Individual awards
Nominate a winning individual learner
The Adult Learners’ Week Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding learning achievements of individuals, projects, employers and tutors across England.
This year we are looking for remarkable individuals whose stories of learning will be inspirational to others who hear about them.
We want to hear the very best stories about adults of every background, age and stage who, through learning, have transformed their own lives and the lives of their families, the communities they live in and the places they work.
The individual may have:
- learnt new skills for personal or professional development
- achieved something they never thought was possible
- completely transformed their lives and the lives of those around them
Your nomination will give the learner recognition for their outstanding achievements, boost their self-confidence and will celebrate the positive impact learning has had on their life.
Winners of this category will have made a significant difference to their lives through learning and would inspire others to do the same, achieving beyond what they ever thought was possible.
The learning is the crucial part of all of our winners’ stories and it is the outcome from this learning that makes the individual eligible for an award.
Making a nomination
Equality and empowerment is at the heart of everything that NIACE does. Our aim is for as many people as possible to be involved in and inspired by Adult Learners’ Week.
We want everyone to have access to Adult Learners' Week from the nomination form(s) through to the awards ceremonies. This form should be compatible with most frequently used screen readers and other assistive technology. If you require accessibility support please let us know and we’ll do everything we can to help: email [email protected]; tel 0116 285 9656 or text 07810 770399.
These notes are to support the nomination of an individual only. Please read these notes before completing a nomination form.
Individual eligibility
- Award categories are open to learners whose learning took place in England only and who are aged 18 or over on 17 December 2014.
- Learners must have undertaken some of their learning between December 2013 and December 2014 and must demonstrate the positive impact that learning has had.
- There is no limit to the number of nominations that one nominator can make. However, we do not accept nominations for one nominee from multiple nominators.
- Nominations for individuals that have been nominated in previous years, or individuals that have won awards as part of other award initiatives, will be accepted.
- Individuals from the British Armed Forces can be nominated, wherever they are stationed. Where stationed overseas, please include a home location (county only (e.g. Wiltshire) and not a specific address) for the individual as well as the nominator's unit contact information.
- Individuals who are in prison or on probation can be nominated. However, authorisation must be gained from the relevant authorities, i.e. the National Offender Management Service or Probation Service, before a nomination can be made.
- Posthumous or self-nominations are not accepted.
Publicity
Adult Learners’ Week Award Winners attract significant press and media interest. The information supplied in nomination forms could be used publicly as inspirational stories. A private information box is included in the nomination form to be used for information that you do not wish to be made public. See Part 3 of the nomination form for further information.
European Social Fund (ESF) Awards criteria
There are two ESF award categories for individual learners that have benefited from ESF-funded learning opportunities:
- ESF Individual Learner Award
- ESF Young Adult Learner of the Year Award (must be aged 18-25 on 17 December 2014)
To be eligible for an ESF award, the nominee must comply with the main award eligibility criteria above and their learning must have received funding from the ESF.
Next steps
All nominations are shortlisted against a set criteria. Those shortlisted are sent to a selection panel of judges, who represent the diversity of adult learning provision. All winners are selected by the panel, which assess each entry based only on the information provided on the nomination form.
Final decisions will be made by the end of April 2015. All winners and their nominators will be contacted by May 2015. If you haven’t heard from us by this time, please assume that your nominee has not been chosen as an Award Winner on this occasion. Everyone nominated for an Adult Learners’ Week Award will receive a Certificate of Achievement in June 2015.
Award Winners will be invited to regional or national Awards Ceremonies where each of them will receive a learning voucher, valued between £200 and £1,000, and an Awards Certificate.
Nominate now by downloading a Word version of the nomination form and returning it to [email protected] by the deadline, 5pm Wednesday 17 December 2014, or nominate online.
Please ensure that all compulsory sections (marked*) of the form are completed or we will be unable to consider your nomination.
Individuals who are in prison or on probation can be nominated. However, authorisation must be gained from the relevant authorities, i.e. the National Offender Management Service or Probation Service, before a nomination can be made.
