Personal Development

7 Weeks beginning on Tuesday, 20 January 2026 – 12.30pm to 1.30pm each week.

Communicate and Present with Confidence

6 Weeks beginning on Thursday, 22 January 2026 – 12.30pm to 1.30pm each week.

These two Lunchtime Series Seminars are available to any NIPSA member through the Union Learning Fund (ULF) and give members a unique opportunity to upskill and improve your skills – see attached leaflets. If you wish to register your name for any of these Seminars, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and a link will be sent to you nearer the time. You should seek to attend all sessions to get the most out of these Seminars. By also asking to add it to your personal development plan/appraisals at work can also be beneficial.

Over these weeks, we will delve into a range of topics that are designed to support you with communication and presentation skills.

Format

Both the Personal Development and Communication Skills Lunch Time Learning Seminars will be delivered via Zoom.

Each week we will spend approximately 45-50 minutes exploring the topic, with 10-15 minutes for questions.

Online Hub

All of the sessions will be recorded and hosted through an online learning hub. There will also be additional information, videos and documents that will help you with your journey of learning. The recorded sessions can be watched back alongside additional learning materials through the online learning hub that you will be given details of - a link to be able to register at a later date through a separate email in relation to access and registration that will be issued after the first sessions take place.

If you have any queries, please let me know via the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. email address.

All courses will be Taught In-Person in The ICTU Office, 45-47 Donegall Street, Belfast, (Unless otherwise stated) 

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

Under international trade unionism, this course will look at why Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a workplace issue, promote ethical business practices, and seek to develop BDS strategies.Governments extensively use economic sanctions and divestment policies against other countries as tools to favour their economic and foreign policy.Civil society, including the trade union movement, also has a proud history of using boycotts, sanctions and divestment to challenging injustice, and promote human rights, equality and global solidarity.In the 1980’s, unions were to the fore in the boycott and sanctions campaigns that helped end apartheid in South Africa.More recently, ICTU supported the call from a coalition of Palestinian civil society organisations and trade unions for an international BDS campaign to end Israeli apartheid, violence and the repression of Palestinian people, and to contribute towards forcing Israel to comply with international law, UN resolutions, and to build a just peace in line with the calls of the BDS movement. This means taking a targeted approach to BDS in order to maximise our impact.This course has been designed to give union reps, activists and officials the understanding, knowledge, resources and tools to promote and implement BDS campaigns in workplaces, unions and beyond.

This 3-day course will run on the following 3 Tuesdays:

20 and 27 January; and 3 February 2026 Start time: 10:00am each day.

Under Trade Unions, Globalisation, Economic Development and Equality, this course will be accredited through the award in Trade Unions Today at Level 2.

TU Reps 1

This is the first stage course for union reps. It introduces the key concepts and provides a thorough foundation for workplace representatives to develop their knowledge and skills to enable them to carry out their role effectively.

The course will help you:

• understand the job of the union rep in the workplace and the wider union
• dealing with members problems
• represent members with employers
• use and make agreements
• understand how grievances and disciplinaries are handled
• understand employment rights at work
• recruiting members and getting them involved in the union
• meeting management to discuss a range of issues at work
• keeping members in touch with wider issues
• build confidence in your role and responsibilities as a union rep
• develop the skills you need to be an effective rep.

This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks.

10 Tuesdays 20/01/26 – 31/03/26 NO CLASS 17/03/26

Health and Safety Stage 1

This course will cover the essential knowledge of the role and skills including organising and an understanding of health and safety legislation and how this can be interpreted for the workplace.

The course focuses on the following key areas:

• The role and functions of a trade union health and safety representative.
• Organising for health and safety.
• Preventing accidents and ill health.
• Introduce H&S legislation
• Key skills for a trade union health and safety representative.

The course will help you:

• Identify problems – the main health, safety and welfare issues faced by your members
• Involve members – by making them more aware of health and safety issues and the need for union action
• Improve health and safety – by proposing plans for controlling hazards and improving the working environment
• Use information and the law – tracking down information and knowing how to use it effectively
• Get things done – by working with your union organisation and negotiating effectively with your employer
• Develop skills – to do an effective job as a trade union health and safety representative.

This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks.

10 Mondays 19/01/26 – 30/03/26 NO CLASS 16/03/26

Handling Grievances

The course will include:

• Understanding discipline and grievance process and procedures.
• Increasing knowledge of the law surrounding the handling of discipline and grievance in the workplace.
• Increasing skills and knowledge to prepare strategies for representing members at grievance and discipline hearings.

This is a 3-day course, delivered one day a week over 3 weeks.

3 Wednesdays 11/03/26 – 25/03/26

ULR

This course is designed to introduce the role and rights of the ULR, provide the skills and knowledge the ULR will need to develop and support a culture of learning in the workplace.

The course includes:

• Workplace Learning and the Union Learning Representative
• Equalities and Learning for Trade Unions
• Unions Addressing Learning Needs in the Workplace
• Union Learning Representative Role and Functions
• Unions Getting Organised to Promote Learning
• Union Learning Representatives – Skills
• Working with Employers and Education Providers

7 Mondays 26/01/26 – 09/03/26

Bullying and Harassment

Bullying and harassment are common and unacceptable problems in the workplace. Recent trade union research revealed that nearly a third of people have been bullied at work. The groups most likely to become victims of bullying and harassment are ethnic minority employees, women, and people with a disability. This study added to the overwhelming evidence that sexual harassment in the workplace is persistent and widespread scale. Workplace bullying and harassment can lead to ill-health and work-related stress, it affects morale and is the cause of untold misery to workers.

The law makes it clear that all employees have the right to work in a safe environment. Employers are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe workplace, free from bullying, intimidation, and harassment. Trade unions are vital to stamping out this behaviour. This free, 3-day course, accredited by OCN at level 2, will help you to:

• Have a greater understanding of what constitutes bullying and harassment.
• The effects on the individual and the health and safety implications.
• Understand how legislation and policy can support challenging bullying and harassment at work.
• Develop an effective strategy for dealing with the problem.

Who is the course aimed at?

The course is aimed at union officers, reps, activists, and those with an interest in the issue.

This is a 3-day course, delivered one day a week over 3 weeks.

3 Tuesdays 10/03/26 – 31/03/26 NO CLASS 17/03/26

Disability and the Workplace – Disability Champions

Everyone deserves the opportunity to work and to progress at their work. But there’s still a long way to go before disabled people have equality in the workplace. Working from home and hybrid has exacerbated the barriers faced by disabled workers including the provision of reasonable adjustments.

Who is the course aimed at?

This course is designed for all trade union reps, officials and those with an interest in disability in the workplace to provide information and skills to help improve disability equality in the workplace and to represent disabled workers. It will address workplace issues and barriers by providing examples of good practice, tools and ideas to help tackle discrimination with the aim of building a truly enabling workplace.

This course will cover a range of topics including:

• The Social Model
• Disability Discrimination in the workplace
• Disability Discrimination Act and other legal protections
• Duty to make “Reasonable Adjustments”
• Disability and Covid-19, including working from home
• Role of the Disability Champion
• Overcoming Obstacles
• Representing disabled workers
• Access to Work and other sources assistance
• Policies and procedures
• Defining a process for solving problems

This is a 3-day course, delivered one day a week over 3 weeks.

3 Wednesdays 11/02/26 – 04/03/26 NO CLASS 18/02/26

Digital Communications and Organising

The course will include:

• Identifying the best methods of digital communication to engage your members.
• Understanding and utilising social media platforms.
• Demographics and data analytics.
• Developing a communications strategy and content.
• Creating creative content to build membership and maximise members engagement.
• Supporting union campaigns.
• Getting your message into the media.

4 Wednesdays 14/01/26 – 04/02/26

___________

There will be a range of short courses circulated in the coming weeks.

When registering, it is advised to supply an email that you have access to, as all course information is conveyed via email.

NIPSA Reps 1

This course will be held in NIPSA HQ, Harkin House, 54 Wellington Park, Belfast, BT9 6DP This is the first stage course for union reps. It introduces the key concepts and provides a thorough foundation for workplace representatives to develop their knowledge and skills to enable them to carry out their role effectively. The course will help you:

• understand the job of the union rep in the workplace and the wider union
• dealing with members problems
• represent members with employers
• use and make agreements
• understand how grievances and disciplinaries are handled
• understand employment rights at work
• recruiting members and getting them involved in the union
• meeting management to discuss a range of issues at work
• keeping members in touch with wider issues
• build confidence in your role and responsibilities as a union rep
• develop the skills you need to be an effective rep.

This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks. 10 Tuesdays 20/01/26 – 31/03/26 NO CLASS 17/03/26 Please note that space for car parking at NIPSA Headquarters is limited and only the marked car park spaces should be used. Also, please avoid parking in residents’ car parking spaces. It would be appreciated if everyone could comply with these requests. Those travelling to the course by private car should take this into account in making arrangements.

NIPSA Reps 1 – Evening course (online)

This is the first stage course for union reps. It introduces the key concepts and provides a thorough foundation for workplace representatives to develop their knowledge and skills to enable them to carry out their role effectively. The course will help you:

• understand the job of the union rep in the workplace and the wider union
• dealing with members problems
• represent members with employers
• use and make agreements
• understand how grievances and disciplinaries are handled
• understand employment rights at work
• recruiting members and getting them involved in the union
• meeting management to discuss a range of issues at work
• keeping members in touch with wider issues
• build confidence in your role and responsibilities as a union rep
• develop the skills you need to be an effective rep.

This is a 10-day course, delivered one evening a week over 10 weeks. 10 Thursdays, 6-9pm 22/01/26 – 02/04/26 NO CLASS 12/02/26

Health and Safety Stage 1

This course will cover the essential knowledge of the role and skills including organising and an understanding of health and safety legislation and how this can be interpreted for the workplace. The course focuses on the following key areas: The role and functions of a trade union health and safety representative. Organising for health and safety. Preventing accidents and ill health. Introduce H&S legislation Key skills for a trade union health and safety representative. The course will help you:

• Identify problems – the main health, safety and welfare issues faced by your members
• Involve members – by making them more aware of health and safety issues and the need for union action
• Improve health and safety – by proposing plans for controlling hazards and improving the working environment
• Use information and the law – tracking down information and knowing how to use it effectively
• Get things done – by working with your union organisation and negotiating effectively with your employer
• Develop skills – to do an effective job as a trade union health and safety representative.

This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks. 10 Mondays 19/01/26 – 30/03/26 NO CLASS 16/03/26

Handling Grievances

The course will include:

• Understanding discipline and grievance process and procedures.
• Increasing knowledge of the law surrounding the handling of discipline and grievance in the workplace.
• Increasing skills and knowledge to prepare strategies for representing members at grievance and discipline hearings.

This is a 3-day course, delivered one day a week over 3 weeks. 3 Wednesdays 11/03/26 – 25/03/26 ULR This course is designed to introduce the role and rights of the ULR, provide the skills and knowledge the ULR will need to develop and support a culture of learning in the workplace. The course includes:

• Workplace Learning and the Union Learning Representative
• Equalities and Learning for Trade Unions
• Unions Addressing Learning Needs in the Workplace
• Union Learning Representative Role and Functions
• Unions Getting Organised to Promote Learning
• Union Learning Representatives – Skills
• Working with Employers and Education Providers

7 Mondays 26/01/26 – 09/03/26

Bullying and Harassment

Bullying and harassment are common and unacceptable problems in the workplace. Recent trade union research revealed that nearly a third of people have been bullied at work. The groups most likely to become victims of bullying and harassment are ethnic minority employees, women, and people with a disability. This study added to the overwhelming evidence that sexual harassment in the workplace is persistent and widespread scale. Workplace bullying and harassment can lead to ill-health and work-related stress, it affects morale and is the cause of untold misery to workers. The law makes it clear that all employees have the right to work in a safe environment. Employers are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe workplace, free from bullying, intimidation, and harassment. Trade unions are vital to stamping out this behaviour.

This free, 3-day course, accredited by OCN at level 2, will help you to: Have a greater understanding of what constitutes bullying and harassment. The effects on the individual and the health and safety implications. Understand how legislation and policy can support challenging bullying and harassment at work. Develop an effective strategy for dealing with the problem. Who is the course aimed at?

The course is aimed at union officers, reps, activists, and those with an interest in the issue.

This is a 3-day course, delivered one day a week over 3 weeks. 3 Tuesdays 10/03/26 – 31/03/26 NO CLASS 17/03/26

Disability and the Workplace – Disability Champions

Everyone deserves the opportunity to work and to progress at their work. But there’s still a long way to go before disabled people have equality in the workplace. Working from home and hybrid has exacerbated the barriers faced by disabled workers including the provision of reasonable adjustments. Who is the course aimed at? This course is designed for all trade union reps, officials and those with an interest in disability in the workplace to provide information and skills to help improve disability equality in the workplace and to represent disabled workers. It will address workplace issues and barriers by providing examples of good practice, tools and ideas to help tackle discrimination with the aim of building a truly enabling workplace. This course will cover a range of topics including:

• The Social Model
• Disability Discrimination in the workplace
• Disability Discrimination Act and other legal protections
• Duty to make “Reasonable Adjustments”
• Disability and Covid-19, including working from home
• Role of the Disability Champion
• Overcoming Obstacles
• Representing disabled workers
• Access to Work and other sources assistance
• Policies and procedures
• Defining a process for solving problems

This is a 3-day course, delivered one day a week over 3 weeks. 3 Wednesdays 11/02/26 – 04/03/26 NO CLASS 18/02/26

Further information

If you require any further information about the above courses, please contact Kevin Doherty at, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Registration

If you are interested in any of the above courses, please return a completed application form by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ensuring you supply your preferred email address. A Training Course Application Form and a Training Course Special Leave Application Form are attached. It is also important that you seek time off to attend from your employer at an early stage. As some of the Courses fill quickly, it is advisable to apply for your chosen course at the same time as applying for release time.

Confirmation of acceptance will be issued directly from NIC-ICTU. You will also receive pre-course materials nearer the time of the course from NIC-ICTU.