Everyone’s got an opinion, and we want to hear it. PSAC Prairies members are invited to share their thoughts regarding the 2013-2015 PSAC Prairie Region Education Plan at planning meetings throughout the Prairies this November and December.
“Member input is a critical part of this process because our main priority is to invest in our members. That starts with designing a first-class education program,” explains Marianne Hladun, Regional Executive Vice-President for the PSAC Prairie Region. “These planning meetings are a chance for members to tell us what kind of education we should be offering for the next three years.”
Education meetings are an established part of the planning process and have helped to guide the development of the regional education plan in past years. In the last cycle, member feedback at similar forums demonstrated the importance of a revised Unionism on Turtle Island course with more attention and focus to the issues. The Women at Work course also stemmed from these meetings, after it was identified that there was a need for specific training for union women to develop an analysis of women’s issues and do some planning.
“We are looking for input from members who have taken union education or who are interested in developing the plan for the next three years,” says Judy Shannon, Regional Education Officer for the PSAC Prairie Region. “We’ll share some food, have a look at what’s been really effective with our current education program, and identify learning priorities to make the education program more meaningful to union members.”
Feedback from the education meetings will be compiled with responses from the education survey, as well as conference calls with rural members. The PSAC Prairie Region Council Education Committee will draft a regional education plan to be sent to all locals and regional officers and it will be posted on the Prairies website to allow for feedback on the draft plan before it is finalized.
In the last three years, over 1,500 PSAC Prairies members have received training, an increase of more than 10 per cent from the last cycle. Brand new courses have also been added to the education roster, including the Women at Work course, which was piloted in the Prairies and will now be offered nationally. Other new courses included Workplace Bullying, Mini Union School, Young Workers in Action and the Facilitation Skills training for Union Leaders and Union Stewards.
Those who aren’t able to attend the education meetings are encouraged to participate in the education survey online or contact the Prairie Region Council Education Committee with thoughts, suggestions and feedback.