Autumn is here, back to School, back to Learning!

It seems no time at all since we were holding the Learning at Work Days.  Here are a few photos from these days in May---

Hilary Hallas (O&S Training Manager) gets a QR Code tag from ULR for PCS, Sara Wood-Ripley

Kate Antioniou, Prospect ULR Coordinator at the Prospect table, while PCS rep, Melanie Johnson investigates the handouts.

This is the PCS stand with Sarah Wood-Ripley, PCS ULR

Sarah Wood-Riley (PCS ULR) & Andy Robinson (Prospect ULR) were in charge of the QR code stand

Since then, it has been a quiet summer for the ULRs being a "man down" due to an injury for one of our number & wish this member well & hopes they bounce back soon!

Of note currently in the BL---The Organisation Development team are setting up a mentor/mentee programme.  They have gathered a group of mentors but are still looking for mentees to participate.  To find out more, check the internet for details or contact Sarah MacEwan in Organisation Development.

There is some Digital Champion training going on for one of our ULRs and she is considering organising a "Digital Swap Shop" for digital learning.  If there is enough interest, we would develop a board where people can swap instructions with others.  People would tell which programmes or applications they were confident in showing someone how to use & in turn, what they would like to learn and we could swap the talents of all the participants.

So, for example, Bill who is a wiz at digital photography gives Sally some informal tuition on  digital photos.  Bill wants to know how to use Skype so Jack shows him. Jack needs to know how to use Powerpoint and Sally shows him. 

If you think this is a good idea, please let one of the ULRs know, a brief email will suffice.

This month's new hot online site is ipadio

http://www.ipadio.com/

Ipadio is an interface for podcasting, if you have a phone you can use it.  You could make reports back to your team from an event you are attending with this tool.  You might use it to archive demonstrations or even wish someone well from far away.  

We'll be keeping you posted with all things learning, happy autumn all!

Learning At Work Day is upon us

The 2012 Learning at Work events at the Library will be presented

 on Tuesday 22nd May in Boston Spa in the Conference Suite

and on Tuesday 29th May in St Pancras Panizzi Room & corridor (Floor 4)

Both events are 10:30 AM until 2:00 PM

"The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential."---Steve Ballmer

This year’s Learning at Work Days are all about learning through the use of technology and digital information. 

We'll have a range of stands with demonstrations, hands-on activities and opportunities to talk to experts, ask questions and get advice. There’ll be some fun activities too. 

Attend in work time as long as you have your manager's permission. 

Talks – on 22nd, 23rd and 30th May - six staff experts give short talks on some of the digital developments happening around the Library and how we are exploiting digital technologies to engage with users and shape the future. Full programme at- 

http://intranet.bl.uk/newsevents/archive/2012/law2012programmetalks.html

Book talks now but otherwise just come along to the exhibition events on the day. This event supports the Digital Skills strategy. 

Learning at Work (LAW) Day is an annual awareness campaign organised by the Campaign for Learning (CfL) since 1999. LAW Day promotes and supports workplace learning events across the country. It aims to draw attention to the importance of workplace learning and skills. It encourages people to offer learning to all employees especially to those that may not participate in current learning opportunities. 

LAW Day is part of Adult Learners' Week.

The Campaign for Learning believes that it is more important than ever that workplaces and individuals maintain and develop their skills levels and motivation to learn in order to adapt and thrive in the economic downturn. Each year, thousands of organisations take part in LAW Day and stage fun and business-related learning activities that promote learning, provide a catalyst for change and support their employees to learn new skills that they can put into action at work and beyond. By getting involved in the biggest annual celebration of workplace learning you could uncover new skills, build new partnerships and help reach your business goals - all at the same time!

We have a constructed a quiz to help you employ good online researching skills, utilising in part, an Olympic theme in recognition of the forthcoming 2012 Olympic Games.  Make sure you stop by the Prospect or PCS stands to pick up your copy.  You will have until 1st June 2012 to complete it.

Many More Announcements

Important dates for your calendars:

The BL's Learning at work 2012 Event

Will be on Tuesday 22nd May in Boston Spa

and

 Tuesday 29th May in London

More news and information to come

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Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

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12:21 minute long talk

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Dear Colleagues,

Human Resources Organisation Development is in the position to offer a Confidence in Handling Challenging Conversations workshopat St Pancras and Boston Spa. Please see attached.

We are asking for your support in drumming up interest by informing staff members within your directorate and or within your trade union of this opportunity available.

If you or any of your colleagues would like to book a place or to express interest, please contact me via godfrey.waite@bl.uk or telephone x 7275.

Regards,

Godfrey Waite

This workshop will offer practical techniques to handle potentially
difficult conversations with colleagues effectively and with
confidence.


Anyone who manages staff and/or has to deliver challenging
conversations with accountability, in the work place.


Delegates will:

·         Have a clearer understanding of the value of working with a moderate amount of substantive conflict as a manager.

·         To be aware of conflict management strategies to widen the participant’s toolkit of management skills.

·         To enhance knowledge of how to respond to staff in challenging work place situations.

·         Support development in the following competencies: personal and professional impact, leading change, managing and developing people.

St Pancras:     28 March 2012      9:00 – 12:45 or 13:15 – 17:00

                        20 April 2012         9:00 – 12:45 or 13:15 – 17:00

 Boston Spa:   2 March 2012         9:00 – 12:45 or 13:15 – 17:00

                      27 March 2012        9:00 – 12:45 or 13:15 – 17:00

Email Godfrey Waite or telephone him on ext 7275

Please ensure you have the approval of your line manager to attend.

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For Union members ONLY:

Dear Colleagues,

Unionlearn in Yorkshire & the Humber are developing a Green Skills forum for reps and others who have an interest in this agenda.  This will be held on a quarterly basis throughout the region.

The inaugural event will be held at the unionlearn offices on the 20th March 2012 starting at 9.30am  and will be a chance to familiarise yourself with new, existing and future initiatives concerning this key development area of work.

The event will give Union Learning Reps the opportunity to shape how this new forum will work and to have their say on key ‘Green Issues’ in and around the region.

The forum will provide a platform to discuss and identify implementation tools, strategies and local initiatives from theory to practice, draw on current research to discuss future ideas as well as to identify the obstacles and challenges lying ahead for the development of skills, education and training policies for a low carbon economy.

The forum itself is expected to:

·         Compare methods and tools used in monitoring and evaluating developments in the green economy and local labour markets.

·         Indicate how research can support better targeted policy making and skills strategies.

·         Provide inspiration and ideas for future research and collaboration.

·         Promote the sharing of best practice between unions, individual reps and workplaces.

·         Develop strategies to support members within the region

The forum will be taking place at the unionlearn offices at 33 Park Place, Leeds, LS1 2RY on Thursday 20th March 2012 from 9.30am and will be followed by a networking lunch at around 12.30 (lunch will be provided)

If you are interested in attending this event could you please confirm your intention along with any dietary requirements to the following email address – afox@tuc.org.uk by Friday 9^th March. 

Places are limited so will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Kind Regards

  

Addam Fox

Unionlearn with Yorkshire and the Humber TUC

33 Park Place

Leeds

LS1 2RY

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For Prospect members ONLY:

If any Prospect members are interested in the CareerPlus Workshop for Leeds on 8^th March at 3 Albion Place Leeds, LS1 6JL.  please email me at pauline.tee@prospect.org.uk

Many Thanks

 Pauline

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Pauline Tee ULF Project Development Worker M:             07834 451785       E: pauline.tee@prospect.org.uk www.twitter.com/prospectunion

Prospect Head Office New Prospect House 8 Leake Street London SE1 7NN www.prospect.org.uk

 Prospect CareerPlus Workshop

Career Transitions

Thursday, 8^th March 2012 – 3 Albion Place, Leeds

Aim:

To equip participants with the awareness and skills necessary to manage the range of career transitions that they will face in this current climate of change

Enable participants to:

§        appreciate the emotional journey that they are facing as they embark on the next stage of their personal career development

§        create an awareness of their marketable skills and an understanding of how to describe these effectively to potential recruiters

§        develop an understanding of what recruiters look for on CVs and applications

§        gain greater confidence in how to deal with interviews through effective preparation

§        consider a range of job hunting tactics and how to choose the most appropriate methods for their circumstances

§        develop greater confidence in their ability to network effectively in their job hunting

§        formulate a clear plan of action of their next steps

10.00 am         Tea & Coffee and Welcome

10.15                                Session 1: Introduction

10.45                              Session 2:  Career Transition        

11.15                              Session 3: Transferring Skills and Competencies in the Marketplace

12.00   pm      Coffee/Tea

12.15               Session 4: Intelligent Job Hunting

1.15                                  Lunch

2.00                 Session 5: Effective Applications

3.00                 Tea/Coffee

3.15                 Session 6: Interviews

4.00                 Session 7: Review of Day, Action Setting and Wrap Up

4.30                 Close