National Literacy Day

Existing since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) takes place each year on 8 September to remind everyone about the importance of literacy for all, and creating a more literate society.

Literacy is vital for all – it is a foundation for people to enjoy their rights, freedoms, values, skills, attitudes and behaviours, as well as acquire broader knowledge.

Why is National Literacy Day important to trade unions?

National Literacy Day is also an important date for trade unionists to reflect on the significant role that Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) play in promoting learning in the workplace.

This day presents a valuable opportunity to engage with members, raise awareness around literacy, and promote educational initiatives that can empower our members and enhance their career prospects. 

ULRs are uniquely positioned to influence learning in their workplaces. They campaign for learning and development to take place in the workplace, helping to identify the learning needs of our members, and signposting them to suitable resources and opportunities.  

On National Literacy Day, ULRs can use their skills and positions to promote learning and literacy in a variety of ways: 

Organise Workplace Learning Events

ULRs can work with learning providers to organise events in the workplace that encourage members to take part in learning activities. This can include book clubs, reading challenges, or lunch-and-learn sessions where colleagues come together to discuss a particular topic. By making sure that these events are inclusive and accessible, ULRs can encourage wider participation and ensure that all employees feel welcome and supported. 

If you would like to find out more about organising a workplace learning event, get in touch with our learning department at learn@community-tu.org. 

Promoting Accessible Learning Resources

ULRs play an important role in ensuring that learning resources are accessible to all members and potential members, regardless of their current skill level. On National Literacy Day, ULRs can highlight resources such as online courses, local library services, or adult education classes that cater to a wide range of literacy levels. By providing information, ULRs can help to simplify the learning process and encourage workers to take the first step towards improving their literacy skills. 

The TUC’s Unionlearn provides lots of resources for free that ULRs can utilise. 

Negotiating with Employers

ULRs can work with employers to promote literacy initiatives and ensure they are providing literacy support to their employees. This could involve negotiating time off for workers to attend literacy classes or take part in online training sessions. By negotiating improved learning and upskilling in workplaces, ULRs can help to create a culture of learning that benefits both employers and workers too. 

If you would like to find out more about negotiating with your employer, please contact your regional office. 

Share Good News Stories

One of the most powerful ways to promote literacy is by sharing personal stories and successes through workplace newsletters, blogs, or via social media. ULRs can encourage members who have benefited from learning initiatives in the past to share their experiences and stories – they can even do this anonymously. Hearing these stories will help to inspire others to take action and highlight the tangible benefits of improving their literacy skills, both personally and professionally. 

Addressing Barriers to Learning

Understanding and addressing the barriers that members face regarding literacy is key for ULRs to tackle. These barriers might include practical barriers such as time constraints, lack of access to resources, as well as psychological barriers like lack of confidence. ULRs can support others to overcome these barriers and get involved in learning and skills development. 

Hear more from Unionlearn about strategies to address perceived barriers to learning. 

Using Technology to Support Learning

In today’s digital age, technology can offer new opportunities for promoting literacy and learning in the workplace. ULRs can utilise digital platforms and e-books, online courses, and other digital learning tools. Through our learning platform, members can access online, distance learning. Our partner organisations, including Google and The Skills Academy, offer hundreds of online courses that will help members to develop digital skills. 

Find out more about the online courses we provide for members.