Naomi Sargant
Encyclopedia
Naomi Ellen Sargant, Lady McIntosh (10 December 1933 – 23 July 2006) was a British academic specialising in adult education and television executive. The daughter of Thomas Sargant
, first secretary of JUSTICE
, and Czech-born philologist Marie Hlouskova, Sargant was educated at Friends School Saffron Walden
graduating from Bedford College, University of London with a degree in sociology.
After an early career in market research and consumer interests (she was an associate of Michael Young on the National Consumer Council
) Sargant became a college lecturer in 1967 and joined the new Open University
in 1970, for whom (as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs) from 1974-78) she presented the Open Forum programme on radio and television. Sargant became professor of applied social research in 1978, a post where she remained until leaving the OU in 1981 to join Channel 4
as a senior commissioning editor for educational programming on a channel mandated to dedicate 15% of its output to education.
She left Channel 4 in 1989 and became an executive member of the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education. NIACE published Lifelong Learning: A Brave and Proper Vision Selected writings of Naomi Sargant in 2009 and organises an annual memorial lecture in her honour. NIACE director Alan Tuckett described Sargant at the time of her death as "among the most distinguished adult educators of the post-war era".
Sargant died from cancer, aged 72. She had been married twice, first to Peter Kelly (in 1954), and secondly to Andrew McIntosh
(1962-2006; her death). She had three sons: David Andrew Kelly (by her first marriage) and Francis Robert Mcintosh and Philip Henry Sargant McIntosh (by her second marriage).
Thomas Sargant
Thomas Sargant was a British law reformer who campaigned for the promotion of human rights. He was educated at Highgate School.Sargant, for much of his life a businessman and politician, became increasingly concerned with the impact of the law and legal services upon ordinary people...
, first secretary of JUSTICE
JUSTICE
JUSTICE is a human rights and law reform organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is the British section of the International Commission of Jurists, the international human rights organisation of lawyers devoted to the legal protection of human rights worldwide...
, and Czech-born philologist Marie Hlouskova, Sargant was educated at Friends School Saffron Walden
Friends School Saffron Walden
Friends' School is an Quaker independent school located in Saffron Walden, Essex, situated approximately 12 miles south of the city of Cambridge...
graduating from Bedford College, University of London with a degree in sociology.
After an early career in market research and consumer interests (she was an associate of Michael Young on the National Consumer Council
Consumer Focus
Consumer Focus is a statutory consumer organisation in England, Wales, Scotland, and, for postal services, Northern Ireland, formed in 2008 by the merging Postwatch, Energywatch and the Welsh, Scottish and National Consumer Councils...
) Sargant became a college lecturer in 1967 and joined the new Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in 1970, for whom (as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs) from 1974-78) she presented the Open Forum programme on radio and television. Sargant became professor of applied social research in 1978, a post where she remained until leaving the OU in 1981 to join Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
as a senior commissioning editor for educational programming on a channel mandated to dedicate 15% of its output to education.
She left Channel 4 in 1989 and became an executive member of the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education. NIACE published Lifelong Learning: A Brave and Proper Vision Selected writings of Naomi Sargant in 2009 and organises an annual memorial lecture in her honour. NIACE director Alan Tuckett described Sargant at the time of her death as "among the most distinguished adult educators of the post-war era".
Sargant died from cancer, aged 72. She had been married twice, first to Peter Kelly (in 1954), and secondly to Andrew McIntosh
Andrew McIntosh, Baron McIntosh of Haringey
Andrew Robert McIntosh, Baron McIntosh of Haringey PC was a British Labour politician and last elected Principal of the Working Men's College....
(1962-2006; her death). She had three sons: David Andrew Kelly (by her first marriage) and Francis Robert Mcintosh and Philip Henry Sargant McIntosh (by her second marriage).