Linzi, 40 and Christine, 25, both from Lewisham, completed their Level 3 Access Diplomas last July with great results and qualified for their chosen university courses. The University was so impressed that they even offered scholarships to pay for their fees for the three year-long programme.
Linzi has spent most of her adult life working in the financial sector and living with the pressures and stress that such a fast-moving career can bring. Her own family life has exposed her to addictions and she has found the strength to cope with these. She now volunteers for a church charity (Living Well Bromley) where she uses her own experiences to help people with different needs - including addictions, mental health problems, debt or homelessness to recover and repair their lives. She would like to work professionally as a clinical psychologist and specialise in addictions rehabilitation.
Linzi says: “Things have really changed for me since I took back control of my life and enrolled for this great course at London South East Colleges. At first, it was like I was putting myself under even more pressure due to the phenomenal amount of research and essay writing the course demanded. However, because of the great study skills, support and guidance the tutors gave us from the outset, I soon learnt to manage the workload and fit it into my already busy life. As a single-parent who also needs to work, the course was very flexible and allowed me to complete my assignments in time. It wasn’t long before I was really enjoying myself and couldn’t wait to get back in class each week.
“On getting into university, I qualified for a mature student scholarship. Receiving this means that I don’t have to work as many hours per week as I would have to without it. It gives me lots of breathing space.”
Christine is hoping to qualify to be a clinical psychologist too, and would like to work in the realms of speech development in young children or to become a child therapist working to combat mental health disorders.
Christine says: "I have experienced mental health problems myself in the past, particularly with depression. I have made it through an abusive relationship and also have had to cope with looking after my two young children in just a one-room bedsit. I had to juggle so much with being a mum - having to work and studying a very demanding course all at the same time. It has been a struggle but now I’m at university, things are starting to move in the right direction. I owe a lot to my tutors Helen and Steve at London South East Colleges; they helped me through my toughest challenges at college and at home - they were so supportive.
“The help and support you can expect to receive from this College is excellent. There were times when I almost gave up. I’m so glad that I didn’t as I would still be in the same position with little or no chance of ever changing my life, or the lives of my children, for the better. I am also looking forward to giving something back and helping other children improve their lives in the future.”
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