New union project offers personal assistants training and employment rights advice

22 May 2013

 

The public services union UNISON has launched a new project offering networking, advice and support to personal assistants (PAs) who work for disabled and elderly clients.

PAs are being invited to a series of meetings in June around  Glasgow to find out more.

Lynne Rankin, organiser for the project, said that PAs working in the homes of disabled and elderly people can feel very isolated and may not be aware of their employment rights.

She said: “We are hoping to contact personal assistants in and around Glasgow.

“We want to offer support with training and development opportunities and to make sure they know about their rights to join a trade union and be represented at work.

“They will benefit too just from networking and meeting others doing the same work. PAs can come to one of the meetings we have organised around the city, or can contact me for further information.”

Employers’ organisations such as Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL) Carers Projects, the Scottish Government and Self Directed Support Scotland (SDSS) have responded positively to the project, agreeing there should be a support organisation for PAs.

Glasgow City Council is also supportive of the initiative and welcomes working with UNISON to provide this. 

Lynne added: “We are also keen to hear directly from PAs what matters most to them and what they would like support on.”

More than eleven meetings have already been arranged at venues including the Pearce Institute, Penilee and Castlemilk Community Centres and the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living.

 

ENDS

 

For information please contact:

Lynne Rankin, organiser for the PAs project, 0141 342 2881 or 07903 853022  L.Rankin@unison.co.uk

 

Notes to editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland.
2. The PAs project is a new move for UNISON and is working in liaison with a similar project in Yorkshire and Humberside, sharing good practice.
3. PAs work mainly for disabled people, supporting them to live independently, paid for by direct payments from social care budgets. Many may formerly have been employed by councils or are now employed through an agency.
4. Training and development opportunities may include discounts on Open University courses.  UNISON is also working with the Scottish Government and the Workers Educational Association (WEA) to look at developing local learning opportunities for PAs.   

5.       Meetings details are:

Monday 10^th, 17th & 24^th June 10-11am Pearce Cafe, Pearce Institute. Govan

Monday 10^th & 17^th June 2-3pm GCIL 117-127 Brook Street, Glasgow

Thursday 13^th, 20^th & 27^th June 1.30-3.30pm Penilee Community Centre, Glasgow

Friday 14^th, 21st & 28^th June 11am-12 noon Castlemilk Community Centre, Glasgow

Further dates and locations will be added to the website at:

 

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/socialwork/personalassistants.html 

 

 

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