Dawn Driscoll
I heard about Bury Adult Learning Service when my husband attended a photography course signposted by the Bury Carers Forum a few years ago. I had been ill for a long time and was climbing the walls at home so I
enrolled on several courses, including sewing...have to say I wasn't very good!
Before I became ill, I had been working in a call centre, so after 10 years I decided it wasn't the job for me. In the meantime, I enrolled on more courses to help my wellbeing, including baking and budgeting. I spotted the
Health and Social Care Level 1 course and decided to give it a go. Care work was not something I am going to pretend I had always wanted to do, however, I found the course inspiring and also taught me about my personality through some professional tools which I found really interesting. The tutor was fantastic, always encouraging and helping me to achieve my goals. She had a thousand stories so the course was not just 'head stuck in a book.
When I'd finished the course I started to apply for care work. I managed to get a job with a really nice employer in my town of Prestwich as a Support Worker.
I never dreamt of care work as a career choice, but between the course at Bury Adult Learning Service which I enjoyed and gave me the inspiration to become a care worker and my new employer who look after me, I have found my forever job! I'm now studying my NVQ Level 3.
Hannah Greenwood
I heard about the ICDL courses through the Job Centre. It was the perfect opportunity to gain extra skills and get back into a routine after long-term sick leave.
Bury Adult Learning Centre is full of friendly staff and students, who gave me the motivation and encouragement to attend every day, obtain my IT qualification and decide my future career choices. I used my new IT skills to apply for university and I am now studying Prosthetics and Orthotics at Salford.
During my time on the course at Bury Adult Learning Centre, I realised how important the Service is to our community. The staff and teachers are incredible! I met so many nice people that I didn't want to leave so I decided to volunteer with them in my free time.
Bury Learning Centre provided me with education and support during a difficult time and I encourage you to look at their course list to see how they can help you!
Ruth Hobin
I came to Bury Adult Learning Service the beginning of January 2022 until March 2022. I was unemployed and grieving for my mum who I'd lost a couple of months earlier. I wasn't in a good place at that time but I needed to improve my IT skills to help increase my chances of securing employment.
I studied ICDL Level 1 and 2 on a full time basis at Bury Adult Learning Centre 5 days a week. My learning experience was everything I needed. I found the course quite hard at times and I didn't want to fail.
The tutors gave me the best support and reassured me I was more than capable of passing each level. I'm glad they believed in me at a time when I didn't believe in myself. I was so proud in the end for not giving up and managing to pass both of the qualifications I needed.
During my 3 months at Bury Adult Learning Centre, I liked being part of the lovely atmosphere that's created by the great tutors and staff who work there. When my learning period finished I was told there was a volunteering service available so I expressed an interest in giving something back as a thank you for the support I'd received.
As a result I have been volunteering at Bury Adult Learning Service since May 2022 for one or two mornings a week and I love it. Supporting the learners with basic IT and beginners English skills is so rewarding. I also secured part time employment last year but I've reached a time in my life where I want something more than just an admin job. I am looking for a Learning Support Assistant job opportunity so I can develop myself, continue to support learners and finally have a career that's fulfilling.
Lindsey
My name is Lindsey, and I am 41 years old. I am a wife and mum to 4 children.
My family learning journey at Bury Adult Learning Service began when my eldest daughter, who is now 22 years old, was in nursey at Gorsefield Primary School. I enjoyed it so much that when I was given the opportunity to take part in another family learning course with my son, I jumped at the chance. Not only was it beneficial for my son, but for me also. Being at school with him and learning helped me too. As a young mum of then 3, it was difficult sharing my time out between my children, so being able to have that 1 on 1 time was so important to me and an experience, both learning and personal, I'll never forget.
When my third and fourth children were invited to take part, I accepted the challenge and embraced the opportunity. With my 4th child, I was offered the chance to take my GCSE in maths and English at Bury Adult Learning Centre.
Family learning had inspired me to go into further education, which was something I'd never considered before; but I felt so empowered to accomplish it. I was so nervous when I enrolled at Bury College, but I knew it was something that I needed to do. Within 12 months, the nerves completed dispelled, and I had completed my English and maths Level 3!
Whilst it was so valuable for me, the power in this learning lay with newfound ability to help and support my children more than ever before... homework was no longer a daunting task but something we enjoyed doing together and I felt confident in being able to support my children as so much has changed since I attended school myself. It is still evolving now and instilling the habit of always being a learner, regardless of age, I feel has set me up for life.
My English tutor commented about what a keen learner I was, she suggested that I carried on after this course and asked what I aspired to be. At that time, I had no idea but knew it had to be something that worked around my busy family home. After having a conversation with the career advisor, I decided to sign up for a teaching assistant course. My next decision was to choose which school I would apply to volunteer at. That was soon decided. After speaking with my daughter's nursery teacher at Gorsefield she arranged a placement there for me. So, I began volunteering 2 days a week whilst attending college for 1 day.
After 2 years of volunteering going into my third year at college, I was offered a job at Gorsefield Primary School, and it was only a matter of time before I was offered a role as a keyworker in nursery. Whilst in nursey I was able to apply the skills I had been previously taught but learn how to adapt these skills to early child development. I furthered my learning and pedagogy at this point by completing courses in early childhood training. For me, showing our children in school that even as staff, we can all learn new things, was part of my role as a role model.
I continued in this role for 4 years and gained valuable experiences working with children and their families. I could empathise with the parents and the daily struggles they faced, as it was not too long before I had been that parent who just needed encouraging. I was now at a point in my newfound career that I felt ready to take another step forward, so I enrolled at Liverpool Hope University on a 3 year Early Childhood and Education fulltime course. Along with this course I would still be working full-time and looking after my family. It was a lot for me to take on, but I couldn't stop, I knew needed to do this.
So, after 3 long years and some very teary deadlines, I was on my way to Liverpool Cathedral to be awarded my degree: one of my proudest achievements. With my degree and experiences gained working with families at Gorsefield Primary School, the vacancy arose for a position at Gorsefield to become the Family Liaison Officer. I felt with all my experiences as a parent and key worker along with my degree, I was able to apply for the role. Amazingly, I was offered the position and to this day I'm enjoying every minute of helping our families get the most out of education. I continue to learn each and every day and the power of my own learning has inspired others to learn around me.
Eighteen years ago, I entered a classroom, a shy mum who just wanted to help her little girl with schoolwork. Today I'm a strong confident part of an incredible team, teaching children and empowering families to achieve the very best they can. Without family learning at Bury Adult Learning Service, I would never have taken these steps, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity and encouragement I received.