Young Members
The NASUWT has a range of campaigns and activities supporting members aged 30 and under within both the Union and the workplace. The National Young Members’ Advisory Committee informs policy development on issues affecting young members and campaigns on issues including excessive observation, workload, bullying, behaviour management, NQT induction and employment rights.
Events for Young Members
This year's Young Teachers' Consultation Conference took place on Saturday 26 January at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham. The theme was 'Protecting our Rights-Building our Future' and included sessions on the Union's 'Standing up for Standards' campaign, goal setting, performance management and capability procedures, applying for jobs and promotions and workplace rights. To find out what happened read the Conference Extra. The Conference resulted in the production of a Conference Declaration, which sets out the key work for the Union on Young Teachers for the coming year.
The date for next year's conference is Saturday 25th January 2014. Be sure to put the date in your diary now and book early as this event is becoming more popular each year!
The Union also organises regional young members’ events and a Young Teachers' Development Course which take place across the UK. The course looks at confidence building and assertiveness, as well as how to get more involved in and more out of the Union. The next courses are on 18th May in the London Region and 29th June in the South West Region. Contact the Regional Office to book on the course or book online.
The union also offers a series of national and regional seminars for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs). These seminars offer young teachers the opportunity to explore the challenges facing them, discuss key professional issues and share experiences with other young members.
Young Members Social Networks
Have your say on issues facing young teachers.
NASUWT Twitter Page (new window)
The NASUWT has worked with Childnet International (new window) to support the production of guidance for NQTs and Trainee Teachers on social networking. The guides are designed to support your personal use of social networking sites, keeping you, your students, and your job safe. They will help you understand the e-safety issues within schools, as well as find advice for your own use of technology. There are two guides: Social Networking- a guide for Trainee Teachers and NQTs and Teachers and Technology- a checklist for Trainees and NQTs.
News and Campaigns
NASUWT Young Activist of the Year Award
Each year the NASUWT runs the Eamon O'Kane Young Activist of the Year Award. The award was created to encourage activism amongst young members and to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution of young members to the work of the Union.
It was announced at Annual Conference in April that the 2012 Young Activist of the Year is Suzanne Rule from Rugby and East Warwickshire Local Association. Suzanne was nominated by her Local Association for her active role in the Union. Since joining the NASUWT Suzanne has volunteered for a number of Union positions including a local Workplace Representative, Local Association Member Secretary and Deputy Chair of the West Midlands Recruitment Committee. She has been involved in the Union's work on young members, including representing the NASUWT at this year's TUC Young Members' Conference. Suzanne will hold the position of the NASUWT Young Activist of the Year until Annual Conference 2013.
TUC Young Members' Conference
Each year the NASUWT sends delegates to the TUC Young Members conference. Last year's conference took place in March in London and motions were passed on a number of issues of concern to young workers, including the impact of the cuts on young workers, the minimum wage and workfare. The NASUWT submitted a motion on Standing up for Standards, which was carried. The Union also has two members on the TUC Young Members' Forum.
Youth Unemployment over 1million
The rate of youth unemployment has gone over the 1million mark. The figures from the Office for National Statistics show the jobless total for 16- to 24-year-olds has hit a record of 1.02 million. The NASUWT has raised concerns that the Coalition Government's policies are to blame for the fact that more than one in five young people do not have a job. The situation is looking bleak for Newly Qualified Teachers:
-Only 43% of primary NQTs were able to find permanent posts – the corresponding figure for secondary was 63%;
-Around 15% of primary NQTs and 8% secondary teachers had to take up short term supply work in order to earn a living;
-Around 10% of primary NQTs had made 20 or more applications before they were able to secure any kind of teaching post –almost 4% of secondary applicants reported the same experience;
-There are also wide regional variations in experiences. For example, while 62% of NQTs had permanent teaching contracts in London, only 24% of NQTs in the North West were in the same position;
-Around 23% of primary (17% secondary) teachers had yet to start their induction.
The NASUWT is calling on the Coalition Government to change it's economic course. The youth unemployment rate is the clearest sign yet that self-defeating austerity is not working and that there is no strategy for growth.
Student Parents
The NASUWT has sponsored research carried out by the National Union of Students (new window) into the experiences of student parents in both further and higher education across the UK. The aim of the report is to shed light on the experiences of student parents, in terms of access to student finance, childcare, course organisation and support, as well as their experiences of students’ unions and extracurricular activities. The report will be used to provide an evidence-base to campaign nationally for changes to Government policy affecting student parents. Meet the Parents Report (new window)
