UCU Life Changers Text

The Endsleigh-UCU Life changers awards show what we in further and higher education are
capable of. The twenty-six nominees each encapsulate the difference that education can make to
people's lives.
We will show you talent nurtured; opportunities seized; and barriers overcome. We will even show
you education as redemption—as the way forward to a very different life.
You will meet Life Changers who are imaginative, original and willing to challenge orthodoxies—
they exemplify all that is best about post-compulsory education.
Introduction
by Sally Hunt
and Paul Mackney,
joint general
secretaries, UCU
The Life Changers campaign says that education is about more than what can be measured, tied
down or reported on.
One nominee sees her role as producing ‘confident, questioning people who are able to take a
broader view’ and her views are echoed in different ways by all our Life Changers.
Achieving this creates countless positive benefits for society and policy makers need to think
harder about creating an environment that helps rather than impedes the Life Changers.
We need better funding of course, but we also need to be allowed to do the jobs we love, and to be
trusted to deliver.
There will be many nominees in future years as we build this campaign but it all started here.
Thank you to Endsleigh Insurance whose committed support for Life Changers has made it
possible and also to Thompsons Solicitors for their generous assistance. Thank you too, to the staff
and students who nominated. Most of all thank you to the nominees. We are very proud to
represent you and all your colleagues in UCU.
Sally Hunt
Paul Mackney
UCU joint general secretaries
www.ucu.org.uk/lifechangers
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