Life changing people

Looking at the winners of the UCU-Endsleigh Life Changer Awards 2008: celebrating the power of education

 See the Life Changer Awards 2008 booklet for further information on the winners (.pdf) [473kb]

Brian Spittles - transforming miners into senior lecturers

A retired lecturer from Dartmouth has been nominated by a former student. John Cunningham was 34 years old, two weeks out of mining and, in his own words, 'a little raw' when he arrived at Ruskin College Oxford in 1983 and first met Brian Spittles. Now, 25 years on, he is a senior lecturer in Film Studies at Sheffield Hallam University and looking forward to the publication of his second book.

John Cunningham said: "Brian was very able to bring out the best in me in terms of my, hidden and/or underdeveloped academic and intellectual attributes. His patient, detailed, indeed painstaking, approach to every aspect of the educational process benefited me enormously. Nothing was too small to seem unimportant, such as the time he took me aside to explain the difference between 'its' and 'it's' and I benefited enormously from his friendly, always cheerful advice, despite the fact that forging something out of such apparently unpromising raw material must, at times, seemed a daunting if not impossible task."

Dr Sue Starkings – education drop out from South London estate that returned and devised courses for students who would never consider uni

Dr Sue Starkings, originally from a tough Southwark estate, has been recognised for her work to work people in London boroughs with some of the lowest university participation rates in the country consider giving higher education a shot. A London South Bank University lecturer, Sue developed a summer Fast Track programme to cater for students from non-traditional backgrounds who would previously not have considered university as a viable option. She secured funding for, and then developed, the ambitious programme under the widening participation umbrella.

The original six-week summer programme she set up in 1998 was driven by Starkings' own experiences of education. Coming from a working class background on an estate in Southwark, with no immediate role models to encourage her to enter education, she left school at 15. However, she returned to education at 24 as a mature student and a working mother of two.

Through sheer determination she has forged a successful career in higher education and was recently nominated for a prestigious National Teaching Fellow; one of only 50 people in the country to be recognised for the award.

The Fast Track programme has become a model for encouraging students from a wide range of backgrounds to consider university and has given them the opportunity to enhance their skills as independent learners. Over 1,500 students have already individually benefited from Dr Starkings' course.

Dr Sue Starkings said: "It is a considerable honour to have been nominated for this award, especially as it was my colleagues who put me forward. We have achieved so much over the years on the course and I am continually delighted each year by the difference that we all make to so many people's lives."

Donald Nicolson - 'People's lawyer' giving something back after being granted political asylum

Professor Donald Nicolson, founder and director of the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic, has been nominated for his work fighting for people with no one else to turn to, and encouraging a whole new generation of lawyers to do likewise.

A graduate of the University of Cape Town (UCT), Professor Nicolson first came to the United Kingdom in 1983 to study for a PhD at Cambridge. As a passionate opponent of apartheid, he knew that if he returned to South Africa he would be conscripted into military service or face jail. Fortunately, he was granted political asylum and settled in the UK.

A major factor in Nicolson's political radicalisation was his experience as a student adviser in the UCT Law Clinic, providing legal advice in local townships. Although choosing to pursue an academic career, Nicolson was determined to continue helping others, and to provide similar opportunities for his own students. Inspired by his early work in Cape Town, Nicolson began to set up his own law clinics, first at Bristol University and then, on a far larger scale, at Strathclyde. Since the founding of the Strathclyde Clinic in 2003, around 300 students have been involved in helping over 500 clients.

Kerith Harris – students' friend

Dealing with students who are threatening to kill themselves, who are deeply depressed and anxious, who self-harm, who have eating disorders, who have come from abusive homes, who have life-threatening illnesses, who are caring for children which may themselves be ill or depressed, is not something our academic colleagues anticipate as forming part of their normal work.

Kerith Harris, a student advisor at Sussex University has been nominated for her work with the most vulnerable students at the university. Kerith is the person students turn to from day one right through to results day with any kind of problem.

Kerith was nominated by her peers for her frontline work in delivering the much-vaunted student experience. Colleagues talk of students that went to Kerith on the verge of quitting their course and just months later graduated from the university with top degrees. The government is currently trying to solve the problem of high drop our rates in universities and staff at Sussex believe that if every institution had a Kerith Harris the problem would be mush less serious.

Jim Guild, who nominated her, said: "In a workplace where common sense is often far from common currency, Kerith's capacity to concentrate on the key issues and not be distracted by distress or panic means she is enormously effective. I have never seen her lose patience, empathy or her cool in her dealings with students, staff or management making her a colleague upon whom you can rely without doubt."

Lesley Hart – The true meaning of lifelong learning

Lesley Hart founded a small programme to offer retired people some later life learning in 1987. She is now the director of the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Strathclyde University and has seen her initial idea with just 80 students grow year-on-year to a full association with over 1,000 members and classes in everything from art to foreign languages to modern architecture.

Hart was the original programme coordinator 21 years ago and from those humble beginnings went on to become head of the Senior Studies Institute and is now the centre's director. After a successful first year, Hart and some of the students developed the '3Ls students' association' to allow their learning to develop and foster a stronger social dimension. The 3Ls tag comes from the Learning in Later Life programme of classes first offered in 1987.

The first president of the association, former salesman Jim Alexander, had taken early retirement and was enthused by the sense of purpose gained in his association role. After completing his two years' presidency he was encouraged by Lesley to take his new passion for learning further and he undertook an access course.

Lesley offered him a part-time job in the institute organising study trips and related events. Spurred on by his success he enrolled on an undergraduate history course and in 1997 proudly received his degree with his family in attendance. Jim is still going strong today and credits the association for that fact. Jim sadly lost both his wife and daughter and says the association was his lifeline.

Jim Alexander said: "Without the confidence that I developed at the association, and the prodding from Lesley, I doubt I would have had the courage to begin. When I sadly lost my wife and daughter the association was a lifeline. Reflecting on the last 20 years of my life I can't imagine how I would have turned out without the association and without Lesley. I can say, hand on heart, that the 3Ls has been a totally transforming experience and we all have Lesley to thank not only for getting it off to a flying start but keeping us on track."

James Derounian – bringing the real world into the classroom and going the extra mile award

James Derounian, principal lecturer in community development & local governance at the University of Gloucestershire, and a National Teaching Fellow, has been recognised for walking the walk, as well talking the talk, with his students. Derounian works within both the local and university communities, taking an ardent interest in community development issues.

He passionately understands the need for students to have practical experiences and takes his students on fieldtrips to give them the opportunity to get involved in, and participate in, local issues. His students say this provides them with a voice and prepares them for the real world, allowing them to put the theory of their subjects into practice.

Derounian's interest and support for his students extends outside the lecture hall, seminar room and field trip. He has a genuine interest in their well-being and how they find all aspects of university life. It was a group of current and former students who nominated James for the award and their recommendations are a testament to the impact he has had on their academic and personal lives.

Patrick Smith – widening participation and opening eyes in Buckinghamshire

Professor Patrick Smith, Professor of Learning and Teaching at Buckinghamshire New University, has been nominated for his work in encouraging 'non-traditional' students to consider, and complete, higher education. Widening participation is at the heart of the government's drive to expand university education. However, despite spending loads of money over the past decade few inroads have been made.

UCU believes that it is the work of people like Patrick that really makes a difference to those students who had never considered a university education 'for them.' Patrick has actively sought out opportunities to continue working with students at all levels, working recently with cohorts on a range of awards from foundation degrees to masters programmes.

Roger Dalrymple, Principal Lecturer in Education at the University, who nominated Patrick, said: "Working as he does at an institution which promotes widened participation and a 'second chance' at higher education, Patrick's commitment to education as a transformative endeavour is truly exceptional. During the period in which I have been working with Patrick, a large proportion of his students have been mature learners, entering higher education for the first time and often with some considerable trepidation.

Carol Cusworth – giving teens a second chance

A Doncaster computer lecturer who has brought youngsters back from the brink of dropping out and put them on the path to university, has been nominated for a prestigious Life Changer's award.

The Life Changers' awards, from the University and College Union: the world's biggest post-school education trade union, recognise the power of education to change lives and reward people who have made a difference through their teaching or whose lives have been transformed by education.

Carol Cusworth has taught Information and Communication Technology at Doncaster College for over 10 years, and during that time much of her focus has been on learners at Level 1. These young people are typically age 16, straight out of school and are often not motivated to learn. But Carol, who achieved her own qualifications later in life after having a family, has proved to be gifted at changing the youngsters' negative attitudes. Her intervention has proved so dramatic that many have gone on to further learning right up to degree level.

Bill Allen – life through lipreading

A lipreading teacher, whose own hearing was damaged through his work, has been nominated for a prestigious award for his tireless work to help others with hearing impairments to lead independent lives.

Bill Allen, who works for Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service, was nominated by a colleague for a Life Changer's award from the University and College Union: the world's biggest post-school education trade union.

The awards recognise the power of education to change lives and reward people who have made a difference through their teaching or whose lives have been transformed by education.

Bill, from Hayfield in the High Peak of northwest Derbyshire, has taught lipreading for 17 years, working in Matlock, Buxton and at Hope Valley College. His hearing was damaged when he was young, as a result of 'noise damage', working at weekends at a circular saw bench.

Bill has devised a comprehensive syllabus for his courses aimed at empowering his students to lead independent lives. His students have variously described those courses as 'life-saving', 'life-changing' and a 'lifeline', as they have increased their confidence so much (see notes below).

As well as teaching, Bill has campaigned for the deaf community through working voluntarily for a wide range of organisations (see notes below).

He also goes out into the community: into medical practices and his local primary school. At the surgeries, he aims to make staff more aware of the needs of people using hearing aids, and to encourage referrals to lipreading classes. At the school, he provides 'Deaf awareness' sessions to explain to the children how many hearing impaired older people, for example grandparents, long to be included in family conversations, and how easily young people's hearing can be damaged, for example by loud music.

Lee Holder - music teacher who turned teens' lives around

A Gloucestershire teacher who created a cutting-edge music project to encourage disillusioned teenagers to stay on in education, has been nominated for a Life Changers award from the University and College Union.

Lee Holder, from Cheltenham, created the In Tune project at Stroud College in Gloucestershire, which works with teenagers who were at risk of dropping out of education.

The Life Changers' awards recognise the power of education to change lives and reward people who have made a difference through their teaching or whose lives have been transformed by education.

Course tutor, Lee, working with support tutor, Ian Jones, set up the course from scratch: they chose and ordered cutting edge music technology and identified students who were most at risk of dropping out of the system. They then took the course to the students: they taught it in schools, community centres and pupil referral centres.

The course was designed so that each student could work on their specific interests and used ways of teaching in small groups that really got the teens involved in their work.

Richard 'Nick' Nicholls – breaking down barriers in later life

Nick Nicholls, who works for Solihull College, was nominated by a colleague for his work teaching in for the Trade Union Studies Unit at Solihull College. Nick, who himself completed his degree at 39, has great empathy with adult students and does his utmost to remove as many barriers to learning as he can. He teaches the TUC Diploma in Contemporary Trade Unionism and is renowned for his dedication. He spends many hours offering one-to-one tuition and coaching to help develop students' confidence. He encourages students to use and develop their enquiry skills and to dig beneath the surface of the immediate task or issue that they are dealing with. Nick has encouraged many of his adult students to progress on to degree and masters courses.

Sarah Thorrington – works all night to improve literacy

A teacher who is so passionate about the power of learning that she teaches groups of workers in the middle of the night, has been nominated for a University and College Union Life Changer's award.

The Life Changer awards recognise the power of education to change lives and reward people who have made a difference through their teaching or whose lives have been transformed by education.

Sarah Thorrington, who teaches at Stoke-on-Trent College, started work as a volunteer tutor. Sarah, of Audley, then became a full-time literacy teacher, moving on to Advanced Skills teacher and then to Workplace Development Leader.

In her role as Workplace Development Leader, she goes into workplaces and finds new learners who want to improve their literacy skills. But often those workers are on unsociable shift patterns: undeterred, Sarah works all hours. She has been known to work at the Post Office at 5am, at Sainsbury's from midnight till 3am, and in another factory from 10pm till midnight – as well as working a normal ten-hour day in college.

Jim McDermott, the Lifelong Learning Co-ordinator at 'First Potteries' said: "Sarah has always made herself available to give advice and guidance or invigilate online tests at any time whenever she was called upon. Her professional approach has made life much easier and more convenient for all involved."

Dave Condliffe, Project Worker for the Communication Workers' Union, works with Sarah organising Skills for Life courses for his members. He said: "Sarah has helped me to progress in the union through the confidence she has instilled in me. From the feedback I receive from members who attend Skills for Life courses, she is a complete inspiration."

On top of all this, Sarah is also studying for an MA looking at how teachers can ensure that literacy classes mean that students can then go on to have greater opportunities in their lives.