Adult learners from across the Borders were acknowledged at a special Celebration of Learning event held at Council Headquarters on 17 September.
Held as part of Adult Learners Week (15–21 September), the event brought together learners, their families and friends, Community Learning and Development (CLD) staff, partner organisations, and elected members to recognise the achievements of those who have taken part in learning programmes over the past year.
The diverse audience reflected the collaborative nature of adult learning in the region, with partners including Borders College, Borders Community Action, and the Council’s Employability Service.
Highlighting success and achievement
The celebration highlighted the successes and accreditation of adult learners, including SQA qualifications, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and community-based learning. It also showcased the wide range of opportunities available through the CLD team and partner organisations.
Learners shared powerful stories of personal growth and achievement, inspiring others to take up learning and strengthening connections between each other, their families, staff, and the organisations that support them.
Svitlana Omelchenko, ESOL Learner
“The English classes are very useful for me. I can speak at the reception at the health centre and when they ask me questions, I can answer. I can also read the menus in cafés and restaurants, order a taxi and when I travel I can ask for help at the bus station and train station. I like to read about historical places when I travel in Scotland.”
Councillor Julie Pirone, Executive Member for Education, Youth Development, and Lifelong Learning
“Many congratulations to all the learners whose achievements have been given this well-deserved recognition. They should be extremely proud of the hard work, resilience and ambition they have shown in successfully reaching their goals, and I wish them well with whatever they go on to do in the next steps of their learner journey.
“This event also highlights the commitment of the Council and our partners to ensuring that learning is visible, valued, and accessible to all. The benefits are wide-ranging—from building confidence and skills to strengthening communities—and we’ve seen some fantastic examples of what’s possible when people are supported to learn at every stage of life.
“If anyone would like to find out more about the opportunities available through our Community Learning and Development team, I would encourage them to visit our website where you’ll also find details of how to get in touch if you have any queries.”
More information
See our Community Learning and Development webpages for more information.
Images are available to download from our Flickr page.