Newham Borough road sweeper scoops up regional learning award
Newham Borough union learning rep (ULR) and UNISON member, Patrick Hand will today (Thursday 22 May) receive an award for his learning at the London regional NIACE* Adult Learners' Week* Awards. The award is the 'unionlearn SERTUC Award for Promoting Workplace Learning' and will be presented by Barry Francis, unionlearn* Regional Manager at a ceremony held at the Brunei Gallery, School of Oriental and African Studies in central London.
The panel decided that Patrick was an outstanding winner because he progressed from being a learner to training as a union learning rep who advises and supports other learners. Through learning at work and with the support of UNISON, his trade union, his confidence and work prospects have greatly improved.
Pat Hand left school with no formal qualifications and felt badly let down by the school system. He worked in a number of low-paid and low-skilled jobs, often with very poor working conditions before he began to work for the London Borough of Newham as a road sweeper eight years ago.
Catherine Anderson, Learning and Development Consultant, London Borough of Newham said: 'When I first met Pat he was nervous and apprehensive about going back to learning. I have seen Pat's confidence and levels of self esteem increase enormously over the past few years. He is a great asset to the team and it is a privilege to have him working with us as a union learning rep.'
Patrick Hand, UNISON member said: "I am really thrilled to have received this award and would like to thank my tutors and everyone who has supported me. I still have a lot to learn but I now know that if I put my mind to it I can achieve it.
'I love that quote from Sister Act 2. 'If you want to be somebody and you want to go somewhere, you've got to wake up and pay attention. Honey the buck stops here. It doesn't matter who you kick it with, or whose you're best friend, if you haven't got any education you're nobody.''
Barry Francis, unionlearn Regional Manager said: 'I am delighted to present the unionlearn award to Patrick, who is a very deserving winner and a credit to the London Borough of Newham. Completing such a range of courses, including Dyslexia in the Workplace and Lifelong Learning means that Patrick has really developed the confidence to help others, which is at the heart of what union learning reps do. Patrick is one of over 150,000 learners that union learning reps helped to return to learning last year.'
NOTES TO EDITORS:
All unionlearn press releases can be found at www.unionlearn.org.uk
Learning at Work Day is run by the Campaign for Learning* and Adult Learners' Week is organised by NIACE, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.
Media enquiries:
Wanda Wyporska T: 020 7079 6950 M: 07795 844728 E: wwyporska@tuc.org.uk
Press release (500 words) issued 22 May 2008
