First Manchester’s Queens road depot win Quality
Award
Union Learner Reps
(ULRs) at First Manchester’s Queens Road depot
learning centre are struggling to find space on the wall for their
latest award. Project Worker Stuart Smith was
presented with unionlearn’s prestigious “Quality
Award” at the recent North West Regional Champions of
Learning Conference in Aintree. The award was made in recognition
of the support given by ULRs Bob Holt, Paul Brown
and Stuart to a group of ESOL learners at the depot. According to
unionlearn’s website, the award is given:-
“to providers who demonstrate that
union learners are considered in the design, development and
delivery of courses and programmes. The award will help signpost
ULRs to union friendly provision.”
Stuart is keen to highlight
the value of the partnership between Unite and First
Manchester. In 2005, Unite tutors were providing ESOL
support to a number of drivers at the depot, but in 2006, Stuart
and Bob became TESOL qualified and with Paul’s support have been
delivering ESOL tuition to drivers and engineering colleagues ever
since. During the past five years they have delivered a wide range
of ESOL activities and have adapted a number of the company’s
vocational training materials, particularly in the area of personal
safety and injury prevention.
The company, in partnership
with Unite, hosts an annual Trade Union Learner Rep Conference,
which is attended by ULRs from its fifty UK learner centres. Queens
Road collected awards in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. At this year’s
Eastbourne conference, Bob was “Highly Commended” for his work.
Queens Road Depot Support Worker, Gosia Piasecka
was given the national “Lifelong Learner of the
Year” award and the learner centre collected a cheque for
£2500 with the award for “Learner Centre of Excellence
2011”. The money will go in to their Collective Learning
Fund and be used to update facilities at the centre.
Stuart said that “while it’s
very flattering to receive these awards, it wouldn’t happen without
the commitment of First and the support of Unite at regional and
national levels, but the most important factor in the success of
any lifelong learning project is the commitment, popularity and
efforts of the ULRs. that is why Queens Road has won so many
awards.”
Matty Greenhalgh Unite RLO
