The Actiondesk

Adult Learners Week may be some time away, (17-23 May 2008) but now is a great time to put those new year resolutions to the test and learn a new skill!

Whether you want to be healthier, change your career, or do something for fun in 2008, NIACE - the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education - is encouraging everyone as part of their January Sign Up Now Campaign to learn new skills.

Sign Up Now runs throughout the whole of January and encourages us to think about how learning new skills can completely transform lives.

Colleges, adult education centres, workplaces, libraries, museums, and community centres across the country can offer information on a wide range of courses from aromatherapy to zoology.

Adult Learners Week itself, is all about celebrating learning new skills and improving on existing ones.

Award winner Yasmin Miller

Recently Yasmin Miller joined Nicki Whiteman in the BBC Radio Berkshire studio, to talk about her experience of being nominated for and winning an Adult Learning Award herself in 2006.

Yasmin didn't need to return to education to get a better job or improve on her literacy skills. In fact has many qualifications and up until 2003 had a very successful career and home life.

But when her life took an unexpected turn for the worst, Yasmin could never have imagined that returning to education would eventually help to her rebuild her life.

You can listen again to Yasmin's story here. Nominations for this the Adult Learners Award 2008 have now closed.

Now Yasmin works for the Learning and Skills Council, helping to support others overcome their own problems, through their train to gain campaign.

How to find out about learning opportunities?

If Yasmin's story has inspired you to take the first steps back to education and you want to find out more, simply contact the BBC Radio Berkshire Actiondesk on 0845 900 1044 and we can put you in touch with learndirect and your local colleges.