Teachers from across the UK gathered in Birmingham for the annual Young Teachers’ Consultation Conference, giving them a chance to network, attend workshops, access legal advice surgeries and hear from inspiring young members.

The Conference, which is free to attend, is an inspiring event where members can meet with their colleagues, share ideas and best practice, make new friends and gain expert advice, as well as hear from experts, activists and have access to the General Secretary and senior NASUWT officials and staff.

Workshops were held on wellbeing and dealing with difficult parents and young activists within the union shared their inspiring stories about how they got involved in the Union and the benefits this has had on their working lives and their careers. A number of speakers even told how they had met their life partners at NASUWT conferences!

Members also were updated on the Union’s industrial action campaigning by Deputy General Secretary Jane Peckham who encouraged them to be active in their schools and the wider union.

General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach gave the keynote address telling them: “Great teachers are union made…we want to hear from you about how we can support you to build and get on in your career – and to become more active in the Union.

“From information, advice and representation, to wellbeing support, upskilling and professional development. We want to see more young teachers, more women, more Black teachers, more LGBTI teachers and more disabled teachers. Stepping up. Joining us and joining in.”

Dr Roach thanked members who had got involved in activism in the last year and members heard inspiring stories from NASUWT Northern Ireland President Ronan Sharkey, NASUWT Young Activist of the Year 2020 Gareth Owen and NASUWT Young members’ Advisory Committee member Kira Chan.

The General Secretary said the Union was putting members “front and centre” of its demands of the next government because children could not have a great education without teachers who were respected and valued.

He said there was a “crisis” in teaching that had led to record numbers of teachers leaving the profession caused by “more than a decade of deliberate underfunding by a government that simply does not care enough to invest whatever it takes to deliver the very best education for children and young people.”

He added: “We have work to do to end the scourge of a stressed and overworked teaching profession and to recognise that the mental health of every teacher matters.

“We are the union that is demanding more investment in children’s education – to end the reality of children being taught in portakabins and marquees as our schools crumble and while companies profit from that misery.

“We are campaigning to end the misguided view that teachers should work as long as it takes to get the job done whilst governments refuse to provide the funding that schools and children’s services need.

“In every workplace, every teacher should understand their contractual rights and ensure their employer does too.

“Every teacher has the right to work their proper hours, the right to a lunchbreak, the right to time to plan and prep
are their lesson, the right to switch off at the end of the day and weekends.

“Regardless of what your employer might say, you have the right to a life outside work .”