nspire! Tutor Award Winner – Philippa Gibson from Ceredigion / Press Release by Learning and Work Institute

Inspire! Awards for Outstanding Tutors Announced

Six Tutors who have been inspirational in supporting adults to get back into education and develop their skills have been awarded with an Inspire! Tutor Award.

The Inspire! Tutor Awards celebrate the achievements of exceptional tutors and mentors in Wales who have shown outstanding passion and commitment to encourage, support and teach other adult learners to pursue their goals and transform their lives, whether it’s in their community or the workplace.

Run by Learning and Work Institute Wales, with support from the Welsh Government, they reward outstanding individuals whose commitment, knowledge and communication skills have given adult learners the tools to transform their lives.

Daniel Dyboski-Bryant of Coleg Menai, part of Grwp Llandrillo-Menai has been teaching classes to refugees and migrants for 13 years and is pioneering the use of virtual reality in his classroom. Daniel is committed to delivering life-changing opportunities for the people he engages with; “I believe this technology has the potential to engage people with education in completely new ways. Education and training is everyone’s birth right – but many have come to believe that doesn’t apply to them. Let’s help them re-engage with lifelong learning and change their minds.”

Mary Murray has been on a mission to inspire the community in Torfaen to learn maths. Her classes are always full because people have heard about her from friends, family and neighbours. “So many people have had bad experiences, it’s my job to undo this. I use my own learning path to encourage them to join classes.”  Many learners have moved forward to pass GCSE level maths and into higher levels of learning for others the impact is on everyday living. The learner who no longer hands over her purse because she couldn’t work out how much money to give the shop assistant, or the learner who can read a timetable and spends less time at the bus stop hoping the right bus will come along.

Laura Wheeler based in Cardiff delivers learning and support for young people on Learning 4 Life the education and learning programme delivered by Llamau, the homelessness charity. The programme offers learning opportunities to young people aged 16-24 to enhance self-esteem and develop skills. Laura has created a space where the young people she works with feel safe, build trust and are able to tackle the issues affecting their lives. She says, “I strongly believe that young adults, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who have been told in the past that they’d never amount to anything, can use learning to achieve their own potential and be what they want to be.”

Philippa Gibson learnt Welsh as an adult and over the last 30 years she has developed her skills to become a talented Welsh tutor, developing the learning programme locally and promoting it within the community around Cardigan and South Ceredigion. She says, “Having learnt Welsh as an adult, I gain satisfaction from teaching the language to others and see them moving on to become a part of the local Welsh community.” The success in her teaching is built upon the opportunities she has created for immersion in informal learning opportunities and the Pontio scheme which encourages Welsh speakers to meet and talk with small groups of Welsh learners.

Rameh O’Sullivan is described as having the “gift of awesomeness”. She’s working across communities in Cardiff as part of the Widening Access team at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Many of her students are refugees and asylum seekers and have often fled from difficult circumstances, some suffering from trauma and with limited trust in people. Many students are highly qualified in their home countries but are not able to continue with their education or jobs due to their lack of language skills, Rameh gives them hope and her skilled approach ensures that each learner is able to move forward – In the last five years, five of Rameh’s students were accepted on undergraduate degree programmes and they describe her classes as life changing. She says, “I hope to give learners the confidence not to give up.”

Suzanne McCabe develops and delivers bespoke training and support for autistic adults throughout South Wales and her passion, commitment and vision is making a difference to many lives. She says, “Tutoring is more than a job, it’s a way of empowering adults to reach their individual goals even if past learning experiences have made them fearful and self-doubting.” Suzanne is also instrumental in developing and delivering training to business, to provide advice on adapting their environment to support employees and customers with autism. “Many of the adults that I meet feel isolated, misunderstood and frustrated that employers are unable to see the benefits of employing a person with autism.” The success of this work has been recognised by DWP and Suzanne now delivers an 8-week Autism Employment Programme in DWP offices throughout Newport, Chepstow, Pontypool and Cwmbran

Inspire! Tutor nominations were invited for ‘outstanding individuals’ who give ‘over and above’ what is expected of them, from areas including higher education, further education, the workplace, community education and schools.

David Hagendyk, Director for Wales at Learning and Work Institute said: “Behind every successful adult learner are the tutors, lecturers and support staff who work every day to help individuals unlock their potential and fulfil their ambitions.

“The Inspire! Tutor Awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise the excellent work of the individual winners, as well as to thank everyone working in our colleges, universities, schools, workplaces and communities for their hard-work and dedication.”

The Inspire! Tutor Awards are funded by The Welsh Government and the European Social Fund and organised by the Learning and Work Institute Wales.

For more information about adult learning or becoming a tutor, call 0800 028 4844.

Philippa Gibson

Philippa Gibson learnt Welsh as an adult and over the last 30 years she has developed her skills to become a talented Welsh tutor, developing the learning programme locally and promoting it within the community around Cardigan and South Ceredigion.

She says, “Having learnt Welsh as an adult, I gain satisfaction from teaching the language to others and see them moving on to become a part of the local Welsh community.” Many of her students have succeeded in learning Welsh to use it in their everyday lives in their communities and some have competed in the National Eisteddfod. Two have reached the final round of the Learner of the Year award, and at the 2019 Eisteddfod two of her students won the top literary prizes for learners – the Chair for Poetry and the Prose Medal.

The success in her teaching is built upon the opportunities which she has created for immersion in informal learning opportunities. Students are encouraged to write for the local community paper and Philippa supports her learners to access many activities including a Welsh-language walking group, Welsh plays and concerts and Welsh-language societies.

Innovation is evident in developing her teaching methods – the Pontio Scheme enables Welsh speakers to meet and talk informally with small groups of two or three Welsh learners as part of their formal sessions. She commits time to enlisting, co-ordinating and arranging volunteers to support these sessions.

She says, “Tutoring means doing as much as I can to help each individual to succeed by overcoming any barriers, whether they are specific issues relating to learning, lack of confidence or knowledge about opportunities to use their Welsh.”

Cymraeg:

Dysgodd Philippa Gibson Gymraeg fel oedolyn a dros y 30 mlynedd diwethaf mae wedi datblygu ei sgiliau i ddod yn diwtor Cymraeg dalentog, gan ddatblygu’r rhaglen ddysgu yn lleol a’i hyrwyddo o fewn y gymuned o amgylch Aberteifi a De Ceredigion.

Dywedodd, “Wedi dysgu Cymraeg yn oedolyn, rwy’n cael boddhad o ddysgu’r iaith i eraill a’u gweld yn camu ymlaen i ddod yn rhan o’r gymdeithas Gymraeg leol.” Mae llawer o’i myfyrwyr wedi llwyddo i ddysgu Cymraeg i’w defnyddio yn eu bywyd bob dydd yn eu cymunedau ac mae rhai wedi cystadlu yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol:  mae dau wedi cyrraedd rownd derfynol gwobr Dysgwr y Flwyddyn ac yn Eisteddfod 2019 enillodd dau o’i myfyrwyr y prif wobrau llenyddol ar gyfer dysgwyr – y Gadair am Farddoniaeth a’r Tlws Rhyddiaith.

Mae llwyddiant ei haddysgu’n deillio o’r cyfleoedd dysgu anffurfiol mae wedi’u llunio.  Mae’n annog myfyrwyr i ysgrifennu ar gyfer y papur bro lleol ac mae Philippa yn cefnogi ei dysgwyr i fynychu llawer o weithgareddau gan gynnwys grŵp cerdded Cymraeg, dramâu a chyngherddau Cymraeg a chymdeithasau Cymraeg.

Mae arloesedd yn amlwg yn ei dulliau addysgu – mae cynllun.

Pontio yn galluogi siaradwyr Cymraeg i gwrdd a sgwrsio’n anffurfiol gyda grwpiau bach o ddau neu dri o ddysgwyr fel rhan o’u sesiynau ffurfiol. Mae’n rhoi o’i hamser i ganfod, cydlynu a threfnu gwirfoddolwyr i gefnogi’r sesiynau hyn.

Dywedodd, “Mae tiwtora yn golygu gwneud cymaint ag y gallaf i helpu pob unigolyn i lwyddo trwy oresgyn unrhyw broblemau, boed yn wahanol broblemau dysgu neu ddiffyg hyder neu anwybodaeth am gyfleoedd i ddefnyddio eu Cymraeg.”