Preparing young people for the challenges and opportunities of employment is increasingly important, especially at a time of rapid change in the world of work.
The TUC's Unions into Schools website provides a dynamic set of learning materials for use at secondary level and above. These materials can be applied to the teaching of citizenship, PSHE, history, business studies, economics, general studies, geography and other subjects.
There are 5 units to choose from, each with a set of teachers' notes, a 45 minute presentation featuring videos, slides and activities and factsheets.
- The Essentials - a beginners guide to trade unions, what they are, who they represent and what they do
- Working Lives - an introduction to the modern world of work and the trade union role in the workplace
- Rights and Responsibilities - a basic guide to your rights and responsibilities at work
- History - a look at 200 years of British trade union history, developed in partnership with the TUC Library Collection at London Metropolitan University.
- Working for Global Justice - the trade union role in international campaigns for labour standards and human rights
Unions into Schools is free to access and can be found here
Students and teachers may also wish to visit the "Winning Equal Pay" section of the Union History website. This includes a set of teachers' notes and classroom activities based on the equal pay archives developed as a partnership initiative between London Metropolitan University and the Trades Union Congress. These can be found here.
- Invite a speaker - The TUC is often able to provide trade union speakersto deliver talks to school children about rights at work and the importance of trade unionism. Find out details of how to invite a speaker to your school.