Training for stewards

All our courses are designed to help you develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to fulfil your role as a CSP steward to best effect. Attending a CSP stewards' training course brings many benefits, not least the chance to:

• meet and network with other stewards as well as your regional senior negotiating officer
• share experiences and information
• practise your stewards' skills in a safe and supportive environment

If you have not already been allocated a place on the induction course please get in touch with Sam Kyriacou and book your place. Then participate in regional training days to further enhance your skills.

Induction training

If you are a new steward, make sure you attend a stewards' induction course as soon as possible after election. The course covers:

• the job and skills required of a steward
• your terms and conditions of employment
• working with your manager
• developing your negotiating skills
• representing your members at work
• dealing with your members' problems
• working with other unions.

Stewards follow-on course

This course is for stewards who have already completed the online or in-person steward induction course.

It is delivered via the CSP Learning Hub, so all the resources and activities are hosted and run online.

The course centres around a piece of project work that includes:

• casework and representing members 
• negotiating with managers and attending staff-side/Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) 
• organising – mapping and building the CSP team 
• organising – campaigning in the workplace

You only need to choose one of the four areas to work on. 

Regional training days

Stewards' courses are supplemented with regular, regionally-organised, stewards' training days (which are sometimes held jointly with CSP safety representatives). These focus on both skills-based training and addressing issues of local relevance.

Details of your regional training days can be obtained from your CSP senior negotiating officer or regional steward. Make sure to put the dates in your diary as soon as possible to enable you to take the time off.

TUC courses

Stewards can also access TUC training courses. The TUC offers high quality, accredited training through a network of colleges of further and higher education across the UK. Courses are offered flexibly to suit the needs of union reps and cover a range of subjects, from the skills and knowledge needed to undertake your role as a rep effectively to employment law, pensions and grievance and disciplinary procedures.

TUC learners can now work wholly or partly online, which opens up access to training to a generation of union reps and potential reps unable to attend a classroom. More information about the courses available from the TUC can be found on their Unionlearn website.