner management tool in the union learning Climbing Frame. You can decide what would be appropriate depending on what members need.
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Name Union Age/date of birth Gender Disability Ethnicity Address and postcode Email address Phone number
Highest qualification held and date Most recent qualification and date Learning history Learning preferences Learning and personal goals Additional information
Action plan Name Representative’s name Current work goals Long-term career goals Personal goals Steps, timescales and dates Information needed Resources needed Referral Date of plan and review date
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Unionlearn’s Supporting Learners series of guides 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.
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