Further Resources
Further resources
This is a live document that will be updated regularly and circulated as new contacts are made.
**please note that for some of these links access to free courses may be dependent on your location**
ACAS– free elearning modules are for employees and employers and cover a wide range of employment issues.
Topics include:
- mental health
- redundancy
- equality, diversity and inclusion
- contracts, hours and pay
- leave and time off
- managing people and performance
- dealing with workplace problems
The modules are a mix of theory and case studies. You can assess your learning through interactive questions and tests.
Alison – one of the world’s largest free learning platforms for education and skills training. It is a for-profit social enterprise dedicated to making it possible for anyone, to study anything, anywhere, at any time, for free online, at any subject level. Through our mission we are a catalyst for positive social change, creating opportunity, prosperity, and equality for everyone.
BFAWU – We have two dedicated websites to learning, put together by the relevant projects with details and link’s to courses available. There will also be a section on the new main BFAWU website once that is launched.
https://www.bfawulovelearning.org/ – England
https://bfawulearning.wales/ – Wales
Coursera – Coursera partners with more than 200 leading universities and companies to bring flexible, affordable, job-relevant online learning to individuals and organizations worldwide. We offer a range of learning opportunities—from hands-on projects and courses to job-ready certificates and degree programs.
Duolingo – There are over 1.2 billion people learning a language and the majority are doing so to gain access to better opportunities. Unfortunately, learning a language is expensive and inaccessible to most.
We created Duolingo so that everyone could have a chance. Free language education – no hidden fees, no premium content, just free.
Duolingo is used by the richest man in the world and many Hollywood stars, and at the same time by public schools students in developing countries. We believe true equality is when spending more can’t buy you a better education.
Ella Baker School of Organising -In summary the school want to develop fantastic training material, train community activists in how to use them, and then network those trained organisers, so they can learn from each others experience
About | Ella Baker School of Organising (ellabakerorganising.org.uk)
Future learn – Learn wherever, whenever with hundreds of cutting-edge courses to choose from, enjoy an on-demand learning experience that’s totally online and available at any time of day or night. Earn professional and academic accreditation with in-demand online courses led by renowned educators and academics from leading universities around the world. Take your professional development into your own hands. Learn with experts at leading brands to gain real-world skills that will boost your CV and career. Learn and collaborate with learners from 190+ countries. Debate, discuss, and connect with peers at every step of your learning journey.
GFTU – the General Federation of Trade Unions are in the process of updating their educational programme for both reps and members, they have access to a platform called Flick Learning – please email markr@gftu.org.uk or call 01509410978 for more information. Flick Learning is a digital platform with a range of bitesize courses that can be accessed.
https://gftu.org.uk/education/
Greener Jobs Alliance – has 3 free online short courses on their website on climate change.
http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/
KEITS – ( Region 1) provider for on-line English and Maths contact person is Anna.Sherriff@keits.co.uk
Learning Curve – We offer a wide range of courses to help you craft new skills or build on existing ones. By utilising available government pots of money that are specifically budgeted for learning, we are able to provide a number of different training options. Most of our courses have no cost, and all are nationally accredited qualifications. We also have a range of Level 3 and above courses which are available through an Advanced Learner Loan that doesn’t need to be repaid until you earn over £25,725 a year.
https://www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk/
The union has access to over 50 fully funded courses to choose from meaning there is something for everyone whether you’re looking to do a role specific course to move forward with your career or a course that will benefit you in your personal life. All courses are funded by the Government using the Adult Education Budget.
Designed to fit around your day-to-day life, all courses are online, distance learning qualifications allowing you to gain skills without having to attend a classroom or any online learning sessions. Upon successful completion you will receive a Level 2, nationally recognised qualification with your certificate posted out to your home address. Follow the link below to enrol onto your course.
https://www.e-assessor.co.uk/cgi/radSVQ.cgi/register_MLC_IA_Paul_Lowes
Once the form has been completed you can log into www.e-assessor.co.uk and can begin working towards your qualification right away. Any issues the contact at Learning Curve is; paul.lowes@learningcurvegroup.co.uk
Learn Direct – All of our Entry Level 1 to Entry Level 3 English and Maths content is free! If you are a company looking for Functional Skills support learndirect can also help.
English and maths skills are becoming more and more important in the modern world, at learndirect we are working hard to help everybody in the UK to upskill themselves. Improving these skills will help to boost your confidence, providing you with the skills you need to succeed. Over the past 10 years, learndirect has helped over 100,000 learners to successfully pass their Functional Skills exams. We want to help you too.
Learn My Way – Learn My Way has free courses for you to learn digital skills to stay safe and connected.
https://www.learndirect.com/funding-options/free-english-maths
Litmos Platform (available until June 2021) – Contains a number of short bite size courses that can be completed individually or as part of a longer pathway or learning. From health and safety to grammar and everything in between. Please contact Johnbfawu@outlook.com for more details on accessing a licence.
https://bfawulovelearning.litmoseu.com/
National numeracy challenge – National Numeracy is an independent charity working to improve numeracy across the UK. The Challenge is a free website to help you check and improve your numeracy – the maths you use in daily life and at work, like managing your money, working out measurements or understanding percentages, rather than algebra or trigonometry. In March 2020 the Challenge was updated with a whole new look, a new quick check so that it only takes around ten minutes to practise or check your skills, videos to show that however you feel about maths, you’re not alone, and increased flexibility, so that you can choose what you want to do.
https://www.nnchallenge.org.uk/
We currently have a direct link to the site however this may expire soon due to the project ending www.nnchallenge.org.uk/bfawu1
Northern College – is where we run our reps courses currently, they have a number of paid for courses that are available and are working with the TUC to draw down funding for people in South Yorkshire to attend free courses – more information to follow on this once we have a clearer picture.
Nottingham College –
Lisa Greenfield, former English Project manager will be working with Nottingham college temporarily, we will have access to Maths and English courses as well as a number of others, more details to follow but please contact lisa-greenfield@outlook.com for more details until she has her Nottingham College email set up.
https://www.nottinghamcollege.ac.uk/
Open University Free Courses – The OU provides around 5% of its formal course materials as free open educational content every year on OpenLearn. OpenLearn includes over 1,000 free courses derived from the OU’s curriculum and dozens of specially commissioned Badged Open Courses. Learners can filter by subject, skills for life, skills for study or search by any term. The majority of learners visiting OpenLearn do so to study a free course.
http://www.open.ac.uk/about/open-educational-resources/openlearn/free-learning
Skills Network – The Skills Network is one of the most successful providers of online learning solutions in the UK. Distance learning supports educators, employers and learners across the UK, and internationally, by developing and delivering effective and innovative skills training and published educational content. The Skills Network has a variety of innovative products and services for your organisation. There are 48 funded level 2 courses available.
https://www.theskillsnetwork.com/
We currently have a direct link to the funded courses:
Members in England – https://bfawulearningengland.theskillsnetwork.com/
Members in Scotland – http://bfawulearning.theskillsnetwork.com/
We are looking into building links for members in Wales and Northern Ireland too
The Pensions Regulator – Pensions can be a minefield, TPR have set up a dedicated learning platform for trustees and anyone who wants to learn more about pensions, how to avoid scams, understand their scheme etc.
https://trusteetoolkit.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/
TUC resources – The TUC provides training for union reps, union members and union professionals. If you’re interested in developing your skills or refreshing your knowledge, you’ll find everything you need in this section. Explore our classroom courses, online courses, webinars and eNotes.
https://www.tuc.org.uk/training – England
https://www.tuc.org.uk/wales – Wales
http://www.stuc.org.uk/ – Scotland
https://www.ictuni.org/ – Northern Ireland
specific resources for ULRs with regards to the role and TUC training.
https://www.tuc.org.uk/union-reps/learning-and-skills/union-learning-reps-ulrs
Unionlearn – The unionlearn mission statement:
Our belief is that the life chances of all people can be transformed through access to learning, throughout their working lives. Such learning opportunities must be available to the entire workforce, regardless of their employment status or educational background. Everyone should have fair and equal treatment to develop his or her potential, free from discrimination. We believe learning and skills can best be delivered collectively in partnership with trade unions.
Our purpose is to help unions open up a wide range of learning opportunities for their members. This will both promote their personal progression and develop their trade union role, strengthening workplace organisation. We will guarantee that all provision is of a high standard and continuously improves in both its quality and diversity.
Our goal is to become the centre of excellence for supporting high quality union-led learning. We also aim to become the authoritative organisation for promoting innovation and research and disseminating best practice in such learning.
Our success will be determined by the sustainability of this activity, through unions embedding learning and skills at the heart of their organisation.
https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/ – England
https://www.scottishunionlearning.com/ – Scotland
https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/what-wales-union-learning-fund – Wales
https://www.ictuni.org/ulr/ – Northern Ireland
Workers Education Association (WEA)– Founded in 1903, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a charity dedicated to bringing high-quality, professional education into the heart of communities. With the support of nearly 2,000 volunteers, 2,000 tutors and over 5,200 members, we deliver friendly, accessible and enjoyable courses for adults from all walks of life.
Assessed ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2018, we have classes in almost every area of England and Scotland. You do not need any previous knowledge or qualifications to join most of our courses, only a willingness to share with others your curiosity, ideas and experience.
We also have a special mission to raise aspirations and develop educational opportunities for the most disadvantaged. This includes providing basic maths, English and IT skills for employment; courses to improve health and wellbeing; creative programmes to broaden horizons and community engagement activities that encourage active citizenship.
Our members also help support our mission and campaign for adult education.
Courses Online – Their objective is to help learners achieve their career ambitions. They do this by connecting them with the very best online, in-person, and blended learning courses, carefully selected from training providers and educational institutions located across the UK.
They are part of the Candlefox education marketing network, which has over a decade of experience helping learners across the world connect with the courses best suited to their needs. In the UK, their team is led by Lauren Wakeling, who joined them as their UK Country Manager in 2022
Online Courses UK – Vocational Distance Learning & In-Class Courses (coursesonline.co.uk)