Yorksh

1Annual Review 09

Message from the Regional Chair

Lindy Gresswell

We are very fortunate in thestrong, committed workforcethat we have in our Region..

So many things happen within the space of a year that it isoften difficult to recollect or reflect on them.

In some way it has not been an easy year. We were all veryconcerned when our Regional Director Ann Walker wastaken ill early in the year. Everyone was extremely happyto see her return to work recently on a phased basis andwe hope that her health continues to improve.

Anns illness highlights, again, a point that I made last year.We are very fortunate in the strong, committed workforcethat we have in our Region, both volunteers and professionals.I must particularly pay tribute to the way in which JennyMajor, the Regional Educational Strategy Manager steppedinto the breach in Anns absence and to the many otherpeople who took on extra burdens to ensure that the Regioncontinued to run smoothly. I give them my wholeheartedthanks.

You will see from our Directors introduction that we haveincreased the number of enrolments on courses this yearwhich is good educationally but has its drawbacks financially.We are actively seeking ways of finding alternative fundingbut it has to be pointed out that the WEA, as the UKs largestadult educational charity, still offers very good value formoney.

One aspect of our provision that has worried me slightly thisyear is the closure of some Branches in our Region. Usuallythe reason for this is a lack of people willing to serve asvoluntary Branch officials. This is not necessarily a problemoverall as our enrolments have increased during the yearand some new Branches and officers have come on board.These are mentioned in the following Review. However, itdoes highlight the fact that we could engage with ourmembers and learners even more effectively to encouragethem to take an active part in the governance of a Branchor the Region.

Thank you to all those people who have given great serviceover the years but have felt that they can no longer do so.

Many of you will also be aware of the WEAs active role incampaigning for continued government support of AdultEducation. We must persevere with this especially as werun up to the next General Election. If you are reading thisyou are already a supporter of the WEA we need you toactively lobby prospective candidates in this Region to makeour voice heard.

I would like to finish by thanking you all for your continuedsupport this year.

Lindy Gresswell

2Annual Review 09 3Annual Review 09

Regional Director

Ann Walker

The Workers Educational Association is the UKs leadingadult education charity and relies on hundreds of dedicatedand hard working volunteers who work alongside paidstaff to run courses in community venues.

They are active in villages, towns and cities across the Yorkshire and Humber Region. We are anational charity that operates very locally by using buildings such as schools, community centres,church halls, mosques and village halls. We have very few of our own buildings so that we canrespond flexibly as we work in partnership with many organisations.

The WEA runs three categories of courses:

Second Chance to Learn: making it possible for adultswith few or no educational qualifications to gain nationallyrecognised qualifications with friendly support andencouragement.

Community Involvement: making it possible for studentsto learn a wider range of skills with a focus on the benefitsof learning for groups and communities, as well as forindividuals. People can improve confidence, health, andcommunication skills as well as the capacity to take part incommunity activity, support childrens learning, become aneffective volunteer or an activist in communities, charitiesor trade unions.

Cultural Studies: this strand is designed to attract any adultwith a love of learning who wants to develop anunderstanding of a subject for its own sake and wishes tobe involved in the planning and delivery of the provision.The strand offers opportunities for serious educational study,with a focus which is more academic than leisure.

The Region exceeded its targets for enrolments requiredwithin its main contract with the Learning and Skills Councilin 2008-09, and overall enrolment numbers in Yorkshireand Humber rose from 28,131 in the previous year to 29,110.Unfortunately, the increase in provision was not matchedfully by an increase in funding and we are now finding thatwe do not have enough funding to meet the demand for ourservices from people who cannot afford to pay fees to coverthe costs of provision. This is likely to lead to a reductionin services in 2009-10, with difficult decisions to be madeabout how to prioritise our use of the funding that we receive.

This has been a trend across the adult education sectornationally and does not only affect the WEA. We concentrateas much of our funding as possible on teaching and learningwith comparatively low overhead costs and continue todiversify our sources of funding to support our educationalpriorities. As a result, we have developed new educationalinitiatives in 2008-09 including active citizenship projectsfunded by the Community Development Foundation onbehalf of the Department of Communities and LocalGovernment. The Annual Review includes details of someof these projects.

Analysis of enrolment statistics shows theWEAs reach and the diversity of the Regionslearners:

27.7% had a declared physical disability

12.3% had a declared learning disability

15.6% were from a declared ethnic minority

45.3% generated additional funding because their postcodes indicated deprivation

45.6% did not have to pay fees for economic reasons (as defined by funders)

49% had qualifications below Level 2 when theyjoined their courses.

Engaging people in learning is only part of the process.90.2% of learners completed their courses, with as manyreasons for non-completion as affect the complex lives ofmany adults. Overall there was an achievement rate of96.4% and a success rate of 86.9%.

The statistics are an important indicator of the WEAs impactbut adult education also changes lives in ways that aredifficult to measure by numbers. Some of the changes gobeyond the individual learners and have an effect on familiesand communities. The case for adult learning is as importantnow as it was when the WEA was founded in 1903. This iswhy the WEA is campaigning actively alongside trade unions,faith groups, voluntary organisations and charities to promoteadult learning through the Campaigning Alliance for LifelongLearning (CALL), which was launched in September 2008and strongly supported by WEA learners, members andpartner organisations from the Yorkshire & Humber Region.

The number, variety and size of organisations who havejoined CALL is a reflection of how embedded the WEA is insociety and such partnerships exist at very local levels. ManyWEA volunteers are also active members of other community,voluntary and special interest groups where they live andWEA staff work closely with statutory and voluntaryorganisations across sectors including health, education,political education, arts, humanities, environmental issues,archaeology and many more.

The Region needs to attract more funding in future especiallyto support those people who cannot afford to pay fees or totake part in learning. We have strategies in place to diversifyfunding but with a strong emphasis on our educationalpriorities. New partnerships are emerging that havestrengthened the provision of education for active citizenshipand we acknowledge with gratitude many organisations,

including funders and partners, who have continued to workwith us in well-established or newly evolving relationshipsto meet shared goals.

As ever, specific thanks go to the Regions stalwart volunteers,particularly Branch Officers, and members of the variousRegional Committees and working groups. Members of theRegional Executive Committee have ensured that learnersvoices are represented at the heart of WEA governance. Iam especially grateful for their scrutiny and guidance andfor the immense work undertaken by Jenny Major, theRegional Educational Strategy Manager and colleagues inthe Regional Management Team for undertaking additionalwork and responsibility during my lengthy absence duringthe year because of ill health. WEA Organisers, Co-ordinators,project workers, administrative and finance staff work aseffective teams to make sure that courses run smoothly,and, of course remain central to all we do. Wemust also thank our tutors.Their combination ofsubject expertise andunderstanding ofadult learningprovide the coreelement of theWEAsdistinctiveservices.

4Annual Review 09 5Annual Review 09

There is a broad mix of WEA activity with branch-runcourses organised by volunteers and other partnershipworking.

A group of people with learning disabilities completeda course training them to take an active part in allBradford Care Trust job interviews that are concernedwith learning disability. The group has also produceda DVD.

Harvey Nichols head chef Richard Walton Allen cookedfor the annual barbeque at Northcliffe EnvironmentalEnterprises Team (NEET). The WEA runs severalhorticultural based courses at NEET. The event wasa great success. Several Bradford Branch membersattended and took the opportunity to find out moreabout the WEAs Community Involvement programme

Skills for Life accredited provision is offered withinschools and community venues and the take-up forLiteracy courses is encouraging. All activities arebenchmarked against the National Adult Curriculumand Individual Learning Plan targets. Partnershipworking with Surestart (BHT) has enabled 4 fullyfunded 'Language for Life' classes during the year.Classes generally are running with good numbers

and high retention. An English forSpeakers of Other Languagesclass in Bradford 3 hasdemonstrated significantprogression with Information andCommunication Technology.

Creative Crafts Level 1 hasbeen successful with twocohorts of learners

achieving the award viaNCFE. These are learners

who have not beeninvolved in accredited

learning before.

The 2008-2009 programme in Kirklees has focussed onconsolidating working links with existing partners, such asKirklees Council, and making further contacts with schoolsand children's centres. The courses offered have centredaround family learning and holistic health and confidence:Arts and Crafts for Families, Aromatherapy and PracticalParent Helpers have been the popular courses. We havealso run Asian Dressmaking classes for beginners, andoffered progression courses in two venues.

The WEA is about to start an exciting initiative of subcontracted work with West North West homes in Leeds, an ALMO(Arms Length Management Organisation) council-owned company set-up to manage the council housing in the city. Theyhave 22,000 tenants on their books. Impressed by the WEA's professionalism, sector knowledge, and capacity to deliverhigh quality educational opportunities, the first of a series of WEA day schools offered to their 'customers' has been planned.

The courses will be all about empowerment, giving tenants the skills and confidence to represent themselves within thecompany and set-up forums, committees, and even equip tenants with the skills to fund raise and make bids. This initiativeis designed to increase participation and representation in a very real situation, which all involved are hoping will make apositive impact on local communities.

West Yorkshire

in Wakefield

WEA learner Marjorie Rowe, aged 37, was an AdultLearners Week Yorkshire and Humber Award Winner2009. She was nominated by her tutor Chris Summers.

At the age of 17 Marjorie started using drugs and this ledto 17 years of struggle with addiction. Marjorie realisedshe had to change her life, stopped taking drugs andbegan a new chapter in her life. One year after stoppingthe drug misuse Marjorie was at the stage of wanting toseriously re-evaluate herself and her life and focus onwhat was important to her, her children, family and futurecareer prospects. After taking advice, she enrolled on aWEA Self Help for Life course.

As a result of her success on the course, Marjorie hasprogressed rapidly in several key areas of her life. Shevolunteers for an organisation assisting clients to recoverfrom substance abuse, has completed a CommunityDevelopment Certificate, started a Basic Counselling Skillscourse. She is also a parent governor.

Learning means everything to me, says Marjorie. I feellike I can do anything and learn anything. All I have to dois to believe in myself and put my mind to it.

in Leeds

115 learners with learning difficulties, accompanied bysupport workers, attended a Celebration Event atChesneys in Featherstone in July. The event wasorgansied in partnership with Millennium Care Serviceswho funded the room and made a huge contributiontowards refreshments. Millennium Care staff alsocontributed throughout the day to ensure the day ransmoothly. Support staff from Day Opportunities alsoattended and helped organise transport for learnersfrom across the district so they could attend.

The day started with tutors running 10 workshopsincluding art, craft, aromatherapy / stress busters,gardening and ICT. After lunch a small group of learnerswho attended the creative dance and exercise classperformed a short routine then encouraged everyone tostand up and join in. Certificates were presented by theDeputy Mayor of Wakefield who had arrived prior tolunch so that he could visit some of the groups in action.Before departing at 2.30pm groups posed for theirphotographs proudly holding their certificates.

in Calderdale and Kirklees Area

Ilkley Branch employed the localtown crier, in full costume to shoutabout the courses on offer thisyear. He attracted attention to astand on The Grove, where Branchmembers handed out areabrochures.

in B

radf

ord

and

Ilkle

y A

rea

across the Region

Staff Training and DevelopmentQuality is at the heart of the Regions activities and fortyfive separate training events were organised over theyear for tutors, staff and volunteers, with a total of 445individual sessional tutors engaged in some form oftraining offered by the region. This constitutes 79% oftutors employed in 08/09. Field staff and Admin / Financestaff also accessed a variety of training opportunities.

The training events included induction days, first aid,mental health awareness, curriculum training events, alarge Skills for Life training programme for tutors andpublicity and marketing for volunteers and staff.

Twenty three WEA tutors completed the City & Guilds7303 teacher training qualification and 19 registered forthe Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector(CTLLS) Equality and Diversity unit.

The region supported seven tutors on externally fundedcourses on the basis that specific criteria were met andstaff are encouraged to use WEAVLE, the WEAs onlineVirtual Learning Environment.

The Information and Communications Technology(ICT) Curriculum Team organised two trainingevents in Sheffield and York for ICT tutors inSeptember 2008. Both events were well attendedand everyone enjoyed the events. Newtechnologies were introduced, such as Ezee-Click and E-beam. Ezee-Click went down a stormand all the tutors could see the benefit of usingthis system to deliver fun testing in the learningenvironment. The E-beam system can be usedin venues where there is no interactivewhiteboard, which got tutors talking of thedifference it would make to their delivery in someof the less technologically advanced venues.Both training sessions were very successful.

New equipment purchased which has beendistributed around the region -Interactive votingsystems, digital voicerecorders, digitalvisualiser and netbooks.

Information andCommunicationsTechnology

6Annual Review 09 7Annual Review 09

across the Region

Ann Udall, one of the contributors, comments, They sayHistory is now, isnt it? but we were living through a perioda lot of people will never know about. All round Broad Lane,Solly Street, Garden Street, there were little forges andcutlery works. This was in the 1950s and 60s. I couldntimagine that one day none of them would be there.Makingsure these memories are preserved is the reason for thisbook. Sheffield, has gone through an extraordinary periodof change since the 1940s, from being a major world centreof cutlery and hand tool manufacture, a city where thousandsof men and women, many of them highly

skilled, if without paper qualifications, were employed bythe steel and heavy engineering industry, to what? Werenot sure yet.There are stories from wages clerks, hammer drivers, dinnerladies, train drivers, drop stampers, hospital cleaners, postwomen, joiners, hod carriers, window dressers, crane drivers,electroplaters, teachers, library staff, and many more.

A book called Earning a Living - Memories of Work in and around Sheffieldwas published by the WEA, Sheffield Branch, October 2008. It tells one hundredand twenty three stories and anecdotes of working life in and around Sheffield.

2008 - 2009 was a busy year for Skills for Lifecourses in South Rotherham. The demand washigh and new courses were organised inpartnership with many organisationsincluding MENCAP, local primary schoolsand job centre plus key workers. Theyear concluded with an event tocelebrate the achievements of Literacystudents in the Maltby area and excellentfeedback about the courses was givento the local press who came and did anarticle about the courses. Other popularsubjects were ICT and Painting andDrawing.

A video film project at WEA Sheffield Learning Centrein June 2009 led to the production of The Mind Cleaners,a science fiction comedy adventure with a running timeof 18 minutes. It was written filmed and edited bylearners on the first Open College Network (OCN)Level 3, Video & Film Production course based at theWEA Sheffield Learning Centre.

All of the learners who attended had previouslycompleted WEA level 2 courses in Digital MediaProduction. There was a broad representation of ages24-60 with a diverse ethnic mixture including peoplefrom white European, Afro-Caribbean and MiddleEastern backgrounds. The Level 3 course has been inpart a pilot scheme to monitor the outcomes of buildingcontinuity and progression routes within WEA digitalmedia provision working with vulnerable learnersstruggling with chaotic lifestyles; and partnershiporganisations in Further and Higher Education.

WEA learners developed additional skills in film make-up design and application; they studied and applied

Health and Safety regulations appointinga H&S Officer to oversee the production.

Perhaps the most poignant achievementwas when the group agreed that this wasthe first time that they had been respectedas individual learners each with differentskills and ideas. They were impressed thatthe WEA actually listened to what they hadto say and helped them achieve aprofessional end product.

in Sheffield

in Sheffield

in Rotherham

Doncaster WEA successfully secured funding from Doncaster PCT to run four 12 week Skilled for Health courses.Skilled for Health is a national programme that helps people of all ages and backgrounds to improve their health whileat the same time giving participants the chance to boost their reading, writing and arithmetic skills. Students were theninvited to attend a celebration event at the Doncaster Racecourse and were presented with attendance certificatesby celebrity chef Aldo Zilli - a supporter of healthy eating.

in Barnsley

in Doncaster

South YorkshirePhotographs here show

families enjoyingeducational activities in

Barnsley as part of a BigLottery Funded Family

Learning Project.

8Annual Review 09 9Annual Review 09

A 3-year Aim Higher "Moving On Up" project began inpartnership with the University of Hull and other partners toencourage adults and children to raise educationalaspirations. WEA learners carried out a community researchproject and joined a Learning Journeys course, held in aScarborough primary school. Year 6 children all took part inan official graduation ceremony during a special whole-school assembly. They had caps, gowns and certificatescrolls.

Other partnerships included work with the Open University,with WEA learners achieving success on the Open UniversityOpenings Programme, and with the Unison trade union with

WEA learners completing a Unison Return toLearn course.

Helping in Schools courses have continued to be popularand effective. Most learners progress on to a course focusingon Special Educational Needs and many are then successfulin gaining employment in school or in the community.

More than 60 learners in Scarborough and Whitby achievedLiteracy and Numeracy level 1 & 2 passes during the year.

3 volunteers completed the Skillsfor Voluntary Education AdvisersSupporting a Study Groupmodule. All 3 volunteers arecontinuing to support WEAcourses in autumn 2009.

As in other parts of the Region there has been strong partnership working around mental health work, including anew partnership with York & District MIND (with whom we are offering creative writing), and continuing partnershipwith Craven Carers' Resource. The Branch programme has remained strong, with York Branch in particular continuingto offer an impressively wide range of courses, including a very large Community Choir course with over 40 learnersand a strong and effective voluntary members' Area Council, whose membership ensures that the voice of localbranches is directly heard right up to the national level of WEA governance.

Members of theWEA's York Branch featured on BBC Radio 4's 'You and Yours programme to discuss their concernsabout the future of adult education.

across the Region

North Yorkshire

in York, Ryedale and Craven Areas

A cross-generational Family Activity Day of taster activitieswas held at Spring Hill Court in Easingwold, on Saturday,9th May. It was organised in partnership with North YorkshireCounty Council Extended Schools Service, Easingwoldand District Community Care Association and Scrapboxfrom Hull. Activities included a drawing and paintingworkshop, felt making, a computer workshop and an'improve your mobility' exercise class.

The event was well attended and attracted a cross-sectionof people spanning a wide age range, with the youngestparticipant being a tender 2 months and the oldest, animpressive 104 years. This event attracted interest both inthe local branch programme and in the community courseswhich have been organised in the nearby village ofHusthwaite. An article describing the event was publishedin the Easingwold Advertiser.

Paddy Hodgkiss, a voluntary Officer from Riccall Branchreports that the Branch ran 8 courses in 2008/09. TheBranch is typical in publicising activities widely in the areaand attending a number of events to display their "wares".Class members have made a number of Powerpointdisplays which they show, anywhere that we can find anaudience. Branch members work hard as WEA volunteersbut have increasing challenges to overcome, including thecost of newspaper advertising and rising course fees forlearners.

A community group developing the Washburn HeritageProject has launched a new Washburn Valley WEA Branch.They held their first day school on family history in the summerand planned a course in September 2009. The group hasbeen allocated Stage 2 money from the Heritage LotteryFund and they are developing activities to support theirapplication for a new community venue on a site next toFewston Church. This is a beautiful location on the side ofthe reservoir in the Valley. When the centre is complete theyhope to provide an education programme through the WEA.

The WEA runs courses and activities in partnership withMind, the leading mental health charity in England and Wales.In Ripon, these include WEA courses in computing, music,felt making, crafts, cooking and flower arranging. This yeareveryone at Ripon Mind worked together with Sally Beausang,the tutor of a WEA Felt and Crafts course, to plan an entryfor the Ripon Festival of Angels in May. This is an annualevent organised by the churches of Ripon involving peoplefrom across the community including shops, schools andclubs.

The groups wanted their angel to represent all that RiponMind Group does for its members. Felting was representedin the wings, small felt and fabric flowers were created forthe halo and the body. The main structure was made usingwithies. The skirt was printed with computer signs and musicalnotation to indicate the other activities that are offered forMind members.

The angel project enabled students to participate in manyways, helping to make the structure, creating

the felt panels, making the flowers andsewing them in place, printing, making theharp and installing the angel. It was verymuch a team effort from everyone at Ripon

Mind and the groups was delighted whentheir angel won First Prize in the 3D categoryof the Festival of Angels.

Visual and Performing Arts and MediaPerforming Arts and Media (VPAM) continues to be the largest curriculum area in the Region,constituting just under a third of total provision and appealing to learners across all our 3educational strands and in a wide variety of circumstances and situations. Building on thework of the earlier Active Citizenship project in the Sheffield area, for example, the WEAhas worked with groups of (often homeless) vulnerable learners with drug- and alcohol-related problems, to give them the skills to make their own documentary pieces. The resultsoffer a very moving demonstration of how the visual arts and media can be used tochallenge stereotypes and perceptions, to foster more positive senses of individual identityand of community belonging, and to help disadvantaged learners work together to effect social change.

VPAM also held two very successful Tutor Conferences (one at the Millennium gallery inSheffield and one in the Art Gallery in Leeds), attended by over a quarter of all our activetutors, providing tutors with an opportunity to network with one another, and to share ideasand good practice within their particular subject areas. There is a very real need for such'get-togethers' in a dispersed tutor team. They help to bridge the gap between the organisationand the classroom and let tutors share ideas and concerns, compare notes and practice,and learn about new initiatives.

in Richmond and

Hambleton Areas

in Harrogate and

Ripon Areas

10Annual Review 09

CampaigningWEA learners, volunteers, staff and partner organisationsare involved very actively in various local, regional andnational campaigns.

Early Day Motion 533

That this House welcomes the launch of the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning(CALL) in September 2008; shares its concern that over 1.4 million places havebeen lost in the last two years in English adult education due to cuts and feerises; notes that over 150 organisations are CALL supporters; believes thatparticularly at this time of recession, affordable access to the life-changingopportunities provided by education is the hallmark of a civilised society;considers that adult learning needs to be simultaneously expanded, resourcedand promoted alongside work-based skills training in the Children, Skills andLearning Bill; and calls for immediate action to ensure a full range of learningopportunities for adults to adjust the Personal and Community DevelopmentLearning budget to increase with inflation, and redirect any underspend on theTrain to Gain programme to meet individual learner demand.http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=37560

Bradford Branch writing to all their students

to ask for support for the CALL campaign. Their Branch

Chair Mary Kershaw visited local MP Terry Rooney to put

forward the case. Local Community centres also took up

the banner for the CALL campign, with Kirkgate Studios

and Workshops collecting a petition which they delivered

to their local councillor.

WEA learners are also active in

campaigns that complement adult learning such as

the future of the Central Library in Halifax.

Local feelings about the demolition or relocation of the

library and archives ran high and more than 15,000 people

signed petitions objecting to plans to bulldoze the Library

after the plans were announced. In April a group of over 50

residents staged a protest outside the building in Northgate,

Halifax. The protesters included members of the WEA,

Halifax Antiquarian Society, Halifax Civic Trust and

Calderdale Pensioners' Association.

Many WEA branches work hard to promote adult learning

in their local areas. Paddy Hodgkiss of Riccall Branch is

representative in reporting that, We offer a Powerpoint

display and fixed board displays at any local event that will

give us space. We also own six easily portable table top

display boards and have a part share in a

digital projector.

As one of five founding organisations of the

Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL),

WEA members have taken a major role in campaigning

for adult education. CALL was launched on 30

September 2008 and gained attention in the national

media. Ann Walker, Yorkshire & Humbers Regional

Director represented the WEA as a speaker at the

launch. CALLs membership includes groups as

diverse as Trade Unions, religious and faith groups,

the Womens Institute, national charities and many

individual members. More details can be found at

http://www.callcampaign.org.uk

Learners and staff from across the Region travelled

to Westminster in February 2009 for a very well-

attended Parliamentary lobby co-ordinated by CALL.

WEA Organiser Christine Sharman, reported that,

Everyone had different experiences of the day. Two

learners from Wakefield went to Parliament - Marjorie

Rowe from a health course (who later won an Adult

Learners Week Award) and Paul Milnes a Post Office

worker on an OU Openings course. We spent the

whole day together, including interviewing cabinet

minister Ed Balls who is Marjorie's MP. A member of

his team showed us an insider view of the House of

Commons and its history. We then joined everyone

else we had travelled with in an excellent campaign

meeting which was inspirational. We returned to

Yorkshire, tired but happy to have made our points.

183 Members of Parliament signed the following Early

Day Motion (EDM 533) proposed by Gordon Marsden,

MP, with cross-party support.

11Annual Review 09

Bradford

Halifax

Riccall

A successful 'Computing for Dads' course was run inpartnership with Surestart, in Scunthorpe and also twoPractical Parent Helpers courses which will lead thelearners into an accredited course in the next year.We have a very strong partnership with the Foresight Centre in Grimsby and workvery well together providing courses for people with disabilities or learning difficulties.Courses include Watercolour Painting, T'ai Chi, Tactile Art and Card Design.Partnerships with the North East Lincolnshire Womens Centre, Childrens Centresin Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Waltham have excelled with new recruitment. WEABranches run by volunteers in Grimsby, Immingham, Waltham and Keelby allrecruited well.

Continuing success withinthe community in the Hullarea depends largely onpartnerships with established and new Children's Centres,Womens Centres, Community Centres, Hull and EastYorkshire Mind and Hull Prison. One of the local WEAOrganisers describes these relationships as, good, sound,flexible and honest.

Representing the range of activities that the WEA runs, therewas a good balance of liberal studies, arts and crafts, ICTand personal development courses in Hull and East Yorkshire.A traditional fee paying programme ran alongside partnershipworking to offer targeted courses in the community and inthe workplace.

An NCFE Helping in Schools pilot course was run in NorthCave. It was organised in partnership with the local extendedschools co-ordinators.

A new partnership with Cherry Tree Centre in Beverleyled to the introduction of a Computer Literacy andInformation Technology course being offered as afollow up to Cherry Tree Centre members who hadattended a basic Information Technologyworkshop.

A Skills for Volunteers course was held at theHornsea Children's Centre. This was a newdevelopment in the town.

Our partnership with Hull and East YorkshireMind is going from strength to strength. Weran a very successful programme of personal

development courses in Goole,Pocklington, Hessle, Beverleyand Bridlington. Courses

include three anger management courses (which are uniqueto the WEA in the East Riding), Singing, Floristry, CreativeStitching, Knitting and Crochet at the Old Parcels Office.

The WEA is represented on a Volunteering group (a sub-group of the Holderness Health and Well-being group) and

is working to develop volunteer recruitment andtraining in Holderness. Working with the

local extended schools co-ordinator, wewere asked to deliver two sessions atthe staff training day at Driffield Schooland a 10-week Powerpoint for Staff

course at Driffield school - the Historyof Howden group have started their own

website.

An annual Prepare for Retirementcourse at the University of Hull

ran in April and the WEAlinked the North and South

banks of the Humber byoffering another verysuccessful Prepare forRetirement course to17 employees ofFenner Dunlop fromHull and MillenniumInorganic Chemicalsfrom Grimsby.

12Annual Review 09 13Annual Review 09

across the Region Humber

North and North East

Lincolnshire Area

Hull and East Riding AreaA group of students from formermining communities in SouthYorkshire had the trip of alifetime in February as they sawan acclaimed play about a WEAcourse and even got the chanceto meet the playwright.

The students, who live in Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe, allattend a WEA art course and went to London to watch ThePitmen Painters at the National Theatre and meet Lee Hall.

The Pitmen Painters is based on the true story of a group ofminers in the 1930s who attended a WEA arts appreciationcourse in Ashington, Northumberland. After they developeda passion and skill for painting their work became soughtafter by prestigious collectors and was exhibited in Londonand Beijing.

Lee, who is also known for his play Billy Elliot, said: TheWEA is vital and unique in providing a place where peoplecan extend themselves as well as extending the culture atthe same time. We are all poorer for a culture whereknowledge, education and creativity are reserved for onlythose that can afford it. Lee is a long-time supporter of theWEA and added:

The right to an education, to access to the arts, to cultivatingoneself beyond the immediate requirements for survival orthe most basic diversions from this hard work, were won asa result of enormous struggle.

Before the play the students were taken on a backstage tourof the National Theatre and got to stand on the Pitmen Paintersstage where the actors would be performing later thatevening. Their lives have been influenced by the miningindustry and they found they had a strong emotional connectionto the play, which they greatly enjoyed. The group also touredthe nearby Tate Modern Gallery, where they saw some of themost influential paintings of our time. It was a first trip toLondon for one student, former miner Mervyn Shepherd, who

said that going down the tube escalators made me dizzyand reminded me of going downthe pits.

After their trip the studentsdescribed the experience asout of this world, with the highpoint meeting Lee Hall.Learner Hazel Followsdescribed Lee as veryfriendly and down-to-earth.I felt that he really listenedto us, and took a realinterest in what we had tosay, she added. Lee alsopraised the group sayingthat they weredelightful, and that hewas very touched andproud to have beenpart of the event.

Six WEAmembershipcompetitionwinners also wontickets to the play.First prize winnerLiz Milwaythanked the WEAfor a wonderfulexperience. She found theplay both moving andamusing. and said that theicing on the cake was meetingthe inspiring art students.

Paintings by students:Hazel Follows (top left)

Doreen Seward (top right),and Maureen Gill (bottom)

WEA Pitmen Painters meet Lee Hall

The first years work covered a range of activities and events including:

14Annual Review 09

The WEA is working with several partners in the Yorkshire& Humber Region on various exciting and inter-linkedActive Citizenship educational initiatives that continueto develop in the 2009-10 academic year.

15Annual Review 09

Educational ProjectsActive Citizenship Projects

The Take Part Pathfinder Project is one of several that theDepartment of Communities & Local Government is fundingacross the country to encourage groups and individuals towork together to develop and promote effective ways toequip citizens with the knowledge, skills and confidence toincrease engagement in civil, civic and democratic society.

There are seven core partners in the South YorkshirePathfinder.

The Workers Educational Association is the lead body withthe three local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster andRotherham, Take Part Network, Novas Scarman Group andthe Academy for Community Leadership (based at NorthernCollege). All the work is focused uponparticipants in the local authority areasand the Pathfinder issupported by theRegionalEmpowermentPartnership.

The main priorities in the first phase of work included:

Active citizenship

Citizen engagement

Community leadership

National Indicator 3 Civic participation in the

local area

National Indicator 4 percentage of people

who feel they can influence decisions in their

locality

Strengthening partnerships

Active Citizenship Training the TrainersAimed at tutors who work in the voluntary and communitysector. 20 participants took part in the event, which gave anopportunity to explore the Active Citizenship curriculum andgain an understanding of the Pathfinder and its agenda.

Making Your Mark Democracy TodayA two day course, aimed at community activists, campaignersand those in civic roles, explored:

The state of democracy today and how it could be improved.

Ways to engage with parliament, lobbying and campaigning.

This was followed by a trip to London to visit the TakingLiberties exhibition at the British Library and to the Housesof Parliament to observe a lobby by CALL (Campaign forLifelong Learning) - 28 participants took part (pictured below).

Curriculum Development Day on the newCity and Guilds Individual Portfolio inActive CitizenshipEleven practitioners with experience of developing an ActiveCitizenship curriculum worked together to develop sessionplans, schemes of work and units for the IPAC. It is nowready for delivery.

Take Part Pathfinder launch events in: Barnsley (17 participants attended)

Doncaster (26 participants attended)

Rotherham (27 participants attended)

Civic volunteering offers an antidote to political disenchantmentAmidst a background of scandals over MPs expense claims, resulting in record levels of mistrust in politiciansand political parties, the Take Part Pathfinder in South Yorkshire held two events to promote the benefits ofvolunteering and show the role it can play in supporting political engagement.

The Workers Educational Association (WEA), the lead organisation for the Pathfinder in the region, organisedGetting Involved in Your Community Volunteering events in Barnsley and Doncaster, bringing together localcommunity groups, councillors and people with an interest in becoming volunteers.

The events attracted nearly 50 people and included contributions from local councillors who talked about whatmotivated them to become active in their community. Participants also heard from long term volunteers aboutwhy they work in the community and the impact it has made on them and their communities.

Trish Land, Take Part Pathfinder Project Manager, WEA said:

It is imperative that politics remains connected to everyday concerns and that we preserve the opportunityfor local people to influence political decisions at both local and national levels.

Our events have shown the wealth of experience and talent which people bring through getting involved in theirown neighbourhoods and the difference becoming a volunteer can make to individual lives and to communitiesas a whole.

17Annual Review 09

The Family Learning for Social Cohesion project won500,000 funding from the Big Lottery Fund in 2007, followingsix months of research with parents as to their needs, andthe development of 23 agreements for joint working withschools and other partners.

The project engages families, including men andgrandparents, from disadvantaged communities in learningtogether to help parents become more able to support theirchildren in learning, and more able to develop their ownskills. Family learning can help parents interact positivelywith their children, and help them find relevant informationand advice when they need it.

Another aim is to improve social cohesion by giving familiesincreased awareness of, and contact with, the cultures ofother communities. This includes links between black andminority ethnic families and white families, and betweendifferent project areas. In some areas project workers havefound that people from another estate (or even another partof the same estate) may be seen as other, so learning

together for children and adultsalike can help to break downthese barriers.

Provision began in May 2008 in various areas across Englandincluding Barnsley and Scarborough in this Region. Thelottery funding allows the WEA to employ developmentworkers in each location and try out innovative and fun familylearning activities.

The Project has enabled us to do a variety of activities inBarnsley including French breakfasts in 3 schools, a 'Dadsin the Picture' event, arts and crafts workshops and healthycook and eat sessions, which they put into practice to maketheir packed lunches for the community picnic on PhoenixPark. We have also taken families on outings to the Wetlandsin the Dearne Valley where they had a go at pond dipping,bird watching and building nests and to Castle Howard andScarborough beach where they were able to meet up withfamilies from the Scarborough project. Families are gainingconfidence, making new friends and building up their ownsupport networks outside of the activities.

16Annual Review 09

Working with colleagues from Plymouth, Slough, GtYarmouth, Basildon, Bristol and Nottingham has beeninteresting and exciting and a valuable opportunity to sharegood practice. Work has already started on producingresources for a joint 'Families in Britain today' exhibition.

In Scarborough, the Family Learning project has seenapprox 50 families take part in an array of communityactivities and short courses which have included Beachsculpture, Kitemaking, Paint splatting, Den building, Ponddipping, Go kart making and much much more. Over 40adults and children also took part in an exchange visit withthe Barnsley project when many families experiencedthe wonders of Castle Howard for the first time. Thiswas a wonderful yet hectic experience and onewhich is to be repeated in South Yorkshire in Spring2010. More courses are being planned for theAutumn/ Winter including Christmas Crafts,Halloween Costume Making, "Families in BritainToday" and a movie-making course using a digitalmedia suite. It has been good to see quite a few dads andmale carers being involved in the activities.

A two-year WEA project to involve onethousand parents and children in learningtogether is well underway.

18Annual Review 09 19Annual Review 09

Touching the Earth, the WEA South Yorkshire CommunityArchaeology Project was supported by the Heritage LotteryFund (HLF) and ran from March 2007 to February 2009.

Its aim was to encourage wider participation in practicalarchaeology by targeting non-representative groupsof adults and working with partner agencies andorganisations to overcome barriers and enable peopleto experience this exciting subject. 120 adultsparticipated in the project, including over 40 peoplewith learning difficulties and around 15 mental healthservice users. There was a wide range of educationalexperience and ability, and learning programmes wereadapted to the needs of groups and individuals. Somepeople required learning support which was providedeither by the WEA or by partners. This varied frombasic skills support to providing reassurance andbuilding confidence. Many courses were based atcentres where participants felt comfortable and couldbe supported by familiar staff. Learning programmeswere devised to be as practical as possible. Classroomactivities ranged from finds analysis looking at,handling, describing, classifying collections of artefactssuch as pottery, bone or flint to the more unusual,such as spinning nettle twine or exploring thearchaeology of a litter bin! The enthusiasm andwillingness of the tutors to adapt and innovate ensuredthat courses were interesting and motivated everyoneto have a go.

Every effort was made to take advantage of the richheritage of the local area. Groups visited a range ofhistoric sites and venues, from great houses toarchaeological sites. At one point it seemed that groupswere out every week, whether at Creswell Crags orCannon Hall, Castleton or York. All this, though, wasa precursor to the main attraction getting down anddirty and doing real archaeology. There were barriersto overcome. It was necessary to adapt our approachso that a wheelchair user could access the site atAttercliffe. Challenging assumptions was also importantin some instances, as one group attested: TheRotherham group were reluctant to touch the earth

at first. By the end they wereas mucky as the rest ofus. They weredisappointed when it wasall over. Disappointed forlots of reasons. Whatevertheir background or ability,the experiencedemonstrated that peoplecan learn at any stage intheir lives, and make a realand valuable contribution.As Helen Fenwick from theUniversity of Hull noted:

archaeology is a subject with which people of allabilities can be engaged and have a part to play.

The project benefited all involved in it: not only thelearners themselves, but also those who worked onthe project, partner organisations, university students(our learners worked alongside them on a majorarchaeological project at Brodsworth near Doncaster)and volunteers. There was a real sense of collectiveendeavour which emphasised ability rather thandisability, achievement instead of limitation. As always,such success was only possible because of the WEAspartnership with others and the willingness of partnersto support in whatever way they could. These includeduniversity departments from Sheffield and Hull, socialservices from Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster,Sheffield Care Trust, museums services and the manyenthusiastic and helpful staff and volunteers involvedin heritage and archaeology up and down the region.

Since the project ended the WEA has been developingfurther partnerships and is preparing to bid to HLF forsupport for a regional scale project so that the workcan be expanded. HLF has cited the project as anexample of good practice and we are hopeful that theywill support us in developing the work next year. Theproject team have also produced a teaching pack,Touching the Earth, with lots of ideas and case studiesfor delivering community archaeology, particularly forpeople with additional needs. Tutors on the projectwere: Victoria Beauchamp, Nicola Thorpe, SallyRodgers, Abi Hackett, Beatrice Greenfield, Lisa Staves.They were supported by Skills for Life support workerBarbara Firth and archaeologist Chris Sykes, and ledby Project Coordinator Justin Hughes.

Rob Hindle, Project Manager

Free copies of the Touching the Earth pack are available to WEAstaff from David Pittaway at dpittaway@wea.org.ukAn online version will be available soon via a link from theWEA Yorkshire and Humber page.

20Annual Review 09

ObituariesWe are sad to report that Lou Dale, Chair of theWEA Bedale Branch for 24 years, died on his 82ndbirthday. Lou was a typical WEA branch volunteerwho was very active in his local community. As wellas his involvement with the WEA, Lou chaired thelocal history society and wrote a village history whichhe presented to the parish council.

I didnt know a lot when I left school, he onceadmitted. Education came a bit later in life. Louhad left school at 14. He began work as an errandboy then became a soldier before working for manyyears at the Vale of Mowbray pork pie factory atLeeming Bar between Bedale and Northallerton.

He taught himself about all sorts of things. No oneever had a bad word for him, his son Bryan recalled.A local newspaper, the Northern Echo, describedhim as, a thoroughly nice and remarkablyknowledgeable man.

We must also sadly report the death of Mary Bradbury,who was the Treasurer of Halifax Branch for manyyears. Mary was greatly liked and respected by allwho knew her.

Staff ChangesJustine Walker, the Regional Finance Manager hasmoved on to a new role within the WEA as theAssociations Finance Manager for Projects andContracts, based in Sheffield Learning Centre. Justinesexpertise and commitment made a particular contributionto the establishment of the Yorkshire and HumberRegion following the merger of the two former YorkshireWEA Districts. We wish her well in her new role andare pleased that Karen Briggs, the Regions SeniorFinance Officer, is now filling Justines former post.

Liz Puttrell, who was a valued colleague as a WEAOrganiser in North Yorkshire, left the Association afterseveral years of service. Julia Thompson was appointedas a new Organiser in the North Yorkshire team followingLizs departure.

Sue Taylor provided cover for Rose Farrars post whileshe took maternity leave from her post as WEAOrganiser in the Kirklees area. Rose is now back atwork following the birth of baby Robert.

Justin Hughes completed his contract as the Co-ordinator of a successful community archaeology projectin South Yorkshire, and we welcomed various othercolleagues to new projects in the Region together withMatt Livingstone, who joined us in January asEducational Projects Co-ordinator

Changes in volunteer-ledBranchesThe profile of WEA Branches across the Region ebbs and flowswith the availability of committed volunteers. The South Caveand Leven Branches closed during the year and thanks go toDon Pattison and Alan Chester from South Cave and Pat Baxterand Joyce Taft from Leven for their support in the past.

Peter White, secretary of Riccall Branch, resigned in March dueto ill health. The Branch is currently being very ably andenthusiastically run by its Chair, Paddy Hodgkiss. Judith Stansfield,of North Richmondshire branch also resigned in May whichsadly resulted in the closure of the Branch. Daphne Carter,Secretary of Middleton Tyas Branch, has also recently decidedto stand down, and has been replaced by Elizabeth Croft.

We welcomed Christine Tidswell to the role of Secretary of theBradford Branch and Sheila Cracknell who has taken on therole of Secretary of the Ilkley Branch.

Ron Moreton has finally found someone to take over duties ofTreasurer of the Bradford Branch after being the temporaryTreasurer, with great good humour, for more than 30 years. Heis to be succeeded by Mr Noel Waller. Ron will continue to bea member of the Regional Finance Committee.

A new Branch has been established at Washburn, with one ofthe new Branch Officers, Robin Noakes, already joining in cross-Regional activities as a member of the Marketing and PublicityGroup.

A new Grimsby Branch elected its Officers at its AGM in October2008. David Egerton was elected as Chair, Linda Salkeld asSecretary, Tom Allen as Treasurer, Phil Pocklington asAssistant.Treasurer and Frances Rimmington as PublicityOfficer: Thanks are also due to Edwina Shephard for her sterlingwork in supporting the Branch.

RetirementsGeoff Bryant and the Officers of the Ba

rton upon Humber

Branch have retired after long and distinguished roles

within the WEA. Geoff worked for the Association as a

Tutor Organiser with the former Yorkshire North District

and, after retirement, as the Chair of the Barton upon

Humber Branch. He ran the Branch together with the

stalwart support of his wife, Ro, and fellow Officers

Ursula Vickerton and Anthony Berridge. Over recent

years the Barton Branch had produced several high-

quality publications on local history. Courses in the area

will now be run alongside the activities of the

neighbouring Branch in Barrow upon Humber. We thank

Geoff, Ro and all the Officers for their outstanding

contributions and wish them well in the future.

Arthur Longbottom, Secretary of Ripon Branch for many

years also retired from office in July 2009. Arthur always

put on an interesting and challenging programme

including a number of science based courses, finding

new and original tutors who could offer a wide variety

of courses and not content to stay with the safe and

familiar. He was a stalwart of the WEA, attending most

of the classes himself as an enthusiastic student. He

made many useful and wise contributions at Area Council

meetings in North Yorkshire. Ripon Branchs Treasurer,

Mike Sutcliffe, also stood down at the end of the year.

They will be much missed and a hard act to follow.

Our good wishes also go to Mary Leitch, who retired as

Treasurer of Immingham Branch.

the Region

News from