LIFELONG LEARNING Celebrating 15 years of Lifelong learning is one of the most successful Usdaw campaigns and has helped more than 100,000 members return to learning during the last 15 years. When the Labour Government introduced the Union Learning Fund (ULF) to England in 2000, it recognised the unique role unions could play in engaging and supporting members in the workplace and offer them a ‘second chance’. The ULF has been enormously influential in helping Usdaw deliver its learning campaign. It helped Usdaw set up its national and divisional project team in 2005 and contributes essential funding to it today. It also enabled the union and its teams of union learning reps to set up over 60 workplace learning centres and engage more than 350 retail stores in learning through its award- winning Checkout Learning Campaign. In particular the ULF has helped Usdaw develop its network of 800 trained learning reps who work tirelessly to help members improve their skills, opportunities and life chances. Lifelong learning is extremely important to members helping them: n To gain skills and qualifications n To feel more confident at work n To get promoted n To become more employable when faced with redeployment or redundancy. National co-ordinator Ann Murphy said: “This campaign has made practical improvements to our members at work and at home. For Timeline 1998 Labour Government launches Union Learning Fund (ULF) some it’s meant improving their basic skills, reading to their children for the first time, getting online or learning a new language. It’s broadened horizons and improved their quality of life. Digital skills “One of the biggest challenges facing our members today is ‘digital skills’. Having adequate computer and online skills is essential in applying for new jobs or holding on to current ones. “The introduction of the on-line benefits application process for example, or online shopping and banking means digital skills are a necessity not a luxury. “So our learning campaign work is more important than ever and none of it would be possible without the work of our amazing learning reps. “Usdaw was instrumental in getting statutory rights for learning reps and we are proud to have been at the vanguard of developing the learning agenda.” Betty Partridge: Tesco Mobile union learning rep Betty Partridge has been promoting learning at her Tesco store in South Wigston, Leicestershire, and surrounding area for the last two years and has built up an excellent rapport with the workforce. She has made a particular contribution to Usdaw’s equality and diversity work, promoting the agenda and supporting staff. She has just completed a further education qualification and has been recommending these courses to staff via the educational charity the NCFE. Betty’s skills were used when her colleague Ramilla Mistry signed up to do the equality course, but found it very difficult. It was an upsetting and frustrating time for Ramilla who struggled to get into the course. Betty realised something was not quite right and offered her help and support. “She is very proud and at first didn’t want help and I understood that,” said Betty. “But I persevered as I knew when I did the course it gave me an insight into the difficulties some people faced, so I suspected that something was wrong. I eventually persuaded Ramilla to talk about her problems. After further investigation we found out she was dyslexic – a common problem but often an issue many people are unaware of. “It’s not stopped Ramilla from doing the course but she has taken a break from it at present. Now she understands the condition it has helped her to start and move forward with what she wants to do.” 2002 2000 First learning centres opened in Littlewoods Shop Direct home shopping sector 2002 Labour Government introduces statutory rights for union learning reps First mobil union learning re appointed 2 U aw £1m year