Some inspirational adult learners joined together for a special evening of celebration and amazing stories.

The annual awards ceremony for Kirklees Council’s adult learning programme – now in its 21st year – marked the achievements of many people who have used adult learning courses to improve their lives.

The council offers a wide variety of learning and supports over 1,000 adults each year through courses that focus on health and wellbeing, personal development and life skills and employability.

Leader of the council, Clr Carole Pattison, opened the event by highlighting the importance of learning, the opportunities it can provide and how learning is for all ages.

Clr Pattison said: “We are proud of our adult learning programme and working with partners makes our offer both accessible and community based.

“We have a large breadth of courses available and I’m so happy to see the many adult learners who have taken advantage and are celebrated for their success.”

All the award winners had shown exceptional dedication and success in their learning journeys.

Notable winners included:

  • A learner who won an award despite suffering serious health issues, including a stroke giving him limited use of both hands. He was supported and encouraged to attend his course and to learn in the way that suited him best. As a result, he completed a nutrition course and achieved his goal of bringing people together by opening a luncheon club in his local community.
  • A 71-year-old learner who had moved to Kirklees from war-torn Ukraine. She used adult learning to gain a qualification to Support English Language Teaching and Learning. Despite being in a new country and facing a wide range of challenges, she now provides one-to-one support to learners who are struggling.
  • A group of adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who produced 3D printed products and sold them through a shared community retail space, learning how to work together. The experience also gave them key business skills in areas such as customer care, money management, stress management, health and safety and more.
  • A mother with ambitions to work with children who started to volunteer at a local school helping children to read. Her experiences and learning helped her to support her own daughter and when an opportunity to work as a SEND nursery assistant was available, she applied and is now employed at the school.

Clr Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet member for Education and Communities, said: “The resilience and commitment shown by our adult learners is often truly inspirational.

“They exemplify the transformative power of education and are a testament to the opportunities that lifelong learning provides. We are proud of each and every one of them.”

Where better to celebrate adult learners than the Oastler Building at the University of Huddersfield, an inspirational space where the awards ceremony took place.

The council is committed to developing life and work skills for all, enabling better employment opportunities and offering a variety of courses with wide appeal.

More details and how to sign up can be found at Community learning and adult education courses | Kirklees Council