TGt Meets....Bath College Community Engagement Manager

In our latest TGt Meets interview, we've been speaking to Anna Wheeler, Community Engagement Manager, all about her role and the wonderful city of Bath!

Could you tell us a bit about your background before starting at Bath College?

Before working at the College I was a Project Manager for a disabled people's organisation in Bristol but have had many jobs over the years including organising equality training, working as a PA and teaching stained glass courses to adults.

How long have you been working as a Community Engagement Manager for?

I have been working as the Community Engagement Manager running the Adult Community Learning team for over 3 years now.

What's the best 3 things you have done within your role so far?

Last year we delivered around 350 short courses across Bath and North East Somerset. The courses are intended to give people the chance to improve their chances to find work or get better work, support their families or live independently. The ideas for which courses we should run come from individual learners and also from community partners. These partners include organisations such as the Children's Centres, Carers' Centres, older people's and wellbeing groups and many others who work within the community. We also link up with the JobCentre and BaNES Council to make sure we are training people in skills that are needed in the county. One of my greatest achievements is to increase the amount of English and maths courses we have available. Everybody is entitled to free English and maths courses if they have not gained a GCSE Grade 4 (previously a C grade). For lots of our learners, school wasn't the best time or place for them to gain their qualifications so it's great to be able to offer a second chance for them to work their way towards their qualifications.

What do you think makes a strong community?

Fundamentally it is the people involved in it who make a community. Developing the skills, aspirations and involvement of individuals in a locality makes for a stronger and more dynamic community. Many of our learners are anxious about coming along to their first class as they don't know what to expect and may have been out of education for a long time. For most learners it is just as important to meet others and gain confidence as it is to gain new skills- whether it is cookery or maths, looking after goats or learning ukulele!

Why did you choose to work in this industry?

I absolutely believe that education and training can help people to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. You are never too old to learn - our oldest learner last year was 96! It is amazing to work in a role where we can help people to improve their home, work or family situation or give them the opportunity to try something new.

What's your day to day life at work like?

Work is fairly hetic as we have well over 300 courses running over the year and are always trying to find creative solutions to requests from learners and community partners. All of our work receives government funding so we have to make sure that we are meeting their requirements as well as monitoring our courses to make sure that learners have the best experience possible. Much of my time is spent in the office at the Somer Valley Campus but I also get to drop into some of our classes, visit community groups and partner organisations and attend meetings to find out about changes in local and national policy which will impact on adult learning provision.

What do you love about the current role you do?

I love the variety in my work but none of it would be possible without a brilliant office team and a small army of incredible community learning tutors. I get to visit leaners in community venues across the county and find out in person about what skills they would like to develop and how much impact our courses have had on them. Whether someone has learned how to cook their first meal, gained work, gained the confidence to use a computer or written their first shopping list it is a privilege for us to be part of their progression.

What attracted you to Bath College?

Having worked in community development and also taught in a further education college, this job combined two areas I feel passionate about. Whilst some of the learners who take part in Adult Community learning might use their new skills and friendships in their everyday life, some will decide to take their learning even further and sign up to higher level courses at Bath College or elsewhere. With sites both in central Bath and in Radstock, the College is well placed within the community and has a huge variety of learning opportunities available.

Describe Bath in 3 Words?

Something for everyone!