Adult Learners' Week

Adult Learners Week 2010

In 2010 Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership worked with NIACE to coordinate the Adult Learners' Week campaign in South East England. The Partnership has coordinated the regional Adult Learners' Awards Ceremony which took place on Tuesday 18th May 2010 at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, and also organised a 'Celebration of Culture' event in Woking town centre which celebrated cultural diversity weekend and promoted adult learning.

Spelthorne Community Learning Partnership is working with Voluntary Action in Spelthorne, Brooklands College, Strode's College and Nextstep to coordinate a range of free lunchtime tasters in Staines during Adult Learners' Week 2010 and Banstead, Epsom & Ewell Community Learning Partnership is marking the week with two Silver Surfers' Days in conjunction with the WEA and Nescot College.

A full article on the Celebration of Culture can be found in the news section.

Adult Learners Week 2009

‘Adult Learners Week’ is one of the biggest learning campaigns of the year, which encourages adults to return to learning, learn at work, or celebrate their culture. We worked with partners to organise many events during May 2009.

Banstead, Epsom and Ewell Community Learning Partnership held two ‘Silver Surfers Day’ computer taster classes in the Court and Ruxley area. The sessions were delivered by the Workers Education Association (WEA) using a set of laptop computers loaned to them by SLLP. Over 20 learners were engaged, with a course now planned to take their learning forward.

Surrey Adult Learner Awards

Since 1992 the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has coordinated the Adult Learners Awards, which celebrate adults’ achievements and showcase the creativity, imagination and energy adults bring to their learning.

In the South East the annual awards ceremony is supported by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and despite the regional nature of the event, we have always supported a dedicated Surrey award.

Adult Learners Week Links

NIACE Adult Learners Week Website

Surrey Learner of the Year Award Winner 2010: Suzi Ezzard

When Suzi came to the Leatherhead Clubhouse in 2004, she had been out of education for nearly 25 years. In that time she had been through many difficult personal challenges. Suzi's confidence was low and she felt her ambition of studying and securing a job was far from reach. With sheer determination, focus and support Suzi has built up her confidence in herself and in her ability to achieve her dreams. Now Suzi is studying at Nescot College and is training to be a holistic masseur.

Photo of Surrey adult learner of the year receiving her certificate

Suzi says: "I hope to start my own business on completion of the course. This will be a massive achievement as I have been out of work for the past five years. Since becoming a mature student I have become a more confident, assertive person and have a voluntary job at a drop-in for people with mental health issues"

Suzi's nominator Alison Prescott from Leatherhead Clubhouse says "The change in Suzi throughout her learning has been remarkable and I think she is going to be very successful in her career ahead".

Surrey Learner of the Year Award Winner 2009: Shane Fudge

At 29 whilst working as a kitchen porter, a chance encounter with a taxi driver prompted Shane to think what else he could do with his life. 15 years later he has a first class honours degree in Sociology, completed a PhD, and is now a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey.

Labelled a daydreamer at school and in a family where education wasn’t important, he was unable to read at the age of seven. He left school at 15 and worked in factories and laboured alongside his father on building sites because he didn’t think he could do any better. Shane explains, “Pushing past these barriers has been tremendously fulfilling and has encouraged a sense of self worth I previously lacked”.