Leeds City College Adult Learners Week Winners

Leeds City College is celebrating its first set of student awards as a number of its learners receive recognition for their achievements as part of this year’s Adult Learners’ Week.

The College has seen students scoop a national and a regional award along with a number of local winners as part of the annual festival which aims to encourage adults to return to learning. The awards are handed out in conjunction with the week, running from Saturday, May 9 to Friday, May 15, to people who have overcome significant barriers during their learning journey and are seen to motivate and inspire others.

Leeds College of Technology, Leeds Thomas Danby and Park Lane College Leeds & Keighley merged last month to form Leeds City College. The new college has combined the three former institutions’ community provisions to offer a diverse range of courses for adult learners throughout the city as well as continuing the individual colleges’ success in these awards.

Further Education Minister Sion Simon said, “The Adult Learners’ Week Awards are a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of learners around the country. As the awards show, learning in all its many forms leads to a host of benefits not only for the individual learner, but also for their families and the wider community.”

He continued, “I hope the award winners will inspire others to rediscover learning. Whether your goal is to be able to help your children with their homework, realise a career aspiration or simply learn for pleasure, brushing up on existing skills or learning new ones can transform your life.”

Rachel Thomson, Senior Campaigns Officer at NIACE, said, “The outstanding adult learning we celebrate during Adult Learners’ Week shows the range and breadth of adults’ enthusiasms, skills and determination to succeed, often against the odds. Our winners are remarkable – for their energy, commitment and talent – and each and every one should be extremely proud of what they’ve achieved.”

Image captions:
1. Gerildine Talbot (right) at the awards ceremony.
Picture courtesy of positivenegatives.net.
2. Paul North at the Leeds City College Featherbank Centre for Art Craft & Design.
Picture courtesy of Hollis Photography.

Details of Leeds City College student awards are as follows:

National winner

Power of Reading Award, sponsored by Booktrust – Gerildine Talbot
Leeds City College student Gerildine Talbot was awarded the National Power of Reading Award, sponsored by Booktrust, in this year’s Adult Learner Awards, handed out in conjunction with Adult Learners’ Week. Gerildine, 44, was unable to read and write until she returned to learning as an adult last year. Encouraged to write her life story by social workers eleven years ago, she attended a Leeds City College Skills for Life literacy class at its provision at East Leeds Family Learning Centre, after realising she needed the skills to edit her book. She has already achieved an Entry Level 2 qualification in Literacy, has learnt to use a computer, completed courses in Indian Head Massage and Painting and Drawing Level 1 and attends a book club.

Regional winners

Regional Senior Learner (Yorkshire) – Paul Howard North
Having left school in 1961 with no qualifications Paul always had a passion for art. When he was made redundant in 1997, Paul decided to take his passion one step further with a formal qualification – a GCSE in Art & Design, gaining an A*. He has gone on to gain a whole range of qualifications – including AS and A’Level in Art & Design – and is now in his second year of a Foundation Degree in Art and Design Enterprise at Leeds City College, Park Lane Campus. He supports local charities – Multiple Sclerosis Society and St Gemma’s Hospice – by holding demonstrations, workshops and exhibitions and has also donated part of sales of his work.

Other Award Winners:

Outstanding Achievement Award – Brian Jones
Brian has been attending literacy class at the College’s provision at East Leeds Family Learning Centre since September last year. From the outset, Brian, 42, has had to contend with continuing serious health issues, undergoing regular chemotherapy treatment throughout his studies. Yet despite the obvious challenges it poses, Brian has remained optimistic in his attitude, has rarely been absent from class and has consistently demonstrated a committed and positive approach to learning. In addition to studying for literacy ands numeracy qualifications, Brian is also currently working towards a GCSE in Maths and is poised to move on to studying at Leeds University.

Family Learning Group – Hovingham Primary School Family Learning ESOL Group
This group of six parents, nominated by their tutor Liz Lowe, started a family learning course in conjunction with their children’s attendance at the school’s reception classes in September. The course, run by the College’s Brigshaw Centre, not only helped with the development of their English and key skills but also enabled them to support their children’s learning by running joint activities involving songs, games and stories. The group showed commitment, enthusiasm and great achievement while also having a positive effect on their children’s learning.

Regional Art Winner – Yvonne Strothard, Featherbank Centre
Yvonne, 67, joined a general painting class at the Featherbank Centre four years ago. Despite enormous domestic pressures and the exhaustion of looking after her husband who has Alzheimer’s disease, Yvonne rises to each class challenge with wit, enthusiasm and modesty. Recently, the class applauded the progress she had made throughout the course and in her paintings and her tutor Geraldine Thompson said her insight, active participation and infectious enthusiasm was a benefit not only to her own work, but to that of the whole group.

Learner Inspiration Award – tutor Caroline Campbell, St Bartholomew’s Centre
Caroline Campbell was nominated by her class of adult students studying Childcare at the St Bartholomew’s Centre in Armley. They highlighted her patience and encouragement which had helped them to complete the course and exceed their own expectations. She has motivated them to believe in themselves and to progress to employment or further study.

Community Champion – Sarah Thornton, Brudenell Centre
Sarah took and passed her Level 1 qualification in January this year so that she could progress to and achieve Level 2 by June. She is a parent of a disabled child with multiple needs. She has created, promoted and continues to run the Daisy Chain Support Group and website* for the parents of disabled children. She has also managed to acquire funding and the use of facilities from Sure Start so that the group can continue to run successfully. Sarah also acts, voluntarily, as an advocate for the parents of disabled children and has completed many radio and television interviews.
*www.daisychainsupportgroup.co.uk

Skills for Life winner – Jamila Doust, St Bartholomew’s Centre.
Jamila came to England from Afghanistan several years ago with very little English and enrolled on a beginners’ course with Park Lane College. She has made rapid progress and has worked hard to pass her exams. She has become a valuable member of the local community and volunteers at the charity ‘Armley Helping Hands’ where she recently gained a Food Hygiene qualification. She is also a volunteer helper at a local primary school and is studying a Childcare course at St Bartholomew’s Centre.

Older Learner – Rebecca Kumba, Carr Manor Centre
Rebecca (age 66) came to England as an asylum seeker several years ago from the Congo (People’s Republic) and despite poor health and many other difficulties she has worked hard to make good progress in learning English and has gained a nationally recognised ‘English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)’ qualification. Her warm and friendly nature has gained her many new friends.

For further information on Adult Learners’ Week 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, 9th–15th May 2009, is the largest annual celebration of adult learning in the UK. It is supported by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the European Social Fund, Careers Advice, the National Learning and Skills Council, Ofcom – the Office of Communications, the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, the Learning and Skills Council, Booktrust, Ufi/learndirect, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, National Open College Network, BECTA, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and City and Guilds. More details at: www.alw.org.uk

2. A national helpline – Careers Advice – is available year-round for confidential advice and information about careers and courses. The call handlers will have access to the NIACE website and can give information about local activities during Adult Learners’ Week. Calls are free on 0800 100 900.

3. 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.

Press Contact
Kathy Sharpe
Marketing & PR Coordinator
Leeds City College
t: 0113 216 2561
e: katherine.sharpe@leedscitycollege.ac.uk