NT#56

Issue 56, Spring Term 2015 e cher orth rn R eaders will already be aware of the now rmly established and highly successful Regional Early Career Teachers’ (RECT) event that has run in the Northern Region for some 10 years or more. Less renowned (but no less successful!) is the Geng Acve in the NUT (GAIN) follow-on. On the weekend of 23–25 January both events ran simultaneously in a rst me experiment. The inial conclusions are that it was a massive success. RECT RECT has always been intended to be an event for young and early career teachers run by young and early career teachers. Since its incepon many hundreds of our newest members have enjoyed a weekend billed as an opportunity to socialise, have some CPD and of course the opportunity to nd out more about the NUT. Enced by this oer they have always responded posively, many going on to make a contribuon to the running of the event in subsequent years. It is this element that makes RECT feel di erent to other similar events – young teachers take ownership of the planning, preparaon and delivery of the weekend. Many aendees at RECT go on to play a more acve role in the Union, becoming YTOs, school reps or undertaking any number of other roles. It is clear RECT enables them to idenfy more closely with the Union in a number of ways. G IN As me has gone by, we have become more adept at capitalising on the potenal aorded by having such a large idened pool of talent. It was a desire to make the best use of t he available talent that gave rise to GAIN. It was idened that there was a pool of young and enthusiasc acvists, ready to carry out the work of the Union. For GAIN, a considerably smaller event, up to 15 parcipants are handpicked by the Regional Oce team, taking suggesons from lay ocers on occasion. Rather than one long ‘set piece’ weekend, GAIN is a programme built up of three one day sessions over the course of six to nine months. GAIN is funde d through a bid from the training budget and use of the Regional Organising fund. The parcipants are asked to plan, devise and deliver a project of their own under the banner of ‘Geng them more involved’, a reference to the desire to increase and broaden member engagement. Ideas developed focus on aspects such as TeachMeets, local clustering and the inevitable young teachers socials with an emphasis on the eect of these events in idenfying further new acvists. The subsequent sessions are an opportunity to share and celebrate successes (and failures!) and to rene the organising plans. Throughout this process they are mentored by those who have gone before them, with sta input largely administrave. This mentoring of course develops both pares. January 2015 RECT this year was aended by around 60 parcipants supported by 10 lay acvists and 4 sta from the Regional Oce. It should be pointed out that the Oce sta contributed to a very small number of the pl enaries, workshops and seminars. The structure will be familiar to many; a welcome, a meal and quiz on the Friday evening aer which there is free me to socialise at the hotel or in a local pub. It is worthy of note that over recent years, fewer and fewer of the parcipants take up this opportunity, with this year perhaps a majority looking visibly red aer the meal (and a gruelling week in school) and pleased to take the opportunity for an early night. Here there are two further points worth nong: the quality of the accommodaon plays a signicant part in the ongoing success of RECT; members feel that they are appreciated. Secondly the ming has always been an important consideraon. RECT takes place around the me that members will be in receipt of their rst post -Christmas pay. This means that they are a lile more relaxed about any expense incurred through the social aspect of the weekend. The Saturday and the Sunday are a blend of interacve sessions, plenaries, seminars and workshops on a range of CPD and organising themes . The programme is drawn up by a commiee drawn from previous aendees, and wherever possible the sessions delivered by those who have aended the event in recent years. This year, as a rst, a session of (Connued on page 2)

NT#56

Documents

Transcript of NT#56