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Peter came to the UK for protection after facing safety concerns in his home country. Since arriving in England, he has struggled financially – and not owning his own computer has impacted on the college courses he knows are key to his future employment. In this case study, we hear how an education grant from Family Action helped him get back on track.
Peter lives in a shared home with six other people and his son, who is a Type 1 diabetic. As an asylum seeker, he has no access to public funding and receives very little money from the Home Office. After food, drink and other household expenses, Peter is left with very little to survive on, giving him no chance to save any money for other purchases or expenses.
Since his arrival in the UK, Peter has done his very best to improve his employability by completing a number of courses to further his dream of working in the computer industry.
He is currently studying English and Maths, and is learning to work with children. In order to complete these courses, he is required to do extensive research, whilst spending many additional hours of study to better his English skills and complete his coursework.
Despite his best endeavors, Peter was struggling to carry out any research as this requires a computer, which he had no access to in his home. This meant he was only able to do his academic work whilst he was in college – but the number of hours he needed to study were impossible to fit in on campus before rushing home to take care of his son.
Education grant funds laptop
Peter aims to complete his current course before continuing onto the next level, with the hope of obtaining a place in the IT industry as a computer network specialist. After being referred by his college to Family Action’s Educational Grants Programme, Peter was awarded £250 for a laptop and this education grant has made a huge difference towards improving his employment prospects.
Thank you for all your support and thank you for helping me apply for this education grant. I am very happy I have been able to complete my coursework and complete my course on time. Thank you!
Peter’s referrer said, “Peter was able to purchase a laptop and complete all his required work from his course. He was happier and felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was completing two courses which both required revision and practicing English and Maths, as well as completing other outstanding coursework.
“Peter has continued to undertake future courses online and is completing study over the summer period – and is able to do so much more with the provision of having his own laptop. He is able to practice his English and Maths skills which is very important to him to better his future opportunities towards employment opportunities.”
Supporting parents to unlock their potential through further education
Our Educational Grants Programme is now open for applications. If you are parent studying in further education and are in need of support, speak to your college to see if they can apply for you.
Learn more