Adult Learners’ Week Awards 2015

Adult Learners’ Week awards celebrate all kinds of learning – formal and informal, accredited and

non-accredited, based at college, in the workplace, in the community, online and at home, introductory

levels and degrees. They recognise and celebrate the achievements of extraordinary adults, projects

and employers who have used learning to transform lives and inspire others.

What makes a winning nomination?

We are looking for stories that are truly inspirational, illustrate the life-transforming impact of learning,

and that can inspire others to learn.

So when you write your nomination, have a think about the following:

Remember that these are learning awards and so although the context is important, the story

cannot just be about overcoming challenges. Learning, and above all the impact it has had,

must be the key to the story.

You only have one A4-sized page to let us know why your individual, project, employer or tutor

is exceptional – take time to organise your thoughts, and write clearly and logically. Don’t

worry about writing beautiful prose or getting the grammar perfect – it’s the story that matters.

The story should show the learning journey, not just an isolated incident of learning. What first

inspired the learning journey, and where is it going? What is the impact?

What is it about the story you are nominating that inspired you in the first place? Make this

clear, especially if it could resonate with other adults and inspire them to learn.

What makes your nominated learner, project, employer or tutor stand out from the rest? How

have they made an extra effort, achieved beyond expectations, or had a great impact on

themselves or others?

Overall and most importantly, how has learning transformed the learner(s), employees,

community or business? What has been the impact of the learning undertaken?

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How to write your nomination

Give yourself time to complete the form – the deadline is not very far off and you will need

time, especially if you don’t see your nominee very frequently

Talk to your nominee or beneficiaries and use their personal history to support your story

Speak from the heart – we don’t know your nominee and only you and they can get the

story across!

Use simple, direct language supported by facts

Ensure ALL the right sections are completed

Don’t add in additional material – this cannot be considered

Use all the space – one short paragraph will not do justice to your story

In conclusion....

Remember, more nominations mean more chances to win, and there is no limit to the

number of nominations you can make.

Re-nominate strong learning stories that did not win in previous years. An extra year or

two of the learning journey might make all the difference.

Think of the impact on learners, employees and tutors who get nominated for awards. It’s

an amazing thing for them, and worth every minute of the time it takes to write the story

down. All ALW nominates get a certificate, whether they win or not.

ALW stories make a fantastic set of examples of how great your organisation is, and

nominees often make excellent ambassadors both for learning and for the organisation that

helped them learn. You can’t get better publicity than that!

So what are you waiting for?

Making a nomination is simple and they can be submitted on paper, by email or online. Find

nomination forms and guidance notes on http://www.alw.org.uk/awards/2015

NIACE must receive your nomination form by

5pm on Wednesday 17 December 2014

Need any help or want to ask a question? Contact your Regional Coordinator Amanda on

pavonlopez@msn.com or 07812 159689.