Silver Surfers Love Learning At Box Hill
On Friday 21st May 2010 the Box Hill Computer Project held a Silver Surfers Morning where people were invited to come and see what computers were all about, and have a try themselves with help from some of the students, who themselves are still learning.
Project Committee Member Pauline Clark said "We all had an enjoyable time. There were volunteer experts on hand to answer any queries that the visitors had. The students were showing all the different things they had learnt, such as E-mails, documents, digital photos, word art, clip art and of course the Internet and also Skype which is a programme that can help you see and talk to your family and friends from across the world. We had two new students wishing to join us for Monday mornings and seven new students join us for Friday pm so our classes are now full.
If anyone wishes to join a class in their own area but thinks they are too old or are frightened of showing themselves up by thinking they are too thick and feeling silly, believe me we have all been there. We have 80 year old students in the classes and they enjoy every minute.Take courage in both hands and find a class near you. You will not regret it."
To find out more about the Box Hill Project please visit http://www.boxhillproject.btik.com/
Talking Adult Learning at Leatherhead Clubhouse
The Clubhouse in Leatherhead is always a hive of activity, much of it learning activity with the aim of supporting people with mental health needs. It hosted an informal Question and Answer session during Adult Learners Week 2010. With all the campaign's branded posters, bags, pens and booklets on display for all to browse through, Alison Prescott and Rebecca Court (Surrey LLP) led a discussion which centred on the kind of learning that the Clubhouse members were interested and engaged in.
Two of the members are regular visitors to the literacy course that is run at the Leatherhead Institute, five minutes around the corner, by Surrey Hills Onward Learning. They are avid learners and have demonstrated a lot of interest and understanding about grammar and punctuation.
Several of the learners had also been on computer courses that the WEA has run using Surrey LLP lap-tops. The members were keen to be able to continue in the future and were very glad to have had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with computer skills and to find out what the internet has to offer.
When aspirations and dreams were discussed it became apparent that, for one of the learners, taking a hairdressing course with the goal of one day working full-time in a hairdressing salon was something she was seriously considering. Book-keeping and Accounting courses were among the most frequently taken courses.
At the end of the session, some of the learners started putting on aprons and getting out pots and pans to continue with the 'Healthy Eating' course which fits in neatly before lunch. With so much learning activity at and around the Clubhouse, it is unlikely that members could ever complain of not having enough to do!
