Returning to education can be challenging but two local women – both getting ready for university this September - are keen to encourage other adults to return to education ahead of South Eastern Regional College’s (SERC) Return to Learning Open Days 10am – 2pm on Wednesday 19 August at Newcastle Campus, and 10am – 2pm on Friday 21 August at Ballynahinch Campus.
Mary Lunn (31) from Newcastle returned to learn with SERC when her youngest child, Riley, 5, went to school. The busy mother of two, a familiar face in Clough Surgery where she works part-time, said, “After I did my GCSEs, I did a BTEC National Diploma in Health and Social Care. When I finished the course, I started my family and life just took over. When my youngest went to school, it was then I decided that I would like to go back and do something for myself.”
Mary added, “I have always been interested in nursing and after a bit of research, I discovered the Level 3 Access Diploma in Foundation Studies could help me realise my ambitions. “It was hard coming back, but the biggest motivation for me, was that I was going to be doing something for myself. I think you just have to believe that you can do it!
“The tutors are very supportive, they understand that you are coming to learn, but you still have all the commitments of family in which you need to deal with, including sick days, appointments, someone coming to fix something at home, so there is a bit of flexibility. “The Access course was brilliant, and I loved it all, even studying politics, I didn’t think that would be a subject I would enjoy, but I did. The whole programme is so well designed, it is like building blocks of learning, so you do one thing and then you are ready for the next area. You are building on your learning every week.
“Everyone was friendly and supportive, and we even got a little competitive when it came to assignments, but it was simply because we all wanted to do our best and always spurred each other on to do well.
“My family have all been super supportive, I couldn’t have done it without their help. My daughter Amelia (12) was marvellous, she was great at encouraging me to do my homework when she was doing hers and testing me on things that I had to learn.” Mary is progressing to a BSc in Adult Nursing at Queen’s University Belfast this September. She said, “When I first started the course, the prospect of going to university was so far away, but here I am getting ready to do a degree in Adult Nursing and I cannot wait.”
Offering words of encouragement to others thinking of returning to learn, Mary concluded, “If you want to do something for yourself, come back to education at SERC. No one here is bothered about what you have or haven’t done before. This is your fresh start. Just do it for yourself and see where you can go.”
Fellow student, Theresa Poskitt (28), also from Newcastle, and the mother of two young children, three year old Caoimhe, and two year old Odhran, is also heading to Queen’s University Belfast to do a BSc in Midwifery having successfully completed the Level 3 Access Diploma in Foundation Studies. Theresa said, “After I did my GCSEs, I started A Levels, but I wasn’t enjoying them, so I left and then worked in hospitality and retail. I always wanted to do nursing or midwifery but didn’t think it was possible. Seeing the midwives at work when I had my own children encouraged me to enrol on the Level 3 Access Diploma in Foundation Studies.”
She continued, “My children went to Little SERC, the creche at SERC’s Newcastle Campus. I don’t think I would have been able to go back without this amazing facility. The staff there were brilliant. My children loved it so much they wanted to come at the weekend! It was great knowing they were being looked after whilst I was doing the course, and I could nip down to see them at lunch time. I was able to do my homework after classes before collecting them for home, which really took the pressure off me.”
Speaking about the course, Theresa said, “When I started the course, I had to go in with the attitude of ‘I am going to give this a go’. I tried not to look too far ahead and took it one day, one week and then one term at a time.
“I really enjoyed the first year, so I was eager to come back for the second year. The prospect of going to university seemed miles away but, before you know it, you are thinking about progressing, and I was thinking about midwifery. It was then that I realised that the end goal was in sight and I just had to get the course finished.
“Besides all the learning you do on the course and all the IT skills you pick up, the bonus was making new friends. Everyone is in the same boat, everyone is juggling, but it is such a supportive environment. I would recommend coming to SERC, the tutors are amazing and having the creche at Newcastle Campus just made my dreams possible.”
SERC’s free part-time Restart Education provides adults with support in a nurturing and welcoming environment while building skills in English, Maths, Science, IT skills, Social Science and Well-being and Resilience. For adults who have some qualifications, the Level 3 Access Diploma in Foundation Studies is designed for people who would welcome the opportunity to get to university. SERC’s Newcastle Campus also has a professionally staffed creche, Little SERC, which offers care, play and learning for babies, toddlers and pre-school children on the same site at parents’ classes. Students may be eligible for a means-tested grant towards childcare costs.
Come along to our Return to Learning Open Days 10am – 2pm on Wednesday 19 August at Newcastle Campus, and 10am – 2pm on Friday 21 August at Ballynahinch Campus.
