Jessica’s award winning progress

Jessica’s story:

In July 2026, Jessica Clarke won the Mayor’s Young Learner of the Year Award – a well-deserved honour made all the more remarkable by how it came about. Jessica was nominated not once but twice, by two separate learner partners, each unaware that the other had also taught her. To her tutors, though, Jessica was an obvious choice, thanks to her unwavering drive to succeed.

Marie Bune, her tutor at Unity Works, a training partner at Greenwich Learns, saw that potential early on. “I think with Jessica, from the very start, she was always very ambitious, and she did know what she wanted in her career path and her personal goals,” Marie says. “The fact that she won Young Learner of the Year shows that she is very committed and motivated, and never shies away from any challenges.”

Sheila Louis, who taught Jessica across several sewing courses at GCDA, saw the same drive from a different angle. “Jessica was a model student: focused, precise and always open to guidance,” Sheila says. “Her passion for learning shone through, and she used everything she was taught to build her own signature style. She knew exactly what she wanted to create, from the colours to the pattern, which showed a real aptitude for design. She even went home and did more.”

After finishing further education, Jessica dove straight into the funded provision available through the Royal Borough of Greenwich. At Greenwich Learns, there is specific support for those with a learning disability, helping learners develop life skills, employability and work skills, and their own interests. Jessica has embraced it fully – in the last three years alone, she has completed over ten courses spanning everything from confidence in speaking to health and mental wellbeing, managing money, internships, and craft skills.

Now 25, Jessica has her sights firmly set on the future. “I’m looking forward to getting a job in the textile industry," she says. “I’ve already been designing for clothes, hats, bags, even cushions. I started when I was 13 years old, practising using a sewing machine and making clothes for myself.” Unity Works has helped her turn that passion into a plan. “We helped Jessica set out her goals, and she knows how she can achieve this through further training with us and our partners at Greenwich Learns, as well as any other employment opportunities that arise,” Marie explains.

It wasn’t always this way, though. Jessica’s early courses focused on building her confidence and digital skills – and the transformation has been striking. “When I first met Jessica, she was much quieter in the sessions and didn’t contribute as much to the group discussions,” Marie recalls, “but she always wanted to learn new things, and has really grown in confidence and transferable skills.” Learning to express herself, understand her own feelings, and communicate clearly and respectfully has given Jessica a newfound independence. Courses like Confident in the Community have given her the independence to navigate the city and public transport with ease. “I know how to get there,” she says. “I am always on time, or at least not too late.”

Unity Works courses are often student-led, built around group discussion and shared stories. “We focus on practical activities that develop skills needed in the workplace or at home,” Marie explains.

“Our students develop independent living skills – they’re more able to participate in local activities and events, feel more confident managing money, using public transport, and using the internet safely. Many go on to volunteer locally, building their employability and gaining real work experience.”

Jessica is clearly proud of how far she’s come. “I feel confident and very proud of myself, and my mum said, ’I’m so proud of you, Jessica,’ and I was like, ’Thank you, Mum,’” she says. With seven certificates and now a prestigious award to her name, Jessica isn’t slowing down – she’s already looking ahead to more courses focused on the workplace and building her employability skills. We can’t wait to hear more about where her journey takes her next.

Student: Jessica Clarke

Courses completed:

Careers Week Workshops
Confident in the Community
Digital World: My Unity Pathway
Learning Disability Awareness Week
Let’s Talk: Awareness Workshops
Let’s Talk: Have Your Say
Mental Health Awareness Workshops
Moving On from an Internship
Quids In Internships
All Sewn Up
Stained Glass Patchwork
Cathedral Patchwork