Public and Commercial Services Union

DWP/MB/051/08

The newly elected Young Members Advisory Committee (YMAC) for PCS members in the DWP met on 31 July 08. The meeting agreed an action plan and planned young members’ activity for the year ahead. The key targets in the action plan are explained in this circular.

If you want more information or would like to get involved speak to your local rep or contact one of the YMAC members.

About 10% of PCS members in the DWP are 27 or under. With an increasingly younger workforce the YMAC is elected to advise the Group Executive Committee (GEC) on matters directly affecting young members, and to help young members get involved in PCS and develop their skills.

The GEC recognises that young members are the future of our union. The steps the YMAC intend to take can only strengthen the activity of young members in PCS.

Further updates will be issued in the coming weeks to cover planned activity for Young Trade Unionist Week, 15 – 19 September 08 and to confirm arrangements for the Group Young Members training event on 31 October 08.

Young members action plan

• Increasing and supporting the number of Branch Young Members Officers (YMOs) - we will do this by raising the profile of the YMO officer, and hope that each branch will have a YMO to act as a contact for young members. We will update members of progress on this throughout the year.
• Improving communications – we will update young members in the DWP after each YMAC meeting, and also circulate newsletters on other important issues between meetings. We also intend to set up a young members’ specific webpage on the PCS DWP website. Once this is set up, we will notify all members of its launch date.
• Increasing the number of young members in PCS – by working on the profile, importance of young member activity within the group, and improving communications PCS we hope to increase the amount of members we have. We will monitor this on an annual basis and can update members next year.
• We will hold a training event for young member activists – we are arranging a training event/seminar for young member representatives, or those thinking about becoming active on 31 October 08 in PCS Leeds office. More information will be out about this shortly.