You will need to approach your employer to see how interested and indeed supportive they will be. Experience has shown us that although Lifelong Learning needs to be Union led if it is to be successful, it works much better if you work in partnership with your employer. It is then advisable to set up a joint steering group, to progress and monitor the development of your learning initiative.

How you proceed then depends on a number of issues:

• The size and nature of your site.

• If there is room for a dedicated learning centre.

• What demand there is from members to learn.

Once you have this information you need to find a provider to deliver your learning. Approach your local college to find out what they can provide. If computer courses are high on your list ask if they can help provide PCs for a dedicated learning centre or alternatively laptop computers, which can be used anywhere on your site. The Usdaw publication Working with Colleges gives lots of useful information about how to work productively with a provider.

Don't forget you will need to discuss and agree this learning initiative with the shop stewards or convenor on site as well as your Area Organiser - Lifelong Learning is a negotiating issue.

Remember on-site learning does not necessarily have to mean a state of the art learning centre. Many of our sites in retail provide excellent learning opportunities in training rooms or canteens!

The best way to find out what the members want is to do a survey or questionnaire. An example of this can be found on the Lifelong Learning section of the web site and is available for you to download and customise to suit the needs of your site.