A Message to Unite Members
Dear Colleague
This region has a strong tradition of providing first class activist education. We are delivering our whole programme as usual, we are just using new methods. Our virtual classrooms allow students to interact with others from the safety of home or their workplace. This new delivery style won't suit everyone and we are back open for our face to face programme as usual from April!
We pride ourselves on flexibility in this region. We are open for face to face delivery from April and still offering day release and block courses to suit your needs. If however you struggle to get to our offices throughout the region we will continue to offer a wide range of courses via our virtual classrooms on zoom.
Not sure our virtual classroom is for you? Take a listen to Tan as he explains how our tutors help you click here
The ‘New Reps Induction’ Course is designed to enable all Unite reps (Workplace Reps, Health & Safety Reps, Union Learning Reps and Equality Reps) to train together to gain the skills needed to best support their members in the workplace. It also gives new representatives a better understanding of the Unite team in their workplace and how they can work together.
For workplaces with larger numbers of representatives wishing to be trained together alternative provision can be discussed. If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We do have a reduced programme of face to face delivery advertised. Once these initial courses are underway and we can assess the safety we will review adding additional dates to the programme.
Download your brochure
Email: education.northeastyorks@unitetheunion.org
or call: 0113 2364830 and ask for the education department.
In solidarity
Andy Pearson
NEYH Regional Education & Development Officer
Course description:
Who should attend?
This course is designed for new representatives or those who have not received training in the last five years. The course is the induction for all workplace representatives, health & safety representatives, learning representatives and equality representatives.
What will I learn?
The course covers a number of topics to prepare you for your role as a Unite representative.
Roles and Responsibilities
ACAS and other legislation - know your rights
Unite structures and where you fit in
Understanding risk assessment and why it’s every reps responsibility
Giving members information, advice and guidance
Why recruit members?
Understanding the Equality Act 2010
Knowing your agreements and the Unite Broad Industrial Strategy
Introduction to leadership
Our history - research and presentation skills
Note taking
Interviewing members
Dignity at work - Bullying and harassment
Barriers to learning and engagement for members
Understanding grievance and disciplinary policies - why all reps should know these!
Understanding negotiations
Developing a workplace project
Who is the course for?
This is a new programme designed for any representative who has an interest in understanding the impact their workplace has on the environment and how to make things better.
Just as unions and employers work together to improve health and safety in the workplace through safety committees, union environmental (or ‘green’) reps can be elected to champion environmental issues. They can raise awareness and ensure that green issues are included in the negotiating or bargaining agenda at work. The main concern of a union green rep is to agree a joint approach to ‘greening the workplace’. The starting point, as always, is talking to union members about their ideas to change the way they work and the resources used.
What does it cover?
There are a range of topics covered including: -
The course will run initially in the following locations
Course description:
Who should attend?
This course is designed as follow on training for those workplace representatives who have completed the New Reps Induction. The course is designed to enhance your skills in holding meetings, understanding redundancy and a wide range of other employment law related topics.
What will I learn?
The course covers a number of topics to advance some of your key skills in your role as a Unite Workplace Representative.
Understanding employment rights in the workplace
Utilising employment law to defend your members
Understanding the employment tribunal process
Dealing with redundancy
Understanding the employment contract
Communicating with members
Developing a workplace project
Ending the employment relationship, what is fair?
What is TUPE?
Getting the best for your members
Organising to win
Who should attend?
This course is designed as follow on training for those Health & Safety reps that have completed the New Reps Induction. The course is designed to enhance your skills in a wide range of safety related topics including advanced risk assessment, accident and incident investigation, COSHH, LEV and manual handling.
What will I learn?
The course covers a number of topics to advance some of your key skills in your role as a Unite Health & Safety Representative.
Identifying hazards
Identifying a range of health risks in the workplace
Noise in the workplace
RIDDOR Reporting
Manual handling
Understanding a full range of risk assessments and how they differ
Accident investigation
Interviewing skills
COSHH legislation
LEV legislation
Incident management skills
Who should attend?
This course is designed as follow-on training for those Union Learning reps that have completed the New Reps Induction. The course is designed to enhance your skills in supporting members to access learning opportunities. The course will also allow delegates to gain a level 3 award in education and training.
What will I learn?
The course covers a number of topics to advance some of your key skills in your role as a Unite union learning representative.
Who should attend?
This course is designed as follow on training for those Union Learning reps that have completed the New Reps Induction. The course is designed to enhance your skills in supporting members to access learning opportunities. The course will also allow delegates to gain a level 3 award in education and training.
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for those activists elected to branch positions of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. It is designed to give you the skills to run your branch effectively, from running meetings, taking minutes to monitoring and reporting your branch finances.
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for all elected representatives who have an interest in, or a role as, a pensions representative on behalf of their members at work.
Who should attend?
This course is designed to introduce the topics of stress, anxiety and mental ill health. It will assist reps in promoting mental health and to understand the issues faced by members at work. We encourage all reps to attend the course.
Mental Health awareness covers
Raise awareness of mental health
Understand the importance of mental health
Mental Health terminology
How mental health can impact on you
Mental health and employment
The role of the employer
Creating mentally healthy workplaces
Supporting others
Looking after your own well being
Who Should Attend?
This course is open to those representatives who have completed the one day Mental Health Awareness course. Through this course you will gain valuable knowledge and skills that will enable you to identify the early signs of mental ill health, provide help to prevent mental ill health from getting worse and recover more quickly, and reduce the stigma of mental health problems.
The Course is accredited by Mental Health England. We can also deliver this training in your workplace at a cost to your employer. We would ask that you limit bookings to one representative per workplace for this course.
Mental Health First aid covers
On this two-day course, you will learn how to:
Identify the early stages of a mental health problem
Help someone who’s dealing with a mental health issue
Help stop someone from self-harming or hurting others
Help stop mental ill health from worsening
Help someone have a quicker recovery
Guide someone towards proper professional help
Break the stigma of a mental health problem
Aims
This is a pilot course utilising a new format. The course is designed to assist reps develop knowledge and skills which will enable you to become a better rep.
Who is this course for?
To get the most from this course we suggest you have completed a stage two course either workplace reps, health and safety or ULR. We also encourage those who have attended national equalities courses to join us too. Applications for this course are particularly invited from BAEM, LGBT+, Women and Young Members'.
Course overview
You will learn research methods and use one method to create really useful knowledge; you will work with other members in your workplace or branch to promote equality or organising through doing a research project; You will learn the principles of community based participatory research and how to apply them to your role as a rep.
Delivery format
9.30am – 11.30 on Zoom; afternoons spent in individually guided study on Litmos 12.30-4.30pm. To assist with release the course will be advertised from 9.30 - 16.30 so we suggest using the afternoon session to complete your self guided studies. If you have facilities time the course work should be completed during facilities time, otherwise it can be done at your convenience.
How often should MHFA England skills be refreshed?
Mental Health England recommend that Mental Health First Aiders and MHFA Champions attend a Refresher course every three years. Just like physical first aid, updating skills and knowledge allows people to perform this vital role confidently and safely.
The Refresher course will support existing Mental Health First Aiders and MHFA Champions by:
Enabling your Mental Health First Aiders and MHFA Champions to refresh their skills, the same way your physical first aiders do, is a great way to demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to treating mental health and physical health equally. Investing in the course will give you the confidence that your Mental Health First Aiders and MHFA Champions are performing their role safely and effectively.
Who should attend?
This course is designed for senior representatives to support other Unite members who are in workplaces without access to their own representative. Ideally you should have completed workplace representatives stage two training and be able to gain release from your employer easily.
What will I learn?
The course covers a number topics including
Online Retirement Seminar Agenda
Our Online Retirement Seminar is a 2 ½ hour highly informative session
focussing on all aspects to do with retirement and later life planning. As well
as a detailed insight into different types of pension schemes and the various
retirement options, the session considers the health and longevity issues
surrounding retirement planning helping delegates to think seriously about
when and how to retire.
10:00 Session 1
• Introductions and Agenda Overview
• Seeking Financial Advice – A look at the different types of adviser services and their
costs.
• The Effect of Inflation – Considering how inflation will affect future finances and
living standards in retirement.
• Budget Planning – How much will I need to live off?
10:45 15 Minute Comfort Break
11:00 Start Session 2
• The Different Types of Pension Schemes – A look at how the State Pension works,
and the type of benefits provided by different Pension Schemes.
• Pension Scheme Options – Consideration of the various income options and ways
to maximise Capital and Income benefits Tax Efficiently; Ensuring other family
members are protected and the importance of seeking advice.
12:00 Start Session 3
• Investing Wisely – How to create a personalised Savings and Investment strategy to
diversify risk and maximise potential returns in a Tax Efficient manner.
• Later Life Planning – The importance of making a Will, Appointing a Power of
Attorney and the use of Trusts for effective Inheritance Tax Planning. Meeting
Funeral expenses.
12:30 Questions & Close
Stress management and wellbeing are key issues for all our reps. Please come along and learn about what the union can do to help, and how you can monitor changes in your own and your members' stress and well being over time.
Note that this teaches you how to work with your employer to implement an organisational response to stress. It is not a course in mental health awareness.
This short training session is designed to introduce students to the topic of harmful gambling.
The session will cover the following topics and more: -
This course is for all union representatives, equality officers and other members who want to find out more about autism (including Aspergers), neurodiversity and the workplace.
To gain confidence in promoting equality in the workplace for people who are neurodiverse.
Learning Outcomes
Course description:
This one day course will help you understand the needs of people with autism in the workplace and help you plan to make reasonable adjustments for them.
Who is this course by?
This course is by Britain's biggest trade union. We are experts in promoting good industrial relations and in helping employers make reasonable adjustments for those who need them.
Who is this course for?
This course is for employees or employers who wish to understand responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments for autistic people under the Equality Act 2010.
Accreditation:
This course is CPD certified for 2 hours. Learners who complete the course workbook will receive a certificate of completion.
Course delivery
The course lasts one day. The morning activities take place on Zoom, the afternoon activities may take place together on Zoom or individually on the Litmos VLE (Virtual learning environment).
Course Aims
To gain confidence in promoting equality in the workplace for people with Autism Spectrum Condition
Learning Outcomes
Course description
This course is the first step to understanding why politics is Union business!
It is also a stepping stone to the regional residential schools and the national political school held in Durham each year.
Who is this course for?
This course is for everyone, and especially for women, BAEM members, LGBT members, the young, and the disabled.
Aims
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course learners will be able to:
Aims
This is a pilot course utilising a new format. The course is designed to assist reps develop knowledge and skills which will enable you to become a better rep.
Who is this course for?
To get the most from this course we suggest you have completed a stage two course either workplace reps, health and safety or ULR. We also encourage those who have attended national equalities courses to join us too. Applications for this course are particularly invited from BAEM, LGBT+, Women and Young Members'.
Course overview
You will learn research methods and use one method to create really useful knowledge; you will work with other members in your workplace or branch to promote equality or organising through doing a research project; You will learn the principles of community based participatory research and how to apply them to your role as a rep.
Delivery format
9.30am – 11.30 on Zoom; afternoons spent in individually guided study on Litmos 12.30-4.30pm. To assist with release the course will be advertised from 9.30 - 16.30 so we suggest using the afternoon session to complete your self guided studies. If you have facilities time the course work should be completed during facilities time, otherwise it can be done at your convenience.