“You can still learn while being a full-time parent”: Ellaina’s flexible learning journey
The idea of going to college while in employment or taking care of your family can feel daunting, but there are adjustments that allow you to gain qualifications flexibly and at your own pace. MK College offers a wide range of online courses that fit around your work schedule and family life.
Ellaina has studied a series of mental health and special needs courses at MK College and is planning to do more. Read on to find out how her studies have helped in her work and personal life, and what inspires her to keep studying.
Hi! What’s your name and what did you study at the College?
Hi, I’m Ellaina and I studied a Level 2 in Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health, a Level 2 in Self-harm and Suicide Awareness & Prevention, a Level 2 in Special Education Needs and Disability, and I’ve just finished a Level 2 in Understanding Autism. I’ve inquired about enrolling onto another course, the Level 2 in Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties.
I started about a year ago. Once I finished one course, I just went straight onto another one. I found with them being online, I was able to work at my own pace which was a lot easier to do.
What motivated you to choose these courses?
With the Mental Health and Suicide Awareness & Prevention courses, they were more for personal reasons relating to my daughter. I wanted to understand a bit better what she was going through and how to help her. I thought that if this can help her, maybe I can help others too.
We are also in the process of waiting for my son to be assessed, so with studying Special Education Needs and Disability and Understanding Autism the aim was for me to gain understanding about methods I can use to help him. I currently work in a special educational needs school, and the knowledge I’ve gained helps me in my work.
Did these courses help you find employment? How do they help you in your role?
I think the Mental Health and Suicide Awareness & Prevention courses helped me gain employment. When I first started working at a special educational needs school, I thought that maybe there’s a course at MK College that I can do. The Special Education Needs and Disability course worked perfectly with my job. After completing the course, I understood a bit better what these children go through, the different support that they need and the methods schools must adopt.
Down the line I would like to go into that field, or I’d like to be a pastoral support worker within a school. Where I work, there’s a lot of safeguarding and we have children who experience mental health problems. My employer liked that I had that kind of background knowledge.
I think it’s amazing because I did my teaching assistant course at the beginning of last year, and then I did the Mental Health one and the Suicide Prevention Awareness course a few months after that and by November, I had gone into employment.
I wonder, if I hadn’t have done these extra courses, would I have been in the employment that I am in now? It showed them that I’m willing to gain more understanding, and the courses that I took have given me good knowledge within my work environment.
What were some of the highlights from your courses?
I like the fact that the courses were online, and you go at your own pace. If you miss a deadline, you still have a week to get it completed, so it does give you a bit more of flexibility.
I really enjoyed learning about different conditions, the processes behind getting a diagnosis, coping strategies and how to approach and help someone in a crisis. You don’t even realise, because in this society the only things you really hear about are anxiety and depression. In the course materials, there are a lot of useful resources and helplines.
It’s given me qualifications that have helped me go further in my career.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to apply for these courses?
It’s good to sit down to brush up on your knowledge and gain outside perspective. I’m the type of person who loves to gain knowledge. Even if it’s a Level 1 and you breeze through that and then think, “hang on a minute, maybe I’ll take another one!” Now going on to my fifth course at MK College.
It’s accommodating for people who work and have children at home. With the courses being online, you don’t have to sit in a classroom all day and arrange the logistics – some people can’t get there because of transport or they can’t arrange childcare. It’s good that you can still learn while being a full-time parent.
I like the fact that if you are on universal credit, you can do it for free. It’s so easy because if you’re unemployed and looking for work, it gives you that confidence to go and gain qualifications and knowledge and build up your CV that you can send out and hopefully someone will think, “they suit this role, we’ll bring them in for an interview.”
Learn more about these courses by following the links below:
Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health – MK College
Level 2 Certificate in Self-harm and Suicide Awareness and Prevention – MK College
Level 2 Certificate in Special Education Needs and Disability – MK College