1. Young Workers Engagement Project Apprenticeships Working Together for Success

2. What does a ULR Do? Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Offer advice and guidance
Mentor and support
Widen Participation from under represented groups
Carry out initial assessments of skills
Link learners up with providers or assist them through union learning centres
Identify learning and development needs
Access further learning development themselves
Get involved in campaigns to support the Learning agenda
Build positive and constructive working relationships

3. How are ULR’s important to the Union movement?
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
How are ULR’s important to the Union movement?
Learning is a key part of union activity because, through learning events, members can come together and create an involved and relevant union within their workplaces. At its very core, union learning reps (ULRs) support and help other members with their continuing personal and professional development.
ULRs work very hard to boost the image and strengthen the organisation of their union within the workplace. They can help widen union membership across the board and in underrepresented groups such as migrant workers or young members coming through apprenticeship schemes, for example.
Through learning and development, ULR’s help build positive and constructive working relationships with workplace Management and HR Teams and non-members alike.

4. Expanding on the ULR Role
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Expanding on the ULR Role
Learning Agreements and Learning Committees
Negotiating a learning agreement helps embed learning in the workplace and secures employer commitment to supporting lifelong learning and skills. Working together, union learning reps and stewards can ensure that workplace learning projects and initiatives support the wider work of the union in the workplace, company or organisation.
Having a union presence through Learning Committee’s enables unions to represent members interests directly and be part of decision, policy making and consultation processes from the beginning.

5. What types of courses are available?
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
What types of courses are available?
UnionLearn offer hundreds of courses through the TUC, nationwide on a range of topics including:
Capacity Building
Health and Safety
Communication skills
Organising and Recruitment
Developing Representational Skills
Pensions
Developing union perspectives
Personal and Professional Development
Diploma courses
Promoting Learning
Equality
Stage 1 and 2 core rep courses
Courses are also available for Personal Development. It is important to recognise the benefits that non-vocational courses can offer members:
Increase in Self-Esteem and self- confidence
Re-engaging learners and opening the door to further learning
A reported rise in motivation and productivity
Did You know? 43% of non-members who received training through UnionLearn went on to sign up as members

6. The Impact of Union Learning
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
The Impact of Union Learning
A study was commissioned in 2015 to evaluate the impact of union learning. This study identified a wide range of positive impacts of engagement in union learning for employees and employers…
Over two-thirds of employers said unions were particularly effective at inspiring reluctant learners to engage in training and development.
ULF learning and training delivers an estimated net contribution to the economy of more than £1.4 billion as a result of a boost to jobs, wages and productivity.
2/3 said the new skills they acquired made them more effective in their current job
Nearly half of employers highlighted that their staff were more committed as a result of unions facilitating training and development opportunities
4/5 employees said they had developed skills that they could transfer to a new job

7. GMB Union Learning Representative Nottingham City Homes
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Tamer El-Hariry
GMB Union Learning Representative Nottingham City Homes

8. Transferable Skills for Life
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Transferable Skills for Life
Why did you decide to become a ULR?
“ Initially I wanted to further develop myself. As a union member I realised the Union could offer help to gain new skills. I started with basic English and Maths courses made available to me by the GMB. Through those courses I learnt about further learning that was available to me and the ULR role. I felt that the ULR role offered transferable skills- skills for life that I could take with me to a different role within Nottingham City Homes or further. “

9. Helping members is rewarding
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Helping members is rewarding
What is one of the most positive things about being a ULR?
“Helping members access training to learn lifelong skills is really rewarding. I am more up to date and aware about learning opportunities for both myself and members. I’ve developed skills to help identify members learning needs, learned new ways to negotiate and arrange time off on their behalf which is rewarding. Because of the role I am more easily able to keep up to date on funding available to pay for training.”

10. Leading successful campaigns
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Leading successful campaigns
What kind of activities are you involved in?
“My first campaign was about raising awareness about Dyslexia. This was a campaign close to my heart as my daughter had been diagnosed with dyslexia and I was struggling to find her the right support through her school. Through my role as a ULR I was able to access information guidance and support to help her and the campaign was nominated by the GMB for The TUC’s Best Campaign of the Year. I’m currently working on a campaign about Hidden Disabilities. This is about providing advice and support to both managers and members about how to identify hidden disabilities and get appropriate support and access to funding through government schemes.”

11. Far-Reaching Benefits
Opportunity Growth Support Learning Qualifications
Far-Reaching Benefits
In your experience, how have you seen learning benefits our members?
“My years of experience as a ULR has taught me that accessing training and education through UnionLearn has helped members keep up with the development of new technologies (such as IT Computer skills) within their workplaces. Being taught new skills has been useful during restructuring exercises – allowing members to more easily transition across into new roles. It also offers transferable skills for members who for example; have been affected by ill health and had to change roles from shop floor to the office as a result. I have also seen those from disadvantaged backgrounds upskill with the Union’s support and further develop their careers and employability as a result.”