Category: Latest News

There are some great e-courses available for you to learn at your convenience in our digital learning centre. These include:

• Building your Web Presence
• Finance for Freelances
• Marketing your Work

Free to members, these courses have been designed so that you can learn in bite-sized chunks whenever you have a spare moment. You can complete the whole course if needs be or just the modules that fill in your knowledge gaps.

The courses are practical – as you work through them, you apply what you’ve learned to your freelance work. They contain a range of handy spreadsheets, templates and tips that you can use to improve your working methods and efficiency.

Visit the Digital Learning Centre

All you need to do is register at www.feutraining.org if you haven’t done so already to access a useful range of learning opportunities including tutorials, quick tips, e-courses and frequently asked questions.

Anyone wanting to learn more about using the internet to run an effective campaign, build a local group, or just to become a more effective digital activist, check out this workshop on 16th March in Birmingham.

http://www.netrootsuk.org/2013/01/birmingham-digital-campaign-skills-workshop-saturday-16-march/

TO HELP you develop a web presence that showcases your work and makes it easy for clients and potential clients to find you online, FEU Training has today launched a new e-course ‘Building your Web Presence’.

Developed for creative freelances, the course includes straightforward explanations and practical exercises that will help you develop a web presence from scratch or strengthen the one you have currently.

Designed to help you take a step-by-step approach to making a high impact via the web through using a number of tools from websites to social media, you can complete the course at your convenience.

Sign in now - it's free to members

Providing you with an easily accessible way to learn, this ecourse is free to members so make the most of it while it is available.

More learning opportunities

Not only this, there is a wide range of additional e-learning opportunities and information available at FEU Training's Digital Learning Centre including a number of ecourses (Finance for Freelances and Marketing for Freelances), quick tips and Q & As - all specifically developed with the learning needs of creative freelances in mind and all free to members.

Coming soon…

We’ll be launching more ecourses and face-to-face learning opportunities in the New Year so look out for updates in January.

More information

E: [email protected] for more information on any of FEU Training's learning opportunities.

 

Taking part in on-going adult learning not only results in economic gains but also makes a difference to the learner’s general health and well-being as well as contributing positively to communities and nations according to research by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).

Despite this, the NIACE series of surveys on adult participation in learning consistently shows that active participation in learning remains a minority activity among adults in the UK, with significant inequalities in who participates and who does not. A complementary pattern is reflected in the UK Commission's Employer Skills Survey (2011), which finds there are significant variations in the level of training, businesses carried out by size and sector.

Make the most of training opportunities

Through your union and FEU Training, you have a number of free learning opportunities including face-to-face workshops and events and via our digital learning centre where you’ll find a range of ecourses, advice and guidance and online learning facilities.

“The NIACE survey shows that many adults don’t have any access to the learning opportunities they need, “ says FEU Training project manager Frances Dredge. “We hope that freelances will make the most of what’s on offer as we work hard to raise funds and want to use them to benefit members in the best possible way.”

Free events and learning opportunities available or coming soon include:

• Workshops (Money Matters: Nov 29, Manchester and Dec 5, London)
• Networking events with the themes of confidence building and combating isolation (Nov 27 and Dec 6, London, respectively).
• Ecourses: Finance for Freelances and Marketing your Work.
• Tutorials: Building your own website
• Modules: A range of quick tips on business skills.

 

THE FIRST in our programme of autumn workshops (Get Noticed) that focused on CV development took place at the Musicians’ Union in London recently.

Nearly 30 participants from Equity, MU, NUJ and the Writers’ Guild learned how to write sparkling CVs that make an impact and increase the likelihood of getting that all important interview or audition.

A number of the participants - even experienced writers - were surprised at how much they learned throughout the day. “Although I thought I knew about CVs, I got a lot of useful feedback on where the gaps were and how to improve mine,” said journalist Phil Hunt.

Creative vibe

All workshops are developed to meet the learning needs of creative freelances from the four participant unions taking into consideration content and environment which is designed to allow participants to meet peers and learn from each other as well as from the tutors: “The networking opportunity was very useful and it was wonderful to have a chance to meet with all these different people from different creative unions who are passionate about what they are doing,” said actor Brittany Simmons.

Billing this autumn

There are several more workshops and online opportunities to learn scheduled on FEU Training's programme this autumn. Look out for updates via email, website, Twitter and Facebook.

Stars of the show

See more feedback from participants here

More on CVs

Go to our digital learning centre for quick tips on CV writing

FREE TO FEU members, check out the workshops FEU Training running this October including Linked In and Meeting Up (Birmingham), Tools for Goal Setting and Marketing Your Work (London) and Social Media (Newcastle).

All workshops aim to help creative freelances gain and maintain work through getting to grips with some key business skills that such a marketing, promotion and brand building.

Many more face-to-face and online opportunities are planned this autumn so look out for updates from your union (Equity, MU, NUJ and the Writers’ Guild), from FEU Training – both email, Twitter and Facebook.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

On demand

If you are interested in attending a particular workshop and it is not scheduled in your region, please register your interest by emailing [email protected]. If we get sufficient interest in your area, we’ll bring the workshop to you.

 

FEU TRAINING is launching a series of new workshops this autumn to support freelances in their career progress.

Following the successful ‘Make Impact’ workshops earlier in the year, these new skills development opportunities continue to focus on the key business skills that freelances need to survive and thrive.

Specifically developed for creative freelances from Equity, the Musicians’ Union, the National Union of Journalists and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, the programme kicks off in September with:

• You’re hired! (London and Manchester)
• Social Media (Bristol)
• Get Noticed! (London)

With the aim of providing affordable, accessible and relevant training opportunities for our members, further workshops will be held in Birmingham, Colchester and Newcastle this year so look out for information in September.

In addition to classroom-based opportunities, accessibility and affordability will also be improved by development of FEU Training’s Digital Learning Centre at www.feutraining.org.

Under continuous development, the centre includes a range of e-learning opportunities including courses, tutorials, quick tips, Q & As and a range of information, advice and guidance. It’s free for members to register so make the most of this opportunity to get business savvy.

DURING THIS year’s Edinburgh festival, Equity is running a series of free events and workshops between Aug 12 and Aug 17.

The workshops cover topics such as:

• Professional Development
• Networking
• Staying Motivated

A variety of opportunities are also available to meet other Equity members and arts organisations.

For more info:

[email protected]

http://survivingactors.com/home.html

THE FEU ‘Linking In and Meeting Up’ training workshop held at the Brewery Theatre in Bristol on July 2 received a round of applause from the audience made up of members of Equity, the NUJ, MU and Writers’ Guild of Great Britain.

The first in a new series of FEU workshops that aims to help creative freelances around England to gain the key business skills needed to support their core talents, the event focused on networking both face-to-face and via online media.

The workshop received highly positive feedback from the participants: “Excellent FEU Training course. Big thanks to all those involved," (Georgia Patterson, MU) was a typical comment.

Where next on the FEU roadshow?

FEU Training is currently scheduling in a range of new training events around the country including Bristol, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Newcastle. Look out for email, Facebook and Twitter updates coming soon.

Your feedback on camera

The training that we provide is member-led and is specifically tailored to your career development needs. Take a peek at some voxpops from our Bristol audience.

LEARNING AND NETWORKING WITH FEU TRAINING IN BRISTOL

AS PART of ‘Six Summer Saturdays 2012’, Birmingham Hippodrome in collaboration with ‘Natural Theatre’ is offering a professional development performance opportunity for fifteen regional practitioners with an interest in expanding their knowledge and experience of presenting work outdoors.

These practitioners will work with Mark Bishop from Natural Theatre over a two-day workshop programme, which culminates in the performance of ‘REDS’ in Birmingham City Centre.

The workshops will take place at Birmingham Hippodrome on July 18 (11am-5pm) and August 10 (11am-5pm) with the final performance on Aug 11. It is essential that performers are able to commit to the full three days. The project is free but you will be asked to attend an evaluation meeting at the end of the three days.

To apply as a practitioner/find out more

If you wish to apply then please e-mail [email protected] with one side of A4 saying why you would like to be part of this project and give details of your background and experience in performance work. The deadline for expressions of interest is 5pm July 4th.