Open University and ESA

tomtontom

woodbine wrote: »

thats really really helpful,doesn't it occur to you that an OU degree is done at home when you feel capable of doing it?

That's simply not true woodbine, OU has deadlines just like any other study, along with tutorials, exams and presentations. If you sign up for a course thinking you can do it when you feel capable you will fail, the adjustments are not that generous.

I would not recommend a 30 credit course for the OP. You need something to ease you in, an access level course for example. Also look at the many MOOCs available, which can give you a feel for the level of study expected of you.

_CC_

BlueEyedGirl wrote: »

First off, the quote button is a handy tool to use on the forum when replying to a specific post.

I've done voluntary work for three organisations whilst I have been mentally unwell, but now when I want to go back into paid work I still cannot find a job, this is despite gaining a lot of valuable experience in my job roles. I've also studied, because I felt it was better than 'doing nothing' because I had hoped one day when I was well enough to work it would help me find a job. Sadly that has not been the case, and 8 months on from job hunting I've not had one interview, this alone has affected my mental health again and I am almost back to where I was before I started therapy, i.e trying my hardest not to self harm or overdose.

Thanks for the help, maybe you could ask Martin Lewis for a job on here? :money::beer:

Your situation kind of illustrates my point. Having an OU degree is unlikely going to make it any easier to get a job, even for someone who doesn't have the difficulties of the OP.

If the OP finds everyday tasks like leaving the house a struggle then to me a much better choice would be to work with a professional to get to the point where these basic tasks can be accomplished and then go for a flexible voluntary role which will help build up the basic skills needed when holding down a job. I can't see how any of this would be accomplished by simply doing an OU course; it sounds like unnecessary stress if the end goal is to become employed, given where the OP is starting from.

Mrs_Ryan

SeduLOUs wrote: »

I'm sure that coping with MH is extremely difficult.

OU assignment deadlines are slightly flexible if you need a small extension, but basically if you don't submit work on time or shortly after then you fail, it's as simple as that.

Not always. If you're on a module with substitution you can non submit and still pass. On my tutors advice I didn't submit a TMA on my last module as I already had 40% OCAS so I passed my EMA and therefore passed the module. This was because I was extremely unwell towards the end of the module and had a three week extension on one TMA which I passed giving me 42% OCAS so she just told me not to stress and concentrate on the EMA.

I am also on ESA and studying with the OU. I have anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia (although according to some people on here there's no such thing as any of them and I should stop being so lazy and get a job although most of them seem to ignore my cancer diagnosis and the tumours on my spine which cause me extreme pain) I am hoping that eventually I might be able to use my degree for a new career. I am optimistic that at some point I will be able to work again. I have help from DSA and a mentor who is also my tutor from last year so she knows about workloads etc. My GP is extremely supportive as she believes that by keeping my mind busy it will help my mental health and she's right. Physically, until they sort my pain levels etc out then no I'm not capable of working but having something to focus on means I don't dwell on things so much. I really miss my previous job but it's out of the question to me now

SeduLOUs

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Not always. If you're on a module with substitution you can non submit and still pass. On my tutors advice I didn't submit a TMA on my last module as I already had 40% OCAS so I passed my EMA and therefore passed the module. This was because I was extremely unwell towards the end of the module and had a three week extension on one TMA which I passed giving me 42% OCAS so she just told me not to stress and concentrate on the EMA.

This is correct about substitution, but it only applies to ONE assignment. It's certainly not a get out clause. If for some reason you miss one assignment, it will take some average scores from your others to give you a substituted mark, but passing is still dependant on your other assignments being good enough to pass with the substituted score, and any other missed assignments will just count as zero.

I avoided posting this information and related jargon to avoid adding confusion to the discussion - what you have said is true but to be clear it does not mean assignments are optional in any way shape or form. It only offers a small amount of leniency if ONE assignment becomes an issue AND you have done well enough in all of the others.

Even if you 'skip' a section and it's related assignment, you will still need to learn the content as it will reappear in the EMA (End of Module Assessment) or exam.

me123456789

you do realize that "all the benefits that come with that" amount to 60 or 70 quid a week? Anybody who wants to study and lives in a household with less than a certain amount of income can get a tuition fee loan and it gets paid straight to the university. Even if you're not eligible for this the OU do their own loans and you can pay in instalments.

Mrs_Ryan

Why didn't she get a student loan then like everyone else. I have a tuition fee loan which I would have got when I was in my previous job as well, a job where I earned a good wage and which as me correctly points out is paid direct to the university and I don't see a penny of. I get PIP yes but that's not an out of work benefit. You can claim that whether you're working or you're not. And yes I claim contributions based ESA. Contributions awarded because guess what? I used to WORK before I got cancer!

Hopefully when I am fit to go back to work then I will begin to repay that loan, there is absolutely no excuse for the 'oh she wanted this but because she's so busy working we couldn't afford it' I'm sorry but that's a load of rubbish. That's why student loans exist. If I got a job (if I was fit to work) I would still have my funding. They weren't interested if I was on benefits or not. My partner WORKS FULL TIME (yes! He works! And he claims DLA to help him with the costs of his disability although I bet that's wrong as people who work are clearly well) and earns a good wage so if means testing applied I wouldn't get it. So stop whinging and if your wife really still wants to study tell her to get onto the OU and just do it.

BlueEyedGirl

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Why didn't she get a student loan then like everyone else. I have a tuition fee loan which I would have got when I was in my previous job as well, a job where I earned a good wage and which as me correctly points out is paid direct to the university and I don't see a penny of.

Probably because she didn't really want to study, it's just another one of those 'Woe is me' posts!

controversy

How would you assess me?

I have a disability very similar to borderline personality disorder. I am also a aggressive Psychopath. For this reason I cannot work with people.

I have tried to work before into a good number of jobs. Cleaner/Hotel Porter, Chef, Mechanical Engineer, Shelf Stacker, Bar Tender and Labourer.

The last accident I had was when I got hold of a fellow worker and tried to choke him to death.
It took 5 people to get me off him. After 10 minutes I finally came to my senses after the bloodlust faded.

My life is a constant struggle of remaining emotionally stable.

I would like to be given the opportunity to do a University Degree in Web Site Development & Computer Science.

Why? Because this would allow me to work in my own home remotely where I am not a threat to other workers.

There might be the occasion where I am needed to travel to head office to attend a important meeting but with a personal assistant I could be controlled whether it is be a Carer or a Nurse with anti-psychotic medication on hand.

I hope this challenges your scrounger narrative.

controversy

BlueEyedGirl wrote: »

Sadly you will always find people on the forum with no understanding of mental health difficulties. They group everyone under one umbrella, I'd ignore them if I was you!

I am guessing you have BPD? I might be wrong... that is my diagnosis though, diagnosed in 2008.

You have BPD too? We should create our own CLUB . I hate the mood switches. Today I have been scared about the whole September the 23 to 25 hysteria about the New World Order.

teddysmum

It looks as though the OU has changed since I did my (maths honours) degree.


You had to do one or two foundation courses, which were full courses, unless like me, you were given credits for other qualifications, meaning only one foundation course required. Exams were all written on paper, meaning travel to a central hub ( 30 miles total for me). also, unlike now, you could only be awarded a BA and nor BSc for maths. There were also compulsory summer schools for some courses,many miles away (Stirling and Durham, in my case, though I live in Staffordshire, but other students lived even further south).


Having quite a strong maths background, I found the study hours required fine, even though I was working for part of the duration, had a 5 year-old son (at the start) and gave birth half way through, though friends I made, who didn't have the background had to study harder.


However, I felt that mathematicians were lucky compared to humanities students , who had to spend much longer , as they had lots to read and long essays to write, whereas we just had to study a module , then do an assignment.