Savvy learning brings rewards
Sunderland-based social enterprise group, Media Savvy CIC, has been crowned as Provider of the Year at the Family, Adult and Community Learning Awards.
The event was held at Sunderland’s Marriot Hotel in Seaburn and celebrated the work of individuals engaged in community learning.
These consist of people largely from marginalised groups, with an aim to boost their confidence and social skills, along with gaining them a nationally recognised qualification.
The event featured 15 different awards and 25 providers, with Media Savvy, which is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2010, picking up three wins including Provider of the Year 2017.
Media Savvy’s Managing Director, Dan Makaveli, 35, a University of Sunderland graduate and tutor, said: “We are all absolutely delighted with our success in these awards.
“However, we are even more delighted that our learners have again been recognised for their achievements, as they were last year.”
Media Savvy CIC is committed to inspiring hard-toreach individuals through the use of non-traditional learning methods and the primary aims of their courses are to improve both the physical and mental wellbeing and the employability prospects of the participants, many of whom are facing multiple barriers to gaining meaningful and sustainable employment.
Beneficiary groups include offenders, mental health service users, learning difficulty groups and long-term unemployed.
Sunderland City Council’s Family, Adult and Community Learning Manager, Karen Alexander, said: “Media Savvy tutors are more than just tutors, they are cornerstones of the organisation and mentors to their learners, allowing this provider to engage and succeed with some of our city’s hardest-to-reach individuals.”
Media Savvy tutor, Leon Garshong, was the runnerup for the Innovative Learning Award, said: “Creativity and passion is at the heart of everything we do at Media Savvy.
“Teaching and learning needs to be fun and interesting and this is what we try and do.”
Media Savvy learner turned volunteer, Judith Marshall, was the happy recipient of a Most Memorable Learner award, and said: “Media Savvy staff have encouraged me to believe in myself and my abilities, and have given me encouragement to pursue a new career in teaching.”