Wales TUC Cymru

Y Rhwydwaith Rhagoriaeth Network of Excellence

March 2011 Join the march in London!! This Saturday 44 coaches are going to London from Wales.

Not too late to book your place!

Some people are going to have to get up

very early indeed to make it to London

for the march, but spare a thought for

PCS rep, Richard Evans, who has already

started out - a whole week early.

Not content with the 3 mile march in London,

Revenue and Customs worker Richard is first

walking the 166 miles from his home town of

Cardiff to London, aiming to arrive in time for

the march. The trip will take him through

Chepstow, Bath, Swindon, Newbury and

Maidenhead, and he hopes to use it to spread

the word about the damage being caused by the

cuts, and bring more people with him for

Saturday.

As Richard says: “I’m really worried about what’s

happening to our public services. You read about

bus services being cut back, libraries closing,

leisure centres shutting and public toilets being

closed, but I don’t know how many people fully

realise the link between the cuts they’re

experiencing in their services and the

government’s budget cuts.”

If any of Richard's supporters know anybody who

lives along the route Richard is taking,

please ask them to join him for a mile or two.

This is the route he is taking:

Day 5, Wednesday 23 March - Newbury towards

Maidenhead

Day 6, Thursday 24 March - Maidenhead to

around 6/ 7 miles short of London

Day 7, Friday 25 March - Start: 6/7 miles outside

of London - marching in to London

Day 8, Saturday 26 March - joining the March for

the Alternative

If you'd like to follow Richard's epic journey and

wish him luck, join his group on facebook,

http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=gro

up_142688585797246

Or, follow the Twitter hashtag #Walk2March

From those red nose walkers at Kelloggs on their

Offa’s Dyke facebook page,

“Many thanks to all of you who supported us

throughout the Challenge, your comments here,

your texts and phone calls really did give us a

boost. Although the walk is now over, we'll be

limping around for a few days yet. It's a great

sense of achievement, but the most important

thing is that someone will hopefully be

benefitting from our actions.....and that's the

most important thing!”

Can’t make the march? Join the Armchair Army

virtual march 26th

March 2011 on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_1

46591818737668&ap=1

Net News

Will you be a first-time marcher at the TUC’s

March for the Alternative in London on Saturday

26 March?

With this expected to be the largest TUC event

for many decades and the first national

mobilisation against spending cuts viewed as

unfair, too deep and too quick by a majority of

voters, the TUC says that it is important to be

prepared so the day is as successful and

enjoyable as possible for everyone taking part.

The TUC’s top ten tips for first-time marchers –

which old hands might also find useful – are:

1. Tell everyone about it! Bring along your family,

friends and colleagues to share the day. Having

good company along always makes for a fun day

out, and spreading the word will really boost the

size of the march. How many people can you

bring with you?

2. Wear comfortable shoes. The march route from

Embankment to Hyde Park is nearly three miles

long – and if it’s been raining, Hyde Park can get

very muddy – so wear flat shoes, trainers or

boots.

3. Be prepared for the weather. It will be quite a

long day and March weather can be

unpredictable. You might need a coat, jumper,

hat, gloves, umbrella – or even sunscreen and

sunglasses! If you are a public servant and

normally wear a uniform wear that on the day,

unless that will get you into trouble!

4. Keep hydrated. You might not always be near a

shop or newsagents, so bring a bottle of water

and other soft drinks to keep you refreshed.

Cafes and kiosks in Hyde Park will be open as

usual but with thousands expected to attend, it

may be some time before you see the Park

gates.

5. Don’t go hungry. Bring a packed lunch and

snacks as the march and rally take place over

lunch time – and if you’re marching near

towards the back, it may be nearer tea time

before you get to the rally.

66. Bring a rucksack. A rucksack or a bag you can

wear across your body are useful for carrying

things easily – and leave your hands free for

flags! Don’t forget to pack any inhalers or

medicine you usually take.

77. Enjoy the sights. The march route will take you

from the Embankment, up Whitehall and past

Trafalgar Square, along Piccadilly and into Hyde

Park. It’s an opportunity to see London in a

different way without the traffic. Don’t worry

about getting lost if you don’t know London. It’ll

be very obvious where the march is going, and

there will be stewards every few hundred

metres to help out.

88. Share the moment. If you have a camera, why

not take some pictures of the day that you can

send to your local paper? If you’ve a

smartphone, why not share pictures and updates

online as it happens? Twitter users can follow

@March26March, and there’s even a special

phone App for the march, that you can get from

T the march website

www.marchforthealternative.org.uk

99. Look after other people. Treat everyone with

respect and look out for anyone who needs help

or assistance on the way round. If you want to

help others even more, why not volunteer to be

a steward?

110. Arrive on time and know your way home. Be

patient – with more than 100,000 marchers the

march will be leaving the assembly point from

12noon to well after 2 pm and possibly later. If

you’re coming by public transport think about

coming later rather than early, and try to join the

march from the rear – think of tube stations like

Mansion House and Southwark. If you’re coming

on a coach make sure you know where the pick-

up point is and what time the coach will be

leaving. Check your route back to underground

and overground train stations from Hyde Park.

Ask the police or march stewards if you’re

unsure.

Net News

Apologies from Bernice as this next item has

gone out later than planned. If you would have

been interested in this course, why not contact

Nicola and put your name down for a future

course?

The Connecting Learners Project is running a

FREE Basic IT Workshop which is open to all staff

and volunteers in the community/voluntary

sector

It will run for 5 weeks, is OCN Accredited and is

a great way for individuals to gain the skills and

confidence needed to start using a computer!

Dates:

Monday 21st

March 9.30-11.30am

Monday 28th

March 9.30-11.30am

Monday 4th

April 9.30-11.30am

Monday 11th

April 9.30-11.30am

Monday 18th

April 9.30-11.30am

Location: WEA Offices in Swansea

The aim is to support and compliment work

based learning opportunities.

If you are interested in attending this workshop

or for further information contact Nicola Bujega

on 01792 646640 , email

connectinglearners@communitylives.co.uk

or visit our website at

www.connectinglearners.wordpress.com

Connecting Learners is funded by the Welsh Assembly

Government via a funding stream called the Wales Union

Learning Fund. The Project will run until March 2013

Visit Connected Learners Cymru at:

www.connectedlearnerscymru.ning.com/?xg_so

urce=msg_mes_network

www.bbc.co.uk/wales/info/sites/charities/

Jacqui

When: Thursday 24th March

Where: White Rose Resource Centre,

New Tredegar

Time: 6-30 to 8-30pm Free buffet!

Join us for a family evening of Music - Poetry &

Pampering. Patrick Jones, one of Wales’ finest

poets, will be performing. Music from - Hark! A

Shark! Free Raffle for a signed Cardiff City FC

shirt

For more details contact Jacqui on 02920

692891 or Aaron on 01443 878092

Toward recovery from depression

Jacqui from Journeys gave an excellent

presentation at the ULR conference last year.

Journeys support people to find their route to

recovery from depression. Their mission is to:

• Equip - Promoting and facilitating

research, services, and treatment

• Empower - Advocating for clients'

rights

• Encourage - Providing direct support to

clients and families

Journeys is the only organisation in Wales whose

sole purpose is to offer support and

understanding to people affected by depression,

their friends, families and carers.

Depression is a serious condition involving

symptoms that interfere with day-to-day living. 1

in 4 people in Wales have depression, making it

one of the most common conditions.

For further information on the charity and its

work please contact:

Journeys Towards Recovery

38 Albany Road

Cardiff CF24 3RQ

Tel: 029 2069-2891

Email: info@journeysonline.org.uk

Website: www.journeysonline.org.uk

Net News

Then this one-day introductory training course

for individuals and organisations could be for

you.

Understanding and Applying Education for

Sustainable Development and Global

Citizenship

A one-day introductory training course for

individuals and organisations new to ESDGC.

This is a practical course which will provide the

necessary background information and help you

develop the skills needed to engage in this

exciting area of work.

Aim of the Course - is to provide an overall

picture of ESDGC, what it’s about and how to

incorporate it into your work.

There will be an opportunity to explore the ideas

and the issues involved in ESDGC and to

experiment with various techniques and

resources that support it. Finally, we will

consider how this fits in with WAG policies and

with personal training practice.

Venues and dates:

Swansea

10am – 4pm Tuesday April 5th The

Environment Centre, Swansea.

Bangor

10am – 4pm Thursday April 7th, Quaker

Meeting House, Bangor.

Cost: Cyfanfyd Members £50 / Non-Members

£65 *

* Bursaries are available for trainers from black

and minority ethnic and minority faiths

organisations. Please contact Cyfanfyd for

further details.

By post: Cyfanfyd, Temple of Peace, Cathays

Park, Cardiff CF10 3AP

By telephone: 029 2066 8999

By email: info@cyfanfyd.org.uk

Below is a link for more information on

the NIACE led Independent Numeracy Inquiry

that might be of interest to ULRs.

www.unionlearn.org.uk/skills/learn-3830-f0.cfm

For the attention of your Safety Reps:

The Labour Research Department (LRD) are

about to publish Safety Reps in Action outlining

the crucial role played by safety reps in the

workplace. LRD is also planning

to update its database of policies negotiated by

safety reps, to help share good practice.

We would be grateful if you could fill in this

short online survey:

http://www.lrd.org.uk/surveys/safetyrep/

Please feel free to contact our Health and

safety researcher directly should you have any

queries: Nerys Owen, nerys@lrd.org.uk

It would be great if you

could complete and submit the above

survey within the next 10 days, and

we look forward to receiving your

completed surveys.

Regards, Labour Research Department

email: info@lrd.org.uk tel: 020 7928 3649

Please forward this survey to other Health and

Safety colleagues.

20 Bridgend Monday

21 Milford Haven Tuesday

23 Machynlleth Thursday

29 Colwyn Bay Wednesday (change of date)

Net News

Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science,

Innovation and Skills, announced a £2.4million

package to support skills in the workplace and to

help those at risk of redundancy or

redeployment.

The funding will support thirteen projects

approved under the latest bidding round from

the Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF).

A number of the approved projects this year

have a specific focus on providing support to

workers whose jobs may be at risk as a

consequence of UK Government spending cuts.

WULF, launched in 1999 to increase the capacity

of Trade Unions to encourage and support

learning in the workplace, funds Unions, working

in partnership with employers, to improve the

skills of the workforce.

The Deputy Minister said improving basic skills

and developing transferable skills increases

opportunities, particularly for those whose jobs

are vulnerable. “A number of projects

supported by the Fund this year are designed to

address employability skills and have a strong

focus on supporting those at risk of redundancy

or redeployment.”

“The Wales Union Learning Fund has played an

important role in helping to increase skills in the

workforce and continues to provide an

opportunity for many to access learning

opportunities which they may not otherwise

have been able to access.

With nearly £11m from the Welsh Assembly

Government, WULF has already supported 153

projects, created a network of over 100 union

learning centres with over 1,300 union learning

representatives that have provided more than

10,000 employees across Wales with access to

learning.

The Wales TUC Study Visit has been advertised

in the new transversal catalogue on page 48.

The visit will take place 7th - 11th November.

Don't miss the opportunity to apply to

participate in a Transversal Study Visit. The

deadline is 31 March for visits taking place

between September 2011 and February 2012.

The catalogue of Study Visits, the application

form and useful guidance are available on our

website. www.wtuclearn.org/

ADT has opened an office and training suite in

the bustling market town of Carmarthen, West

Wales. This allows ADT to meet the needs of its

West Wales learners, local and national

employers, and to service national government

funded training programmes.

ADT Director Alan Roberts commented that

"Opening the training facility in Carmarthen

demonstrates ADT’s commitment to the

employers and learners of West Wales. Further,

this exciting development means that ADT now

has an office and training centre in every region

of the principality - ADT is now a genuine pan

Wales provider, well placed to service the needs

of all our stakeholders alike".

Caernarfon (Head Office) Tel: 01286 677275 enquiry@adt-ltd.com

Wales TUC seminar: The Equality Act 2010

Wales TUC is offering a free half-day seminar

for union officers and reps on the Equality Act.

This seminar will give you an overview of the

new Act and how it applies in the workplace.

Date: Tuesday 12th April 2011

Time: 10 am - 1pm

Venue: Unite offices, Cardiff

www.wtuclearn.org/

Net News

We would be grateful if you could spare a few

moments to tell us what you think about Quick

Reads and the impact they have had on you and

your colleagues. Your feedback and comments

will help us to continue the development of the

Quick Reads campaign.

If you are a Union Learning Representative,

simply complete our online survey at the

following link: www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/SNAP/qrulrs.htm

We also have a short questionnaire for your

learners to complete at the following link: www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/SNAP/qrlearners.htm

It should take no more than 10 minutes to

complete, your details will not be passed on to

any third party and all responses will be reported

anonymously.

The survey will closes this week!

We now have a new URL for the Unite Lifelong

Learning web pages. It is

www.unitetheunion.org/LLL

It is probably as short as we are going to get,

and will be used on future new and updated

publications. Please feel free to pass this

around.

http://www.saysomethinginwelsh.com/home/

Join over 10,267 other Welsh learners who think

this is a new, simpler and faster way to learn

Welsh

You don't need to read or write or do any

revision - you just start speaking normally and

naturally from the very beginning.

But we don't expect you to take our word for it!

Listen to the first lesson - either the northern or

the southern version - and if you like it, you can

access another 25 half-hour lessons for free

http://www.saysomethinginwelsh.com/home/

Chwarae Teg is currently recruiting for the

following post:

Project Training Officer – Colwyn Bay

Full details of the role and a job description

can be found at

www.chwaraeteg.com/vacancies/.

The closing date for this role is:

12 noon Thursday 31st

March 2011.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

“Thousands of people across the UK are already

being affected by the cuts, and many more will

lose their jobs or vital public services like

libraries or SureStart centres for their children in

coming months.

“The March for the Alternative is a chance for all

of those who’ve been hit by the cuts – public

sector workers, voluntary groups, community

organisations, unions and families – to unite and

show that there is an alternative to the

government’s deep cuts in public spending.

“We are planning the day to be safe, well-

stewarded and family-friendly. We're working

closely with the police and other authorities to

make sure this will be well-organised, and that

nothing will distract from the message of the

day.”

If you are not on the Net News circulation list

and want to add your details please contact:

Bernice Waugh

Network of Excellence Y Rhwydwaith

Rhagoriaeth Wales TUC Cymru

ebost/e-mail: bwaugh@tuc.org.uk

Ffon/Tel: 07917 415601

Same details if you need to unsubscribe.