Transformation Fund event for Adult Learners' Week Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 17:49

Transforming Lives - held in London on Thursday, 20 May 2010- celebrated the success of the Learning Revolution Transformation Fund, by recognising the inspirational learning journeys of groups and individuals alike with special awards as part of Adult Learners' Week.

The event featured films made by Transformation Fund projects and performances from the Cambridge African Network, Wandsworth Borough Council's SOUL and Aoife Mannix, writer and poet from the London Borough of Camden's Transformation Fund Project.

Attendees also had the opportunity to contribute to discussions on the way forward for informal adult learning.

The ten award winners represented the breadth of Transformation Fund projects from across the country:

The Brough Superior Learning Revolution Team, a group of history and car enthusiasts, have been painstakingly restoring a part of Nottingham's history - a Brough Superior car - as part of a Transformation Fund project.

The group of Nottinghamshire learners - aged 19 to 68 and from diverse backgrounds - have come together on a weekly basis since October 2009 to learn how to restore a piece of Nottingham's history - the 1936 Brough Superior vintage car. Over 1000 hours have been spent by the 56 group members so far, learning about all aspects of car restoration, as well as the history of the car so the final result can be exhibited in Nottingham. The project has brought different outcomes for each member, with some considering further learning and others having job offers in the pipeline.

The group work in teams, with each learning a different skill, however, many of the members are so dedicated to the project that they work on two or three teams. The research teams are learning how to document evidence for the end exhibition; the restoration team are learning about mechanics, body and panel work and upholstery and trim from professionals at Riste Motor Company; the film-making team are documenting the restoration and learning how to use cameras, edit film, direct and produce; and the journalist team are being trained on writing news stories by the Nottingham Evening Post.

Member of the group, Anthony, said:

"I feel more confident and independent and I'm glad to have met so many wonderful people, this project is a life changing experience I will never forget."

The Burmese and Karen Community Reporters, a group of adults from the Burmese and Karen refugee community in Sheffield gained an opportunity through Sheffield Hallam University and People's Voice Media to learn journalistic and community reporting skills, allowing them to share their own experiences of Burma with the wider world, as part of the Transformation Fund project.

Learning journalism skills is particularly empowering for this group as it is widely banned in Burma, meaning information about the country is limited to outsiders. The group have learned ICT skills in editing and audio and visual recording and have recorded their experiences of living in exile in the Burmese jungle, living in refugee camps in Thailand, the Burmese Military and their move to a new country.

By recording their stories, the group feel they are maintaining their cultural heritage whilst adjusting to life in the UK. The group showcased some of their work at an exhibition in Sheffield in March 2010 and as one of the group said:

"This is the first step in letting people in the world know."

Student Et Htee Kaw, 25, added:

"I've really appreciated this course. I enjoyed making new friends from a different community. I've a plan to be a journalist, reporter or photographer so this course is very helpful."

Dean Croft, aged 35, from Norwich, has transformed his life through volunteering and learning and now helps young people in the same situation he was in.

Dean had been using drugs for 12 years when he became homeless in 2007 but, thanks to his involvement with Norwich City Council's LEAP project, his life has turned around. Volunteering three days a week with the Salvation Army, Dean sought advice from LEAP - and it became clear that he had a passion for food and wanted to become a chef. Since then, he "has been a shining light of the project", according to his nominator, Barry Allard.

Referred to college, Dean undertook a training course in cooking and food preparation but, told that he lacked the experience to undertake an NVQ Level 2 course; he secured part-time work in a professional kitchen 24 hours a week. With his studying and work, Dean also finds the time to help out with cookery classes at the Transform Project which helps vulnerable adults in supported housing learn new skills.

Dean said:

"I have been helping the main tutor with all aspects of the course...I enjoy giving something back and helping young people who are in the same situation as I was when I started out. I hope to fill them with confidence and stop them going down the path that I did. Learning has kept me on track. It has given me something in my life. It makes me feel like a better person and not a waste."

In our culture, it's easy to think that these are men's jobs - they do the plumbing - and we should just stick to the cooking. But this is a life skill - it really is.

A member of DIY Your Future

DIY Your Future - a group of Asian women, aged 25 to 42 years old, from Fir Vale in Sheffield - have been overcoming barriers and destroying stereotypes to learn decorating, plumbing and electrical skills.

The women have learnt DIY skills, having overcome barriers such as care for their families and the traditional views of the Asian community about the role of women - in an area considered to be a male domain. This group lacking in confidence to attempt tasks such as decorating, plumbing, electrics, home repairs and negotiating with builders and landlords, ended the course ‘empowered' and with ‘essential life skills'.

Members of the group are now role models in their families and communities and are proactive in tackling maintenance jobs around the home. The skills the women have learned have added to their general confidence, saved them money and have also encouraged them to consider enrolling on further courses.

One of the group said:

"In our culture, it's easy to think that these are men's jobs - they do the plumbing - and we should just stick to the cooking. But this is a life skill - it really is. The course has been great fun and we have really enjoyed the whole experience."

John Garton, aged 44, from Peterborough has used his knowledge of green living to help others live a more sustainable lifestyle.

John - who accepts no state benefits and lives off the land - was completing community service when he heard about the opportunity to teach others his ‘green' skills through Greeniversity - a skill sharing project for Peterborough's residents to gain a new ‘green' skill for free. Wanting to share his knowledge, John attended a Greeniversity web workshop, learning how to set up an email address and use their website which led to John uploading his own course in Wild Food. He then attended a Train the Trainer course which gave him the confidence to deliver his Wild Food course to fifteen learners.

The success of his first course means John is now preparing further courses in Wild Food. "The Greeniversity project has given me more confidence and self esteem, I know how to use the internet now and really enjoy sharing my skills with others," said John. As well as teaching others, John has also learned new crafts such as willow weaving, pole lathing and carving and volunteers at The Green Backyard - a community growing project in urban Peterborough.

Leigh-Ann Lumsden, aged 32, from Coleford in Gloucestershire, has learned to play the keyboard, despite having Hallervorden Spatz syndrome which means she has enormous difficulty controlling her movements, especially her arms, so her keyboard skills are even more remarkable.

Leigh-Ann has found great enjoyment and encouragement in music and through attending music sessions at Foxes Bridge Day Centre, Leigh-Ann practices on her keyboard at home, learning new tunes and playing them back to the music group each week. Recently she has performed at local care homes and received rousing applause from the audience.

In early music sessions Leigh-Ann found it difficult to hold and manipulate instruments, however, perseverance saw her make great progression. "For Leigh-Ann to bring her fingers under control to perform tunes accurately and fluently has been an enormous achievement of dedication and determination," said nominator, Fiona.

Leigh-Ann added:

"Our music sessions at Foxes Bridge have been an encouragement and inspiration to me. I love music and the practice is good exercise for my fingers."

Liam Norcott, aged 38, from Manchester, has found new ways of expressing himself through writing and film.

Liam's attendance of the Real Surreal course - part of the Just the Ticket project - has taken him on a personal journey of discovery through creative writing and producing short videos. Liam is described as ‘a man of few words' who doesn't want to be defined by his past, instead, his written work allows him to express who he is now. Liam attended every session, participated in group discussions and produced some heart-felt written work during the course. He studied women and surrealism and as part of this attended an art gallery exhibition, a film screening and a theatre performance.

When Liam was given a video camera at his first session and asked to produce a short film for the next session, he returned the following week with four short films each highlighting his concept of home in a different way. Liam now hopes to continue his learning and enrol on another Just the Ticket course. Nominator, Elaine, said, "...his participation and enthusiasm for learning inspires everyone he meets."

Liam reflected:

"I enjoyed the course Real Surreal I don't often write stuff I liked the company and I felt they were a source of inspiration."

Peter Fear, aged 34, from Peterborough, was so shy he was afraid to speak up in front of others, however, thanks to the Towards Independence programme; he now speaks at community meetings.

Peter lives in supported housing and began learning three years ago, completing certificates in literacy and numeracy up to entry level three. Peter then joined the full-time Towards Independence programme at Portsmouth College to learn how to live more independently and with confidence. He gained work experience at Portsmouth Civic Centre which helped him gain belief in his abilities and he now attends Portsmouth Learning Disability Partnership Board meetings and speaks fluently about self-advocacy.

Peter's oral communication really captures the audience's attention so he has been asked to become a Learning Champion, advocating the benefits of learning to others.

Peter said:

"I really like the idea of being able to speak at meetings and put my ideas across and I think that getting more confident has made a real difference to my life and I like the idea of being able to help other people get what they want out of life too."

Learning on a farm about animals, plants and the countryside has helped a group of adults - Quest - from Stafford, with varying mental health needs, to see just how transformational learning can be.

Through a Transformation Fund project called ‘Wellies', the Quest group have experienced firsthand the positive impact that learning can have on their wellbeing and the therapeutic benefits of being active and outdoors. The group have learned new skills and refreshed old ones too, through day courses including, bread and sausage making, cooking, floristry, tractor driving, animal care, donkey walking and grooming, coppicing, making bird-feeders and benches, horse-riding and fishing. Through informal and fun activities, members of the group have gained belief that their ambitions are achievable.

One member of the group said, "I have had such a lovely new experience riding a horse, who would believe that I can do it!" This group member is now planning to take horse riding lessons. Two other members of the group learned how to make bread and now meet up socially to make bread together.

Nominator, Julie White, said:

"The project has been like a breath of fresh air and has proved without a shadow of a doubt how learning promotes feelings of wellbeing."

Times of Our Lives is a group of seventeen people, aged between 60 and 85, from Margate, that have been developing their art skills to produce a vision of what ‘teenage' means to them.

Many members of the group were keen to study art when they were younger but it wasn't considered practical or encouraged, so the Times of Our Lives project has given them an outlet to express their artistic flair in later life. The group have created pieces to represent the differences between their teenage years and those of today's teenagers, to form part of a life-sized bedroom.

The group have learned new skills, including technology, archiving and art and have each participated for different reasons. Some of the group attended for camaraderie and to develop a passion for art, whereas one member wanted to combine his existing photography skills with new media.

The group's work was displayed in Margate in March 2010 and examples included: a broken mirror to reflect the angst of being a teenager; layering of wallpaper from different eras to show the passing of time; a talking photo album of a teenage diary; and a hybrid bed showing the stark difference between past bedding and today's duvets.

A member of the group said:

"This project has been a really brilliant way of opening up our minds to ‘seeing' in a very different way... working in a group enables us to mull over ideas together which lead to all sorts of creative thought."

John Hayes, Minister for Further Education and Skills, said:

"These inspiring stories highlight the real difference learning can make to people's lives. Developing skills and gaining qualifications is not just for young people. Adult Learners' Week shows the personal and social benefits that learning can bring to enrich the lives of individuals and communities, as well as giving people better job prospects."

"I want to congratulate all of today's winners and nominees and hope that, through their achievements, they encourage others to follow in their footsteps."