Friday, August 25, 2006

Return2Learn comes to Barnet


Amazing results……..
I became the Life Long Learner Coordinator at the end of November 2005 and in all my time within the Trade Union Movement this has become one of the most rewarding experiences that I have had.
On the very first morning of the open day, we signed up 70 members of staff. The courses started in January this year and by the end of July we will have had 11 courses for over 150 staff. It has been amazing to watch the staff arriving for the first day a bit apprehensive hoping it was not going to be like school, then two weeks later I meet staff in the depot and they are saying:
“These courses are really great and I am learning something from them”, “I have been able to help my kids with homework which I have never been able to do before, not having the confidence”, or “Do you know I thought I knew how to write letters but really I had forgotten.”
To see some staff who have had very little formal training ask “more please”, has been great.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those operational managers who have helped make this work and make a difference to their staffs lives.
This small project has now spread not only across the Council into Social Services, Educationn/Schools, Resources, other Partner organisations are wanting to take up these exciting opportunities.
If you want to know more about the FREE Return2Learn course
then give me a call at the UNISON office or

Carmen Bruno (Life Long Learning Coordinator)

2 comments:

Jon Rogers said...

In welcoming Barnet UNISON to the blogosphere I am very pleased to read about the excellent work you are doing in relation to lifelong learning.

More power to your elbow comrades!

Anonymous said...

Great to read about so many new "UNISON" learners. Did you know that UNISON members are entitled to discounts on a range of courses from the Open University(OU) and other providers? We've just negotiated a 10% reduction on courses from the OU Business School, the biggest business school in Europe. For more information, visit our website www.unison-opencollege.org.