Thank you for signing up for our event with Microsoft.

Just a reminder that spaces are limited, and we'll be in touch with you by email if you are successful in securing a place.

This digital workshop is being hosted alongside employees from Microsoft. This workshop aims to help people improve their CVs and learn more about getting a job within the IT sector. 

Learners will get the opportunity to ask the Microsoft team members questions about their experiences and learn more about the steps to take to work towards their dream IT job. 

Spaces are limited, we'll be in touch with you by email if you are successful in securing a place.

Thank you for your 1-year free WEA membership application as a PANS member. 

We will confirm your membership within 3 working days. If you have any queries, please contact us at [email protected].

Thank you for applying for a LCR grant with the WEA. We will be back in touch in due course.

If you have any questions or need further information about your application, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Strand 1 round 2: Bolton applications open until midday, Thursday 18th April

WEA (Workers Educational Association) and GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) are pleased to launch the second round of funding, specific to Bolton.

This will enable local VCSE organisations and Housing Associations to bid for funding up to £30k to carry out projects in localities, to mobilise disadvantaged or excluded unemployed and inactive people to enable their progress towards further education and inclusive employment.

This is strand one, which aims to increase participation in Adult Skills. 

Currently, in Greater Manchester, just 8.7% of working-age adults with a prior attainment of Level 1 or below are accessing skills via the Adult Education Budget. We are looking for new and innovative ways of engaging with our residents, and supporting them in further skills provision – although targeting English, Maths and IT skills this could be any Skills provision, except ESOL, that suits the resident’s needs.

Please complete the short form - if you are eligible, you will be emailed the application form, guidance document and our FAQ document, so please be sure to use a valid email address. If you are not eligible this time, you can complete the short form here and we will keep your email on file for future funding rounds.

All eligibility criteria must be met to apply for a GMCA grant: if you are unable to meet the criteria, you will not be able to apply and any application you do make will be rejected. There will be further opportunities to apply before March 2025.

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact us at [email protected]. 

The Candidate Nomination form provides WEA members with the opportunity to stand for election to become Association President or Deputy Association President. The Association President and Deputy Association President also are expected to serve as Trustees and to serve as members of the WEA Council.

These Association Officers will be elected by a ballot of all Association Members.

The deadline for completed nomination forms to be received is 5:00pm on 2 April 2024. The elections will take place during April – May 2024 (exact dates TBC), with ballots to be circulated electronically and by post. Election results are expected to be announced on or near 6 June 2024.

The nomination form requires authorisation from the candidate, nominator and at least four additional supporters*, each of whom is required to be an Association Member. Each candidate who commits to stand for election declares that they will abide by WEA’s constitution and its principles, and that they meet the statutory requirements to serve as a charity trustee and director of a UK-registered company.

Please note that for the purposes of nomination and election in the 2024 Election of Association Officers, “Association Members” shall include any learner who has been enrolled on a WEA course at any time in the 12 months leading up to Conference, as well as those individuals who are current subscribing members, volunteers, or others in receipt of concessionary membership.

Anyone who is not sure whether they qualify as an Association Member - or who is not sure of their membership number - can ask us to check by emailing [email protected].

*Regulation 4.33 requires each nomination to be supported by 10 signatures. However, as each nominee is also subject to interview by Nominations Committee, the six members of the Nominations Committee are assumed to contribute to the remaining balance of required signatures.

WEA is governed by fifteen Trustees, all of whom are volunteers. The Association Officers make up four of the Trustees comprising the President, two Deputy Presidents and Treasurer.

Officers generally serve a four-year term, with the terms arranged so that there are elections for two of the four positions during the WEA Conference in even numbered years. For 2024, the two scheduled elections will be for the Association President and one Deputy Association President, for terms lasting until 2028. The Officers are expected to serve on the Board of Trustees and as Chair and Deputy Chair of WEA Council.

The remaining Trustee positions are appointed on the basis of skill and experience, with attention to building a Trustee body reflective of the diversity of WEA’s learners. To the fullest extent possible, appointments are made from within the Association Membership before undertaking any external recruitment. All appointments to the Board of Trustees are guided by the Nominations Committee.

All Association Officers have a responsibility, along with the other Trustees, to ensure that the Association - including its delegated committees and staff - comply fully with its Articles & Regulations and the legal obligations and duties of the WEA. The WEA is a charitable company providing education courses and other activities to promote its main purpose: the advancement of education, particularly for those who are socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged.

The role of Association President

The Association President provides leadership alongside the other Association Officers to support and champion WEA’s educational mission and democratic values within and outside of local learning and membership networks. In particular, the Association President serves as Chair of WEA Council – WEA’s chief stakeholder body responsible (among other things) for ensuring WEA is responsive to learner feedback.

The Association President acts together with the Board of Trustees to give firm strategic direction to WEA, setting overall policy, defining goals, and setting targets. Candidates for the role should demonstrate a strong passion and commitment to the Association, its strategic objectives, and its charitable aims. They should demonstrate clear understanding of WEA and its mission and have strong leadership and consensus-building skills. 

Click here for a full role description.


The role of Deputy Association President

The two Deputy Association President positions – of which one is open to nominations in 2024 – provide leadership alongside the other Association Officers to support and champion WEA’s educational mission and democratic values within and outside of local learning and membership networks. The Deputy Association President serves as a Deputy Chair of WEA Council, and substitutes for the Association President as needed from time to time.

The Deputy Association Presidents are expected to establish and maintain strong, effective, and constructive relationships with their fellow trustees, WEA staff, governance volunteers and the Association Membership. Candidates for the role should demonstrate a strong passion and commitment to the Association, its strategic objectives, and its charitable aims. They should have experience of governance, and of being part of a committee or a Board (in any sector). 

Click here for a full role description.

The election of Association Officers is governed by WEA’s Articles of Association and Regulations, which are available for download on our governance webpage.

Each nomination requires authorisation from the candidate, nominator and at least four additional supporters, each of whom must be an Association Member. See the text above for eligibility guidelines and the definition of “Association Member” for the purposes of nomination and election. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact [email protected].

No WEA resources or facilities shall be used to promote any candidate.

There are further requirements which nominees must agree to by signing the declaration to be found on the nomination form (i.e., the last two pages of this document).

If you are interested in applying for any of the roles and would like an informal conversation, please contact the Director of Governance & Company Secretary (contact details below).

Association Officer posts are unpaid, voluntary positions. Reasonable and proper out of pocket expenses incurred in the course of WEA business will be reimbursed.

The workload expected of an Association Officer is estimated to be in the region of 2 days per month, exclusive of any travel time required. Officers are expected to attend WEA Conference and meetings including those of the Trustees and WEA Council. Most WEA meetings take place during regular working hours. While meetings are held primarily by videoconference, there are face-to-face meetings held throughout the year, usually in London or Leeds. All meetings provide for online attendance for those members unable to travel.

Need further information, help or support about our nominations and elections? Contact Kathleen Formosa, Director of Governance & Company Secretary via [email protected] 

WEA is governed by 15 Trustees, all of whom are volunteers. Association Officers make up 4 of the Trustees comprising the President, 2 Deputy Presidents and Treasurer.

Officers generally serve a 4-year term, with the terms arranged so that there are elections for 2 of the 4 positions during the WEA Conference in even-numbered years.

This part of our website provides further information about the roles, the process for nominations and elections. If you need any help or support to take part in this process, please contact Kathleen Formosa, Director of Governance & Company Secretary at [email protected]

On 1 March 2024 nominations open for two scheduled elections for the Association President and a Deputy Association President, for terms lasting until 2028.

Both role descriptions are available as a download:

Association President

Association Deputy President

The Officers are expected to serve on the Board of Trustees and as Chair and Deputy Chair, respectively, of WEA Council. Aside from those Trustees who are elected as Association Officers by the Association Membership, all other Trustee positions are appointed on the basis of skill and experience, with attention to building a Trustee body reflective of the diversity of WEA’s learners.

All appointments to the Board of Trustees are guided by the WEA Nominations Committee.

To learn more about the role of a Trustee and the WEA Board visit: https://www.wea.org.uk/about-us/governance.

The WEA Council is the Association’s chief stakeholder body, and as such is responsible for channelling the voice of Association Members to the Board of Trustees. It promotes the democratic involvement of all Association Members – including learners, volunteers, and staff – in the life of the Association. Download the Council’s Terms of Reference here.

The Council currently meets 3 - 4 times a year via Teams and up to 3 times a year with the Board of Trustees (hybrid). Meetings usually take place on a Wednesday or Thursday between 10.30am and 4pm.

In order to vote, nominate or stand as a candidate in the officer elections, you must be an Association Member. Association Members are current subscribing members of WEA (i.e., you have paid your annual membership fee), or in the 12 months prior to 1 March 2024, have been a WEA learner, volunteer, or otherwise qualified for free membership.

New members whose applications are received by 1 March 2024 will also be considered an Association Member for the purposes of voting, nominating or standing as a candidate in the 2024 elections.

Anyone who is not sure whether they qualify as an Association Member - or who is not sure of their membership number - can ask us to check by emailing [email protected].

• 1 March 2024 – Nominations period will officially open during the formal business of Conference.
• 5pm, 2 April 2024 – Nomination period closes.
• 8 – 18 April 2024 – Candidate interviews. In accordance with WEA’s Articles, and just like all other governance volunteers, Association Officers are required to undergo a process of interview ahead of their appointment to the Board. In accordance with WEA’s safer recruitment procedures, candidates will also be asked at this stage to provide two personal references and to begin the process of enhanced DBS clearance, if such clearance is not already held.
• 19 April 2024 – Nominations Committee confirms the suitability of those individuals proposed to appear on the ballot for Association Officer elections
• 22 April – 24 May 2024 – Period of election. · 5 June 2024 – Quarterly meeting of WEA Council.
• 6 June 2024 – Election results to be announced to the Association Membership.

Please note that the above timetable is preliminary and therefore subject to change. Subject to more than one nominee for either the President or Deputy President role, the timetable may need to be adjusted to accommodate the requirements of any third-party scrutineer in the event of a contested election.

Nominations Committee will recommend to the Board of Trustees that the incumbent Association Officers, whose terms are set to expire in May 2024, shall have their terms extended to 31 July 2024. The extension will allow for a period of handover between the outgoing and incoming Association Officers.

The definition of Association Membership as set out in Article 9 of WEA’s Articles of Association (last updated 2022), and corresponding Regulation 2.1 is clear that Association Membership “shall be open to all learners on WEA courses and programmes, authorised representatives of affiliated organisations and supporters of the Association and its object and activities in England and Scotland.”

Those who are current subscribing WEA Members (i.e., those who have paid their £15 membership fee), those who have applied for Association Membership by 1 March 2024, and those who have studied on a WEA course in the 12 months prior to 1 March 2024 are eligible to vote in the 2024 elections.

WEA’s Articles provide that the Board of Trustees have the power to appoint to casual vacancies arising among Association Officers, or in the event of no nomination to a role. In 2022, WEA had no nominees for the role of Association Treasurer, and in this case an appointment was made from among the lay members of the Finance & Capital Resources Committee.

Need further information, help or support about our nominations and elections? Contact Kathleen Formosa, Director of Governance & Company Secretary via [email protected]