West Yorkshire - Lifelong Learning Network

Karen

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Karen
Karen became a teenage mum and left school at 15 without taking any GCSE’s. From being 13 years old she has dreamt of becoming a midwife and after the birth of Emily (who is now 13) and Lily (4) being a mum and working part time has been her focus. Last September Karen decided that she wanted to fulfil her ambition and signed up to do the Preparation for Higher Education course...

Martha

Martha
Martha moved from Zimbabwe to the UK in 2003. She and her three children settled in Leeds and Martha quickly became a valued and respected member of her community.
Her first job was with the Jewish Care Services in Leeds where she supported young people with learning disabilities and older people with a diversity of mental health needs. As a qualified teacher in her home country, Martha decided that she wanted to train for a similar role in the UK...

Miram

Miriam
In 2004 at 15, Miriam fled the political unrest of her home in Kenya with six other young people. Her mother had died several years before and she was not in contact with her
father. On arriving in England, Miriam lived first in a Care Home in Drighlington and soon moved to Leeds. Unsurprisingly, her last years at school were somewhat
turbulent and she left without any qualifications. Thanks to the efforts of her Social and Support Workers at St Anne’s Hostel in Leeds and her own determination, Miriam
gained her GCSEs and NVQs in Care at Park Lane College. These experiences were to inspire Miriam towards a career in the care professions herself.

Joanne

Joanne
A few years ago, Joanne a mother of three young boys went through a difficult divorce and was declared bankrupt and became homeless. At this stage of her life she was
depressed and her self-esteem was very low. Working at Garforth Community High School as a Teaching Assistant, she was determined to become financially independent and achieve a degree, something she has always aspired to...