Issue Three — May ’07

Contents
Countdown to Learning @ work day 24 May
Last minute checklist for your event
What's going on
Whatever you do, please let us know!
Free online learning with learndirect
Adult learners' week starts Saturday!

Countdown to Learning @ work day 24 May
Be part of the learning fun

Businesses across the length and breadth of Wales are getting involved in this year's Learning @ work day on May 24, as they discover the value of teamwork, the importance of good communication, and how learning through work can boost morale.

The UK's largest festival of learning
Learning @ work day is an annual event which encourages employers to provide staff with taster sessions of available opportunities to enhance an individual's career or personal life. It takes place during Adult Learners' Week, the UK's largest festival and celebration of adult learning.

It's not too late to get involved
But time is ticking on!
If you haven't arranged your event yet, don't worry - there's still time to get involved in the fun. Remember, we have a long list of imaginative ideas for events, and we provide tips and advice on how to make it easy to organise.

Looking for inspiration?
So if you're still searching for that perfect event go to the Learning @ work day website and view our list of ideas for activities. Or call us for advice on 029 2037 0900.

Interested? Then register now!
To register your interest and receive a FREE event organiser's pack, contact us on 029 2037 0900, e-mail learnatwork@niacedc.org.uk, or fill in the event organiser's pack request form.

If you have already registered, then thank you for your support. Your organiser's pack is on its way!

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Last minute checklist for your event
Everything organised?

Learning @ work day is less than a week away, so we thought it would be a good idea to send you a timely reminder to make sure you have everything in place for your event. So, how's it going? Is everything coming together well? We hope so. But don't forget that if you do need any help and support, or advice about any aspect of your event, we are here to help. You can log onto our website, e-mail us or call 029 2037 0900.

Check our last minute checklist!
We want you to have a memorable day with no last-minute hitches or hurdles. So to help you plan your event, we have put together this simple checklist to follow in the run-up to the day. You can find this checklist along with other useful information in our Learning @ work day brochure. To order your copy or download a PDF, go to the Learning @ work day website.

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What's going on
If you're taking part you're in good company!

Learning @ work day has grabbed the imagination of companies all over Wales. Here is just a taster of what's going on up and down the country on May 24:
 

Mid Wales
The Reality Group, Newtown	Visual activities (art, floristry, photography) as well as IT and languages
Powys County Council	Indian head massage, reflexology, ‘yoga at your desk’ and the services of a Life Coach.
Powys Local Health Board	E-learning
South Wales
North Glamorgan NHS Trust	Taster sessions in Building Confidence; Self Esteem and Assertiveness; Ease Up and Work With It (Stress and Time Management); Professional Communication Training
Pontypridd & Rhondda NHS Trust	Taster sessions in Building Confidence; Self Esteem and Assertiveness; Ease Up and Work With It (Stress and Time Management); Professional Communication Training
The Assembly Parliamentary Services	Information Fair
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council	Improving Your Memory; Boosting your Self Confidence; Time Management; IT Troubleshooting at your Desk; Communication Skills
Tribunal Service	learndirect courses
The National Assembly	Knowledge Fair
S4C	How to Fine Tune Your Memory
Cardiff Council	Complimentary Therapies, including Aromatherapy and Shiatsu.
University Hospital of Wales	Deaf Awareness; promotional activities;
North Wales
Rowan Foods, Wrexham	Basic Skills
First Milk, Wrexham	Basic Skills
Gap Recruitment, Wrexham	Basic Skills
Portable Foods, Wrexham	Basic Skills
Toyota, Deeside	Beginners’ Spanish
Yale College	Basic Skills
National Assembly	Live Long and Prosper
West Wales
Coleg Pontardawe	Health & Safety, Literacy & Numeracy, Art & Crafts, and Languages
Swansea Waterfront Museum	Stress management workshops

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Whatever you do, please let us know!
Future funding depends on it!

As a charity, we rely solely on public funding from the European Social Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government to help us cover the cost of organising and promoting Learning @ work day. In return for this financial support, both these public organisations demand proof that the money they entrust to us is being wisely spent - and quite rightly so! We need to supply evidence that our work is getting results and is encouraging companies to get involved in learning in the workplace. But we can't do that without your help!

Send us your evaluation form by 11 June
We need to know all about your event – and every event that is taking place – so we can evaluate the success of the campaign.So please, please take time to download a L@W evaluation form and return them by 11 June .

£1,000 Learning Promotion Grant for returning the most consent forms
Download the L@W consent form, print one for every event participant and send them back to us with your evaluation. One lucky learner will win £200, and there's a whopping £1,000 Learning Promotion Grant for the organisation which returns the most forms to spend on their next Learning @ work event

Send us your photos
Your photos are a great way for us to promote Learning @ work day and show other organisations just how much fun learning can be. So, make sure you take loads of colourful pictures of your events, and send them to us, ideally by e-mail to Rachel.Jones@niacedc.org.uk. Just think, You and your work mates could be starring in our publicity materials for the next Learning @ work day.

Don't just tell us – tell everybody!
Maximise the PR value
Learning @ work day is a great good news story, and will make an excellent local PR story for your company. To help you make the most of the publicity opportunities, we have created a really handy PR and advertising toolkit. If you don't have an internal marketing department then we think you'll find the information very useful. Download a PDF of the toolkit from the Learning @ work day website and maximise the PR value for your company.

A few tips for promoting your event

• Contact your local radio station to let them know what’s going on
• Ask if local media presenters or reporters want to take part
• If you’re sending an email try to encapsulate the event in the subject box, and paint a picture of the event in a concise way
• If you’re writing a press release make sure you answer the ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘why’
• Put the activity in context of Learning @ Work Day and Adult Learners’ Week
• Try to get the media along to cover your event
• Make sure you take photographs of your event – you can use them as a follow up, or next year.

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Free online learning with learndirect
Celebrate Learning @ work day with free online taster courses

As part of Learning @ work day, we have teamed up with learndirect to offer you more than 500 online and CD-based courses in a wide range of subjects from basic literacy and numeracy to business and management.

Get your staff learning online!
The beauty of these learndirect courses is that they can fit around the working day. Even better, as part of Learning @ work day, learndirect will be offering a number of free taster courses online on 24 May, giving you the chance to preview some of the courses available for your business.

To learn more about these flexible training packages, go to www.learndirect.co.uk/lawdcymru

Plus free marketing materials to promote your event
Order your merchandising now

To order your free marketing materials, just visit the Learning @ work day website

Last minute merchandising just arrived! Get on the phone to 029 2037 0900 and order today, in time for your event.

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Starts Saturday!

• Over 17,000 learners

• 900 events

• 21 learning festivals

• One very special week!

If Learning @ work day has whetted your appetite for learning, check out the other events happening during Adult learners' week in your area. Learning providers in every region are coming together to celebrate adult learning through local Learning Festivals - for more details see the Adult learners' week website.

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Interested Colleague?
Send us their email address and we’ll get a copy sent to them.
  

Please let us know if you wish to be removed from this emailing list.

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Learning @ work day, Adult Learners’ Week, Sign Up Season and Taking Control are funded by The European Social Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government, and co-ordinated by NIACE Dysgu Cymru.

NIACE Dysgu Cymru is a membership organisation, run by an elected management group, representing all sectors bonded by a common focus on adult learners. A wide range of work is undertaken; advocacy, research and development, influencing policy, conferences, publications and staff development. For further information, visit our website.