Issue Two — May ’07

Contents
Adult learners' week – starts Saturday!
All-star cast gets behind this year's Adult learners' week
Our partners unite to create a powerful campaign
Five focus days
Businesses get on famously with Learning @ work day
Adult learners' Week round up
Media Literacy in Wales
Whatever you do, please send us your evaluation forms
Lifelong Learning never stops

Adult learners' week
Starts Saturday!

• Over 17,000 learners

• 900 events

• 21 learning festivals

• One very special week!

Adult Learners' Week is now upon us, and this Saturday hundreds of providers and adult learning organisations like yourselves will team up to launch 21 learning festivals around the country. It's the week when over 17,000 learners are expected to take part in over 900 events. We're just days away from Adult learners' week.

Are you ready for our learning extravaganza?

Essex speaks to the nation
Essex Havard, Regional Development Officer for NIACE Dysgu Cymru went into the "Mixing It" studio on Saturday 12 May to promote Adult Learners' Week on Radio Wales. You can hear Essex's interview online.

The interview is available by kind permission of BBC Radio Wales.

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All-star cast gets behind this year's Adult learners' week
Helping learners to get skilled and get on famously

This year, we wanted to show everyone how learning can help people get on famously in their lives. So we've launched our 'Getting on famously' learning campaign and to help us get the message across we approached several Welsh stars and personalities and asked them to lend their support.

And what a positive response we had. Learning really does touch the lives of everyone – including our highly successful stars of sport and TV. In fact, it was amazing how many stars believe that adult learning has helped them on the road to success.

Derek, Colin and Simon help our campaign to get on famously
BBC Weatherman Derek Brockway, Rugby star Colin Charvis and War hero Simon Weston all appeared on camera to endorse our campaign.
 

It's never too late to learn says GMTV's Fiona Philips
GMTV star Fiona Phillips also recognises the importance of learning throughout adulthood. “We need a variety of skills to get us through life, from basic skills like reading and writing to financial skills such as balancing the household budget, and media skills to understand more about the media that influences our lives. It's never too late to learn these skills, and it can be a lot of fun," said Fiona.

Learning changes lives says Blue Peter's Gethin Jones
Gethin Jones, the popular presenter on BBC's Blue Peter, agrees that learning can enhance anyone's life. “The great thing in life is to feel that there is always something new to learn – new skills, new tricks, whatever age you are. Taking up learning is a great way to change your life, as so many people in Wales have discovered, and Adult learners' week focuses on the many opportunities available”, said Gethin.

Iolo Williams gets on famously, thanks to learning
We are particularly grateful to Welsh TV personality and leading naturalist Iolo Williams, who appears in all our TV commercials to share his adult learning experiences. Iolo was delighted to support our campaign because he is convinced that learning has helped him get on famously in life.

“If you want to get on in life, there's no doubt you need to get on the learning ladder. It's what I've learned outside school that's prepared me for what I do today, so I am a passionate believer in the power of learning,” said Iolo.

Richard Burton, Joan Collins and Julia Roberts also star in our commercials!
Iolo appears in our commercials along with other real-life learners. These learners were chosen because they all have something in common. They all have some very famous namesakes. To help us get the message across that if you get the right skills you really can get on famously in all aspects of your home and working life, we recruited Richard Burton, Joan Collins, Julia Roberts and even Dylan Thomas, amongst others! Of course, they are not the real world famous stars of screen and literature, but their joy of learning is very real indeed.

So, a big thank you to everyone who gave up their time to share their learning experiences with us.

View the commercials
The TV commercials are being beamed into the living rooms of Welsh homes as we speak, but if you want to view them right now, just click on the relevant name.
 

Iolo Williams [English] [Welsh]		Joan Collins
Richard Burton		Julia Roberts

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Our partners unite to create a powerful campaign
21 fantastic learning festivals

Thanks to our many partners for creating a range of events all over Wales under the Learning Festival banner. By pooling your resources, knowledge and expertise, you've managed to create 21 fantastic learning festivals. To support all this work on the ground, we have also got behind Adult learners' week with the biggest advertising and promotional campaign we have ever orchestrated.

Our ‘get skilled and get on famously’ campaign is now up and running with commercials on TV and Radio, posters on buses and in train stations, and our ‘What's on guide’ being distributed to over 580,000 homes around Wales.

View the campaign
Here's your chance to have a closer look at the campaign and to see what media activity is taking place in your area to support your Adult learners' week event.

'What's on guide' distribution
The 'What's on guide' is being inserted into local newspapers all over Wales. Here is the What's on guides coverage table.

Listen to the Radio
Listen to the radio commercials by visiting the Radio Audio pages for Iolo Williams, Joan Collins, Richard Burton and Julia Roberts. You can also see the radio commercial coverage, or if you prefer, you can read the scripts for Joan Collins, Iolo Williams (next week), Iolo Williams (this week), Richard Burton and Julia Roberts.

Bus posters
For the first time ever we have a campaign of bus and train station advertising. Here is a PDF of the internal bus poster.

You can find out which buses are running internal posters in your area from our bus area detail page.

Train station posters
You can download a PDF of the train station 4-sheet poster. We have produced a list of train stations that will be displaying the posters

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Five focus days
Themed fun days of learning

Underpinning Adult learners' week are five special days that focus on particular areas of community learning. These focus days are important because they provide opportunities for providers to deliver tailor-made events that tie into the overall theme of the focus day. They also give everyone promoting events for Adult learners' week, the chance to attract the attention of local press and radio with excellent PR.

The five focus days for this year are listed below. For more information, click on the focus day masthead to view a PDF.

   Saturday 19 May

   Tuesday 22 May

   Thursday 24 May

   Friday 25 May

   Saturday 26 May

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Businesses get on famously with Learning @ work day
Bringing learning into the workplace

Without doubt, one of the successes of our marketing this year has been the rise and rise of Learning @ work day. We have got behind the initiative big time with promotions, merchandising, tool kits and dedicated PR to raise awareness of the importance of learning in the workplace, and we have have had a really encouraging response from Welsh businesses.

As a result thousands of workers up and down the country will be given the opportunity to try their hands at a new learning experience next Thursday as part of Learning @ work day. Learning @ work is for everyone, from the smallest sized businesses, to public sector organisations to world renowned corporations like BT.

BT staff get on famously with learning @ work day
BT will be using Learning @ work Day to promote “LearnBT”, a suite of online learning programmes available to friends and family of BT employees throughout the UK and overseas. With over 3,800 employees in Wales, the company hopes that thousands of new learners will sign up for the free courses in everything from managing your personal finances to managing a business.

Peter Butler, BT Group's Head of Learning, said "We want to give our people choices about their learning and for them to have the capability to share the opportunities afforded by LearnBT – it's about supporting the development of ‘UK Plc’ as much as our own organisation".

Find out more about Learning @ work day
Here is just a taster of what businesses will be getting up to next week in the name of learning. If you would like more information, then visit the Learning @ work website.
 

Mid Wales
The Reality Group, Newtown	Visual activities (art, floristry, photography) as well as IT and languages
Powys County Council	Indian head massage, reflexology, ‘yoga at your desk’ and the services of a Life Coach.
Powys Local Health Board	e-learning
South Wales
North Glamorgan NHS Trust	Taster sessions in Building Confidence; Self Esteem and Assertiveness; Ease Up and Work With It (Stress and Time Management); Professional Communication Training
Pontypridd & Rhondda NHS Trust	Taster sessions in Building Confidence; Self Esteem and Assertiveness; Ease Up and Work With It (Stress and Time Management); Professional Communication Training
The Assembly Parliamentary Services	Information Fair
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council	Improving Your Memory; Boosting your Self Confidence; Time Management; IT Troubleshooting at your Desk; Communication Skills
Tribunal Service	learndirect courses
The National Assembly	Knowledge Fair
S4C	How to Fine Tune Your Memory
Cardiff Council	Complimentary Therapies, including Aromatherapy and Shiatsu.
University Hospital of Wales	Deaf Awareness; promotional activities;
North Wales
Rowan Foods, Wrexham	Basic Skills
First Milk, Wrexham	Basic Skills
Gap Recruitment, Wrexham	Basic Skills
Portable Foods, Wrexham	Basic Skills
Toyota, Deeside	Beginners’ Spanish
Yale College	Basic Skills
National Assembly	Live Long and Prosper
West Wales
Coleg Pontardawe	Health & Safety, Literacy & Numeracy, Art & Crafts, and Languages
Swansea Waterfront Museum	Stress management workshops

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Adult learners' week round up
What's going on in your area?

It's going to be a fun packed week of learning, with over 900 events lined up all over Wales. To give you an idea of the scale of Adult learners' week, here's a regional round up of events. For a more comprehensive listing, download the ‘What's on guide’ for each area at the end of every section.

South Wales
In South Wales this year there are so many Adult learners week events we had trouble fitting them into our 'What's on guide'.

In Barry the county library is holding a language fiesta for residents to learn more about languages. Residents are also invited to attend a learning Welsh day, giving them the opportunity to learn useful phrases in Welsh and discuss further opportunities available to learn Welsh this is followed by an introduction to Welsh day giving residents the opportunity to sample the Welsh language through the medium of games, challenges and other fun activities.

The Blaenau Gwent Learning Festival includes the "Valleys Anthem Challenge", an opportunity for Welsh learners to master the National Anthem at Ebbw Vale Rugby Club. The Glamorgan Record Office in Bridgend will be showing local residents how to explore their family and village history, and in Caerphilly there's a chance to sample the food, language and dance of other countries on Cultural Diversity Day, May 19.

The Riverside Community Garden Allotment Project in Cardiff will be demonstrating how to grow your own delicious herbs, whilst further north in Merthyr budding historians can learn about Egyptian and Medieval history at St David's Church Hall. In Monmouthshire there are special IT taster sessions for current and ex-carers who would like to expand their horizons, and in Caerleon you can find out what the Romans did for us at the National Roman Legion Museum.

Feeling fruity? Get down to the Blaenavon Centre for IT Learning in Torfaen for "Fruity Friday" on May 25, where you can sample some delicious healthy snacks and learn more about healthy eating. Meanwhile libraries throughout the Vale of Glamorgan will be offering informal "IT and Coffee" sessions, and if you've got any energy left you can round off the week in Rhondda Cynon Taff with a full day of taster sessions for the whole family at the Michael Sobell Sports Centre, Aberdare!

Download the South Wales regional guide

Mid Wales
Take a glance at the ‘What's on guide’ for Mid Wales, and you'll see that there are loads of opportunities for learners to get out and try something new.

Its all ages, all abilities, all welcome at the Careers Centre in Cardigan for information and advice on anything to do with employment, education and training, working or changing direction. There will also be mini CV workshops running and free tea/coffee and biscuits for visitors

In North Powys the Monty Club in Newtown will be hosting a Try Something New day, whilst Powys County Council staff in Welshpool will be marking Learning @ work Day (May 24) with life coaching and wellbeing sessions. Meanwhile in Aberystwyth "Collections @ Ceredigion" offers a fascinating peek behind the scenes of Ceredigion Museum.

Meanwhile in Aberystwyth "Collections @ Ceredigion" offers a fascinating peek behind the scenes of Ceredigion Museum, and Jobcentre Plus staff throughout Mid Wales will be painting individual canvases which will be made into a giant landscape painting at the end of the week

Download the Mid Wales regional guide

North Wales
From Holyhead to Holywell, there is a packed programme of events right across North Wales - here are a few highlights:

Coleg Llandrillo has a packed programme of free taster sessions which is to include Languages, Introduction to the internet, Word & text processing, Everyday maths Bookkeeping, accounts, Anatomy & Physiology, English, Introduction to computers, Introduction to the internet and many more details of which can be found in our what's on guide.

In Anglesey, residents of Morawelon and London Road can drop in to debt management and stress busting sessions, and in Gwynedd there is a Spanish Fun day including an authentic tapas lunch for Spanish learners at Bangor University's School of Lifelong Learning.

Conwy Libraries Service will be holding CV clinics throughout the county, and in Denbighshire there are stained glass and clay modelling workshops in the inspirational settings of Plas Newydd, Llangollen and Ruthin Gaol. Further east the Flintshire Learning Festival kicks off with a huge celebration of adult learning at Deeside College, and in Wrexham the community of Caia Park are invited to a "Spring Stressbuster", with taster sessions in relaxation and wellbeing therapies, Tai Chi and healthy eating.

Download the North Wales regional guide

West Wales
For a learning extravaganza, go west! Around the region there are loads of events taking place giving everyone a chance to try something new.

The Pembrokeshire Learning Festival includes the “Accountant is Coming!” a session designed for anyone within a voluntary or community group who needs an understanding of the accounts and audits requirements within a charity. The session will cover, the importance of effective financial management and control within a charity, an overview of the role of the Charity Commission, the significance of SORP need to advise trustees of their responsibilities and the audit and reporting requirements in relation to an organisation.

At Carmarthen Town football club, for example, you can get involved in taster sessions taking place throughout the week. Have a go at digital music, learning welsh, or find out more about your local history.

In Pembrokeshire on May 24, Boncath Village Hall will host traditional Tympath dancing and give you the chance to learn all about traditional dance in Wales, whilst the Swansea Learning Festival will bring the City alive with learning events, covering everything from knitting, storytelling and photography at the National Waterfront Museum to learning all about the swinging 60s at the Mewn Swansea offices.

Download the West Wales regional guide

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Media Literacy in Wales

The first meeting of the Wales media literacy network was held on 10 May at the Ofcom Cymru offices. Membership of the network is diverse including representatives from learning providers, higher education, broadcasters, the Welsh Assembly Government and community and voluntary groups.

The network will be coming to together for its first major event at the National Eisteddfod in Flintshire on Wednesday 8 August 2007, where there will be a showcase of media literacy activity from across Wales.

NIACE Dysgu Cymru also encourages you to send in applications for a Learning Promotion Grant if you would like to run a taster session, course or other learning event which promotes greater media literacy during Sign Up Season. The deadline for applications is 29 June 2007, and for more information visit our website or contact essex.havard@niacedc.org.uk

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Whatever you do, please send us your evaluation forms
Future funding depends on it!

If you are supporting Adult learners' week by organising an event, then thank you.

As a charity, we rely on the excellent work of partners and providers. In fact, without your help Adult learners' week wouldn't be the success that it is.

However, we also depend entirely on public funding from the European Social Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government to help us cover the cost of organising and promoting Adult learners' week.

In return for this financial support, both these public organisations demand proof that the money they entrust to us is being wisely spent – and quite rightly so!

That's why we need to supply evidence that our work is getting results. But we can't do that without your help!

Send us your photos
Your photos are a great way for us to promote Adult learners' week and show other organisations just how much fun learning can be. So, make sure you take loads of colourful pictures of your events, and send them to us, ideally by e-mail to Rachel.Jones@niacedc.org.uk. Just think, You and your work mates could be starring in our publicity materials for the next Adult learners' week.

A few tips for promoting your event

• Contact your local radio station to let them know what’s going on
• Ask if local media presenters or reporters want to take part
• If you’re sending an email try to encapsulate the event in the subject box, and paint a picture of the event in a concise way
• If you’re writing a press release make sure you answer the ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘why’
• Put the activity in context of Learning @ Work Day and Adult Learners’ Week
• Try to get the media along to cover your event
• Make sure you take photographs of your event – you can use them as a follow up, or next year.

Send us your evaluation forms before June 30
Deadline for prize draw
We need to know all about your event – and every event that is taking place – so we can evaluate the success of the campaign.

So please, please take time to download our evaluation form, print out enough for your event and get each and every learner to fill it in.

One of your learners could win £200
Don't forget, every learner who fills in the evaluation form will get his or her name put into the hat for a chance to win £200!

Plus your chance to win a £1000 Promotion Grant
And we will donate a £1000 Promotion Grant to the provider who sent us in the winning form. There is no limit to how many forms can be entered into the draw from any one provider, so the more you send us the more chance you have of winning. Make sure you get those forms to us before June 30.

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Life long Learning never stops
And nor do our campaigns

We are all looking forward to a really successful Adult learners' week but once it's over we won't be resting on our laurels because we immediately turn our attentions to our next major adult learning initiative – Sign Up season. Yes, it's only a few months away and we are already planning ahead.

Win £1000 for your learning event
Learning Promotion Grants: Application deadline: June 29

As always we'll keep you updated on our progress in our next edition of this eZine. One date to put in your diary right away though is the deadline for the Learning promotion grant applications for the Sign Up Season. So, if you would like to receive £1000 to help pay for an event that promotes learning then make sure you fill in an application form and get it to us as soon as possible. Remember the deadline is June 29.

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Learning @ work day, Adult learners’ week, Sign Up Season and Taking Control are funded by The European Social Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government, and co-ordinated by NIACE Dysgu Cymru.

NIACE Dysgu Cymru is a membership organisation, run by an elected management group, representing all sectors bonded by a common focus on adult learners. A wide range of work is undertaken; advocacy, research and development, influencing policy, conferences, publications and staff development. For further information, visit our website.