Branch Officer Training

Every year, UNISON South East runs a weekend residential training course for all newly appointed or untrained Branch Officers.

This year, the Branch Officer Training weekend is taking place at the Hilton at  Ageas Bowl in Southampton and the following courses will be taking place:

Branch Officer Training

  • Branch Secretary: This course is designed to help existing and potential UNISON Branch Secretaries carry out their role effectively. The course looks at the role of Branch Secretary and the branch, and focuses on the skills needed and the development of a team approach to branch work.
  • Branch Chairpersons: This course is aimed at anyone that has to chair a formal trade union meeting. Find out how to practice the skills needed to run a meeting so as to be fair to all participants.
  • Health and Safety Officer: This course covers the strategic role of organising Health and Safety reps and members around health and safety issues. It is not suitable for Health and Safety reps who have no training or have just been trained.
  • Equality Officer: This course is open to all Branch Equality Officers and Branch Officers for Self-Organised Groups. This course looks at the role of the Equality Officer and how to organise for equalities in branches.
  • Branch Education Co-ordinator: This course will look at how to identify your branch education needs, how to plan and budget for education and how to support and encourage representatives in training.
  • Branch Women’s Officer: This course will show Branch Women’s Officers can contribute to the effectiveness of the branch and play a part in fighting discrimination. The course will help Women’s Officers understand their role and the link between women’s organisations and the branch.
  • Communications Officer: This course is for those activists who are already, or wish to become involved in branch publicity, producing leaflets, newsletters and branch magazines. It will cover writing copy, headlines and captions, photographs and cartoons and how to use the best layout to produce finished newsletters using computers and modern technology.
  • International Relations Officer: This course is aimed at understanding why international work is a trade union issue and understanding UNISON’s structures for carrying out international work.