Entrepreneur Karen set up Driffield Karate Academy thirteen years ago and teaches students aged six upwards. Alongside this she has continued her own training, gained an OU degree and was a single parent and a full-time mum.
With her busy lifestyle for Karen attending a redbrick university was not an option. So, she looked into studying with the OU and now had a BA Childhood and Youth Studies.
Karen says “After six years of study gaining my degree has been tough and a lot of work, but I feel so much better for doing it”.
Karen decided to take the initiative and make the most of the opportunity to start
studying while she was based at home looking after her young daughter. She admits that time management was a nightmare but was provided with some childcare by her family and she studied when her daughter was in bed or at school.
The funding she received (being in receipt of benefits at the time) meant Karen was able to apply for financial assistance towards the courses as well as receiving a grant.
“I used the funding to update my computer and fund my broadband and I was even able to put some money towards my stationery. If it wasn’t for the financial help I wouldn’t have been able to study”
Now two years on from her OU studies, Karen who had ambitions to work with children following her degree runs a crèche and the academy teaching classes.
