A showcase of the inspirational Award Winners of 2005

Overall 2005 Winner and SQA Award

EMMA GOVAN from Earlston made a life changing decision to move away from the security of a permanent office job and joined a voluntary organisation, in Musselburgh (30 miles from home) providing services for adults along the autistic spectrum.  With a son suffering from Aspergers Syndrome, Emma and her husband were faced with many challenges. Emma’s husband is the full-time carer, and so Emma was the main breadwinner when she joined Borders College to do her HNC (full-time) in Social Care.  Working night shifts she was able to use this as her work placement and still follow day time studies. Now Emma is doing SVQ III – Promoting Independence through City of Edinburgh Council and is hoping to follow this with a degree in Social Work.

Young Learner

VICTORIA ROSS (now aged 20) joined the Workwise course at Borders College on a very part-time basis following serious illness.   This left her partially sighted and with other weaknesses.  At the start learning to find her way around the college was a huge challenge.   However, she managed to complete a number of SQA units from Access 3 and Intermediate 1 level.  She has had a number of very successful work placements at the Maltings Art Centre and Safeway’s store in Berwick, and the Co-op in Eyemouth. She has attended a residential course in York and an Outward-bound course.   From requiring a taxi to college in the early stages, Victoria has learnt to travel independently and now plans on undertaking a more academic course in psychology.

Group Learners

WHITCHESTER HOUSE – Duns is a group of adults who are in a Residential Drug Rehabilitation Programme.   Through working with Borders College/Learning for All they have been building skills to help improve confidence with language and numeracy.   They have learned to work together as a group and respect each other’s input.   “We feel we have gone from Dependence to Independence and Addiction to Freedom.”

Learner in the Workplace

DALE MURRAY, since his teens, has acted as a carer for his mother. Her death left him without any purpose in life. Joining First Step Trust he has regained his confidence and is now one of the project’s volunteer section managers, passing on his skills and knowledge to other workforce members.

“I have learnt about garden maintenance, landscaping, decking, painting and decorating, minor building works and joinery, all of which I have used in my personal life either to help myself, or my friends and neighbours.”

Been inspired?