Successful Adult Learners Celebrated At Annual Awards Ceremony

Successful adult learners who completed courses with the Isle of Wight Council were celebrated at an awards event last week.

The Adult Community Learning Service handed out 11 awards, recognising the achievements of individuals across a range of subjects.

Rob Brindley, service manager for the Adult Community Learning Service, said: “I was humbled to hear the learners’ individual stories and share the journeys they have taken to achieve their learning goals.

"I know these achievements will impact their lives and their families, whether it is for volunteering, employment, college or university, or well-being and enjoyment.

"Congratulations to all the winners who should be proud of their awards; I know your achievements will inspire others to give learning a try.

"I would like to thank all the friends and families who have provided support, and the tutors and partner organisations who worked to help learners to reach their full potential.”

A special award, the Laura Groves Award for Community and Family Involvement, was presented in memory of former Downside Middle School teacher Laura Groves.

Wootton Primary School's Jade Harrison won this accolade for going above and beyond in her role in supporting children in the classroom and at home, ensuring families know how to access support, and bringing together a group of young carers to share their feelings and experiences.

If you want to find out more about Adult Community Learning opportunities on the Isle of Wight, please visit www.iow.gov.uk or email [email protected]

Other winners included:

Learning through Functional Skills Award — Anna Gudgin.

Anna struggled academically and did not sit her exams at school, however, she found Adult Community Learning classes perfect for her.

Classes were a friendly size with a good mix of people and cater for all styles of learning and individual needs.

A highly commended award in this category was awarded to Heather Venables-Smith.

Learning Through Technology Award — Jo Hofmann. 

Jo has successfully completed the essential digital skills for work qualification, presentation and word courses.  Jo’s confidence and abilities have grown immensely since she started attending courses with our service, which has had a positive impact on her life and resulted in her gaining employment. 

Highly commended was presented to Catrina Millington.

Learning for Work Award — Natalie Thomas.

Natalie had started a degree level apprenticeship but found the maths quite challenging. She says the community style of teaching is incredibly powerful, with peer support around you and teachers that change their approach to suit your learning style.

A highly commended award in this category went to Martha Erasmus.

Learning for Personal Achievement Highly Commended Award — Alison McCarthy.

Alison completed courses in spreadsheets and presentations. With the welcoming and calm support of her tutor John, Alison overcome her anxieties and gained confidence in all aspects of computing.

Learning Within the Family Award — Laura Williams.

Laura is a young foster carer and felt she did not know much about parenting, but wanted to do the best she could for her brother. She soon become an active member of the ‘families living and learning together’ group, asking questions and gaining in confidence. Laura says the course was a wonderful way to bond and it was a joy to see her brother respond to the activities in the classroom and put them into action at home.

Staff Award — Norman Spence.

Norman volunteers to support functional skills classes in Ryde and Sandown. After a career that has involved maths in one form or another, Norman was keen to use his skills in a voluntary capacity.

Norman has learned a lot about the learning support role and values seeing the ‘lightbulb’ moment when adults learn new skills and grow in confidence.