As part of its citizens@work programme, the TUC is setting up regional panels of speakers to deliver talks to school children about rights at work and the importance of trade unionism. On Monday 21st July the TUC held a briefing day for people interested in being involved. This new programme encourages schools to invite trade unionists to come in and speak to pupils at various different stages of the curriculum, including work experience, careers, citizenship and work related learning classes. It is very worrying that many young people have no knowledge of trade unions except for images of strikes. This new programme is an opportunity for trade unionists to dispel these myths. It has been acknowledged that there are a large number of young people who have no first hand experience of trade unions or trade union members. Many will not have parents, family members or friends who are union members or at least may not discuss union membership regularly. For this reason the TUC and individual unions see this programme as an important way to be able to give a true picture of the projects we are involved and the way we impact on working people's lives. Although a cliché, these young people are the union members, activists and officers of the future so it is vital for the union movement to promote itself in an accurate and positive manner. A lot of young people have part time jobs at the weekends or in the evenings. This means that it is possible to demonstrate that trade unions are relevant to their lives. People at the briefing session that had already done these types of meetings, reported that often individuals had questions about their rights and where they stood and could quote examples of the times when they had been treated badly. The briefing began with an explanation of what the programme entails and tips on how to make the presentation appealing and interesting to young people. The day also involved a lot of practical advice about whether the teacher should stay in the room, whether the speaker should be responsible for discipline and how certain challenging situations should be dealt with. Everybody agreed that it was necessary to do good background preperation, for example finding out where pupils are in the curriculum, what other speakers they have had in, the demographics of the school and the mix of the group of pupils. It was also felt that the more interaction and expression of views the better. The TUC have provided an educational resource 'A Better Way to Work' which gives speakers a large variety of activities to use in these classes. These can relate to trade unions but also to the general world of work and issues that may occur. The most beneficial aspect of the training was talking to people who were embarking on the same projects and those who had already been involved in talking in schools. It was beneficial to be able to share ideas and best practices. The programme is not only a positive one, as long it is made interesting and informative for the pupils, but also a vital one for the success and growth of the union movement. People interested in getting involved should contact their TUC regional education officer.