College Help?

LadyMorticia

Hello all.

I'm not entirely sure if this is the right section for this to go in.:o

Some of the regulars here know my history, but here's a quick run down for those who haven't encountered me before (not that I'm a regular on this board )

I'm 24. On income support due to illness and DLA low rate mobility and high rate care. My husband gets carers allowance for looking after me.

I'm under the care of my GP for M.E and under the care of my CPN, psychiatrist and GP for Borderline Personality Disorder, OCD and an anxiety disorder.

To be frank, I'm quite fed up of my life. I disparately want to live an independent life and get better. I want to have a career and be able to be out meeting people and supporting myself and my husband without the state looking after us. I am ashamed.:o

Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling.:o

I've found a college course that I want to do. It's a Progression Award in Library and Information Services (I really want to be a librarian). It's a level 3 award. I know that there's financial help for those who are doing their first level 3 award (like me) but I contacted the college and was advised that financial help isn't available for this particular course.

The course is £720 and it's something I really want to do. It's one day a week for 6 hours, which would be ideal for me.

Is there any other financial help available to me? Unfortunately, my husband and I can't really afford £720 and this course could just be the step in the right direction that I need.

I'm really sorry for the rambling and if I'm not making any sense. I'm having a really horrible episode at the moment, so making sense isn't my strong point.:o

Thank you in advance.:o

Indie_Kid

The college may allow you to pay some up front and some later on in the year?

MrsManda

You should be able to pay the fees in installments.
You won't get Adult Learning Grant due to your IS.
You may be able to get the fees covered by a PCD loan which is a commercial loan but with the interest frozen over the length of the course but you must start repayments as soon as your course is over rather than waiting until you earn over a certain amount as with Student Loans.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/index.htm

You may be able to find a grant via a charity who'll cover your fees. Have a look at the grant search:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/DG_10033132

You may be able to claim from the college's Access to Learning Fund.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/EducationAndTraining/HigherEducation/DG_10035904

It's also worth speaking to your advisor at the Jobcentre to see if they can offer you any funding for the course.

Also, have you spoken to anyone in Library Services at your local council to see if this is the best route to take? If not I'd definitely do that before committing to the course..

dseventy

Good advice, but also speak to the college as suggested above.

They will often let you pay in installments or otherwise stagger the payments.

D70

Oldernotwiser

This qualification is actually for Library Assistants rather than Librarians so there would be much better routes you could follow if that's your aim. In addition, as an NVQ, you'd need to be working (paid or voluntary) within a library service to be able to do the course.

Sorry not to be more positive. (I thought you were looking at the OU?)