Scotland’s Learning Partnership

Adult Learners’ Week

Group Awards 2017

Nomination Form

For the past 25 years we have celebrated the achievements of adult learners through the annual Adult Learners’ Week Awards. Many of those people we recognise have gone back to learning later in life, or have gone into adult learning because they had a difficult time with formal education. All of the people who’ve been nominated during this time have shown tremendous courage and determination to change their lives for the better.

So if you know someone whose learning achievements could inspire others, why not nominate them? During the first part of the year we will hold a series of meetings to allow us to meet those nominated and find out just how adult learning changed their lives. The programme will include local, regional and national opportunities to meet other learners, to plan for the future and may result in an invitation to the national ceremony in August 2017.

Before you start to fill in this form we recommend that you first read the notes overleaf as those who do not meet the conditions for nomination will be disqualified.

Please provide your details and the details of your nominee. Please type your answers in the fields shown on this form.

WHO CAN ENTER?

Entry is open to learners living in Scotland only.

They should also be:

• Aged over 21 on 31 January 2017

• A current learner

• A recent learner who has completed their learning sometime since 31 January 2016.

WHO CANNOT ENTER?

• Persons under the age of 16 by 31 January 2017

• Someone who learned more than three years ago

• Persons who cannot sign the nominees release form.

SELECTION AND AWARD CEREMONY

• Award winners will be selected by an independent panel of judges

• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into

• Winners will be selected from across Scotland.

The Award Ceremony will be held during Adult learners’ Week 2017 and nominators will be required to make travel arrangements for their learners. It is also a requirement that learners be accompanied by a member of staff from the nominating organisation.

Please return this form by 25th May 2017to:

Scotland’s Learning Partnership

Acoura Building,

Royal Highland Centre,

Edinburgh

EH28 8NB

Email: Tel: 0131 220 5567
NOTES FOR ENTRY

Please provide the maximum amount of information regarding your nominee, using all of the available space and continuing on a separate sheet of paper if necessary.

1. Do not use abbreviations to describe the work undertaken by the learner or courses - the panel members may not know what this course is, the title of a course or the name of an organisation.

2. We will not accept responsibility for names that are not spelled correctly. Please make sure you spell the nominee’s name correctly on the form. This name will appear on the nominee’s certificate.

3. Please ensure we have a contact telephone number for you as initial contact is made by telephone to the nominator, please make sure you provide details of the times you will be available at that number.

4. Anyone can nominate someone for an award - tutors, trainers, work colleagues, friends or family. However we are unable to accept more than two entries per nominator or group. If you are a family member of the nominee please obtain a letter of recommendation from someone who knows them in a different capacity (e.g. their tutor). Please ensure that you tell us about your relationship with the nominated learner describing how long you have known them and their relationship with your organisation. This should help build a picture of your learner and some background to their life.

5. Certificates of achievement are normally sent to the nominator and we ask that the nominator make arrangements for local presentation. We will not send the certificate directly to the nominee.

6. It is imperative that you provide a timeline to allow the judges to understand your learner’s journey-this does not mean dates in date order, but a picture of how long the learner has been involved. Tell us about the stages of your learner’s achievements including the weeks, months or years of learning that they have undertaken including any qualifications gained. Do not use abbreviations to describe the qualification, and do not provide a long list of qualifications unless this directly relates to the learner’s story and you have explained it fully. Again this helps the selection panel understand what the learner’s have achieved. DO NOT EXCEED THE 500 WORD/2 PAGE LIMIT - your entry may be disqualified if you do.

7. We are particularly interested in the ‘distance travelled’ by your nominee. Please describe his or her progression, taking into account obstacles the nominee has overcome, personal goals achieved, or progression to work or further learning.

8. How has your nominee’s learning helped to put something back into the community? Have they engaged in teaching, volunteering, or other activities which benefit other people?

9. Remember to tell the selection panel why you think this person’s story would help inspire other learners and what makes their learning special to them. Your input here is critical to telling your nominee’s story. It is always the nominator’s statement that helps build a picture of the learner for panel members - remember they do not know your learner.

Do not complete the learner’s statement for them unless there is a very good reason why they cannot complete it themselves. Remember to write a covering letter if you have completed the learner’s statement explaining why.

Please enclose a photograph of your nominee you will not be admitted to the awards programme unless we receive a photograph with your application. Please do not send a photo booth sized photograph, we require an 8 x 6” minimum and please try to make the photograph as high quality as possible, as we may use this in our press release.

Nominators are expected to make transport arrangements for their finalists to attend the ceremony.

Please DO NOT nominate anyone who does not want or cannot have their stories publicised, remember there are other ways to recognise their achievements.

Please only complete this form on an original application. We will not accept nominations on forms that are for a different purpose. Versions for typing can be downloaded from SLP’s website on

Nominations will be disqualified if this guidance is not adhered to.

Children are not permitted to attend the award ceremony.

NOMINATOR’S STATEMENT

You (the nominator) must complete this section. Please either type your answers or use black ink. Please write clearly. Notes 5-8 give you some more information on why we need this information.

Please write a description of your nominee’s learning achievements (IN NO MORE THAN 500 WORDS/ 2 PAGES A4).

Describe fully the background circumstances of the nominee and any problems or issues that have been overcome in order to participate in learning. Make sure that the progress and achievements of your nominee are presented in a clear chronological order (include start and finish date with your organisation, and full names of any qualifications or awards with dates. Do not forget to describe the impact that the learning experience has had upon their lives or the lives or others. Finally tell the panel in what way do you think your nominees’ achievements would inspire others to participate in learning.

Type your response here (max 500 words)

Nominator’s Signature ………………………………………………………… Date…………………

GROUP STATEMENT

The group should complete this section. If anyone else completes it on behalf of the nominees please tick this box and explain why in a covering letter.

Please either type your answers or use black ink. Please write clearly.

PLEASE PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.

1. Please describe any obstacles or problems you have overcome in order to participate in learning.

Type your response here (max 500 words)

2. How has this learning experience changed your lives?

Type your response here (max 500 words)

3. What are your plans for the future?

Type your response here (max 500 words)

4. Have you been nominated for an Adult Learners’ Week Award before?

Yes No

If yes, in which year?

GROUP DETAILS

Full Name(s):

Surname(s):

Address:

Town/City:

Postcode:

Daytime Telephone Number:

E-mail Address:

2. NOMINATOR’S DETAILS

Full Name:

Organisation:

Address:

Town/City:

Postcode:

Daytime Telephone Number:

E-mail address:

Profile of your organisation

What does the nominating organisation do (what is your purpose)?

Please provide details of any other organisations involved in working with your group if mentioned in this application.

TYPE OF AWARD

Please click on the appropriate boxes below

Please state the TV station, which transmits to the nominated learners’ home area:

Border TV......

STV North......

STV Central......

Please state the type of learning:

Vocational......

Non-vocational......

Please indicate the category of Award if relevant. Tick only one box:

Arts and Creativity......

Family Learning......

Workplace......

SQA ......

Positive Health & Wellbeing......

General......

GROUP RELEASE STATEMENT

Please ask your nominees to read what you have written about them. Then ask them to read and sign the following declaration. Please note we cannot accept nominations unless the learners have signed the release form.

We are aware that we have been nominated for an Adult Learners’ Week Award. We understand that Scotland’s Learning Partnership will use publicity arising from this nomination for Adult Learners’ Week and other Scotland’s Learning Partnership campaigns in this and subsequent years, and that we may be referred to in the press, on radio and on television.

We consent to the use of my name and any other information contained in this nomination for publicity purposes. We confirm, in addition, that all information given in this form is true and correct.

NAME:

SIGNATURE: ……………………………………………………………DATE:…………………………

NAME:

SIGNATURE: ……………………………………………………………DATE:…………………………

NAME:

SIGNATURE: ……………………………………………………………DATE:…………………………

NB: We will only consider this nomination if the nominees have signed the release statement. We will not contact the nominees before we use, for publicity purposes, any information contained in this entry form.

NOMINATOR’S STATEMENT

Please ask your group to read what you have written about them. Then ask them to read and sign the declaration above. Please note we cannot accept nominations unless the nominees have signed the release form.

I have nominated for the 2017 Adult Learners’ Week Award. I understand that Scotland’s Learning Partnership will use publicity arising from this nomination for Adult Learners’ Week and other Scotland’s Learning Partnership campaigns in this and subsequent years, and that my nominees may be referred to in the press, on radio and on television.

I understand that I am responsible for ensuring that my learners are supported through this nomination process and this includes any pre-selection meetings, interviews and I will undertake to ensure that a member of staff can accompany my nominee to the award ceremony.

NAME:

SIGNATURE: ……………………………………………………………DATE:…………………………