Awards for learner voice leaders

More than 120 learners attended the inaugural Leading the learner voice awards ceremony in London on Wednesday 4 July 2007. The awards were established by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) to recognise the work of organisations and individuals leading the learner voice agenda.

Kat Fletcher, CEL's leadership of learners strategic coordinator, said, "Both the Foster review and the further education white paper acknowledged the need to involve learners in their educational experience, and we are working with the National Union of Students to promote the learner voice and encourage effective collaboration between student learners and sector leaders and managers.

"Throughout the further education system, thousands of learners are actively engaged in leadership, representation and quality improvement. They are supported by active, motivated practitioners and embedded models of support from providers. The purpose of these annual awards is to celebrate the best examples of provider, practitioner and learner leadership in recognising and promoting the learner voice, and to disseminate examples of best practice, so that leaders can learn and develop from the process.

"We received an overwhelming number of nominations for the awards," said Ms Fletcher, "and having given applicants complete freedom in their response format, we were extremely impressed with the innovation and creativity demonstrated."

The winners of CEL’s Leading the learner voice awards 2007 are:

• Student governor of the year:
  Shane Griffiths, Worcester College of Technology
• Student liaison officer of the year:
  Jay Moore, Leicester College
• Most improved provider of the year:
  Cornwall College
• Principal of the year:
  Richard Parker, Chichester College
• Representative organisation of the year:
  Bridge College
• Provider of the year:
  City and Islington College
• Leading learner of the year:
  Kathryn Dodgson, Blackpool Sixth Form College
• Outstanding contribution to the leadership of learners:
  Ellie Russell, National Union of Students

Congratulating the winners at the ceremony, the education minister Bill Rammell said, "I am extremely committed to the learner voice agenda; it really does change lives, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t had the opportunity of being a student representative when I was younger. CEL is to be applauded for its work in promoting the learner voice, and congratulations to all the award winners and everyone here today for your efforts to embed the concept in your college."