Adult Learning Newsletter June 2015

Summer 2011 Issue 10 Summer 2015

ASDAN Award Ceremony The Adult Learning Team held its annual ASDAN Award ceremony recently recognising the achievement of adult learners through a number of programmes.

ASDAN (Awards Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) offers people flexible and supportive approaches to gaining recognition and certification for skills development over a range of different levels.

At the ceremony, around 30 adult learners were recognised for achievement in learning in a range of modules including; Using a Computer, Personal Safety, Time Management and Self Organisation and Sound, Rhythm and Music.

Alan Milliken, Senior Manager and Head of Learning Communities, Performance and Resources was on hand to present the certificates. Alan said, “ASDAN offers flexible opportunities for people to gain certification for skills development at a level which may not always be recognised. The programmes provide a real confidence boost and a good platform from which adult learners can progress from.”

The Adult Learning Team offers a range of ASDAN awards including Towards Independence and Employability.

Welcome to the summer edition of Adult Learning in Stirling. What a busy term it’s been with a range of outstanding successes for adult learners across Stirling.

It was fantastic to take part in

the ASDAN Awards ceremony and share the success of

the annual Have Your Say performance. Well done everyone!

A special mention should also

go to Sherry who you can read about on page two. Sherry

has enjoyed great success in

Adult Learner attends Shoot for the Stars conference Adult Learner, Donald Jamieson,

recently had the opportunity to attend

a creative conversation in Edinburgh to discuss the future of funding for adult

learning in Scotland. Shoot for the Stars was organised by Scotland’s Learning

Partnership and was a chance for learners

from across Scotland to talk to politicians, including MSPs Ian Gray and Colin Beattie.

Donald said, “It was very enjoyable meeting other learners from across Scotland.”

her Triple P programme and

through commitment to learning

has positively changed things at home for herself and her family.

As we head into the summer holiday, we hope everyone

has a great break, and we look

forward to welcoming everyone back on the next steps of their learning journey.

Ed Gibbon,

Team Leader, Adult Learning

enjoy ld u o c y il m ry fa I wish eve yed over jo n e s a h y amil what my f t weeks. h ig e t s a p the lihan Sherry Hou

Positive Parenting Programme Learning Success

“Oor Bonnie Lass” Performance Adult Learners from the Have Your Say group

performed to a packed audience at the Cowane Centre recently with their annual performance -

this year, an interpretation of My Fair Lady entitled Congratulations to Sherry Houlihan

“Oor Bonnie Lass”. The Have Your Say group

P - Positive Parenting Programme.

through art, drama and music for adult learners

throughout the programme, trying

the actors’ enthusiasm and appreciated the hard

home and sharing her experiences

running up to what was an excellent performance

who recently completed the Triple

aims to improve literacy and communication skills

Sherry consistently worked hard

with learning disabilities. The audience enjoyed

out ideas from each session at

work put in by all group members in the months

with the group. As a result of her

on the day. Alan Milliken, Senior Manager and

commitment to the programme and her family, Sherry has seen a

Head of Learning Communities, Performance

real positive impact at home.

and Resources said, “The performance of Oor

“This course has been hard work and I have had to do some

development of people’s skills and confidence

learning or re- learning, but the changes in my whole family,

not just my son, has made it all worthwhile. I wish every family

Bonnie Lass was inspiring. It’s great to see the through programmes of this nature.”

could enjoy what my family has enjoyed over the past eight

The group is supported by tutors and volunteers.

have negotiations and consequences.”

said, “It truly is a whole group affair. Everyone

The Triple P Positive Parenting Programme aims to help parents

Scottish “Betty Daenothin” character who most

weeks. The family battles are a thing of the past and now we

or guardians of children aged between three and five years old

deal with those challenging behaviours that can make daily life a

struggle at times. Through the sessions, parents can gain an insight into why their child behaves the way they do, understand their own strengths as a parent and try out different techniques to manage challenging behaviour.

Adult Learning staff form part of a group of practitioners who

facilitate Positive Parenting Programme sessions. To find out how to access the programme, parents/guardians can contact the

local Parenting Co-ordinator directly by phoning 01786 233 939,

e-mailing parenting@stirling.gov.uk or alternatively, by speaking to their health visitor or a nursery/school staff member.

Group tutor and Literacies Specialist Colleen Blyth gets involved. One learner played the very

definitely proved to be an interesting version of Eliza Doolittle.”

Adult Learning celebrates World Book Night

Learning at

Cowie Library Promotion The Adult Learning Team in partnership with Library Services and Citizens Advice Bureau held a series of information sessions at Cowie Library recently.

Learners, Volunteers and Adult Learning staff enjoyed reading extracts from Street Cat Bob and Skellig at Bannockburn Library recently to celebrate World Book Night. There was a chance to discuss the books over coffee and cake and take free copies home.

Learners in St Ninians also joined in World Book Night celebrations taking part in a treasure hunt activity in the Library, solving an anagram of a book entitled Dead Man Walking by Roddy Doyle. All learners were given a copy of the book.

The Adult Learning Team gave away 72 copies of World Book Night titles on the evening and to adult learners attending classes.

World Book Night began in 2011 as a unique collaboration between publishers, booksellers, librarians, writers and individual members of the public – all of whom are committed to sharing their love of books and reading with the wider world, improving literacy levels and changing lives through the giving away of specially printed books. Research has proved that sparking a desire to read can have profound effects on literacy, not to mention employability, social interaction, happiness and wellbeing.

The purpose of the information sessions was to increase awareness amongst local Cowie residents about learning opportunities available at the library.

A number of local people came along to the sessions and found out about the range of services the library has to offer including, the Work Club provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau as well as the ICT and literacy classes provided by the Libraries Service and the Adult Learning Team.

Cowie residents also expressed an interest in some further Adult Learning classes such as Local History.

The promotional sessions were successful in raising awareness and linking adults to the Adult Learning opportunities both in Cowie and throughout Stirling Council area.

To find out more about the learning opportunities available in Cowie please contact the Adult Learning Team on 01786 237517 or Chris at Cowie Library on 01786 816269.

g New Adult Learnin Community Class ched n u la e b o t e m m a r Prog in September Adult learners in Stirling will have a range of new, exciting classes on offer this year with the launch of our new Community Classes Programme.

We will have classes on offer to suit everyone - whether the reason for joining us is simply learning for fun, learning for work or for

75% Success Rate for Adult Learning Work Club Learners and job seekers attending the Adult Learning Team’s Work Club at St Ninians Library have had great success with their job hunting. Out of the eight learners who have regularly attended the weekly sessions during the period of January to May, six of them have had a job offer. This is a great result for the learners.

meeting new people.

Courses on offer range from arts and crafts,

sewing, cooking and baking, ICT, languages, First Aid qualifications, to name just a few

Some of the courses will be ILA applicable, so please ensure that you contact us to find out more.

One learner, Robert Don, said: “The Work Club helped me upgrade my CV, making it clearer and more up-todate. After only three weeks I was offered a new job.”

The Work Club supports the participants with their IT skills – helping them with Universal Job Match, email and Internet job-searching as well as creating and editing CVs and cover letters, writing job applications and practising job interviews.

The Adult Learning Team provide a range of classes including: • Reading, writing, spelling and numbers • English for speakers of other languages • ICT skills • Family learning • Personal development and confidence building • Languages • Skills for work • Volunteering and more

For further information, call 01786 237517 or email adultlearning@stirling.gov.uk

http:// www.stirling.gov.uk/adultlearning facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adult-

Learning-Team-Stirling-Council/147816432027472