Adult Learners’ Week 2013 Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 14:10

Two national events were held in London as part of Adult Learners’ Week, which illustrated perfectly how learning can and does help people to completely transform their lives.

The Adult Learners’ Week National Awards Ceremony saw individuals and projects from all over England come together to accept their awards and to have their inspiring learning journeys and the life-changing opportunities they offer to others celebrated, praised and respected.

Speaking at the National Awards Ceremony, Matthew Hancock MP, Minister for Skills, said:

“For everyone to reach their potential we need to ensure that learning opportunities are expanded throughout their lives. Countries that are investing heavily in education are the ones galloping ahead, so we must continually improve on this in the UK."

Sam Riley turned his life around after taking up learning in prison and now works with young people, helping them transform their own lives:

“Through education doors can open up for you, like they did for me - learning saved my life.”

An Apprenticeship helped Emma Rogers cope better with her dyslexia, gave her the skills to win a gold medal at the London World Skills competition and led to her opening her own beauty salon – all whilst raising a child:

"Aim high and you'll achieve more, just believe in what you want to do."

Karen Woods didn't do too well at school, but her determination took her from a cleaning job to a published author:

"Life gives you a hand of cards and it's up to you how you use them. Education was my best card and it sprinkled magic into my life."

Jenny Dimmock lives with Down’s Syndrome, but hasn’t let it hold her back. Her drive and determination earned her a permanent job in a pathology lab:

"I like everything about my work and I just feel so proud of myself."

Life gives you a hand of cards and it's up to you how you use them. Education was my best card and it sprinkled magic into my life.

Karen Woods

This was followed with a tutor celebration event in the afternoon, held in partnership with the Institute for Learning (IfL), where previous Adult Learners’ Week award winners were given the chance to show their gratitude for the enormous contribution that their tutors made to their lives.

David Hughes, NIACE’s Chief Executive, said:

"Every one of our Adult Learners’ Week award winners talked about the crucial support and commitment they received from their tutors - we need a much more celebratory culture around learning"

Making her inaugural speech as the IfL’s patron, Baroness Helena Kennedy, said:

"My parents believed that teaching is performing a noble calling and that there’s nothing more satisfying than teaching others and opening doors for them. The professionalism of teachers has to be celebrated, because teaching and learning hold our communities together. The teachers we are celebrating today all transform lives - they are inspirational and give people second chances."

Cheryl Powell, a 2012 Adult Learners’ Week award winner, said of her from City College Plymouth tutor, Steve Murphy:

"Everything Steve has done for me gives me the power and the will to keep going on."

Lorraine Pearson, an award winner from 2011, said:

"I can't say enough about my tutors at City and Islington College, they gave me everything and they've helped me cope better with my challenges. Sally made me feel like I belonged there, she became a friend and she boosted my confidence by asking me to be her classroom assistant.”

Frank Harris, another 2011 award winner, is now in his second year of a Criminology and Social Justice degree after taking up learning when he was in prison. He said of his City Lit tutor, Lucy Robson:

"I’m really grateful to Lucy for seeing a little bit of light in me and for restoring my faith in people. She has transformed my life and because of her I can now be a proper father, grandfather & brother. Now, I need to keep doing my criminology degree to try and stop so many people going to prison unnecessarily."