Meet the new Lifelong Learning team in Southampton District Branch

Helen Capstick, ULR at Solent University I have been a member of UNISON since 2011 but have become more active in recent years when I took on the role of Union Learning Representative (ULR) at Solent University. I became a ULR as I wanted to use my skills to develop more informal learning sessions for […]

ULR Carol Wilkinson talks helping members overcome barriers to learning

How long have you been a member of UNISON? I  became a UNISON member 14 years ago when I started working in my daughters’ school as both teaching assistant and midday supervisor, when I moved to EDF Energy I transferred my membership and I was able to be more involved with helping our members within […]

Mindfull to Mindful Colouring Lunch & Learn

One of our brilliant SE Union Learning Reps recently ran a “Mindfull to Mindful Colouring Lunch & Learn” – read their account here: “My first lunch and learn session as a URL was for a colouring session linked to Mindfulness and mental wellbeing. I arranged for 2 sessions on consecutive weeks to give those attending […]

Hampshire branch delivers on Challenging Behaviour in Schools

For some time, Hampshire UNISON has been raising the subject of challenging and often violent behaviour towards school support staff across the county. A branch-wide survey was undertaken in 2017 which discovered that violent behaviour and challenging behaviour in schools was on the rise. School support staff work in incredibly challenging conditions, many of them […]

ULR Emma Nand talks about making positive changes for her colleagues in the workplace

  How long have you been a member of UNISON? I joined as soon as I started work, aged 17, so about 15 years ago. I first started my working career in the NHS as a nursery nurse at the Southampton General Hospital, and then four years ago I transferred my membership over when I […]

Using learning activities for recruitment and retention in Grovember

A number of branches in the South East used UNISON’s member learning opportunities as a way to recruit new members and engage with existing members. Activists from Hampshire Local Government Branch offered members and potential members the opportunity to develop their professional skills and build their confidence, with a ‘Power to be you’ taster session. […]

Useful Member Learning Reading Links

Unionlearn:   Promoting Unionlearning 2018 booklet https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications/promoting-union-learning-reps-who-spread-word Unionlearn: Supporting black & minority ethnic apprentices https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications/supporting-black-and-minority-ethnic-apprentices For Branches: UNISON Organising Space https://www.unison.org.uk/get-involved/in-your-workplace/key-documents-tools-activists/organising-space/ Unionlearn Climbing Frame https://climbingframe.unionlearn.org.uk/Home Kickstart funding for branches https://learning.unison.org.uk/ulf/ The Reading Agency https://readingagency.org.uk/adults/ For Members: UNISON E-notes https://e-learning.unison.org.uk/ UNISON Financial support for learning https://learning.unison.org.uk/financial-support/ TUC E-notes https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/enotes TUC Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgX4MFSLkZp6N-P4FzC9kAQ

Reading Ahead Launch at UNISON Centre

The Reading Agency runs an annual reading challenge for adult readers, Reading Ahead. The scheme challenges less confident readers to choose six reads – this could be poems, articles, or books such as the Quick Reads series, and readers are encouraged to record their reading in a diary, to get a certificate at the end.  […]