Recently, Digital UNISON and UNISONlearning teamed up on a training day for UNISON’s women members at Bletchley Park. Here are some of the highlights of the day.
Watch and share our film of the day ⬆️
The day was open to all UNISON women members. It was great to see women from across the union and the UK joining us to learn more about using digital, and discussing how we can get the best out of ourselves and our union organising.
The day:
- Lifelong learning opportunities – Open University
- A guide to UNISON’s digital planning and presence
- Pioneering and inspirational women in IT – Dr Lucy Hunt
- Strategic union organising and planning
- Online safety and combating cyber-bullying
- Meeting the WRENs of Bletchley Park
- Tour of the national museum of computing
WRENs of Bletchley Park
Meeting the WRENs who worked with Alan Turing, Captain Jerry Roberts and the code-breakers at Bletchley Park in WWII was inspirational.
There were more than 10,000 people working at Bletchley Park – more than two-thirds were women. Just 17 years old when they were recruited, these women are now in their nineties and still determined to inspire younger women in computing.
They signed the Official Secrets Act forbidding them from telling anyone of their work – right up until the 1970s.
One ex-WREN said she had not told her parents, her family, not even her husband who she married in the war!
We were very lucky to be there on the same day as their book launch: Lorenz
Inspiring women
It was an incredible day. We learnt so much together and many of the women said they had been inspired to take back and share their learning in their work and union activity.
“I wanted to learn how to use social media to attract women to the union, and become more active. Join the union, use the education UNISON offers. You won’t believe what UNISON has done for so many women I know” – Serena
“Very inspiring. I will take the information I have learned and use it for work, and personal issues” – Priscilla
“Just because I’m 70 shouldn’t stop me. I’m fully up for it, learning all I can”
“I really want to take what I’ve learned from the course and put something back into the everyday life that I’m leading”
Digital learning with UNISON
Digital UNISON and UNISON learning have teamed up to provide offline and online training for members as part of our digital programme.
Current online training includes regular online presentations on digital organising. Check out our latest examples (you need to register to view)
Introduction to digital organising – 30 minutes
Facebook: the basics, including Facebook ads – 30 minutes
We also visit UNISON regions and work with UNISONlearning to deliver training across the country. We can’t promise the WRENs of Bletchley on every UNISON learning course! But we can promise a great day of learning.
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