Life Long Learning

Life Long Learning (LLL) means learning in the broadest sense, providing people with the skills and confidence to progress and participate at work, in the union, and in wider society. Our focus is learning in the workplace, mainly on programmes organised in partnership with employers, using UNISON materials.

UNISON's partnerships with employers, to deliver communication skills courses to non-traditional learners in the workplace, are now delivered in all services, both with public sector employers and private contractors.

There are now legal rights for union appointed Life Long Learning Advisors (LLAs) or Union Learning Reps (ULRs) to spend paid time at work raising awareness of LLL amongst members. They are responsible for finding out the learning needs members have, and liasing with UNISON, training managers, and employers to put on courses to meet them.

For information please contact

Nigel Gray, Lorraine Birch or Linda Crowther
at Branch Office on 01274 432291
Or email admin@bradfordunison.org.uk

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Want to know more?

Training which is accessible to everyone
UNISON education and training courses are open to all activists and members. We will provide course materials in large print or braille and provide facilitation - please make your requirements clear when you complete the course application form.
If you have childcare or other caring responsibilities and you are attending training away from home or when you would not normally be at work UNISON will provide a creche or cover the cost of care.

Training helps people challenge discriminatory attitudes and practices both within the union and the workplace. As well as running courses on specific equalities issues such as Tackling Racism, we also work to ensure that equalities issues are integrated into all activist and member training.

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Learning is fun - and its free
UNISON courses are friendly and informal. They have been specially designed for adults. Training involves practical activities and working with groups of other UNISON members and activists. You don't have to listen to long lectures or take exams.

Training is stimulating and gives you a chance to step back from your job and your activist work to think and learn. Skills development and confidence building are important elements of most UNISON courses. You'll be surprised at what you learn on a UNISON course!

UNISON pays for the courses and materials for courses. Where there is a charge, it is to branches - not to you. If you are interested in finding out more - talk to your branch education co-ordinator or branch secretary.

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Time off for training
Stewards, health and safety reps and branch officers have the right to paid time off for training in their union duties in most workplaces. Lifelong Learning Advisers and Learning Reps will also have entitlements after 2002. This applies to part time activists as well.
UNISON advises activists to give several weeks notice to employers and to provide managers with information about the course as required.

Taking credit
Some UNISON courses are accredited via the Open College Network (OCN). OCN credits are recognised by many training providers and colleges and are at the level of GCSEs or A Levels. If you wish to work towards OCN credits you have to keep a record of the activities on the training course and submit a portfolio at the end of the course.
It's up to you whether you want to be assessed for credits or not. Much of the assessment will be done by you and the course tutor, who will be able to help you with putting together your portfolio. There are no exams.