Are you thinking of standing for selection as a Member of the Scottish Parliament? Would you benefit from LWN's gold-standard training to help prepare and inspire you?
Our experienced training team will guide you through thinking about a range of issues, from the process and practicalities of your selection campaign to the reality of the job, and the resilience needed along the way.
We know our training works – 46% of the current Labour MPs in Westminster are LWN graduates or alumnae, of the 100 newly elected women MPs, 58% are LWN graduates, and half of the women Cabinet Ministers are our graduates. We also boast LWN alumna in leadership roles in local government, trade unions, private and public sectors - rattling cages and taking up space wherever they go.
Places are limited on all our courses and demand is high, so apply as soon as possible. All LWN’s training opportunities are heavily subsidised by LWN members and our fundraising efforts, therefore these courses are only open to LWN members. If you’re not a current member of LWN, you will need to JOIN prior to submitting your application form, you can JOIN HERE, and you must continue in LWN membership for at least 12 months.
All fees (see below) must be paid in advance, by the deadline set by LWN, should you be successful in getting a place.
To get the most out of this training, participants need to have at least one year’s membership of the Labour Party before doing any of these courses; this is because you need a basic working knowledge of the Party in order to benefit from what we offer, and you must be eligible to stand as Labour MSP.
What is involved
The course is very intensive with a high trainer/trainee ratio. You will receive expert training and advice from sisters who have real world experience of the process and how to campaign within all selection scenarios.
We will make time for you to think about yourself and your political future, acquire new (or refreshed) skills; learn how to build on your current profile by playing to your strengths and will have a deep dive into the selections process and campaign strategy, and all while networking with other Labour women.
Our courses are challenging, with lots of no-nonsense tough love, and are deliberately designed to take you out of your comfort zone, so please bear this in mind when applying.
Where and when
The course will be held in a hotel in Glasgow City Centre on Saturday 19th October and Sunday 20th October 2024, starting early on Saturday and ending no later than 4pm on Sunday (exact timings will be confirmed to participants) . It is essential that you attend the whole course, please do not submit an application if you can only attend part of the training.
The weekend will consist of two days of in-person gold-standard training, and includes refreshments over the weekend, a dinner on the Saturday night (excluding drinks) and accommodation.
The cost
If you are successful in gaining a place on this course, we ask for a £50 deposit, which must be paid by the 13th October 2024 - this is non-refundable. LWN has heavily subsidised this course. All your training, refreshments (excluding drinks at the evening meal) and overnight accommodation on 19th October will be paid for by LWN. After the course, and subject to your full attendance, we will refund you £50.
LWN cannot pay for travel to or from the course, or any extra accommodation you feel you may need.
If you have an issue about paying in time, please email Jane on [email protected] who will discuss this with you.
From experience, we know our courses are in high demand and each course has limited places, hence why we have a rigorous application process.
We advise you to get your application in as soon as possible, think about your strengths and weaknesses, shout about your achievements, share your aspirations and let us know how our training may assist you in the future, all within the application form.
You will need to provide one Labour Party referee for your application to be considered - this should be a branch/CLP officer, Councillor, MSP, MP or other Labour Party officer. You CANNOT be your own referee (or ask a family member).