Prospect Union Learning Fund Project 2004-05

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Prospect Union Learning Fund Project 2004-05
  
Life Skills Development For ULRs

Scope

This bid builds on Prospect’s core ULR training programme (developed in round 5) and initial work to promote partnership approaches to learning.

It addresses development needs identified by existing ULRs (identified in a survey undertaken by the project’s external evaluator in summer 2003) and takes account of advice / experience contributed by our current ULF project team. It is essentially about creating progression routes for ULRs.

Partners

The key employer partners will be MOD and BNFL. Both will release ULRs to participate in the development programme; contribute to the programme in order to enhance partnership working; and support initiatives arising from this programme and the broader work of their ULRs. 

In addition, BBSRC will continue to support the project in developing its partnership approach to training and development and maximising the impact of ULRs.

We hope to reach out to other employers through our expanding network of ULRs.

On the union side, Prospect’s BNFL Branch and MOD Group of Branches will be active partners in this work, as will relevant regional TUC Learning Services teams.

We also expect to work with the CogentPlus and SEMTA Sector Skills Councils.

Aims

The project aims to:

• Equip ULRs with life skills to cope with professional / work challenges. In particular, it will provide strategies and resources for ULRs to advise on coping with major life changes (such as redundancy or organisational restructuring). Both key employer partners are currently facing significant change. It will also develop capabilities to identify and act appropriately in relation to basic skills / skills for life needs. We are aware that we cannot make the assumption that this is not an issue for Prospect members: The National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy is currently examining this issue in relation to graduates in response to requests from a number of universities. In addition, we are aware that a wide range of employees have unrecognised ICT skill needs, about which there is also sensitivity, and that there may be ESOL needs among our minority ethnic members. Both kinds of challenge have implications extending beyond the workplace, to families and local communities.
  
• Embed the role of ULRs in the workplace and in the union, by working in partnership with employers and Branches. As indicated, the development programme will include an input from employer partners and from TUC Learning Services teams. Within Prospect, we shall be continuing our work to promote the role of ULRs and to integrate and mainstream their work into the core business of the Branch.
  
• Promote the value of learning at work so that more members are encouraged to take up new learning opportunities and more enthusiasts are encouraged to train as ULRs. We believe that this is fully in line with the approach set out in the Skills Strategy White Paper.

Approach

The project will focus around a 2-day residential progression training programme for ULRs. We aim to run three such programmes (defence, energy and all sector) and to attract 10 ULRs to each. The programme will incorporate the following elements:

Skills for Life: A half-day module, drawing on the TUC module and employer toolkit and including an ESOL element. As indicated, the range of existing materials will need to be adapted to the context in which Prospect ULRs are operating, and also rewritten to ensure that key areas are covered adequately in a half-day module.

Advising in situations of major change: Equipping ULRs to cope with the types and volume of advice needed in situations of major organisational change. This will draw on experiences from our Opportunities for Change programme, and will also advise on using IAG partnerships and other support networks, including other Branch representatives.

Learning partnerships: This will include case studies of successful learning partnerships and explore the potential and encourage the use of workforce development agreements.

Milestones

• Identify project team and key roles / functions of team members - May 2004.
  
•  Research key issues / events in main employment areas and develop outline 2-day residential programme and training materials - June-July 2004.
•  Pilot the programme with three groups of ULRs (defence, energy and all-sector) - Sept-Dec 2004.
• Produce and pilot on-line basic skills module - Oct-Dec 2004.
• Evaluate training programme and lessons learned, amend as necessary for incorporation in Prospect education programme - Nov 2004-Feb 2005.
• Consider scope for accreditation (in light of TUC work on mapping basic skills modules. Prospect’s existing ULR programme is OCN accredited) - Jan-Feb 2005.
• Evaluate outcomes and agree action plan with partners. Plan dissemination event - March-May 2005.
• Dissemination event - June 2005.