Bargoed mum gets top award (From Campaign Series)

Bargoed mum gets top award

8:50am Sunday 13th December 2009 in News

A SINGLE mum from Bargoed has scooped a top UK training award.

Elaine Davies was announced a winner at this year's National Training Awards ceremony held at Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Elaine was congratulated by Deputy Minister for Skills, John Griffiths for winning the award in the individual category. The evening was hosted by Olympian Colin Jackson and BBC Radio Wales presenter Nicola Haywood Thomas.

After suffering an abusive relationship, Elaine decided that she wanted to use her experience to help others who had been in equally traumatic situations. To help most effectively, she knew she needed to return to learning.

Elaine, 48, left school at 17 with very few qualifications but was determined to establish a career in which she could support abuse victims. It was while working as a receptionist at her local GP's surgery that Elaine took the decision to complete a diploma in counselling which then led to her achieving a post graduate in teaching and most recently a Masters in counselling.

Her success in training allowed her to progress and become a supervisor of counselling for Aneurin Bevan Health Board and even manages to fit in a part-time lecturing position at University of Wales, Newport.

On the winning the award, Elaine said: "I have a wonderful career as a result of my qualifications and work with a team of nine other counsellors in the Caerphilly borough. My lecturing at the University allows me to help around 50 students a year to become counsellors, which is particularly fulfilling."

The NTAs are organised by the Welsh Assembly Government's Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) and are promoted and supported in partnership with UK Skills on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The aim of the awards is to recognise business and personal excellence achieved through training.