Lifelong Learning celebrated in award

Dot Paterson, Lifelong Learning Officer

It has been a busy and exciting year for me as the Branch Lifelong Learning Officer, which culminated in the Health & Social Care Department receiving the first CLAN (City Literacy and Numeracy) "Workplace Literacies Employers Award" Workers are getting opportunities to improve reading, writing and number skills at work through a unique initiative between the Department and the WEA (Workers' Educational Association), of which UNISON is a member.

A learning agreement between UNISON, the WEA and the former Social Work Department has ensured that staff are encouraged and supported to apply (with paid leave) to attend a suite of courses, Starting Points, Return to Learn and Improve your Study Skills.

The WEA leads the development of literacies learning provision in the workplace on behalf of CLAN. This is an innovative approach whereby the learning programme is created and customized to suit staff.

The learning usually takes place in the workplace and with employer support, staff are released in work time to participate in the same way they would for any other staff development/ training opportunity.

I have been instramental in ensuring that staff are made aware of the opportunities and how to access them. Managers in the department have welcomed the initiative and have encouraged and supported staff to attend the groups, so much so, that the department was presented with an award to recognize its outstanding contribution to literacies learning at an awards ceremony in September.

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, Convenor, Education, Children and Families presented the award to the Director of Health & Social Care, Peter Gabbitas. On receiving the award, Peter paid special tribute to Bill King, Manager, Health & Social Care, and myself as Branch Lifelong Learning Officer for UNISON.

The award is the first of its kind in Scotland and it is hoped that it will encourage other employers across the country to introduce literacies learning as part of their regular training programmes.

To date, in excess of 442 staff from Health & Social Care have taken part in the training, which encourages workers to think about what they write, both at work and in their personal lives.

The programme which was created, and is jointly delivered, by myself and Vickie Hobson from the WEA, is seen as a model for engaging Health and Social Care workers and is being replicated across Scotland.

This joint delivery proved invaluable as it was an opportunity for workers to raise and clarify work-related issues with a practicing manager and proved instrumental in promoting their self-esteem and the value and importance of their work.

My vision for next year is to continue to raise awareness and promote what is avaliable, and ensure that members across all Departments, are given the opportunity and support, to access all appropriate training which enables them to accomplish their full potential, and achieve their goals.

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