Helen Douglas – Remploy Glasgow
November 2010
Helen started work as a machinist for Remploy
more years ago than she cares to remember (27). She now trains
people and introduces new people to the ways of the business. She
particularly enjoys helping the work experience youngsters and
training people to make the tabards that are sold to care homes for
their staff. The money made goes back to charity.
Despite her work for Remploy and Unite as a
ULR Helen is a strong and busy wife and mother. She has 3 grown up
children and is a grandmother to boot. If she is 'in' of an
evening, she enjoys knitting and watching TV – especially the
soaps. She has won prizes for her knitting. If she is 'out'
she enjoys socialising and playing bingo.
Eleven years ago Helen started working with
the Community Literacy and Numeracy project (CLAN). This she did in
conjunction with Motherwell College. Because of her long-standing
links with local education providers, Helen is widely thought of
within the company as the fount of all knowledge educational.
It was actually Helens manager who asked if
she would be interested in the role following her appraisal
meetings. She went on to do the ULR training through Sterling
College and the TUC.
Helen enthuses when she talks about her ULR
role. She told me of 2 instances in particular that stand out and
make her feel warm and proud. The first was when she started
getting deaf people involved in the training as well as the
learning. She did this through Deaf Connect. They provided a deaf
tutor and she found money for deaf support. This has encouraged
those with hearing issues to go on and see that there is nothing
they cannot achieve in the way of personal goals and training.
Another example was when Helen was working
with a young girl who had undiagnosed dyslexia. Helen managed to
get her tested for free at Clydebank. The girl is now recognised as
having issues and has gone on to get the support she needed to
qualify as a Carer. Not only has this girl been helped to use her
potential and to get a qualified job, but in her job she helps
others. There are so many at employ who because of Helens skills
and because she maintains confidentiality feel safe to seek out her
support on learning issues.
It's amazing but among all this home and work
activity Helen found the time to get married for the 2nd
time 3 years ago. This time it was to her ex boyfriend from when
she was sweet 16.
For the future, Helens main aim is to keep the
support and ULR system going in these hard times. She makes sure
that she liaises with the other Remploy sites. As senior ULR she
chairs Unite and multi-union meetings. I really don't know where
she gets her energy. All I can do is wish her well and I look
forward to meeting her again in a year or two to find out what new
challenges she has conquered.
Ian Scott
Learning Development coordinator.
Unite the Union
