Summary descriptions of the TUC's SGA International Development Mini Learning Fund

Summary descriptions of the TUC's SGA International Development Mini Learning Fund

The Mini Learning Fund ran from November 2004 to March 2006, for further information, in some instances you can contact the union directly, in other instances, you can email Gemma Freedman Gfreedman@tuc.org.uk instead.

• Amicus
• ASLEF
• AUT/Natfhe (now UCU)
• Communication Workers Union
• FBU
• National Union of Teachers
• Prospect
• TGWU
• TSSA
• UNISON

Amicus

The union developed paper-based and online education materials to further the union's Africa Matters Campaign, a joint initiative with Action for Southern Africa. It organised two national seminars and six regional workshops, attracting a total of 390 participants, against a target of 360. The experience of the first regional workshop convinced the project team that the presence of an African trade unionist was an essential component of any future regional meetings as a recruiting tool. There was good co-operation between the union's education and international departments and both are working hard to ensure that international solidarity work becomes part of the union's wider educational provision.

Additional international solidarity campaigning materials were developed and will be incorporated into a new Workplace Representatives Stage 4 course on the Amicus national education programme, which will be offered to Amicus members from autumn 2006 . These materials (largely consisting of group activities) are also offered as a stand-alone one-day course for incorporation into the education programmes offered by Amicus Regions. One of the primary purposes of the development of these materials is to mainstream the results of the Africa Matters Project into Amicus educational activities as well as to act as a natural introductory course for Amicus members interested in applying for the Africa Matters Module itself.

Work on developing the union's dedicated Africa Matters website: www.amicustheunion.org/africamattersmodule has been completed. The project has been widely publicised within the union and further dissemination is continuing. It was efficiently administered and the union has presented some ideas regarding further work. For further information email harriet.eisner@amicustheunion.org.

ASLEF

The union held an international development school at Wortley Hall, Sheffield, followed by a series of regional seminars.

It was an example of good co-operation between the union education officer and the national organiser and the Global Union, the ITF, was also involved. Unfortunately, the education officer left the union before the completion of the programme and it was not continued due to staff shortages. The union reports a sustained impact on the education courses run by the union, all of which now cover the issue of the impact of globalisation on developing countries. The union has also expressed interest in further developing this work in the future.

AUT/Natfhe (now UCU)

The project sought to raise the profile of international development with AUT and Natfhe members through examining the impact of the 'brain drain' on higher education in developing countries. There was a speaking tour by a Zimbabwean university lecturer and the issues were examined at the two unions' annual conferences and in a one-day conference held in London. The project focused mainly on Africa and union members from the African diaspora were very much involved in the debate about the need to develop a holistic approach to the issue. The project has been widely publicised within the union, in the global union Education International and in the media. The two unions merged on 1 June 2006 to form the UCU and there ideas about how the issues could be followed up in the new union. The links established with developing country academics will be sustained. For further information, email Rob Copeland, Rob.Copeland@aut.org.uk.

Communication Workers Union

The project was developed in co-operation with One World Action and Solihull College Trade Union Education Centre. It was designed to raise awareness of development issues through the core education programme and began with an awareness-raising visit by a trade unionist from the Philippines. Following the visit, a DVD and education materials were developed and were launched at the CWU Union Learning Conference. The 17-minute DVD about the trade union visit is entitled 'We are Many, they are Few'. It emphasises the importance of unions working across borders to resist exploitation of the most vulnerable workers. A booklet to accompany the film makes suggestions for discussion topics at meetings and contains comparisons of life in the UK and the Philippines, case studies and information about international development. All CWU branches have received copies of the DVD and booklet and at least two have put in place formal twinning arrangements with the sister union in the Philippines.

There is now a structured international session on some union skills and health and safety courses. The DVD is shown on every CWU residential course at the union national education centre. The project was publicised in the union journal and on the website and in the Morning Star newspaper. The CWU wants to expand development education resources available to branches and activists.

For more information visit www.cwueducation.org and click on the International Solidarity Appeal link.

FBU

The union developed its proposal in consultation with the College of NorthEast London and ICTUR. Its aim was to develop a 2-day course to educate members by linking global issues with current issues affecting fire-fighters and other public sector workers in the UK. The course has been piloted and participants will be surveyed before the course content is finalised. The results will inform future work on the development education agenda.

National Union of Teachers

The project was developed in co-operation with a number of NGOs: Education Action International, Oxfam, VSO and the Global Union Federation, Education International. It aimed to raise the members' awareness of international development, build knowledge, encourage links and provide ideas and practical examples for NUT members at local level. Funding from the MLF enabled the NUT to organise themed meetings at NUT conferences in 2005 and 2006, run four residential workshops for members, provide an international development input into the annual training course for NUT division secretaries and organise a one-day Good Practice Forum.

A Good Practice Guide for NUT members and associations was produced, encouraging the promotion of international development throughout the union. It contains case studies, quotations, jargon busters and useful resources and websites.

For further information email r.blunt@nut.org.uk

Prospect

It was not possible for the project to be implemented as envisaged because of internal restructuring. After consultations with the TUC, two pilot membership workshops were held in February 2006 to gauge the interest of Prospect members in developing future work on international development and the results are promising. The union has learned lessons about how to plan future work on a cross-departmental basis and there is a committed team in place to manage future work on international development. For further information email Beverley Hall beverley.hall@prospect.org.uk.

TGWU

The project was developed as a joint initiative between the Education and International departments of the TGWU. It focused on two sectoral groups - public services and the logistics sector. Two 5-day residential workshops were held and had participation from the relevant Global Union Federations and from developing country trade unionists and International Federation of Workers Education Associations. The participants (40 in total) were shop stewards and senior workplace representatives from the two sectors. Feedback from participants was very positive and they felt that they had been given the confidence and competence to understand the international dimension in their sectors and educate their members in the workplace.

TSSA

The project was planned to have four weekend courses for young members examining different aspects of international development and the transport industry. The union experienced in attracting sufficient numbers of young members to the courses and, by agreement with the TUC, the age limit was removed. In line with the proposal, it was also agreed to extend invitations to participants from other transport unions but this did not lead to any recruitment. In the end, two courses were held, one on HIV and AIDS and the other on Women in Transport. The total number of participants was 22. The union officer concluded that more work needs to be done to build up the members' interest in international development issues and she is attempting to do this in her work as a result of her experience with this project. The union wishes to continue working with the TUC to further the international development agenda. For further information email Val Stansfield stansfieldv@tssa.org.uk.

UNISON

The Unison project was developed in co-operation with the International Federation of Workers Education Associations and IFWEA were also involved in the development of course materials. The project was run by the Learning and Organising Services Department of the union with good co-operation from the International Unit. Recruitment proved to be challenging because of domestic issues on the union agenda and two pilot programmes were organised instead of three. International development issues were promoted at a seminar for Branch International Officers. Unison would like to continue a programme of development education. Service groups, young members' groups and new representatives have been identified as possible targets. For further information email Louise Chinnery l.chinnery@unison.co.uk.