Eleven-strong FDA delegation attends the 2009 Unionlearn Conference

Eleven FDA delegates - including the President David Watts - represented the FDA at this year's annual Unionlearn Conference, which took place on 11 June at Congress House in central London. Around 300 people attended the conference, which was chaired by comedian Jo Brand and included TUC general secretary Brendan Barber, author John O'Farrell and minister for employment relations and postal affairs at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Pat McFadden among the guest speakers,

The FDA had a stand at the conference, which displayed the union's work with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). The joint campaign is focusing on neurodiversity, encompassing a range of learning differences, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. For more information, please read the FDA-NIACE neurodiversity project information leaflet.

FDA Professional Skills for Goverment project manager Neil Rider said: "It is a sign of how well the FDA's learning work is going that we were able to take a delegation of union learning representatives covering eight different departments and professions [to this conference]. The invitation to mount a display on our neurodiversity work with NIACE was also very encouraging, with over 100 delegates visiting our display."

Left to right: FDA President David Watts, FDA organiser Sacha Dutta, FDA union learning representative Margaret MacDonald and FDA PSG project manager Neil Rider at the FDA stand at the 2009 Unionlearn Conference