06 May 2008
This year sees the celebration of the 17th Adult Learners' Week, with events and activities taking place across Caerphilly county borough between the 17th and 24th May.
Adult Learners' Week encourages adults from all walks of life to take up learning in some shape or form, whether it's for pleasure, to catch up on skills missed out at school or for job progression. The overarching theme for this year's campaign is 'Learning Journeys'. This theme signifies the journey that we all go through during our schooling and learning experiences.
Activities on offer throughout the week-long learning extravaganza, include a Silver Surfers Day at the newly refurbished Abertridwr Library, Street Dancing and sporting activities in Cefn Hengoed and Hengoed, a Healthy Living information session at the TLC Café in Ty Sign and much, much more. There will also be an open day at St Davids Community Centre in Rhymney on Saturday the 17th to launch the campaign.
NIACE Dysgu Cymru, the body charged by the Welsh Assembly Government to promote adult learning, has worked with hundreds of groups and individuals across the country to co-ordinate a week of fun, informative and interactive events. Covering everything from art and horticulture to computer skills and digital photography, the events are designed to give people a taste of the kind of learning activities on offer in their local area.
Adult Learners' Week is recognised as the UK's largest festival of learning, and, in Wales, has become a real driver for people to get together and try their hands at a new skill or learning opportunity. The benefits of lifelong learning are well documented; increased self-confidence, and improved long term health are among the benefits experienced by individuals who extend their learning journeys beyond their formal education.
Richard Spear, director of NIACE Dysgu Cymru has been encouraged at the sheer number of events that are planned, "There are excellent learning opportunities on offer up and down the country and the main objective of Adult Learners' Week is to highlight and promote these. Once people get a taste of what is on offer they feel empowered to find out more and many go on to learn new skills that they can put to good use."
Research during last year's Adult Learners' Week revealed that more than 17,500 people attended over 1,000 'taster events' in Wales. A follow-up survey also showed the majority of these – 60% of all surveyed – went on to take some positive action, with two in five selecting a course with a registered learning provider.
Spear adds; "People all have their own reasons for getting back into learning but the main message is that whether you are young or old, an experienced learner or someone returning to learning after a number of years, there is something to suit every taste during Adult Learners Week."
In the run up to Adult Learners' Week, activity programmes will be distributed across the county borough to provide details on things happening in the area.
For further details on Adult Learners' Week visit www.niace.org.uk/alw
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