Innovative lockdown learning recognised in national awards

The Family Learning Awards, organised by education charity Campaign for Learning, celebrate inventive and wide-ranging educational initiatives that engage the whole family – something that became crucially important during the pandemic.

This year’s winners, who offered a lifeline for communities across the country, include V&A Dundee, Rotherham Creative Learning (CLC), Learning Unlimited and Art at the Start: University of Dundee and Dundee Contemporary Arts.

Juliette Collier, National Director at Campaign for Learning, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by all the Family Learning Award entries. We would like to congratulate the award winners who have demonstrated their creativity and resourcefulness in designing and delivering inspirational family learning opportunities throughout the pandemic.

“For many families this has been a lifeline that has helped them overcome isolation and supported them with the challenges of home schooling. We’re delighted to recognise and celebrate the work that family learning organisations do. They are our unsung heroes."

The three award categories and winners are:

Award for Building Brighter Futures through Learning: V&A Dundee and Rotherham Creative Learning (CLC).
Award for Family Learning to Support Health and Wellbeing: Art at the Start: University of Dundee and Dundee Contemporary Arts.
Award for Family Learning in the Early Years: Learning Unlimited.
Building Brighter Futures through Learning

The Building Brighter Futures Family Learning Award, celebrating organisations that not only adapted during lockdown but used it to shape their offering going forwards, was split between V&A Dundee and Rotherham Creative Learning (CLC).

During lockdown, V&A Dundee developed a unique free telephone Design Busters hotline, where families could call, hear a new brief weekly and share their DIY designs using #DesignBusters. Almost 20,000 specially printed Design Busters activity books were distributed to more than 100 partners, including libraries, prison family visiting hubs, and foodbanks.

Rotherham Creative Learning (CLC) launched Creative Home Learning Packs so they could continue supporting families over lockdown. Over 4,000 families used the packs, participated in challenges and downloaded activities that ranged from investigating engineering to exploring the environment. Families shared their new knowledge with the team and were rewarded with a free book and a certificate commending their learning.

Tracey Smith, Learning Programme Producer at V&A Dundee, said: “It means so much to us to have our work recognised by Campaign for Learning in a category that celebrates imaginative, innovative and inclusive learning. Since the museum opened in 2018, we have worked collaboratively to meet the needs of families, educators and community partners, embracing and instigating new ways of working throughout changing circumstances.”

Trish Sharp, Creative Learning Centre Manager at Rotherham Creative Learning (CLC), said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been judged winners in the Family Learning Awards. We are an incredibly busy service and have thousands of people accessing our activities each year. Although we reflect daily on our practice and the effect it has on people's lives, we rarely shout about it. We are incredibly proud of how we have adapted our service during the pandemic to still meet the needs of our families and communities, without compromising on quality.”

Family Learning Health and Wellbeing

The Family Learning Health and Wellbeing Award, recognising innovation in family learning that supports wellbeing, was won by Art at the Start – a collaboration between University of Dundee and Dundee Contemporary Arts.

Activities ranged from parent-infant art therapy groups to family ‘messy play’ sessions promoting the benefits of shared art making and sensory play. During Covid-19, the team delivered over 200 art boxes for families who had been referred by health and 3rd sector organisations where there were concerns about poor mental health and wellbeing as a result of restrictions.

Vicky Armstrong, Art Therapist and Researcher for Art at the Start, said: “We feel lucky to have been able to pivot our project to keep supporting families at home during the pandemic, and for that to then develop into a book, made together with families, has been a wonderful outcome for us. Art making together improves attachment relationships and the wellbeing of both parent and young child, so we hope to encourage as many families as possible to give it a go.”

Family Learning Early Years

The Family Learning Early Years Award, celebrating organisations that demonstrated new approaches to delivering learning for families with young children, went to Learning Unlimited based in London.

Learning Unlimited got families with under 5s to put on their wellies and head outdoors for ‘Play Out!’ between October 2020 and December 2021. They ran sessions for families who were stuck indoors due to lockdown and nervous about venturing out. Activities included digging a vegetable garden, exploring the senses through natural objects, physical play, and holding a weekly teddy-bears’ picnic.

Sarah Rees, Family Learning Specialist at Learning Unlimited, said: “The Play Out! project combines my love of the outdoors with family learning. We entered the awards because we wanted to show others what you can achieve with a little imagination. Running the project during lockdown meant that the impact of getting together outdoors for the families was even greater and made a huge difference to their wellbeing. It was really great to show them that the weather doesn’t need to be a barrier to going out and having fun.”

The Family Learning Awards are coordinated by the Campaign for Learning, an independently managed organisation that forms part of NCFE (educational charity and leader in vocational and technical learning). The Campaign aims to unlock human and organisational potential through lifelong learning and in doing so promote and advance learning, helping to create a fairer, more inclusive society.

For more information about Campaign for Learning and the Family Learning Awards, or to read the full case studies of this year’s winners, visit www.familylearningfestival.com/family-learning-awards-1