Ten Years On

'I'm Jon and it'll be ten years since I first got involved in adult learning. I'm surprised I can remember when it was I was such a mess at the time. I went to an award ceremony with a friend who'd won an award and my perspective changed. I listened to the many stories of how lives had been transformed and thought I wish that could be me.

This wishing tree did it for me-I wished my life would change and that's exactly what happened. I rang the office after the award ceremony and they put me in touch with my local adult education worker and that started me on a trail.

In the early days I veered off a few times but no one said you're not welcome back and I think that resonated with me. For the first time in my life (I'm 55 now) people believed in me and that helped me believe in myself. I started in a poetry writing class, moved on to visual arts (painting to you and me), then into music making. From music making I went into production and finished college just under 2 years ago.

I now work for a TV production company and am busy making soundtracks for documentaries. What I'd say to anyone coming behind me is give yourself a chance, and believe in yourself like the others believe in you, you can only get better when that becomes true.

My life was out of control, and adult learning helped me find ways to get that back. I'm not saying its always easy, but it is always worth it.'