Anita: Now I have my confidence. I have my voice and I have my future.
Anita speaks about how her life changed for the better after returning to education as a mature student. Labelled as a ‘no-hoper’ at school because her dyslexia was positioned as a deficit – in the private domain her personal growth continued as she developed a rich skill set as a daughter, a parent herself and part of a diverse close knit community. This led her to look beyond what she describes as ‘dead-end’ jobs and to aspire to enrich herself and her working-life.
Further education harnessed her skills and experience and now she is about to qualify as a social worker.
Anita speaks with passion about how her teachers in college believed in her, encouraged her and provided a dynamic learning environment where the deficit labels she experienced in childhood were reworked and reclaimed leading to a positive identity with agency.
Her story illustrates how further education can offer a meaningful space to validate knowledge and skills and to develop new knowledge. Also exposed is the powerful ripple effect of transformative learning: Anita’s ambition and drive have been a catalyst in reshaping the hopes, aspirations and the lives of her children.
Watch Anita speaking
about her journey .