How lifelong learning can help combat isolation and anxiety

We all know the benefits of lifelong learning; how it’s good for our brains, our mental health, our physical health. There are unexpected benefits too, some that come with growing a community of like-minded people and sharing something special. 

One Exeter College learner, Si Egan, has been on quite a journey since he first stepped into an adult learner Creative Writing class delivered by college tutor Sam Watson, through the Devon Recovery Learning Community. Here they talk a little about that journey together. 

Tutor and student stand together and smile at the camera.

Si explains, “The first course I did was the Devon Recovery Learning Community one at St Sidwell’s and that was not long after the end of lockdown. I had already been off work with anxiety for about a year, I had left that job and realised I needed to get out and start doing something.  

“I conveniently live just above St Sidwell’s Community Centre, so it was just downstairs, which meant I could risk going down. I snuck in and sat as near to the door as possible in case it was too overwhelming. It was like an escape if I found it too much, but it wasn’t, it was great. It was a good group – there was no pressure, you didn’t have to share stuff if you didn’t want to.” 

Sam remembers this clearly, adding; 

He came and sat in a chair by the door the first week. It wasn’t a big room. There were a few empty chairs around the room, but he specifically sat by the door and I thought ‘I’ve noticed that. I’ve seen you’ and I wondered whether at break he might just quietly leave and not come back. He did come back, and I noticed each week he sat on a different chair and came further into the room. It was one of the best things.” 

Putting that tentative foot through the door opened new opportunities for Si, connecting him with new people across the city. He has since done several writing courses with Exeter College through the Devon Recovery Learning Community and the Urban Learning Academy.  

“It was good to listen to other people and see what came out of that. That made me get as far as outside St Sidwell’s to the library. And then to here, all the way to the Community Centre on St Davids Hill, which, when you have been very isolated, is like the other side of the world really.” 

Si credits his regular return to these classes with the need we have to listen and learn from others, saying; 

“I think for me, it’s about the social aspect of it. I get a lot of ideas from other people. You get to know about other people and their lives and the way they view the world. It can be very different from where you are. We all need some interaction. Something I’ve started is my own creative writing class on a Friday afternoon. The main thing that I try and focus on is I’m not really trying to teach creative writing; I’m trying to get people to listen to each other and be heard in that space. It’s amazing how some people don’t get that. They’ve got no one to listen to them and that is hugely important.” 

Sidwell Scribblers, as it is now called, came about after a workshop making chutney, in which Si realised it wasn’t about learning to make chutney, but the desire to help others. 

“It was just hilarious because I wasn’t paying attention to what we were doing. We were trying to measure things out and put them into the blender, the whole room was laughing their heads off and I realised, I want to do something like volunteering because the chopping up was quite therapeutic!” 

Through working with St Sidwells, Si was then successful at securing funding from Recovery Devon and Devon County Council, enabling the Sidwell Scribblers a regular spot. 

“I’d say some of the people who come are more serious writers than others, but I’m just trying to get people to come and interact really. I think it’s good for your mental health, that sort of interaction and acceptance.” 

Sam describes Si as having an innate feeling for other people. “When we get new learners into classes, they don’t know anybody else, and you can pick up that they have some anxiety, or they have some issues, and Si doesn’t even say anything specific but there is just a feeling that it’s going to be okay. You might be quite chatty, but some weeks it’s enough to step out of your door and get into a different space for a couple of hours. Have a cup of tea. Maybe just sit back and just allow the chats to go on around you but you have a different space and he is really good at that.” 

Si’s connection with people certainly seems to be getting noticed as he recently facilitated an activity for Recovery Devon for their annual reports day. Choosing to write a collaborative poem, ending up with three amazing sheets of writing. He also gave a powerful talk about how he supported his recovery journey through Creative Writing, citing the courses as a support structure to write and to learn to listen.  

Si is also soon to be published in Lumpen magazine, writing what he describes as “quite a miserable piece about going to get some electric from the co-op and coming back.” 

“There was a sinkhole outside St Sidwell’s, which I was fascinated by as an idea, and I culminate with the idea that the entire place will just collapse in on its own. This sinkhole is like metaphor for society just saying we want all these troubles to go away – we don’t want there to be poor people and we don’t want to see them.” 

Earlier in the year, Si was also awarded the Exeter College Award for Community Learning at the end of year celebration where he was applauded by his fellow learners. Sam says, 

“To see that journey from sitting by the door, to having your work on display at the cathedral, to running your own group, to being successful and applying for funding for these things. It’s just a phenomenal thing to see. Si is funny, charming, and knowledgeable and is always aware of those learners in class who might be feeling a little bit anxious. As a teacher, it’s a lovely thing to witness such collective support amongst learners for each other.” 

If you would like to know more about Adult Learning with Exeter College, please call our friendly team on 01392 400170 or visit us at an Open Event

Urban Learning Academy Supports Learning in the Community

The Urban Learning Academy (ULA) held an engagement event today at Exeter Library. The community learning project is a partnership between local providers in Exeter and has formed an Alliance that includes; Exeter College, CoLab, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.  

The ULA is a venture exploring innovative approaches toward city-wide inclusive adult learning opportunities. It offers a range of sessions taking place in community hubs across the city. 

Partners are collaborating to provide opportunities for adults to participate in free and low-cost learning across the city.  

Rob Bosworth, Vice Principal and Deputy CEO at Exeter College, said; 

“There is a burgeoning need in the city for a type of learning offer, that is different to the traditional offer, for people that do not have the confidence or have found past learning experiences difficult.  

“By collaborating with several different organisations in the city, that share our passion and values for outreach, the ULA will be in the community in venues like libraries to offer the type of learning that is going to reengage members of the public that haven’t stepped into a classroom in years. 

“The city is growing, there are more people, which is great, but it does bring its own challenges, further compounded now by the cost-of-living crisis, Brexit and unemployment.  

“Exeter College has fantastic partnerships in the city and by joining together we have an opportunity to do this for the people in the community.” 

Jo Cuthbertson, Learning Matters Lead at CoLab Exeter, said: 

“The ULA really is committed to offering a wide range of community learning opportunities, doing things differently and connecting communities through learning and meaningful activity. Our learners are at the centre of all we do. 

“We will work from the grassroots level to bring organisations, communities and individuals together to connect and break down barriers, offering free and very low cost opportunities to learn in our city. 

“The ULA will enable people to learn, empower individuals to make choices about their learning journey and hopefully use learning as a tool for change to help transform lives. 

“In just 5 months we have doubled our learning offer in our ULA programme and increased the number of learning providers being part of the ULA Partnership. It’s a very exciting time to be involved and we are still building on this and has scope for so much more” 

Jola Pawlikowska, Community Ambassador at CoLab, will be reaching out to people in the community. She said; 

“My job is to ensure that people with complex needs have access to education and training. That’s through informal training, through drop-ins, that then can be a seed that can move forward and progress people through to more formal training and progression opportunities.  

The ULA aims to empower and transform the lives of people who find it hardest to connect and engage. Working in partnership with learning providers in Exeter, a varied and inclusive learning programme has been designed. Workshops include; Be Kind to Your Mind, Woodwork for Wellbeing, Walking Football, Writing Flash Fiction, Emotional First Aid and much more.  

Phill Adams is Economic Inclusion Lead at Devon County Council and Lead Officer for Learn Devon. He said; 

“Learn Devon is one of the direct delivery partners in this initiative. It’s really important for us to move the residents of Devon forward and give them those life chances, pathways into work or learning and wider life opportunities that we all strive for.  

“The big thing for us, particularly with cost of living, is finding jobs and pathways which allow people to move into careers and find income at a time when it is hard going out there.  

“At a time when the economy is turbulent, we need to be creating those moments when people shift onto a new career or a new option.” 

Councillor Duncan Wood, Lead Councillor for Skills at Exeter City Council added; 

“The reason that we are involved in the Urban Learning Academy is because we have a clear strategic priority around supporting people to engage in learning, help to move people towards employment and the workplace.  

“We see this as being key in terms of doing that, engaging with some of those people that aren’t involved in any kind of learning or education at the moment and helping them on that journey back towards being fully engaged in life in the city.” 

Rachel Payne, Business Development and Fundraising Manager at Libraries Unlimited said;  

“The initial conversations started with Exeter College around how we could do some more community-led learning. Starting off with pop-up maths events at Exeter Library, St Thomas and Pinhoe – we began to discuss how community learning could go wider afield. 

“We were talking about the ULA and how libraries have evolved. The notion that libraries are just about books is behind us, they are community hubs. They are an intrinsic part of the local community; offering a range of activities from Bounce and Rhyme, to Knit and Natter groups, dementia awareness, and mindfulness cafes, not to mention co working spaces and IT sessions.  

“We are really excited to be part of the ULA, particularly as we aim to reach new communities across the city and showing them that this is a warm, safe, free space to be used. Especially with the cost-of-living crisis, just opening our doors and making people aware that libraries are there and that they’re freely available across the county is essential.” 

To find out more about the Urban Learning Academy and how you can get involved visit Urban Learning Academy  

Transforming community life in Exeter through learning 

Exeter College Community Learning is delighted to announce a new partnership with CoLab and Exeter City Council. Partners are collaborating to provide opportunities for adults to participate in free and low-cost learning across the city through an initiative called the Urban Learning Academy.  

The Urban Learning Academy is a venture exploring innovative approaches toward city-wide inclusive adult learning opportunities. The project was kickstarted by multi agency well-being hub CoLab funded through the National Lottery. It offers a range of sessions taking place in community hubs across the city, rather than a traditional bricks and mortar building, 

Maddy Hearn, Adult Community and Partnership Lead at Exeter College, said; 

“The Urban Learning Academy is an amazing new learning initiative for the city. Together with educators, and through listening to learners’ hopes and aspirations we are building an innovative programme of free to access learning that is open to all and delivered in accessible, community locations.” 

Following a successful summer pilot programme, Exeter College Community Learning has designed a new programme of courses to take place in community locations including Exeter libraries over the winter months. Courses enable people to connect, build skills and improve wellbeing. Adults are encouraged to take part in learning programmes exploring creativity, employability, and numeracy. 

Exeter College Creative Writing Tutor Sam Watson, who facilitated Writing at the Museum, a Creative Writing course taking place at RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum) said;  

It is so nice to be able to meet with learners in such creative and inspiring locations. We took full advantage of the space and exhibits available at the Museum, and we wrote some beautiful pieces.” 

The Winter Programme aims to offer free of charge, meaningful learning opportunities produced in collaboration with partners, to help shape curriculum and add value for learners. As well as feeling more connected, healthier, and happier, participants will be empowered to build confidence in areas such as writing, everyday maths, self-care, and employability skills.  

Learners form close communities through their classes; Catriona, who took a poetry class at Exeter Library, said; 

It was so lovely hearing everyone talking about the poetry they like and great to hear them read their own words.” Catriona described being immensely proud of one of her fellow learners, she said; “They are so honest and so brave when facing challenges.” 

Through experimentation, collaboration and a shared vision, the work has created a lively learning community and opened accessible pathways to connect and transform communities through new and innovative learning opportunities. Exeter is a learning city and Urban Learning Academy is providing equity of access in the heart of the city. 

Find out more by emailing info@urbanlearningacademy.org.uk.

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