www.gmbreachout.org.uk

@GMBReachoutNI

Reach Out

Comes to

Northern Ireland

Issue 1 Inside this issue: Regional

Secretary What is GMB

Reach Out? Reach Out

Training Room

Training Needs Survey

Open

University We Need You Useful

Links Contact

Details

Regional Secretary - Paul McCarthy

Welcome to Reach Out NI

This is an exciting new chapter in the Reach Out story for the GMB North

West & Irish Region as we develop the education and training agenda for our

members in Northern Ireland.

Across the Region I have seen Reach Out go from strength to strength . We

have forged new partnerships with forward looking employers who see the

importance of skills development for their workforce. The development of

sector specific skills offers has won praise by those in the Care and Retail

industries. The Response to Redundancy initiative gives support at a critical

time in peoples’ lives and “Work Clubs” are giving new hope to those who are

unemployed or returning to the labour market.

We are pleased to be working alongside the ICTU, Union Learn Northern Ireland and our colleagues in

other unions to raise the profile for good training and promote the wider skills agenda.

Paul McCarthy Regional Secretary

What is GMB Reach Out?

The project is funded through the Union Learning Fund and is specifically designed to help build and

support a network of Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) in partnership with employers as part of the

national strategy for developing workforce skills.

What is a ULR? ULRs are trained in advising members on learning needs and

opportunities. They have been recognised as having a significant impact

on increasing motivation and enthusiasm for learning among employees,

employers and in local communities.

ULRs often share a level of trust with their members and frequently

engage with individuals who lack confidence or feel embarrassed about

sharing their learning needs with their employer. The key tasks undertaken

by Union Learning Representatives include:

Providing information advice and guidance on learning to members

Helping GMB and employers to establish workplace learning centres

Assisting employers and members in securing funding for learning

Monitoring the quality of learning provision

Negotiating GMB Learning Agreements with employers including time off to study

Delivering the GMB equal opportunities strategy and policy for members through learning

Reach Out has developed, in partnership, a wide range of services and provision for members in work,

those facing redundancy, as well as members seeking help returning to work.

The Network of Learning Centres includes, Liverpool, Runcorn, Preston, Oldham, Manchester,

Accrington and now Belfast. These centres are leading the way in building partnerships to meet the

needs of workers and their families.

We Need YOU !!

Do you want to help your members more?

Would you like to be the person that helps members to enhance their skills or gain new

ones?

Do you enjoy working with people and making a difference to peoples’ lives?

Do you want to help your work colleagues and your employer to stay competitive and to

have a secure future?

Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) are doing just that every day. We need more members to come forward to train as a ULRs and to

ensure workers and their families are not excluded from the skills

agenda in their communities and workplaces.

We can negotiate paid time off with employers to enable you to

train. Speak to your Branch Secretary or convener.

Reach Out Training Room

We are pleased to announce the development of a new Training Room and office at the GMB Belfast

Office in Holywood from which we are developing the project across Northern Ireland. Thanks to the ULF

Fund in Northern Ireland in partnership with the ICTUNI we have developed the new facility which includes

a new faster broadband connection alongside and a bank of computers and printer.

A series of short workshops / courses for members and activists are on offer:

Introduction to Computers

Introduction to social media to promote learning

How to access online learning materials & resources

Using IT to improve communication with members

BOOK YOUR PLACE EARLY info@gmbreachout.org.uk

Training Needs Survey

We have launched an online training

needs survey to help us obtain

feedback from members and those

interested in developing their skills

further.

This is your chance to shape the Reach Out

Training Offer. The survey can be found at:

www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z8T85B6

Open University

The OU offers a range of courses including free

short courses to help people understand key

issues and develop their education and

knowledge.

The FREE Open Learn courses on a range of

topics may be worth exploring.

www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses

Education & Skills are Key

“Economic growth and recovery may be constrained by skill

shortages as the labour market responds to employer

requirements. While in most cases demand for skills is met

through successful recruitment, almost three in ten

vacancies are reported to be hard-to-fill, and shortages in

suitably skilled, qualified and/or experienced workers are the

main reason for this. Overall, such skill-shortage vacancies

represent more than one in five of all vacancies.”

From the UKCES Employer Skills Survey 2013,

Executive Summary 2014

GMB Reach Out N.I.

Victoria House 1a Victoria Road

Holywood Northern Ireland

BT18 9BA

T: 02890 393340 F: 02890 427360

Project Worker

Andy McCann: 07715 043640 andy@gmbreachout.org.uk

w: www.gmbreachout.org.uk

e: info@gmbreachout.org.uk Twitter: @GMBReachoutNI

Project Manager

Kevin Flanagan 0161 877 9439

kevin@gmbreachout.org.uk

www.gmbreachout.org.uk

GMB

Reach Out N.I.

contact details

Resources and Links

GMB Reach Out

www.gmbreachout.org.uk

Reach Out NI Twitter feed @GMBReachoutNI

GMB NW & Irish Region Education Courses:

www.gmbnorthwest.co.uk

ICTU Report on Union Learning in Northern Ireland

www.ictuni.org/download/pdf

ICTU Training Programme 2015 This link takes you to the Trade Union Education & Training

Programme run by the ICTU Northern Ireland Committee

www.ictuni.org/publications/tussall-programme-201415

World Book Night www.worldbooknight.org

BBC Education www.bbc.co.uk/learning

North West Regional College www.nwrc.ac.uk/TheCourses