Melaneia Warwick has never found it difficult to empathise with her adult students. She knows first-hand how untidy and unpredictable an adult's learning journey can be. She also knows how difficult it can be to take the first step, and how rewarding the experience can be if the teacher manages to create an atmosphere that is both supportive and challenging. Melaneia's own learning journey could be described as non-traditional. For Melaneia Warwick, NIACE Dysgu Cymru's Inspire Higher Education Tutor of the Year, understanding the needs of adult students is an indispensable part of creating a learning environment in which students can find their own individual voices. She shares why helping learners find a voice is so important.