Skills Plan to Reduce Re-offending

A personalised skills assessment is to be made available in prisons and in the community to identify offenders who will benefit from a programme of employment-focused learning and skills training to reduce re-offending.

Under a new system – the ‘campus’ model – selected offenders will receive tailored information, advice and guidance and be offered a range of skills training after completion of their assessment.Training could include literacy, numeracy, language and key skills, employer-led vocational skills, enterprise and self-employment training, work trials, work experience and voluntary work with skills training.

Two test bed regions, East of England and West Midlands, will take forward the initiative that will include stronger links with employers, closer working with voluntary and faith communities, and engaging employers sector by sector.

The proposal was announced by Skills Minister Phil Hope, who said: “Helping offenders develop skills and secure better jobs is central to the Government’s aim of reducing re-offending.”

Womens’s Leadership Network Launched

The Women’s Leadership Network (WLN), supported by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL), was launched at the House of Lords earlier this month. The network is for women who hold or aspire to leadership roles in further education.

Some 60 women from the education sector and government heard Lady Amos and Lady Prosser speak about the importance of women’s contribution to society and business.

To mark the launch, CEL and WLN published their report on gender-related factors in career progression, based on research carried out for them by the Learning Skills Network (LSN), which identified some key trends in the FE system.

Women, as well as men, are contributing to leadership and management of the FE sector in substantial numbers and at every level. Compared with the national picture for all occupational sectors, women are well represented in education management. More detailed consideration revealed, however, that there is still a significant ‘glass ceiling’ effect in the FE sector within senior management and governing bodies. The research also revealed under-representation of black and minority ethnic (BME) managers.

The research report, Gender-related factors in career progression, may be downloaded from the publications area of CEL’s website.

TUC Welcomes Action Against Wage Cheats

Welcoming new Government proposals published today (Wednesday) that would mean employers caught not paying the minimum wage would have to pay their workers arrears as well a payment for the hardship caused, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

”It is vital that the safety net provided by the minimum wage is strong enough to project all vulnerable workers. It is good to see that the Government is taking its responsibilities to these workers seriously. Ministers must continue the crackdown until there is no hiding place left for bad bosses paying illegal, poverty wages.”

Compliance Notice for FE College

Nine public bodies are at risk of ending up in court for failing to provide evidence of a disability equality scheme, the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) said this week. The warning comes as the Commission issued compliance notices to each of the 9 organisations – the first formal step towards a court hearing.

Among those organisations that received compliance notices yesterday (Tuesday May 15) was at least one further education college.

Sir Bert Massie, chairman of the DRC, said, “The DRC has always had a preference for working with organisations to help change policies and services. The vast majority of public sector bodies have responded positively to the requirements of the duty, publishing schemes by last December’s deadline.

“The fact that some have not shows the importance of having strong legislation to promote the rights of disabled people; public bodies which persist in flouting the law can expect to be taken to court.”

Slips and Trips E-Bulletin

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced a new e-bulletin on slips and trips. This is a major issue in public buildings such as colleges, and is one of the priority areas for action identified by FESH, the further education safety and health forum. You can sign up to the e-bulletin at the HSE newsletters and bulletins page.

Further Backing For ESOL Campaign

ACM has said that ending universal entitlement to free ESOL is contrary to the government’s stated intention of promoting social inclusion; and that it will have a detrimental effect on low paid workers in particular. ACM was supporting a motion at the General Federation of Trade Unions biennial conference, being held this week in Belfast. Delegates called on the government to rethink it’s policy of ending universal free entitlement up to level 2.

Last week, the ACM Branch Policy Forum confirmed ACM’s backing for the campaign seeking to reverse the proposals. Delegates said that migrant workers and refugees wanted to learn English to help them enter the job market but were never going to be able to meet the fees unless their employers paid. Yet the government was only going to provide free access for those on benefits.

Trade unions have argued strongly that expecting employers to pay, however desirable as a principle, was unrealistic. Many workers with ESOL needs are in low paid employment and their employers simply do not see training as a valuable investment. In addition, many migrant workers are are unwilling to access free ESOL training by claiming benefits because of the length of the application forms….. and their need to understand English!

Delegates were reminded that the government appears divided on this matter so it is important to keep up the camapaign.

Tackling Race Hate Activity in Workplaces

We should raise awareness of the policies and activities of racists and fascists in our communities. That was one of the messages to delegates attending the biennial conference of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), being held in Belfast this week. The conference gave full support to an ACM motion which also called for support in tackling race hate activities in workplaces.

Earlier this month the far right British National Party fielded a record number of candidates in local elections and made a net gain of one councillor. Although nowhere near the breakthrough that anti-racist campaigners had feared, the BNP remains very strong in some areas. Indeed, last year it took 39% of the vote in Barking and Dagenham, 33% in Sandwell and 30% in Burnley. This rise in support has led to concerns of possible racist activity on college premises.

Please look out for future guidance and advice from ACM on dealing with this and other hate activity.

Ban Bullying Day

This year’s ban bullying day is set for the 7th November 2007. The aim is to raise awareness of the problem to a national audience and to organisations. This is a stand alone campaign, being spear-headed by The Andrea Adams Trust, a not-for-profit charity dedicated to tackling workplace bullying.

The campaign is aimed to be about everyone involved in the field of workplace bullying, so the message can get out that this behaviour will no longer be accepted.

www.banbullyingatwork.com is now online and is a central resource for activities and links to all interested groups.

Pragmatic Approach to Privatisation

A pragmatic approach to the privatisation of teaching or management of learning services was taken by ACM following a debate at the Branch Policy Forum, held last Friday in Birmingham. It follows reports that in some areas private training providers have been seeking to run entire college departments on a contracted-out basis.

Delegates expressed concern that privatisation of teaching departments could have a detrimental effect on staff and students, and that it was not consistent with our vision of a high quality education service delivered by well-paid teachers and managers. But delegates also said that working in partnership with the private sector could be beneficial, and that government policy was in effect making this happen in a growing number of circumstances.

After remitting a motion on this matter to ACM Council, it was agreed by Council members that where it put jobs or terms and conditions at risk, then ACM will oppose any attempt to contract-out teaching or the management of learning services.

In a recent case, a training provider was seeking to take over the delivery of construction and vehicle maintenance programmes at an East Midlands college. The learners would have remained college students but the teaching and other programme staff would have become employees of the training provider. However, concern was expressed by members about future job losses and the fact that staff would no longer belong to the Teachers Pension Scheme. The proposal was opposed by ACM and the other college unions, and so it never became a reality.

The Council agreed to consider some of the wider implications of privatisation at its September meeting. Members views on this subject are therefore welcome. Why not post a comment below.

Mixed Views on Naming and Shaming

A controversial move at ACM’s Branch Policy Forum to name and shame colleges that fail to improve poor employment practices was referred back to ACM Council for further discussion. The debate followed presentation of a report that summarised our employment relations activities over the last 12 months. Head of Employment Relations David Green told delegates that there has been a noticeable increase in colleges showing complete disregard for their own disciplinary and grievance procedures.

David said, “We are collecting evidence and considering whether or not to name and shame the guilty. For example, in one recent case a disciplinary investigation, hearing and appeal was all handled by the same individual. That simply isn’t good enough for a college of further education.”

Delegates to the Forum were evenly divided as to the value of naming and shaming. While there was strong support for holding bad employers to account, others said that we could be in danger of adding to the already poor reputation of FE in some circles.

Normally a case of bad practice might be expected to end at an employment tribunal. However, more often than not a settlement is reached involving a compromise agreement, and therefore the right to go to a tribunal is lost. David explains, “Where there are clearly some bad practices we would probably win if we went to a tribunal, but the offer of a settlement to an already distressed member is usually the option that is taken.”

In the end, ACM Council agreed that where it is considered necessary to put pressure on colleges that persist with poor practices, then it should be the Employment and Services Committee (a subcommittee of Council) that decides upon the appropriate steps.

Branches Urged To Hold Recruitment Meetings

Delegates attending ACM’s Branch Policy Forum, held recently in Birmingham, have called for recruitment to be made a priority at all levels of the Association. As such, branch officers and ACM Council members are being urged to hold at least one recruitment meeting at their college over the next 12 months. To help with this process, ACM is to produce a branch recruitment pack and provide speakers and other materials where possible.

ACM’s Head of Employment Relations, David Green said, “Recruitment is absolutely vital to us. Our membership is growing but not as fast as we’d like. The problem is that every year we lose members through retirement or redundancy.  The continuing support of branches and Council members will be a big help.”

Earlier the Forum heard how in the north west, ACM had recently contacted HR managers at 37 institutions requesting facilities for ACM to undertake recruitment. So far this has resulted in us being able to write directly to managers at 7 colleges and arrange recruitment meetings at a further four.

End Discrimination says Epilepsy Action

Epilepsy Action has criticised the outdated attitudes of those UK employers who continue to discriminate against people with epilepsy, as part of a campaign launched to mark National Epilepsy Week (May 20-26).

The country’s leading epilepsy charity is demanding that company bosses confront their prejudices as figures show that unemployment rates among people with the condition are still unacceptably high. The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has joined Epilepsy Action in condemning the behaviour of employers who discriminate against people with epilepsy, despite the fact that they have a huge amount to offer in the workplace. The campaign is supported by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Simon Wigglesworth, Epilepsy Action’s deputy chief executive, said: “Unemployment among disabled people is double the national average, and our findings suggest that the picture is even bleaker for people with epilepsy.”

Agnes Fletcher, director of policy and communications at the DRC, said: “Employers risk missing out on talent and commitment if they refuse to recruit people with epilepsy. If they try to sack or otherwise discriminate against someone with epilepsy, they can face legal action.”

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said: “Employers continue to treat disabled people unfairly. Trade unions support this campaign to challenge prejudice and correct ignorance – and to remind bosses that the law requires them not to discriminate.”

Epilepsy Action has produced a series of resources as part of its campaign to improve employment opportunities for people with epilepsy, including two information booklets: ‘Employing people with epilepsy’ and ‘Work and epilepsy: an employee’s guide’. Copies can be downloaded from the Epilepsy Action website.