Careers advice from Learning for Life
Educational charity Learning for Life has become one of the Swindon-based providers of advice, training and guidance in the government's National Careers Service, helping adults over the age of 19 get on in work and life.
Learning for Life Advisor Robert Martins explaining the Careers Service
Describing the service Learning For Life manager Nalni Sorr said: "The National Careers Service provides tailored personal devalopment opportunities for individuals to clarify short and long term goals, remove barriers to progression, identify training and funding options and find loans for personal career deveIopment. Individuals may receive up to three advice sessions within a year, depending on their existing qualification level."
Learning for Life has also secured a contract worth just over £10,000 from the South West Foundation to provide therapeutic learning and life and work skills for the disabled and for disadvantaged learners.
"Our counselIors, advisors and tutors are fully qualified and we are reaching out to people who are homeless, who have suffered domestic violence, or experienced drug and alcohol addiction, who perhaps need some assistance in getting back into work and education. We are particularly keen to make contact with community groups to discuss what we offer"
For details contact Nalni at Learning for Life on 01793 422 964 or mail: nalni@L4LSwindon.co.uk
Taken with kind permission from Swindon Link Magazine: www.SwindonLink.com
Learning for Life students win Adult Learners' Week National Award
May 2010
Barbara, Alison and Ken
with Pebbles the Guide Dog
Ken, Barbara and Alison
working on Barbara's talking laptop
The Hall Family : Outstanding Family Learners of the Year
A family of three with learning difficulties and disabilities ranging from limited sight to severe brain damage have transformed their quality of life and confidence through the power of computers.
Barbara Hall has very limited vision and is partially deaf. She finds talking on the telephone difficult and had never used a computer before attending an IT course at Learning for Life, in Swindon, which provides learning opportunities for disabled people. Her husband Ken is also partially sighted, with mobility problems, and their daughter Alison, for whom they are constant carers, has been severely brain damaged since birth.
Since taking the course and buying a laptop with an electronic voice, Barbara says her life has changed significantly. “I can now use a computer with confidence to write letters, emails, shopping lists and surf the Internet.” Ken took her lead and both are now taking an NOCN accredited course in word processing.
Meanwhile, Alison started with simple exercises, colouring in picture outlines using a touch screen computer, and progressed rapidly to more challenging educational tasks. She is showing improved hand-eye coordination, greater use of language and requires less supervision.
Sue Mead, their nominator and IT tutor, said, “Learning has made a big difference to their lives. Barbara now uses the computer at home for many different applications and she has made terrific progress.”
The Halls received their award at The National Adult Learners' Week Award Ceremony held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster on 21st May. The award was presented by John Landeryou from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The event was hosted by TV presenter Philippa Forrester.
To view a short video about the Hall Family click here: The Hall Family
The Halls receive their award from John Landeryou while Philippa Forrester and
Alan Tuckett (Chief Executive of NIACE) look on.
The Hall Family were also featured in the Swindon Advertiser: Click here to read the item.
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Town recognises its community heroes
April 2010
Creator of Learning for Life awarded Brunel Medal
Taken with kind permission from Swindon Link Magazine: www.SwindonLink.comOver 100 people were nominated to receive recognition for their effort to make Swindon a better place, 56 were shortlisted to receive a certificate from the mayor, 18 were awarded the Pride of Swindon Brunel badge for their special contribution to the town.
The shortlisted candidates were brought together with their nominators at the County Ground on 15 April to hear how they’ve worked voluntarily for Swindon, or done something extraordinary. Tony Martin, from the Zurich Community Trust, who, with other judges, worked through all the nominations to decide who should be invited to the County Ground, said, “this event recognises the unsung heroes in our local community. Some of the people here today probably don’t even want to be here to collect these awards because they’re quite happy doing the things they do. This is what the awards are about, recognising them.”
“The Pride of Swindon award is for somebody who goes the extra mile, somebody who does something for people that many other people wouldn’t do.”
Shirley Ludford of Swindon 105.5 FM community radio, Pride of Swindon judge and presenter of the Pride of Swindon awards said the ceremony focussed on the people who didn’t make headlines but they were the real people behind the headlines “We want to celebrate the dedication, selflessness and passion people have.”
The winners of the Brunel Badge included Nalni Sorr, creator and manager of Learning for Life.
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PICTURES FROM OUR OPEN DAY
20th November 2009
Mayor of Swindon Cllr David Wren officially opened our new premises
with special guest Anne Snelgrove, MP for South Swindon.
Open the album by clicking on the arrow
Use the buttons to move through the photo album, play a slide show and enlarge pictures
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The Mayor of Swindon officially opened new offices used by Learning for Life at Basepoint Business C entre in Westlea on 20 November. He, with South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove, met tutors and users and learnt about the range of courses for disabled adults and carers including lone parents.
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The organisation is possibly the only one in the country which provides training, education and personal development opportunities for adults with a range disabilities, whether it be physical and/or social anxiety, depression, self harm or the results of abuse. Courses range from communication skills, using numbers in everyday life, introduction to the internet and email, life skills, stress management and relaxation, counselling, improving personal effectiveness, learning to relax with arts and crafts, tai chi and pain relief. |
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Anne Snelgrove said, “Learning for Life is a revelation both in its location at Basepoint, and the passion tutors and vlearners have about progressing and achieving the best they possibly can.” Bruce Clarke said he was very impressed by the way Learning for Life had set up at Basepoint. “When I was manager of the Swindon Learning Partnership with the borough council we were able to make a major investment in learning for people with disabilities. This is an excellent example of how the independent voluntary sector can deliver imaginative, innovative learning initiatives.” |
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L4L manager Nalni Sorr said, “each person’s needs are identified and then addressed in a holistic and friendly atmosphere. Many potential clients perhaps don’t recognise that we can create an individual programme to suit them. Learning for Life is about empowerment - giving people the skills to develop and move on.”
Tutor and psychologist Alan MacGregor said, “people are valued for who they are. Learning for Life is not about treating symptoms or meeting targets. It’s about dealing with the whole person and working together positively to move forward in their learning.
“The mutual support amongst the learners is remarkable. People arrive cowering in the corner and leave with heads held high.”
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From the blog of Robert BucklandConservative PPC for South Swindon
Helping people to help themselves November 22nd, 2009
The past week or so has brought me into further contact with a number of organisations that in differing ways are helping to get people back on their feet or on their feet for the first time.
On Friday, I was a guest at an Open Day hosted by Learning for Life at their new premises at the Basepoint Business Centre in West Swindon. Learning for Life is an independent charity providing education, personal development, counselling and guidance for people with disabilities and other problems. Over seven hundred people are currently being helped by L4L, some of whose tutors – Dick Hilling, Trish Rawlins, Alan MacGregor and David Reeves are friends whom I have met in the past few years.
It almost goes without saying that the work of L4L has a huge value. It is always striving to reach more and more people, and their new, attractive premises will help. A slight diversion in the bus route to take people that bit closer to Basepoint would also be of help, I think.
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