I know this has been done before, but I have just realised I am too old to go to Connexions for advice (thought it was up to 25, not 19) so I thought I would ask here instead
I want to get back into work/education. I am 21, a single mum to DS (18mo), he has never been in childcare and does not cope well with being looked after by strangers (though he is fine when he knows someone, like his Dad, or my Mum or Sister) so I would have to take things very slowly on that front.
I got good grades at GCSE, and went on to train in Graphic Design, didn't get good enough marks to go on to HE, so did one year of A Levels (still not enough to get me to university ) and then worked for about a year in a Graphics company. Then I became pregnant and was made redundant and haven't really worked since then apart from some temping.
But although I trained in Graphic Design and I enjoyed the creative side of it etc, it is very very competitive, I think I would find it too stressful, and I want something more flexible, especially while DS is small. I am thinking that I would like to go back to college/uni for a bit first to further my education rather than going straight into working. But I don't just want to go and do any old thing because I do want to get a job I enjoy at the end of it! I was thinking of doing an access course, but then am not sure whether I actually want to go into full time HE at the end of it, or work based training etc (does anyone know if an access course could lead on to this?) My local college offers access courses in Teaching, Social Work and Combined Studies (which is basically anything). The course is part time over 2 years and is 9 hours a week, and there is a very good nursery attached to the college which is free for student parents, though it is not the nursery that I wanted DS to go to when he gets his free hours (not until Jan 2012). - which is a Montessori one so totally different. If I waited until next September rather than this year then I would probably borrow the money or save up and put him straight into my preferred nursery and just pay for the extra 4 months. But that means that I have to wait an extra year, which is annoying.
The two areas I have thought that I might be interested in are Social work (with children/families and young people) or broadcasting, production/post production in TV or Radio - these are such different areas that I think I just have to choose one and go with it. There are opportunities for me to volunteer locally with both options - I have recently completed a breastfeeding peer support course with my local Children's Centre/PCT and was going to start volunteering with that, but it has been put on hold because I am recieving help through a CAF (which I am a bit about, but that's another thread...) and there is a local hospital radio station who are always looking for volunteers, in the other direction. I wouldn't be able to take DS with me for this though.
The only other thing I have thought about doing is the ad that is floating around here somewhere to be a TinyTalk baby signing teacher. There is Sing and Sign in the next town, but nothing here, and it's a slightly different set up anyway (With TinyTalk parents can turn up and pay weekly, but with S&S you have to pay for a term in advance) I would have to buy the franchise so it would mean doing any part time work for a while to save up, and then do that. I don't know whether I want to do this long term though so probably should just discount it as an option.
If anyone has any other ideas or thoughts on what I have put (and please ask me for more info because I wasn't sure what to include or not, and more to think about is always helpful)
Thanks in advance