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ALW 2006 South East Region Award Winners

Jason Brennan, age 35, Winchester
Nominated by: Sarah Harris, Trinity, Winchester
Press Contact: Michelle Gardner. Tel: 01962 842827. Email: michelle@trinity.org.uk 

“Going on this course keeps my mind active and helps me relax”

Jason Brennan battled through long periods of unemployment and unhappiness to learn new skills and gain qualifications in catering - a subject he’s really passionate about.

“Going onto a course I was able to keep my mind occupied and therefore become less anxious. I now have stable accommodation and have built up enough trust to become a relief chef,” he says, “and I now cook for 50 people a day … I have also, for the past three years, cooked Christmas Dinner.”

His nominator, Sarah Harris, praised his achievements, “Jason has shown great determination and commitment to improve his life. His confidence and communication skills have improved considerably.”

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Mary Chambers, age 45, West Ewell, Surrey
Nominated by: Raquela Mosquera, The Surrey Care Trust
Tel: 07786 911870. Email: raquela@surreycaretrust.co.uk

Learning is nothing to be embarrassed about

Mary Chambers has spent all of her life in the traveller community. Now she lives on a settled site, but when she was a child her family were constantly on the move and she never had the opportunity to go to school. As a result, Mary struggled with many aspects of life that many people would take for granted.

One of those problems was reading, but as her youngest child grew up she wanted to do something for herself and decided to embark upon a course.

“For someone who never had any formal education and didn’t even know the alphabet, going into learning was a huge step,” says her nominator Raquela. She, “showed great courage starting to learn to read at the age of 45” and now, “her example has already encouraged a group of people from her community to attend another local course,” she adds.

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Kelly Collins, age 24, Sheerness, Kent
Nominated by: Emma Warren, Kent Adult Education Service
Tel: 01795 415900. Email: emma.warren@kent.gov.uk

Kelly refuses to let go of her hopes and dreams

After a difficult childhood which involved her missing a lot of study, Kelly Collins impressively decided to take that incredibly difficult step back into learning and attend a course at an adult education college. However, after a very short amount of time her course was cancelled and as a result Kelly’s confidence was shattered.

Kelly, though, had the determination to overcome those physical and psychological barriers and has shown a huge amount of motivation since to keep pushing for her goals. She states that the flexibility and relaxed atmosphere of adult education courses really helped her to combat both the childcare issues and low confidence that also hindered her progress.

She is now making a real difference to other peoples’ lives as a Kent Learning Champion and has also commenced an Access Course at a local college that will enable her to go on to university.

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Louise Harris, age 25, Hastings, East Sussex
Nominated by: Kay Syrad, Sussex Downs College
Tel: 01273 402346. Email: kay.syrad@sussexdowns.ac.uk

“Adult learning means a chance to live, be proud, content and satisfied -instead of just existing”

As a child and adolescent Louise Harris was sent to school for a total of only two years, and then when she was allowed to attend she had to leave without the chance to complete her GCSEs.

Louise has since overcome this unfortunate introduction to learning as well as various other obstacles and now divides her time between inspiring others to learn and preparing for a Creative Therapy Degree at University.

Louise explains, “I wished to better my life – to make my life mean something and to take every opportunity instead of wasting the life I have been given.”

In this vein she has recently set-up her own drama group for teenagers and worked with homeless and other disadvantaged communities. Her nominator, Kay Syrad, is full of praise for a “genuine, dynamic, original woman” who is also “a gifted performer.”

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Jessica McGaw, age 25, Newport, Isle Of Wight
Nominated by: Richard Priest, Riverside Centre, Newport
Tel: 07766 241869. Email: richard.priest@riversidecentre.org.uk

Limits only exist in the mind

By overcoming personal issues as well as a system that failed to recognise her needs at school, Jessica has proved to herself and others that achievement is never impossible.

Jessica’s achievements are endless but highlights include a foundation diploma, six GCSEs, a BA honours degree and a PGCE. As if that wouldn’t have kept her busy enough she has also run youth and community projects, art projects for disabled people as well as been a fundraiser for a local hospice.

Jessica’s nominator, Richard Priest, says she possesses, “unique qualities” that, “bring light and laughter to all those fortunate enough to journey with her.“ Jessica herself states that adult learning has, “given [her] the key to the door of life’s experiences.”

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Yasmin Miller, age 33, Wokingham, Berkshire
Nominated by: Fiona Heston, Wokingham Learning Partnership
Press contact: Christina Carswell
Tel: 0118 974 6056 Email: christina.carswell@wokingham.gov.uk

As an already well-educated young woman with diverse interests and a high-flying career as a chartered accountant and tax adviser, Yasmin’s life changed dramatically when she encountered severe depression. For nearly two years, she was unable to work.

“I became withdrawn from society,” she explains, “and unable to function at even a basic level. I knew I would eventually have to return to work, but couldn’t imagine how that could be possible.”

A lifeline was offered by the Broadening Horizons course, run by Bracknell and Wokingham College. “That course was a first step towards returning my mind to ‘normal life’, and just having to interact with others laid the foundations for rebuilding my shattered confidence,” Yasmin says. Further courses – Return to Work, Train the Trainer, refresher courses in rugby coaching and the FA football coaching certificates among others – helped her fight her illness and pick up the pieces of her life.

She’s now using her talents to help people with a variety of needs to access learning: coaching rugby to people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities, holding football sessions for disaffected young people, and co-facilitating a ‘Return to Work’ course for people with mental health needs.

“Even when she was tearful and distressed, she persevered,” says nominator Fiona Heston. “She may well find that the result will be a complete career change and a completely changed way of life.”

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CETS Bilingual Childcare Group, Thornton Heath, Surrey
Nominated by Ellen Andrews, CETS, Thornton Heath, Surrey
Press Contact: Martin Starnes Tel: 020 8253 1850 Email: martin.starnes@croydon.gov.uk

Diverse learners reach common goal

17 women from 11 different countries, speaking 12 different languages and caring for over 40 children make up the CETS Bilingual Childcare Group. Together they have studied for the CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Pre-School Practice Course which will enable them to work with children under-five.

All 17 have also gained qualifications in First Aid and another six have completed an English qualification. Five have moved on to higher-level study but the majority are working in nurseries and pre-schools in Croydon.

One of the group said, “The course has helped with understanding our own children and families and about the community in which we live. Adult learning is fun, exciting and sometimes difficult. Adults can bring the past with them to inform the future.”

Ellen Andrews, the group’s tutor, said, “Many languages were spoken and different religions and cultures were represented but the group worked so well together. This outstanding, mutually supportive group of learners worked together to achieve their personal goals and to give back to their host community their individual skills.”

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Jacqui Veazey, age 57, Brighton
Nominated by: Dr Carlton Kenneth Wood, The Open University
Press Contact: Yvonne Gilbert, Tel: 01342 341017. Email: y.gilbert@open.ac.uk

“Learning is the antidote for self-pity”

As a single mum on benefits Jacqui Veazey spent many years at home looking after her children. One day she realized that by helping herself and improving her skills she could help her family too. “I knew that I eventually wanted a worthwhile job or career and would need qualifications ... so I studied as an adult learner to improve the situation of my family,” she says.

Jacqui’s learning journey started at an adult education college and has now progressed through BA and MA honours degrees to her gaining entry to a DPhil course later this year.

This impressive journey is all the more impressive when you realize that she has been a member of numerous forums and focus groups, a branch secretary for the Civil Service Union and a disability trainer during her learning.

Dr Carlton Wood her nominator compliments a student who “was always cheery and was very willing to help out other less capable students than herself. The excellent dynamics we had in that group were mainly down to her.”

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