There are a number of activities and initiatives that you can do locally to get members interested in lifelong learning and the OU/UNISON partnership. These range from simple ideas like noticeboards and questionnaires to holding events, co-ordinating short course sessions or working with your local branch on sponsored initiatives.

UNISON Learning Reps have found a variety of ways to get things up and running locally.  Some examples include:

• A health branch in Wales holds regular ULR forums designed to promote new activities and best practice.
• Some branches hold regular award ceremonies for students who have studied UNISON courses.
• The South West regional education team (made up of union learning reps) surveyed members and found they wanted short courses on stress at work, assertiveness training, interview skills for job interviews and personal finance.  They then worked to get these courses provided by the Workers' Educational Association and other voluntary organisations.
• UNISON in Northern Ireland surveyed their Health Service members and found they were interested in attending sessions on short course professional development.  UNISON began working with the OU to provide courses on a range of topics from wound care to dyslexia, an introduction to computing skills to tackling elderly abuse.
• Some UNISON branches have set up networks of UNISON workplace contacts who are interested in promoting learning and are happy to relay information to UNISON members.
• An ambulance branch recently helped over 80 staff test their English and Maths skills.  The branch education co-ordinator with a team of ULRs recruited for the purpose distributed leaflets to all staff to get them involved.