CCE gives introduction to study
By John Dash When Lisa Perry decided to take a break from mainstream journalism she wanted to find the courage to unlock her creativity and write for herself, not for work. She enrolled in a couple of classes at the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE). Dr Virginia Kaufmann Hall, looking to improve her writing skills, found a CCE course taught by Craig Cormick, a local freelance journalist. The course, Non-fiction Writing for Pleasure and Profit, offered her the opportunity to improve skills vital to her work. Like 5000 other Canberrans who attend continuing education and professional development classes run by the CCE, Lisa and Virginia's only involvement with the ANU is through these outreach activities. Virginia, a social research consultant with Human Centred Solutions, said that "for many people in the ACT the Centre is the critical interface between the University and the community and many who attend CCE courses are introduced to university study and life". "My work involves facilitating, working with community groups, tracking people's stories and writing. It is critical that I get the story and language right and the CCE course helped greatly with that," Dr Hall said. Lisa Perry enrolled in two courses - Courage to Write, which explores the confidence needed to write, and Writing Surprises at Mirramu, a weekend near Lake George where students were encouraged to write their own stories. She has since become a finalist in the ANUTECH short story competition and had a piece published in the ANU Reporter and The Canberra Times. "Despite having been a journalist for 19 years I wanted to find the courage to write for myself, to express the things I wanted to say rather than merely reporting others. The CCE courses were extremely influential and inspirational - they allowed me to give myself time and permission to write my own way and my own ideas," Lisa said. "Course tutors Kathy and Francesca are both very motivational people so much so that the group from Courage to Write still meet every two weeks to share stories and ideas," she said. The course tutors Lisa refers to are well known in Canberra literary circles, Kathy Kituai is an award winning poet and Francesca Rendle-Short won the 1995 ANUTECH short story competition. Lisa explains that she has "found the inspiration to keep going as a writer and at the moment I am working on another short story". The ANU is developing a university wide strategy for lifelong learning so that people like Lisa and Virginia will continue to have access. As the Chairman of the Higher Education Review Committee, Mr Roderick West, stated in the HERC Discussion Paper: " if we are to continue as a prosperous and civilised nation, learning must be at the core of our national life. Higher education institutions have a responsibility to foster a culture of lifetime learning in our community." Professor Robin Stanton, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) points to the ANU Strategic Plan which has as its seventh major goal a commitment to lifelong learning. "This commitment brings with it a renewed focus on the extended community of the University, mobilising its intellectual resources to provide for flexible access and information delivery to a broad range of students." The Centre's continuing education programs offer about 300 courses a year advertised in The ANU Guide (the next edition will appear on May 30) while the ANU Professional Development Program runs 100 courses and offers a comprehensive in house consultancy service for the public and private sectors. The Centre can be contacted on extension 6249 2892.