Adult learners take centre stage at Lancashire Adult Learners celebration event
Lancashire Adult Learning (LAL), part of the Nelson and Colne College Group (NCCG), held a celebration evening recognising the significant contributions of its learners, ambassadors and partner organisations.
The event, held at Accrington Golf Club, brought together representatives from across the county to reflect on the transformative impact of adult learning and the strength of collaborative working across Lancashire.
As the largest adult learning provider in the county, and second largest nationally, LAL delivers both qualification and non-qualification-based programmes to around 10,000 unique learners each year.
Working across twelve districts, the organisation partners with community groups, employers and local authorities to support a wide range of adult learners, meeting diverse needs from digital inclusion and health literacy to skills for employment and family learning.
The evening included the presentation of three awards: Community Partner of the Year, Employer Partner of the Year, and Connector of the Year. These awards recognised outstanding contributions to adult learning and the power of partnership in supporting local people to learn, grow and progress.
The awards were presented by Caroline McDonald, CEO of HOLEX, the national organisation representing adult community education.
Caroline said “It was a privilege to join Lancashire Adult Learning in recognising the dedication of their partners and the achievements of their learners. The event was a powerful reminder of the vital role adult community learning plays in supporting individuals, families and local economies.
“LALs commitment to inclusive, high-quality education is truly sector-leading and makes a real difference to people’s lives.”
Learner ambassadors were also invited to share their personal learning journeys. Their stories highlighted the life-changing impact of accessible adult education and the crucial role that community-based learning plays in building confidence, skills and aspiration.
Nicola Hall, Director of Curriculum Innovation and Partnerships at Lancashire Adult Learning, said: "Partnership working is at the heart of everything we do at Lancashire Adult Learning and today's celebration exemplified how collaboration can drive meaningful change. This event celebrated our partnership working and demonstrated how we can unlock new opportunities, improve outcomes and empower adult learners across our county of Lancashire by aligning our shared goals."
The winners of each category were:
Community Partner of the Year: Pendle Women’s Forum - PWF offers a safe, inclusive space where women are supported, heard, and respected. It provides a foundation for change through education
Employer Partner of the Year: EE - co-create and co deliver SWAPs (Sector-based Work Academy Programmes) which has resulted in dozens of learners securing employment and moving into sustained and valued careers
Connector of the Year: Kev O’Hara, Partnership Manager at Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust, played a key role in developing innovative learning opportunities for service users and staff.
Lancashire Adult Learning champions adult education across the region, working with local partners to improve access to learning and to build stronger, more resilient communities through education.