How AI is helping Jo make her workshops for union reps more engaging and inclusive
Find out how Jo, who works at Prospect trade union, is streamlining the development of training materials and workshop content by using AI tools to generate engaging resources, tailor content to various learning styles, and ensure inclusivity
"I'd always struggle with translating my aims into a practical application… I know what I want to engage with reps about - like having conversations with non-members about recruitment - but turning that into an engaging workshop was always challenging."
The challenge
Creating effective training workshops for union reps is a crucial part of building union strength. But for many union officers, developing workshop content can be time-consuming and complex. They need to:
Transform expertise into engaging learning materials
Create realistic role-play scenarios
Ensure content works for different learning styles
Check materials are inclusive and accessible
Maintain consistency with union approaches
"I knew what I wanted to achieve," says Jo, who works with organised branches in the nuclear sector, "but getting from that goal to practical workshop content wasn't always straightforward."
The solution
Jo discovered she could use ChatGPT to help develop workshop content, particularly focusing on member recruitment conversations. "My experiment started by asking ChatGPT for a basic slideshow," she explains. "The results were okay, but a basic slideshow was what I got. As my confidence and curiosity grew, I wanted AI to help develop that into an engaging workshop for reps instead."
Using more detailed prompts provided richer responses. "The AI helped me shape scripts for role-playing and course content," says Jo. "I could actually talk with the application about shaping the idea into a usable end product."
Importantly, Jo also used AI to check for potential issues: "Not everyone likes role play in a workshop. So I asked if there were any potential negatives with the format and whether any specific groups would feel excluded. It provided relevant and good answers for me to consider further and refine the content."
Key benefits
More engaging workshop content
Variety of learning approaches included
Time saved in initial content development
Better consideration of accessibility needs
Ability to test and refine ideas quickly
Common questions
Don't you need to be an AI expert?
"Using the AI to help develop workshop content gave me the confidence to interact with AI in a much richer way," says Jo. "It's about learning to ask the right questions and being curious about what's possible."
How do you ensure quality?
Jo emphasises the importance of maintaining union values and approaches: "The AI helps develop ideas, but I'm always checking against our union's principles and practices. It's a tool to help create content, not replace our expertise."
What about bias?
"Actually, I found AI helpful in identifying potential biases," Jo explains. "By asking it to review content for inclusivity issues, I got useful insights I might have missed."
Do you need special training?
While understanding basic prompt writing helps, the main requirements are:
Knowledge of what makes effective union training
Clear goals for your workshop
Willingness to test and refine content
Getting started
Jo suggests starting small:
Begin with a clear workshop goal
Try getting basic content ideas first
Use increasingly detailed prompts
Always check content for inclusivity
Test ideas with colleagues
Refine based on feedback
Looking ahead
"I'm now actively looking to create an opportunity to deliver the workshop I created with reps," says Jo. The potential for AI to help develop more engaging, inclusive training materials could be significant for unions - particularly in supporting reps to have difficult conversations or handle complex situations.
AI Transparency statement
This article was generated using AI based on the transcript of a talk by Jo Livesey at a Centre for Responsible Union AI webinar in February 2024.
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