Project summary
A close-knit and enthusiastic group of adult learners are celebrating the completion of a popular six week ‘Notorious Crimes and Criminals’ course delivered by Wrexham University’s Criminology Department, which started in June 2026.
This group of learners started on a Wellbeing Course with Groundwork North Wales just over a year ago, and have gone on to undertake courses through adult community learning provision, including an accredited level one Wellbeing course. None of the learners have a qualification higher than level one, had poor experiences of mainstream education themselves and lacked confidence in their ability to learn and progress.
We were offered an opportunity for learners to attend a Criminology Taster session at the University and encouraged this group to attend supported by a community learning tutor.
Dr Jo Prescott, Programme Leader in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Wrexham University, who delivered the course, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to teach such a keen, enthusiastic and inquisitive group of learners from Groundwork North Wales. Their curiosity, willingness to challenge ideas, and eagerness to learn made every session enjoyable and engaging. It has been incredibly rewarding to see their confidence grow week by week, and I hope this experience has inspired many of them to continue their learning journey and consider higher education as an exciting and achievable next step.”
Rachel Edwards from Wrexham, one of the learners, said: “The course was better than we could have hoped for. We found out what motivates people to commit crimes, and how criminal justice procedures take place. We learned all about DNA, witnesses, and forensics. We were given a tour of the University where we saw the custody suites and moot courts that the law and policing students learn in. We visited the science labs where the forensic students learn. It was just so interesting, and everyone was so nice. The course went by so quickly, it always felt like we were only here minutes, that’s how interesting it was.
“We call this group our ‘mental health’ group, and we look forward to seeing each other on the Groundwork courses. Coming to Wrexham to do the criminology taster course has given us the confidence to think about further education opportunities in the future. It has shown us that university and learning can be for everyone.”
Amber Percy, Widening Access Coordinator at Wrexham University, added: “We are proud to work alongside Groundwork North Wales to create opportunities for adult learners to experience higher education in an accessible and engaging way.
“For many adults, the idea of joining a university course or returning to education can feel daunting. We aim to bridge that gap by providing informal opportunities to explore subjects, take a tour around campus, and ask questions. We want people to know that higher education is for everyone regardless of their background or previous experiences”.
Following on from this, we will be working closely with the University to provide more opportunities for learners to experience taster sessions and learning opportunities for our learners.
For more information, contact Louise Stokes, [email protected]
A More Equal Wales – enabling disadvantaged adult learners to overcome barriers to education.
A Healthier Wales – improving confidence, mental wellbeing and social connectedness.
A Prosperous Wales – supporting progression from community learning into accredited and higher education opportunities.
A Wales of Cohesive Communities – fostering supportive peer networks and community participation.