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Awards 2022 - Nominations now closed
Scottish Union Learning Learner of the Year Award
The award will be presented at STUC Congress, between 25 April to 27 April 2022 in Aberdeen, allowing Scottish Union Learning and the nominating union to recognise and celebrate the achievements of trade union learners across Scotland.
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.
STUC Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning
The Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning recognises outstanding trade unionists who continue to demonstrate their commitment to union values and lead the learning movement forward in Scotland.
The award is named in honour of Helen Dowie, who was involved in the trade union movement in Fife for most of her adult life. She worked in Rosyth Dockyard for twenty years and was active within the civil service unions. Through her union, Helen organised the yard, campaigned on initiatives and supported many workers. She took the union into the community through the organisation of the Rosyth Festival and music events, highlighting important union campaigns.
Along with her partner, Mike Morris, Helen started the Trades Council News in Fife. By writing, printing, editing and distributing the newssheet, Helen and Mike kept union members aware of the issues and also spread the word more widely throughout Fife. Helen and Mike made many solid friendships through their union involvement.
Helen worked to support the development of education and learning in Scotland. She was a key player in supporting the development of the lifelong learning agenda that union members know today, and she worked hard to secure financial backing to support unions in developing the role of the Union Learning Representative.
Helen’s life was devoted to supporting others through the trade union movement, and her untimely death was mourned by trade unionists throughout Scotland. This award commemorates Helen’s lifetime achievements in lifelong learning by recognising other trade unionists who work to champion union learning in Scotland.
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