UNISON’s programme of learning for our members and training for our activists continues in a safe manner.
Most of our core activist training programme is now available online, and we have expanded our online member learning programme massively over the last nine months.
In this page we share some of the opportunities that you can take up as a UNISON member or activist.
If you’re a union learning rep (ULR), branch education co-ordinator or lifelong learning co-ordinator, please do share this page with members in your branch so that they know what’s on offer.
Jump to:
- For our members
- For our activists
- Induction training
- Health and safety
- Self-directed learning for activists
- Advanced employment law
- For union learning reps
For our members
Our partnership with the Skills Academy lets us offer our members over 600 free online courses on a huge range of topics. You might choose to study these as part of your continuing professional development (CPD) or just for your own personal interest.
The Open University’s OpenLearn project offers literally thousands of free self-guided online courses. And FutureLearn also has a huge range of distance learning courses, with tutors monitoring the community to answer your questions.
We’re now able to offer many of our member learning workshops online, including Dementia Awareness, Autism Awareness, Caring for Adults, Attachment in the Early Years, Managing Challenging Behaviour, and Mental Health Awareness, from the Open University, and Power To Be You, Your Skills, Your Future, and Get That Job, from the WEA.
More about Open University workshops
Check your regional education programme to see if any of these are running near you – and to see what else is going on. Our regional education teams have been organising a wide range of member learning opportunities, from Excel Improvers to Makaton.
National UNISON learning events
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For our activists
Induction training
Our introductory courses for UNISON workplace reps (stewards), health and safety reps, and union learning reps (ULRs) are now being delivered online across the UK. Now more than ever, it’s vital to have trained, confident UNISON representatives speaking up for our members and their rights and safety at work.
See upcoming national UNISON courses
Find information from your regional education team
Many of our other courses are now also being delivered online. These include training for branch officers and some of our follow-on and advanced training courses. Check with your regional education team to see what’s available near you.
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Self-directed learning
Our e-learning site is always available for UNISON members and activists to undertake some of our quick, interactive learning modules. Learn about the different activist roles that exist in UNISON, how we can support members who have dyslexia, and how we can keep our members’ personal details safe. And new this year is Map My Workplace, a quick, fun game that introduces the concept of workplace mapping in a lighthearted fashion.
Simply log in with your My.UNISON account.
Remember, too, to look at the Organising Space to find resources and to share support, advice, and experience with other UNISON activists.
Health and safety reps
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the vital role carried out by health and safety reps. We have a collection of learning resources to help you as you make the case for safe working conditions
Advanced employment law
Our advanced employment law courses for experienced UNISON reps have always been popular, and we’re able to offer an increasing number of these online.
For UNISON learning reps
As well as all the other resources listed on this page, which you will be able to pass on to your members as appropriate, there are some which will be particularly useful to union learning reps.
If you’re helping someone who isn’t very familiar or confident using digital technology, Learn My Way starts with the very basics, beginning with how to turn a computer on.
The Inclusive Technology guide compiled for us by Diversity’N’Ability suggests several apps and tools that can make technology a little easier to use, and explains how to get the most out of the inbuilt accessibility features that already exist in the programs and systems that learners may well already be using.
And Digital Unite’s technology guides are also really helpful.