CWU ULRs RECEIVE THE MATRIX STANDARD QUALITY AWARD
 

It has just been confirmed that all our English Regions have now achieved the Matrix Standard for the quality of our learning services. We are the first Union to have received the award for all Regions in England, which is a real demonstration of how much our ULRs have developed in skills and confidence over the last few years.
 

This is a prestigious award that is widely recognised by employers, funders and government agencies as the benchmark for high quality, consistent, and accessible information, advice and guidance (IAG) to adult learners, so this is an important step in ensuring sustainability of our union learning network.
 

Applicants for the Matrix standard have to go through a rigorous assessment. The assessor carries out interviews with ULRs, Regional Learning Committee Officers, CWU members, Branches, and CWU staff, as well as external providers such as colleges and Unionlearn. They also examine how we keep records, promote and communicate with members and deal with members face to face.

This represents a fantastic achievement by all involved. Our ULRs are already highly regarded in the labour movement as some of the most capable and experienced hands in the union learning field and this can only serve to strengthen the position of our ULRs when they argue to greater learning opportunities for our members in the workplace. Furthermore the added benefit of our ULRs being able to offer support to our members at a very grassroots level has been identified as a strength that clearly has massive benefits in terms of connecting with ordinary members and importantly in terms of maximising recruitment and organising potential in workplaces.

Over 25,000 members have accessed learning opportunities through our ULRs. ULR have organised over 550 promotional events, reaching over 31,000 members. Learning at work events by ULRs in the South East Region identified 44 new activists and recruited 20 new members.
 

Achieving the Matrix Standard was a specific objective of the English ULF project but we hope to be able to move forward to national accreditation that will also cover Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.