Author: Frances Dredge

Over 25 free short courses to union members, family and friends online

Unionlearn has launched a major campaign called “Go On: Get Online, Get a Lifeline” to put trade unions right at the heart of a unified movement to ensure that every adult in the country can use a computer and the internet with confidence.

If you want to improve your computer and internet skills or help your family and friends get on line, you can do this through the new unionlearn 'myguide' courses by registering free at www.unionlearn.org.uk/onlinebasics.

This newly launched website provides everything you need to know about helping someone get the best from myguide so help someone sign up today!

What is myguide?

The myguide online courses take learners through the first steps of getting to grips with computers and the internet and open up a world of online opportunities from shopping to finding a new job. As well as this, the courses give people the confidence and skills to move on and use the internet for everything from e-learning to online campaigning.

Over 9 million adults in the UK do not use the internet. These adults - young and old, in work and unemployed - face growing disadvantages in a world that increasingly uses online tools to offer support services or ways to save money.

All they may need is a helping hand and Trade Unions have committed to help by doing all they can to support 10,000 of those adults with their first steps online.

How can you help?

Let your colleagues, friends and family know that there are simple and cost-effective ways to learn how to use the internet and signpost them to www.unionlearn.org.uk/onlinebasics.

Application to FEU Training's 'Make Impact' workshop in Manchester and Birmingham on February 24 and 25 respectively has been huge.

The cut-off date to apply for a place at the workshop is January 31st. After which, we will be allocating places randomly and then proportionately distributing them to freelance members of each of the four unions taking part in this project - the NUJ, BECTU, Equity and MU. This method is to ensure fairness of allocation.

We will let members know if they have been successful or not in the week following the cut off date.

Under the banner of the Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU), the four participating unions mentioned above have been working together to address common skills gaps - in this case, business skills.

Freelances need to acquire dual skills to maximise career potential, that is, they need to be adept at their core 'on the job' skills such as writing, acting or playing an instrument as well as getting business savvy, for example, marketing work to clients and potential clients is crucial to acquire new work and secure work continuity.

To help freelances acquire such business acumen, FEU training has been running courses, workshops and events around the country as well as providing a variety of IAG through this website.

We'll keep you posted as to what's coming up next.

For more information, email: [email protected]

A new FEU workshop aiming to help freelances (from the NUJ, BECTU, Equity and the Musicians’ Union) market and promote their work will be held in Manchester and Birmingham on February 24 and 25 respectively.

The workshop, already piloted in London to excellent reviews, is a FREE event for members of the participating unions.

As well as providing the opportunity to learn key marketing skills, freelances will also benefit from meeting industry peers to network, swap ideas and problem-solve.

FEU representatives and tutors will also be on hand to answer questions and provide advice.

For more information and booking, go to 'Make Impact'.

The FEU won the 'Outstanding Achievement' Award for Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) in the 2010 unionlearn Awards.

Presented by comedian Lenny Henry, a firm supporter of adult learning and recent MA graduate, the award recognised the effort and quality of work that the FEU project team has put in to supporting freelance members' career progression.

"Due to the nature of working freelance, it's often difficult to get career support and relevant information on a whole range of important career-related subjects," said project manager Frances Dredge.

This is where the FEU is helping through the provision of an extensive range of skills development opportunities including short training courses and written IAG through publications such as the FEU handbook and via the web.

"One of the pitfalls of working for yourself is that it can be isolated and to combat this we've put a lot of hard work into improving communication through virtual and face-to-face networking events and workshops," explained project co-ordinator Miranda Gavin. "We've got plenty more in the pipeline this autumn too such as a new programme of one-day business courses and a one-day learning workshop."

Unionlearn's report can be seen online: Lenny hands out prizes to union learning champions,

Hear more about the unionlearn awards on the video clip below:

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