UNISON Scotland Education & Training
Course Outlines/ Information
Stewards Introduction - The Organising Steward
A 3 day foundation course for all new stewards. It is also suitable for active stewards who would benefit from some refresher training. This course covers –
- The role of the workplace representative;
- Essential communication and representation skills;
- Problem solving;
- Organising and recruitment.
Completion of this course is an essential element of becoming an effective steward and is necessary for ERA Accreditation of Stewards.
Back to Courses ListExperienced Stewards
This course is aimed at more experienced stewards to share experiences, good practice and to up-date skills. It will include:
- Communication
- Organising and Recruitment
- Problem Solving
Grievance and Disciplinary (1)
A 3 day course recommended to follow on from Stewards Introduction. This will identify skills required in handling grievance and disciplinary cases. Course includes procedures, types of problems, sources of information, interviewing members.
Grievance and Disciplinary (2)
An advanced course which requires previous completion of Stage 1.
Health and Safety (1)
A 3 day course for UNISON H&S Reps. The course will cover the role of the Safety Rep; H&S legislation, dealing with members’ problems. This is an essential starting point for new Safety Reps. On completion all participants will receive the UNISON Health & Safety pack.
Lay Tutor Briefing
This forum will allow tutors to meet and share best practice. It will also be used to develop and implement a quality control system for training. The first meeting will set the agenda for future meetings which will include Training Material updates and development.
Lay Tutor (Stage 1)
An intensive 5-day course delivering the basic tutoring skills need to become a lay tutor with the ability to deliver training at branch level. The course considers the organisational aspects of arranging courses within the equality policies of UNISON, basic tutoring skills to deliver workshops and short courses to activists and members. The course is practically based around the delivery of workshops by participants with constructive feedback from the course tutors.
In addition to the 5-day course, a portfolio of work is required, plus practical assessment of delivering training in the branch. A 2-day course on equal opportunities must also be completed.
Applications for this course are expected to be high, therefore please apply as quickly as possible to facilitate selection).
Bullying and Harassment
A 3-day course covering all the elements for developing a union approach to dealing with bullying at work. It considers Law to identify and deal with cases and how to adopt a collective approach through negotiation and organisation.
Back to Courses ListBranch Education Officers Forum
This Forum will bring together activists on a quarterly basis to share information on Learning and Organising. It will include Lay Tutors, Learning & Organising Committee members, LL Advisers as well as Branch Education Officers. The Forum will facilitate the full participation of activists in prioritising and developing learning opportunities.
Branch Officer Training
- Publicity
- Welfare
- Secretary
- Treasurers
- Service Conditions Officers
These weekend courses offer new and inexperienced officers the opportunity to look at roles, responsibilities and best organisational practice for their appropriate post. It also gives experienced officers updated training and an opportunity for them to share their experiences.
Branch Officer Training
- Chair
- Equality
- Education
- Health & Safety
These weekend courses offers new and inexperienced officers the opportunity to look at roles, responsibilities and best organisational practice for their appropriate post. It also gives experienced officers updated training and an opportunity for them to share their experiences.
Introduction to Conference
A course to introduce new/potential Conference delegates to arrangements and procedures used to manage the business of Conference. It will include:
- Conference Rules
- Order of Business
- Order of Debate
- Speaking at Conference
This will help everyone to enjoy and participate fully at Conference.
Employment Law
A course covering the areas of employment law which are most likely to affect our members and organisation. It will look at an overview of the law, any current case law and the implications for members and how best to assess and progress cases.
Introduction to IT Training - Web-wide
Training will be provided to cover basic I.T skills and is targeted at individuals who wish to improve and or acquire a range of I.T skills appropriate to the union.
It will include working with Internet, e-mail and basic software applications. It will enable members to become familiar and comfortable with computer technology and provide access to further I.T courses.Black members Training
Programme to follow
Stress in the Workplace
This course examines work-related causes of stress and trade union strategies to get employers to take it seriously and do something about it. It is recommended that Health & Safety Stage I is completed prior to this training.
Assertiveness for Women
A 3 day course for women aimed at activists who wish to gain skills in assertiveness techniques and build confidence to use in all areas of their lives.
Public Speaking
This course will focus on the core skills required for effective speaking in a variety of situations. It will equip members with knowledge skills and confidence to participate fully via public speaking.
Health & safety (2)
The Stage II course is designed for experienced stewards who have previously completed the 3-day Health & Safety course and will build on their skills to enable the organisation of Health & Safety within a branch.
Magazine Editing
This training course offers an opportunity for magazine editors to acquire and improve the skills relevant to producing an informative Branch Magazine.
Having basic I.T skills before joining - this course is an advantage and it is recommended that those without these skills attend a basic I.T course before the Magazine Editors' Training Weekend.The course has lots of practical work and over the course of the weekend, members will produce a one or two page magazine using a computer.
The course, tutored by Chris Bartter, Communications Officer (Scotland) and John Stevenson, Scotland inUNISON editor, covers:
- Organising, production, distribution
- Basic design and layout
- Writing skills, editing, headlines
- Use of text and graphics
- Introduction to Desk Top Publishing (Microsoft Publisher)
- Legal issues like defamation
- Where to get help
Media Training
This training weekend covers all the essentials of dealing effectively with the Media. It will give members skills, knowledge and understanding of relevant methods to facilitate improve branch level media contact.This course, tutored by a practising journalist, the UNISON press officer, the Scottish Communications Officer and the Scotland inUNISON editor, gives real hands on experience in a friendly and informal way.
Press releases, media organisation and presentation, tricks of the trade and practical experience of being interviewed are all included.
Suitable for any UNISON person who has contact with the media - or who wants to get organised to get more media interest in their part of the union.
No matter how new or experienced you are, there is always something to learn on this course. It is geared to give you what you need for your purposes.
Website Building and Design
This training course offers an opportunity for branches to acquire the skills to set up and maintain a branch website.
Having basic I.T skills before joining - this course is an advantage and it is recommended that those without these skills attend a basic I.T course before the website weekend.The course has lots of practical work and over the course of the weekend, members will design, set up and hopefully put online a basic website for their branch.
The course, tutored by Chris Bartter, Communications Officer (Scotland), John Stevenson, UNISONScotland webmanager and Jane Aitchison, covers
- Web introduction and basics
- Why and how to use a website
- Use of website authoring tool (FrontPage)
- Use of text and graphics
- Hyperlinks
- General design issues
- How to set up an Internet account and publish your website.
Students should come with all of the following:
- Information about their branch, contacts, addresses etc
- Any photographs, logos they may want to use
- The username, password and dialup number of their Internet Service provider (if they have one) plus the passwords and details for FTP uploading. If you don't already have an ISP, we will try to set you up with unisonfree.net
- Your branch's email address if it has one
EMPLOYMENT EQUALITY (SEXUAL ORIENTATION) REGS 2003
You are invited to the following training event, which will brief participants on the main points of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regs 2003.
The course focuses on sexual orientation. It will:
- Introduce UNISON’s Bargaining Support Guide: ‘Negotiating Equality for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Workers’.
- Plan how to negotiate and organise for equality.
VENUE : TRAVEL INN, 187 GEORGE STREET, GLASGOW
DATE : FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER : 6.30pm – 8.00pm
SATURDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER : 9.30am – 4.30pm
Demand for this course is expected to be high and places are limited, so please return completed application form as soon as possible, or by closing date of 14 August 2004.
******Click here for a special application form for this course