Im not sure where to post can someone help me please?

[Gemsiepoos]

I have something would like to ask but unsure where to post?
Its n othing to do with relationships but this seems to be the most popular topic so was hoping for some help please.
It a choice of which way to go as a singleparent career/college wise? Its quite a long thread also :-s

I went back to uni aged 30 as a single parent. Hard bloody graft, cleaned toilets at the same time but well bloody worth it. No one can take your degree off you. I did a return to uni course at my local college for a year, took equivalent exams to a-level and got in. It can be done my dear and you will only thank yourself for doing it. Don't mind the fees, it is worth, don't worry about it, just do it

Thanks for your message lolaflores
I would like to be a nurse/midwife
Im wondering is it just a dream though? I left school with no qualifications and lets say not too academic.
I started an access course and didnt have much faith in myself, just before I was due to start it my husband left and now a single mum to 2 children.
I fell behind and convinced myself I wasnt brainy enough.
Its still there in the back of my head though.
Im wondering if its just not meant to be?

Won't know till you try! It can be done. how old are the kids? So you didn't get to even start the access course, which proves fuck all really. Get your stuff together for september, all your ducks in a row and take control of your life. It was the making of me, I don't even want to think what life would be like now without it. Dreams are meant to bring you forward, not keep you wishing. You sound young enough, you can do it.

You could post it in 'going back to work' or 'chat'

I am a nurse, I trained before I had children. You need to be able to work shifts - late finishes, nights, early starts, even during training. I think it would be difficult unless you could have local helpful relatives or a very flexible CM or aupair.

The access course is a good place to start, one of my colleagues did one and the level of work was pretty similar to the nurse training stuff I felt.

Getting care experience is a very good idea - working as a carer/HCA in a hospital or care home would give you a better idea of what the job really involves - washing a stranger and helping stroke patients to get dressed is quite tricky when you have never done it before.

Feel free to throw any questions at me though

I went to uni aged 30 to do a nursing degree. I'm a single parent with 2 children. I had 2 GCSEs (Art and English) so did an access course at my local college for one year as well as a level 2 math course.

I'm not brainy at all (if you search my previous threads, that will become obvious but I'm stubborn and if I want something, I'll fight to get it. Even if that means fighting with myself.

You can do it!!! sounds cheesy but honestly, if I can do it, anyone can.

Ha sound? Im 34
I did start it yes and fell behind on the work it was very intense.
They are 4 and almost 7.

Also to agree with previous poster, the whole thing changed my life completely. I made lifelong friends, I realised I wasn't useless, for the first time in my life I had a future, I had money, I felt like I was worth something.

Best thing I ever did.

Please just go for it. It really is the only way to get yourself out of the poverty trap for good. Everyone talks about getting SP back to work and off the benefits system, but the truth is unless it's a career you're going for you'll never be able to stay out of it. Fuck the fees and just do it.

Adult colleges are very understanding in terms of appreciating that many people haven't studied for ages.

I should have gone to Uni. I am really struggling now.

As for brains, loads of people bluff it.( believe me) I would start by reading a nurses and midwives trade magazine to get you in the right frame of mind also go to WHSmith and buy the children's maths, english and science books to help you get back into the know.

Good luck. Stuff your ex-husband and the world and get on with your future.

Re: fees - NHS pay them for nursing and midwifery so don't worry about that. You'll also get a bursary and a yearly loan. Single parents also get help with a bit of housing benefit and you'll pay no council tax.

Go on go on go on. You ahve it within your power to change your life. Isn't that amazing?

Thanks MoaningMinnie, you have my dream career. I have a very supportive mum so Im thinking the childcare would be ok.
Iv done care work in the past. I know in my heart I would make a great nurse. im kind and caring and a peoples person, I have so much time for people.
ChickenSkin, well done you! I felt the work was out of my debth, not sure if it was my circumstances at the time or that I didnt have enough faith in myself. I just felt so thick!
Are you qualified now? How are you finding uni?
fabulous, this is so true to be able to support my family I need a career. Its either this or becoming a hairdresser when my youngest starts school in sept.
Thankyou so much all for you kind words of support.
Im so scared of the unknown and doing what m meant to be doing. Im 34 and cant afford to waste time, if I fail it again.

Yes im sure financially I would manage. As like you say Chickenskin I get help!
Aww lolaflores yes it is great ;)

No not qualified yet (I wish!). Uni is hard but in all honestly, the access course was harder. I don't know how I got through that but I was determined, I was out of options, nothing to fall back on if I quit. So I got through it and uni is a lot more laid back!! One assignment every 3 months or so as opposed to 7 assignments all due in 3 weeks like on the access course!

The access course is one of the hardest things I have ever done. If you can get through that, you can get through uni.

It does really change you though, doing the training. I was really glad I did it. Currently SAHM, just been for a few months as cannot manage the shifts at present and I want/need to go back to it.

I always felt proud to be a nurse, it is a privilege to be looking after others in the way we do. One moment you can be introducing yourself, the next moment you are asking very personal questions and looking at their bodies or giving drugs.

I can imagine its very rewarding?
Sorry whats SAHM? Im new to the site and no clue of the abbreviations.
How did you find the training?

Well done Chicken :) Yes the access is very intense. I was first getting passes and then achieved a few merrits. Most of the class were getting distinctions though. I worked really hard on chem homework and another subject went in and got passes, others got distinction.
What were your grades?

SAHM- stay at home mum. Do it honestly I graduated last year and the sense of achievement is well worth all the hard work! I've now got my own business and hopefully providing the best I can for ds. Good luck!!

I started off getting level 2 Gemsie!! that's not even a pass! They then crept up to level 2s and midway through, the merits started coming on.

In the last couple of months, I achieved mainly distinctions with the odd merit thrown in.

It really is a learning curve. My first assignment at uni achieved a 47% which is a terrible grade! it's barely a scrape of a pass Like someone else said, those of us that aren't academic get through by bluffing our way through

Sorry my first sentence should say they crept up to passes.

Mentalcowgirl, thanks and well done to you too.
well Chicken you are doing it and that is fab, well done you! See this makes me think I can. Oh I wish I was in your class when you did it. Everyone was getting distinctions.
Do you know it was the chemistry no matter how hard I used my brain I just couldnt grasp it. Oh and Biology.

Ps bluffing? Hmm Im not sure how to bluff?

Oh yes, I remember the atoms lesson all too well. I remember the teacher rattling on about neutrons and bonding and components and looking down at my periodic table thinking "I'll last a week here, tops".

When I left the class I heard the people behind me saying "oh my god, did you get ANY of that??" ..... "no! what the hell was he on about!?"

And I smiled a smile of relief I still don't get it. I got a pass on that one (2nd attempt, first was a level 2).

Yes thats it! Oh god you were so brave!
Iv had a taste for it and it scares me to death to go back.
Just before I left the course it seemed to be all getting harder.
Oh Im sorry I sound so negative. I dont mean to be. I could shake myself sometimes.

But you get better at it Gemsie, honestly you do. You start to learn what books to grab from the library, you start to learn "key words" for your assignments and most of all, you start to learn what they're actually looking for in your texts.

There are actually more points to be had from the course than you need too. By May I had dropped a load of study skills modules and a health science module meaning I was in college for 4 hours a week for one life science class and one Biology class. Dare I say it actually gets easier

Also if you ever need any help or anyone to sound off to about the access course, I'm a pm away

Thank you so much for this Chicken and thankyou all for your posts :-)
Maybe going back with a fresh head I might grasp it better.
You did this full time with children?? Did you work also?