Posted on February 22nd, 2008 by Bob Blyth
The VWP has commissioned 5 projects that, taken together, will help ensure that workers obtain their full employment rights - two projects use training to reach workers, 1 uses employers another the media and another offers in-depth specialist employment rights advice. The 5 projects are
- ‘English and Employment Rights’- a course that will deliver ESOL accredited to Level 1 Skills for Life and be based entirely on employment rights and employability materials produced by the VWP and delivered by WEA;
- ‘English for Action’ - a project that provides English classes that incorporate employment rights and workplace procedures to groups of cleaners and other vulnerable workers delivered by London Citizens;
- ‘Public Sector Skills Standards Project’ - aims to provide and deliver a project that includes training, aimed at employees, in statutory obligations that employers have, specifically health and safety, employment rights and diversity, as one of the strands in the Public Sector Skills Standard that is also being developed by the Public Sector Skills Standard Project;
- ’ENGAGE! programme‘ - a project that will advertise and raise the profile of the VWP through community ethnic media outlets and formats delivered by Primus Personnel
- ‘The Wednesday Project’ will provide specialist employment rights advice for referrals made by VWP and will be delivered by Legal Advice Centre (University House).
The VWP will co-ordinate timelines and actions between each of the projects to maximise their impact.
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Posted on January 8th, 2008 by Bob Blyth
The VWP, along with RNIB and DeafPlus, are holding a workshop on developing practical measures to improve the working environment for workers with sensory impairments. The workshop will be held on Monday, 18th February, 9.30am - 4.30pm at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1. With all parties announcing a drive to encourage claimants on Incapacity Benefit into work this workshop will be of particular interest to trade unionists, voluntary and statutory agencies working with people with sensory impairments and employers.
Click here for leaflet.
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Posted on January 7th, 2008 by Bob Blyth
The VWP and Tower Hamlets Community Organisation Forum (COF) are holding a joint Public Meeting, ‘Making Employment Secure, Empowering Communities’ on Thursday, 24th January, 6.00pm - 8.00pm at Canary Wharf Recruitment and Training Centre, 9 Jessop Square, Heron Quay E14 4JB. Guest speaker will be local MP, Jim Fitzpatrick. The meeting will make a presentation of the findings made by the VWP on the levels of employment rights provision, including trade union representation in the area, and consult on what actions the VWP and COF can take to help empower communities in securing their employment rights. This will include a proposal that the VWP creates self-help groups of vulnerable workers.
Click here for leaflet.
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Posted on January 7th, 2008 by Bob Blyth
The VWP, together with Working Families, is holding a workshop on Work-life Issues in the Building Services Sector on Friday, January 18th, 9.30am-4.30pm at Congress House, Great Russell Street. The workshop will develop action points to ensure that low waged workers can fully access the provisions in the working Families Act including
- raising awareness of employment rights in the Act
- helping workers access benefits and services
- supporting workers with family related issues
- examples of good practice in making family friendly agreements.
For more information click here. To register for the event please contact the VWP on 020 7467 1355.
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Posted on December 20th, 2007 by Bob Blyth
The VWP is making grants from £500 to £10,000 available to community/voluntary groups, trade unions, faith organisations and employers for projects that help improve workers in the Building Services sector secure their employment rights.
Applications for funding should be targeted to include workers who are employed in the Building Services sector in Tower Hamlets or City of London areas. However, projects can include workers from other areas as well as long as there has been some targeting in Tower Hamlets or the City.
Projects will be expected to meet at least one of the following criteria:
- raising awareness of employment rights among vulnerable workers
- increasing contact and engagement with vulnerable workers
- devising methods or support systems to encourage workers in enforcing their employment rights
- addressing specific issues that can cause workers being made vulnerable e.g. access to childcare, language issues, cultural issues, bullying, racism.
The VWP will also consider project bids outside those priority areas that it considers supports vulnerable workers securing their employment rights.
Organisations wishing to discuss their project bids can contact Bob Blyth, Project Manager, on 020 7467 1355.
Deadline for submitting applications is 28th January 2008.
Click here for information and application form.
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Posted on November 22nd, 2007 by Bob Blyth
The Vulnerable Workers Project, in conjunction with ACAS, the Cleaning and Support Services Association (CSSA) and the Department of Business and Regulatory Reform (BERR), has organised a lunchtime event that will give employers the opportunity to shape the content of training on employment relations for supervisors. The event will be held on Monday, 3rd December, 12.30pm - 2.30pm at Canary Wharf Recruitment and Training Centre, 10 Jessop Square, Heron Quay E14 4JB with free buffet and refreshments. For more information…
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Posted on November 16th, 2007 by Bob Blyth
The Vulnerable Workers Project is offering an opportunity to train as support volunteers to assist in delivering training to groups of workers and prospective workers. The offer is open to volunteers and clients with community organisations, union members and the general public in Tower Hamlets and surrounding London boroughs. We are particularly interested in developing support volunteers who have language skills that reflect the local community and workforce so that we can effectively deliver training to workers whose first language is not English.
The package that we are offering includes
a free 2-day ‘train the Trainer’ course which will take place on 11th December 2007 and 22nd January
a free 1-day course on how to use our employment rights materials - see flyer for more information.
Successful completion of the course will lead to volunteer placement opportunities wit the VWP. The VWP will reimburse volunteers for all travel and subsistence costs. Application form and more information
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Posted on November 16th, 2007 by Bob Blyth
Andy Slaughter, MP for Ealing, Acton & Shepherds Bush gave his strong support for the joint VWP/GMB employment rights awareness afternoon for Polish workers. Andy said:
‘this is a very good initiative. The Government has introduced a number of pieces of employment legislation to provide social justice in the workplace. A decent society is one that is not selective about justice and fairness. Employment rights apply to all sectors of the working population - if people are good enough to work they are good enough to enjoy their full legal entitlements. I welcome this event that brings trade unions together with a section of our community from which workers often miss out on their legal entitlements’. More..
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