Educating and all that ….

Dan Lewis is a member of the Bootle Financial Services branch and attended this year’s CWU National Youth Education Event in Belfast for the first time. He enjoyed himself so much he felt compelled to write about it. Here Dan tells us ….

Before coming to the event, my workplace stress levels were very high; I had started to question how I can fulfil my role as the rep for my area to satisfy our members. I really was finding it hard to get union time and management here had created a block for me to be able to get off the phones and have meetings with them where I could put forward my views on issues that were being creatively covered up by management.

On Sunday afternoon, I felt empowered, I felt educated and most of all happy to go forward and pursue these issues. Meeting other people in similar situations, fighting for the same cause and similar views, I really felt that the movement has merely just begun for me.

I often find that my way of approaching things can be out of the ordinary and not appreciated, but this weekend helped me channel my passion to contain this when necessary but never be de motivated and just create a way that I can get my point across.

I went straight back into a HR, Management and Union meeting on Monday, I felt as a young ethnic minority in that room, I had more power because of my knowledge that over the past year I have received from the union, CWU Youth and my Branch.

From this weekend I would like you to take note of the great mentoring, myself and Lez received from Hayden Newsam and Dave Chiv, both really took the time to engage with ourselves and welcomed us to keep in contact as if we are family or very good friends.

The tour of Belfast and new knowledge of Sectarianism in the city has astounded me. I live so close to Belfast but never really knew the depth of the cultural and religious issues thataffect our Northern Irish brothers and sisters every day. Seeing the places where such heartbreaking stories have occurred really made me think about my life and the issues that affect me, compared to the issues that continue there. It also raises thought for me as to whether there is something I should be doing to help towards the good that is being pumped into Belfast.

I really appreciate the work you all put into this event to give us the opportunity to travel to Belfast, learn and socialise with our colleagues in similar situations.

Also a special mention should be made for the colourful and swaggerlicious shirts from Simon

Hopefully one day I will be running a seminar or talk at a CWU Youth education event, using the knowledge that the union has given me and passing it back on to the next generation after I have caused a few tidal waves around my workplace.

Thank you again

Dan Lewis
Bootle Financial Services

Follow Dan on Twitter @DTJL_DAN

Dan blogs here in his own capacity. The views he expresses are his own and are not necessarily those of the CWU.

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