after her birth which lead to me developing severe allergies to the products used in the salon and the salon atmosphere. I had to retire from hair dressing at the age of 40.
“School and I were never friends!”
In 2018, I met a doctor who changed my life. Dietary changes and a tweak of my medication all helped to build up my confidence to even consider going back to education.
School and I were never friends! It was difficult at the start, learning how to use a computer, having limited knowledge on how to use it. The second day I left a class crying because I was so slow at typing compared to the younger ones. But with guidance from my fellow students and encouragement from my tutors, I found my way through and realised my passion for learning that I never knew I had.
I have applied to go on to do Level 6 in QQI in Advanced Social Studies and Advocacy back in Sallynoggin College for Further Education and can’t wait to be a student again and sit in a classroom eager to learn. I am passionate about food poverty and social inclusion. I volunteer and sit on the committee in my community center and I am the Events Coordinator for the center, which gives me a platform to do work in both of these areas, but with my qualification I hope to be employed and be an advocate for social inclusion and those affected by food poverty.
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Thinking of returning to education as an adult? You may find the following resources useful:
One Step Up: www.onestepup.ie Call the One Step Up Freephone helpline at 1 800 303 696 or contact Sam O’Brien-Olinger, AONTAS Information and Policy Officer via email: sobrienolinger@aontas.com.
Education and Training Board Ireland (Find an EBT): www.etbi.ie/etbs/directory-of-etbs/
Fetch Courses: https://www.fetchcourses.ie/
eCollege: https://www.ecollege.ie/
