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Celebrate inspirational adult learners - nominate them for an award Source: www.niace.org.uk Make sure the remarkable achievements of adult learners are given the recognition they deserve by nominating them for the Adult Learners' Week* Awards 2009. Every year the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) receives over 1,000 nominations from colleges, businesses, adult education providers, museums, libraries and elsewhere and aims to make its 18th Adult Learners' Week the most successful yet. The awards for Adult Learners' Week (9th - 15th May 2009) illustrate the extraordinary achievements, of adult learners - young, old and in all their diversity. They are awarded for their inspirational learning journeys, for the way they have coped with challenges and for the way they have embraced learning to help them transform their lives and often other people's lives as well. Winning an award as a result of being nominated, can be an encouraging and life changing experience for learners itself. Some winners of the 2008 awards share their thoughts on how much winning meant to them: Paul Lee , aged 36, from Oldham, won an award for his dramatic journey from bricklayer to Cambridge University student. Paul says, 'Going back to learning helped me feel like my old self again and winning the actual award helped me to get my confidence back. I think the recognition I earned was the most important step in becoming confident, regardless of my learning results, as great as they have been.' Jack Lewis , aged 90, from Redditch, was recognised for being one of the oldest language learners in the country and is currently learning to speak Russian. Jack says, 'I'm very proud to have won an award and I hope I can motivate others, especially the older generation. I'm certainly quite slow compared to the younger learners in my class, but my award proves that it's never too late to learn.' Sight Service - a group of visually impaired people from South Shields - were awarded for succeeding in their informal art classes and progressing to an accredited art course. Their nominator Sue Taylor says, 'Winning the award has inspired our learners to want to achieve even greater things next year and has also been an inspiration to several other visually impaired groups'. She continues, 'The individual group members who represented the rest of the group at the national award ceremony in London, were so proud to be representing not only their own group but so many other similar blind groups across the country. They were so happy to have been able to achieve things they all had previously thought were totally unachievable.' John McAnuff , aged 72, from Tottenham, won an award for taking a course in Jamaican Language and Culture and being inspired to spread awareness of his roots by writing, 'The New Jumiekan Langwij Alfabet Song'. John says, 'Winning this award has been a really valuable step in my life and the recognition encourages you like a new surge of energy'. He continues, 'In our media driven society the publicity I got put my talents in the spotlight and opened doors for me. I even got to meet my local MP and he asked me what he could do for me, it was a rare opportunity.' YMCA Fitness Industry Training , in London, were awarded for helping black and minority ethnic women find work in the fitness industry. YMCAfit Executive Director Robin Gargrave says, 'Winning was a real honour . It confirmed our belief in the value of what we are trying to achieve as an organisation and gave the whole staff a massive boost. The award is viewed with pride by everyone at YMCAfit as recognition of our hard work and commitment to providing high quality learning opportunities for all. I commend the Adult Learner Awards to all education and training providers'. Clare Harris , aged 35, from Halesowen , was recognised for her transformation from school cleaner to school-teacher. Clare says, 'Winning the award has been a great experience and it has encouraged me to ensure I continue with my learning and achieve more.' Kamy Basra, Campaigns Officer at NIACE*, said, 'Being nominated for an Adult Learners' Week award is another way of building your learners' confidence and showing them how remarkable you think their learning achievements have been. And if they're lucky enough to win an award then they will act as an inspirational role model to encourage thousands of others to take up learning.' She continued, 'For our 18th Adult Learners' Week Awards we would like to give even more remarkable learners the chance to shine and be celebrated. If you know someone whose learning journey deserves recognition and could inspire others to have a go, then nominate them for an Adult Learners' Week Award. We also present awards to families, groups and organisations whose learning has transformed lives for the better.' To nominate, visit www.alw.org.uk/nominate where you can download forms or request a paper form - nominations can be submitted online or returned by post. Additional nominations forms can be ordered at www.niace.org.uk/alw/2009/order-nomination-forms.htm . The closing date for nominations in England is Wednesday 21st January 2009 (by 5pm). Nomination forms are also available on audiocassette and in other languages from the NIACE Campaigns Team. For your form telephone 0116 204 4200, or email alw@niace.org.uk . Ends For further information please contact: Ed Melia , NIACE Press Officer, on 0116 204 4248 or 07795 358 870. Marie Koupparis , NIACE Assistant Press Officer, on 0116 204 4279 or 07824 481 499 or email: marie.koupparis@niace.org.uk Notes to Editors 1. Adult Learners' Week 2009 - the UK's largest festival and celebration of learning - will run from Saturday 9th May - Friday 15th May 2009. More information available at www.niace.org.uk/alw2009 2. Adult Learners' Week Award winners and their nominators will be invited to a regional ceremony to receive their award. National winners will also be invited to the Adult Learners' Week National Award Ceremony in London on Friday 15th May 2008. Winners receive a learning voucher, valued between £200 - £500. Everyone nominated for an award will receive a Certificate of Nomination. 3. Details of Adult Learners' Week Award winners for 2008 can be found at http://www.niace.org.uk/ALW/2008/Awards/winners-at-a-glance.htm 4. Adult Learners' Week is core-funded by the DIUS* and the European Social Fund, with significant additional support from Ufi* / learndirect* and Ofcom . 5. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) is the leading non-government organisation for lifelong learning in England, and exists to encourage more and different adults to engage in better-quality learning of all kinds. It campaigns for, and celebrates the achievements of, all adult learners. Briefing document (1,200 words) issued 14 Oct 2008  Quality Skills, Quality Services It's a communication jungle out there… Employers light the way through the union route to the Skills Pledge |
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