When Karina Healy decided to return to education and work, there was no dipping her toe in the water. She dived in head-first and has never looked back. When it happened, back in October 2015, it all happened at once. She started the Social and Psychological Health Studies diploma at ACE, UCC, got a job as a community development worker with the Lantern Project at Nano Nagle Place, and soon began a six-month leadership in the community course for good measure.

“I walked into UCC that first day having been a mom at home for 17 and a half years rearing my children, and it felt like an alien experience for me,” says Karina. “I did a CIT cert in hotel management and a dance diploma but I’d never seen myself as an academic person. I wasn’t confident about stepping into a space of learning
again.

“The first night at UCC, I remember I accepted my place at 4pm on the Wednesday and was required to be in college by 5.30pm for a class. I came straight from home with a biro from the kitchen drawer and a refill pad from one of the kids.”

While Karina was taken onto the course three weeks after the initial start date, she soon found she wasn’t alone in her worries about re-entering adult education.

“I was full of fear and the gremlins of not being worthy and not being good enough were huge at that time. Even things like what would I wear? How would a student need to look? I didn’t know my way around UCC or where I could or should park the car.

“All of these things were huge but when I got through the door and when I was in the classroom environment, I discovered I wasn’t unique. There were more people
like me having the same experience, it just took time before the trust built up to share that journey.

“The support was there. I didn’t even understand what the support was for but I just knew people were there to help.

“The experience of being in UCC itself was gorgeous. It was important to me, especially as a Cork woman. UCC is a special place and I knew what I was doing was right for me and important for my work. I wanted that underpinning for my work
to know how I was impacting the bigger picture.”

The course ran weekly on Wednesday evenings and a handful of Saturdays across the year, and while it was a juggling act with a four-day work-week and family life, Karina found the balance.

“I went on for the second year with a little more confidence but still didn’t have a lot of faith in myself. Would I be able to master the second year? But there was a lot of encouragement and I knew in my heart I wanted to get it over the line. My family were after adjusting, I got a bit of help at home, I got more organised, and I used to make all the dinners on a Monday to get that done for the week.

“I needed a lot of help with my computer skills too. At the time when I
went to work, I wasn’t even able to put an attachment on an email. My
technical skills were awful.

“Even with regard to laying out an essay and things like referencing, it all happened magically. It’s still a mystery to me!”

Whether by magic or not, completing the course meant the world to Karina for many reasons. “It was just so important that I did it. There was a great sense of achievement and a huge sense of having done something that was valuable for life, my education, and my work. The graduation was a true celebration. It was also really important to me that I modelled that courage for my children. Hannah is 22 now
and she’s done a Master’s in Music Therapy, Ben is second year of Commerce, and Sam is in transition year.

“At the time, they had only seen me as a mom. Now, having done the diploma and gone back to work, practically reinventing myself really, it was so powerful. I couldn’t have done more to model for them what it is to have courage and step out into the world and take my place doing what I was passionate about.”

It also helped lead to progression in the workplace, with Karina now co-ordinator of the Lantern Project, which provides an inclusive, safe place for community evelopment and education, allowing people to learn and grow, develop new skills, and make new friends.

“Everything that was taught in thediploma is so transferable and important to the work I’m doing now; acting locally but thinking globally.

“The subject matter was so interesting and so relatable to what I needed to know in order to have a more informed thinking about the bigger
picture, as well as building on the relationship with each unique individual in front of me.

“I love what I do and I know it’s underpinned with a very kind ethos. It’s hugely about making people feel safe and welcome, carrying on the work of Nano Nagle, and being her living legacy. I love my work and it’s an honour to do it.”

And from learning about email attachments six years ago, Karina can now say she’s “blown away” by how they’ve succeeded in moving education courses and community events online during the pandemic, enabling many people who are vulnerable to connect with the Project on a regular basis to support their wellbeing.

That’s included concerts, arts and crafts tutorials, workshops on mindfulness and meditation, cookery and singing lessons, and socially distanced gatherings at Fitzgerald’s Park or The Lough during periods of eased restrictions; all tools to help people cope and pass the time during lockdown.

“Every opportunity for learning has only led to getting to know more people and having more relationships. There is such joy in that and it will completely be a positive thing for anyone. Learning and wellbeing are so connected and I’m so delighted I took the opportunity.”

‘The most valuable thing anyone will do, timewise and financially, in their lifetime’

A 2019 graduate, Céline was hired as a co-tutor for the following term’s intake of students as well as growing her own practice as a sexuality educator. Following the Diploma in Social and Psychological Health Studies at UCC, Céline went on to study a  Postgraduate Certificate in Sexuality and Sexual Health Studies in DCU, followed by a Certificate in Understanding and Responding to Domestic Violence and Coercive Control with TUS.  Céline founded her own business ‘Sexuality Insights’ in 2020, to create and deliver workshops on various sexuality related topics for students, staff and parents at second level, as well as staff and students at third level.

Céline Griffin is now the Bystander Programme Manager, having previously worked as Research Support Officer on the programme. 

The Diploma  was the prompt for that career change and Celine describes
it as “likely the most valuable thing anyone will do, timewise and financially, in their lifetime”.

Back in 2017, Celine had been looking for something fulfilling, something enriching to study and a personal development course with SHEP (the Social and Health Education Project) was where Celine first heard of the UCC diploma.

Covering topics from human wellbeing to human rights and governance of human affairs, the course lived up to Celine’s hopes.

“It was such an enriching experience. The modules were very varied. What was fantastic was the life experience in the room was really valued and brought really lively discussions and various different perspectives you might not have had the opportunity to experience before. It was facilitated so well.

“What I loved about it was that it was so valuable and supported everyday life and opened up a whole new world for me. Things like politics, which I felt I had no interest in or had no interest in becoming involved in, were suddenly very interesting because I could see that we all have the opportunity to become active citizens.

“There were many lightbulb moments in there for me. One of the biggest things was the realisation of how everyone’s personal values
are shaped by social norms and our education, up until you go into adult education, lacks the opportunity to explore things through critical reflection. It was fascinating.”

That range of backgrounds was also accommodated by the lecturers when it came to addressing any hurdles students had to overcome.

“It was a challenge as a lone parent but my family were supportive with childcare. There was a clear understanding from the lecturing staff of the challenges that are involved in adult education. For me, it was childcare but everyone has different challenges. Some people had to handwrite their essays and get someone to type them for them.

“So, even though there were challenges, they were never barriers. And then the group itself were hugely supportive with references or book recommendations.”

Speaking about being taken on as a co-tutor after her graduation,
Celine expressed similar doubts to Karina about whether she would
be able for the challenge but she, too, proved her own capability to
excel in a new experience.

“I second-guessed my capacity to do it but I took on the opportunity and it has been an incredible experience. Jim [Sheehan], who I
tutor with, has been an incredible model. I’ve learned so much about
facilitation through him.

“The different perspective from me having gone through the course and seeing the group come in was fabulous. I’ve seen them progress over the last few years from being really nervous about starting essays and doing learning journals, and to see they’re nearly finished now and
how everything has come together for them, it’s amazing.”

The diploma, both studying and tutoring, was the perfect foundation to do further study in sexuality and sexual health education at DCU and set the groundwork for a new business. Celine also worked on presentations and workshops to raise awareness of sexual violence.

“I’ve been working with the staff in a third-level institution and that has
been a really big project for me this winter, which I really enjoy.

“The plan going forward is to be out in schools and to keep delivering workshops with an edge; not just the biological aspect but challenging social norms and highlighting injustices around sexuality with a human rights lens and a social justice lens.

”It’s applying the real meaning behind the course where it can make the biggest difference, having experienced that impact herself.

“This course is most likely to be the most valuable thing anyone will do,
timewise and financially, in their lifetime. I really feel that. It has real
meaning for everybody.

“It’s just the life-changing and life-enhancing aspect of it, the value it can bring both professionally and personally, and also the opportunity it brings.

“It’s led to a career change for me and it’s just a unique opportunity
to explore those options and become more engaged in life and more involved in the world and find a strong voice for yourself.

“And the supportive environment does assist everybody. You’ll never be alone in it.”