Studying with the Open University (OU) has changed me and my outlook on life. It is a clear reminder that opportunities in prison are crucial and must be maintained at all costs, as they change lives for the better.
From hearing the words “I give you a life sentence” I never thought I’d be able to achieve anything from being in prison. Obviously, it has not been a walk in the park but like most other things in life, it can be what you make of it. Studying for my degree and Masters has not only given me self-esteem, confidence and belief, but it has also increased my understanding of myself and the world around me, while also unleashing my true potential. For this I am extremely grateful.
Completing my OU studies has taken ten years of hard work, determination and resolve to accomplish. I have had to embrace the challenges, overcome the obstacles and any frustrations I may have had in my quest to achieve my ambition and aspirations. Hopefully the journey does not stop here, as I truly believe it has only just begun. The odyssey continues!
Education has radically and positively transformed me for the better – it has given me a new lease of life for learning and a new perspective on life. Evidently investment in my studies has had a multi-layered effect, and I hope to inspire people inside and outside of prison that education is the solution to a more fulfilled and proactive life and future.
On a more personal note, my degrees will increase my chances of obtaining meaningful employment upon release, and also help with my goal of owning and running my own business. They will help with my reintegration back into society, and I plan to use them to transform me from a prison number to a valued member of society that will contribute to the system which helped support me while rehabilitating me.
I am the first person in my family to have obtained a degree, and this has encouraged my youngest son to enrol into further education. He is currently in his second year at Manchester University studying Football and Business. This just shows that such achievements motivate, enthuse and show the different people out there that you can still reap the rewards of hard work, and make the most of any terrible situation if you work hard enough.
So from hearing the words “take him down” and feeling the world crashing down on me, I now hold in my hands a number of qualifications and degrees which I never dreamed even possible. These are hands which are now uncuffed, proud and belong to a person with their head held high.
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