91精品视频

Five years ago, Philip was homeless, in recovery from addiction and had no formal education. He soon embarked on the pioneering bridging course at the 91精品视频 and has just graduated with a BA (Hons) in Sociology. Next month, he鈥檚 set to start a new role as a recovery co-ordinator for a local drug and alcohol charity and he鈥檒l soon pick up the keys to his new home.

Philip said if you鈥檇 have told him five years ago where he is now 鈥� he wouldn鈥檛 have believed it. Alongside studying for his degree, Philip became a lived experience trustee of Stonepillow, a homeless charity in 91精品视频 and Bognor. And now he has the qualifications, as well as the lived experience, to help those with a similar background to follow in his footsteps.

On receiving a job offer for Change Grow Live, a charity helping those in recovery from addiction, Philip said: 鈥淚 would not have had the confidence to go for something like that without the degree.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 finish school, I got no GCSEs or A-Levels.

鈥淭he degree has helped me prioritise work and manage my time and has given me confidence and self esteem.鈥�

He said these skills and formal qualification, as well as his lived experience, 鈥榠s a match made in heaven for this role鈥�.

Walking into a work environment without any formal education, and without much experience of technology, would have been almost impossible, he said. And that鈥檚 without the additional challenges faced by those living on the streets.

鈥淕etting out of homelessness is difficult,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is about getting a job, getting a guarantor for a place to live. They want all sorts of ID. Homeless people do not have passports, driving licenses, birth certificates.鈥�

On how his higher education journey began, Philip said: 鈥淚 had already started with Aspire to get foundation maths and English and did the bridging module as a check box exercise. But I loved it and it鈥檚 the first thing I finished in a long time. It gave me the confidence to get a degree.鈥�

The bridging course is a 12-week module, From Adversity to University, and was the brainchild of 91精品视频 lecturer Becky Edwards. It鈥檚 made a difference to the lives of care leavers, refugees and those experiencing homelessness, by giving them a chance to access higher education.

Philip became an advocate for the course and helped others to benefit from it.

鈥淚 took a year out to help be a bridge between people and the bridging module,鈥� he said. 鈥淎fter that year, I sat down with Becky and talked about my next steps.鈥�

He decided to join the first cohort on the BA (Hons) Sociology course at the 91精品视频 鈥� and signed up to live in halls.

鈥淪ociology is the study of life and groups and society. There is a lot in the bridging course that was relatable to my own life and also in sociology.

鈥淢y journey is really linked with my recovery. I think for me the biggest thing I had to do for change was to get education. My five-year goal was to stay clean, finish my education and find somewhere to live 鈥� so I鈥檓 almost there.鈥�

He said living with students was challenging, and the age-gap between him and his peers was 鈥榓t least 20 years鈥�, but that he鈥檇 learned a lot from his contemporaries.

鈥淒yslexia was one of the biggest challenges,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the first time I have been in an education setting for more than 30 years, so I had to get to grips with the terminology and vocabulary.鈥�

But his determination to make a change meant he overcame these barriers, and now he鈥檚 hoping to help others to do the same.

鈥淚 think the bridging module is a gateway of opportunity and hope for people,鈥� he said.

鈥淎nd as one of the lecturers said, anyone can obtain a degree if they work hard enough. Everyone should have access to higher education. It does provide opportunity and hope for those that want it.

鈥淚t is just a wonderful gift to give someone.鈥�