STUC. Scottish Union Learning. The learning force behind Scotland's workers.

Scottish Union Learning Learner of the Year Award

Scottish Union Learning wishes to recognise the range of learning journeys currently undertaken by lay learners in the workplace, supported by trade unions. The Scottish Union Learning Board has therefore agreed to introduce the Scottish Union Learning Learner of the Year Award.

Scottish Union Learning will present this award to a trade unionist who represents the most positive aspects of being a learner. The learner will be recognised on a basis of representing the thousands of union learners throughout Scotland. Nominations on behalf of a group of learners will only be considered where it can be clearly demonstrated that the collective experience was the most significant factor of the group’s learning journey. This is not intended to be a competitive award. The award will be made at the 2011 Scottish Union Learning Conference, which will take place in November.

The individual can be from any area of Scotland. Nominations are welcome for those who have attended any form of learning organised by the trade union, including but not limited to, learning sourced from the Learning Fund or TUC Education. Unions may submit as many nominations for this award as they wish, but each nomination must be signed by an authorised trade union official. Please obtain the consent of the person being nominated before submitting the form and ensure that they have signed the waiver consent page.

Past Recipients

2011
Susan Manson, a cleaner at the Morrisons store in Airdrie, has been named as the 1st Learner of the Year by Scottish Union Learning. Susan was presented with the 1st Annual Award at the Scottish Union Learning Conference in Glasgow in November 2011 by Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary.

Susan was nominated by her union, USDAW, because her story is a powerful example of how union learning is supporting those who never thought learning was for them.

At a recent union-supported “Check Out Learning” campaign day, Susan signed up for a Basic IT course. Susan said, “I always wanted to know more about computers, but I didn’t have the confidence to go to a college by myself. My USDAW Union Learning Reps organised this course in store, which was supported by the Learning Fund through Scottish Union Learning.”

Susan started the course but soon felt out of her depth. She also felt like she was struggling to keep up with the other learners, a feeling she remembered all too well from school. A ULR in the store spoke with Susan and helped her to gain the confidence to speak with the tutor regarding her dyslexia, something she had kept secret for many years.

Ann Seagriff, USDAW Union Learning Rep, said, “We were happy to support Susan to overcome her struggles to be successful in this course. It involved a lot of encouragement, and sometimes a wee bit of a push, and we’re so proud that she’s got there in the end.”

The course tutor helped Susan to access software which helped her overcome the problems dyslexia caused on the course. Susan later bought her own laptop, and the software which helped her so much during the course is now an integral part of her life.

Susan said, “For years, I had to rely on my husband or my son to read something for me. Now I just scan my mail into the computer and can deal with it myself. It’s so much nicer not to have to rely on anyone else – what I’ve learned with the support of my union has completely changed my life.”

She continued, “It was quite a shock to hear that I was going to be named as the Learner of the Year. I’m so pleased and just hope that other learners out there are encouraged to take a chance like I did – it’s worth it!”

Betty Spence, another USDAW Union Learning Rep at Morrisons, said, “Seeing the difference in Susan, and how much more confident she is now, is what makes being a Union Learning Rep worth the effort. We are so pleased Susan has been named Learner of the Year.”

For more information on Susan's story, view the 2011 Learner of the Year Award Press Release.