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AI fluency for union staff: Communications
A 10-week course to build your confidence and skills in using AI for union communications work
Many union communications professionals are already using AI tools. But there's a gap between small experiments with ChatGPT and using AI systematically to improve your work.
This course bridges that gap. You'll move from tentative experimentation to confident, effective use of AI across your communications role – from drafting press releases and speeches to creating social media content and member communications.
What you’ll learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Streamline your routine work: Develop efficient approaches to content creation, media monitoring and member communications with AI assistance, saving time while improving quality
Apply AI appropriately: Determine when and how to use AI tools effectively in your communications workflow while maintaining accuracy and your union's unique voice
Build systematic approaches: Design workflows that integrate AI into your team's processes with appropriate quality controls
Evaluate AI outputs: Critically assess AI-generated content for accuracy, tone and alignment with your communications goals
Navigate AI changes to work and communications: Develop strategies for a future where both communications teams and members increasingly encounter AI-generated content
Course content
Module 1: The promise, peril and reality of generative AI for union communications
We'll explore why AI represents both an opportunity and challenge for union communications work. Through practical examples, you'll learn how to navigate the balance between AI's benefits and its risks for you and your union.
Module 2: Working with generalist AI assistants: prompting and collaboration
Learn effective techniques for getting high-quality, relevant outputs from AI tools like Microsoft Co-Pilot or Google Gemini specifically for communications tasks, from drafting press releases to creating social content.
Module 3: Specialising and automating generative AI tools
Discover how to move beyond generic tools to use and create specialist AI systems tailored to your tasks and your union's specific communications needs. Apply AI to:
Press releases, speeches and briefings
Social media content and campaigns
Member communications and newsletters
Adapting content for different audiences and channels
Module 4: Expanding AI use to your teams and union / federation
Explore what is needed to move from individual AI experimentation to team-wide implementation and how to be part of guiding your union through the change AI brings.
Module 5: The future and your role
Examine how AI will reshape communications roles and member expectations, and how it may impact the future role and shape of unions.
Fully online course.
5 modules over 10 weeks.
2-3 hours per module.
1-2 hours per week.
Live calls every 2 weeks.
Share experiences and discuss with union peers at live sessions, held on Monday afternoons (UK / EU).
Your trainer: Nick Scott
Nick leads the Centre for Responsible Union AI and has trained 500+ union staff in AI across the world.
New cohort every quarter.
Next cohort starts 14 September
Cost: £200 per person
Discounts apply if you work in a Unions 21 supporting union or have attended a previous AI fundamentals course.
What previous participants have said
“I can't recommend [the course] highly enough... it's changed my daily working, AI is helping me in a way that's saving me time. So I've got a better work-life balance and the content that we're producing is better.”
Andrew Khan-Gordon, ITUC Communications Officer
"I came into the course very, very sceptical about AI... [the course] gave me that platform to actually use AI in a way that was useful to me and would enhance my work rather than replace it."
A Communications Officer at a transport union
"I enjoyed a variety of learning formats (was AI used to plan the course for it to be engaging? :))"
A communications officer at a creative workers union
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for union staff working in communications and media, campaigns, public affairs, digital content or member engagement.
Whether you're new to AI or already experimenting, the course meets you where you are. Foundational content ensures everyone has solid grounding, while communications-specific modules and peer learning push your practice further.
Why take this course?
Tailored for union officers
No translating from generic corporate examples. Every exercise and use case is built for union staff and their realities - in communications and beyond.
Practical and hands-on
Understand prompts and approaches you can use right away. This isn't just theory – it's about gaining key skills making your work easier and better.
Learning at your own pace
Fit learning around your work, not the other way around. No need to block out full days or travel. Complete modules as you can in our online learning platform.
Connect with your peers
You're not figuring this out alone. Connect with with colleagues in union roles who are navigating the same challenges in the live online sessions.
Keep growing as AI evolves
When the course ends the learning doesn't. Our AI Alumni community mean you stay connected and continue developing your AI knowledge.
AI tools you’ll explore
Throughout the course, you'll get hands-on experience with a wide range of different tools.
We focus on practical application rather than comprehensive tool reviews.
You'll leave knowing which tools work best for which tasks – and how to get the most from whatever tools your union provides.
AI assistants for your work: Gemini, Co-Pilot, ChatGPT
Get the most from Microsoft Co-Pilot or Google Gemini – the AI tools officially supported by many unions – plus ChatGPT and other popular alternatives.
AI for research
Tools that summarise long documents, identify patterns across sources, and turn hours of reading into minutes.
AI for design
Create presentations and visual content without design skills. Turn rough ideas into polished assets fast.
AI for audio and video
Transcribe meetings, generate summaries, and create multimedia content. Turn recordings into usable material fast.
AI for automation
Connect your tools and streamline repetitive tasks. Build workflows that save time every week.
