Each September the Adult and Community Education sector celebrates the Festival of Adult Learning – an annual nation-wide event that shines a light on lifelong learning. This year, Risingholme along with other ACE providers from around Ōtautahi gathered to celebrate the people that are so key to the success of our learners – out tutors!
Encapsulated by the event’s theme and tagline of “Nourish to Flourish”, the evening was all about supporting our tutors so they show up as best they can, armed with the passion, kindness, and knowledge that enables them to share their love for teaching and learning with others. Looking after our tutors and support staff means that learners get the best experience and everyone can flourish.
A highlight of the evening was having guest speaker Marina Taylor from Amplifyou take to the mic to share small actionable steps that tutors can take away to look after their general wellbeing. Here are her top 3 tips as summarised by one of the guests at the event.
Tip #1: Stocktake regularly to Flourish
Do a daily or weekly stocktake to help us maintain our mental and emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing. We need to flourish from the inside out and a stocktake helps to identify the things in life that deplete us and the things that bring joy. Use these insights to shape our lives.
Tip #2: Flourish with your strengths
Identify and keep a visible reminder of your strengths using a post it note, journal, or note on your phone. Stand strong with them and apply them with intention daily to grow and develop.
Tip #3: Fill your cup and flourish from the overflow
Commit to at least one regular cup filling ritual each week. If we don’t fill our own cup, it is impossible to share the contents with those around us.
You can read a full in-depth recap of this year’s Festival of Adult Learning event in the ACE quarterly newsletter here
What is the Festival of Adult Learning?
Rich in history and internationally recognised, the Festival of Adult Learning is a platform for advocating for the importance of lifelong learning and celebrating learner success.
Its origins can be traced back to the late 1980s when the American Association for the Advancement of Education (AAAE) initiated the idea of celebrating adult learning on a wider scale. Fast-forward to 1997 when UNESCO’s fifth International Conference on Adult Education endorsed the concept of a global week to celebrate adult learners and the idea was officially adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1998.
Since then, The Festival of Adult Learning / Adult Learners Week has been celebrated every year in over 40 countries. It’s one of the highlights for the ACE community and each year offers a new opportunity to shine a light on the different ways people do lifelong learning in their communities.