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Claire's story

Being in the middle of the lengthy legal matters concerning her divorce convinced single mum Claire to do an OU law degree and pursue a career to fight her and others’ legal battles.

Here's what Claire has to say about her OU journey

I am a single parent going through a divorce and the whole legal bit in court. The experience has taught me that I should never let anyone walk over me again and that I needed the empowerment of legal knowledge.  That is why I am doing a law degree so I can fight my own, and others’ battles.

I didn’t go to university after school.  At 18 I didn’t have the confidence to go away from home – now I have experience of life and am a stronger person, stronger than I was at the age of 18.  A lot my friends went to university and went on to do teaching or graduate jobs. I felt a bit left out but did not regret it – life takes you down a path and I believed my time would come.

After doing my GCSEs I went into travel and tourism for a number of years, met my husband and had a family, two girls.  I stopped work after my first child then went back when she was 13 months old doing reception and admin work and accounts.  After having my second daughter I went part time in retail but that didn’t work out.  There was a lot to juggle, the children came first and my husband had his own interests and everything I wanted to do was put on hold.

The marriage broke down almost two years ago and the legal side is still going on. I have legal representation but it has not been easy.  In March 2014 I was at a really low point and thought I would never let anyone walk over me again.  I wanted to be empowered with the knowledge I needed to fight my own legal battles.  I had seen the gaps in the legal system and wanted to fix them so other people didn’t have to go through the same as I had.

I felt very empty coming out of the relationship and felt that I didn’t have anything to offer anyone.  I wanted to prove to everybody ‘I can do this, I’m not thick, and I am intelligent’.

While I was married I experienced dreams about going back into education.  It was a weird premonition.  I wanted to do a law degree and went on The Open University website, then phoned them up and explained briefly what I wanted to do and why.  They were nice and told me about the options, the paths to take and I wanted to get started straight away.

They also advised that if I started ‘next month’ – this was in 2014, I could get full support from the Welsh Government as I am on Income Support. That support was a lifeline.  I have to reapply each module but I am now familiar with the process.

So I enrolled and it felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders.  I now knew where I was going in my life and I was not going to pass the chance by.

I wanted to get that degree and prove my point and not be a stay at home single mum with no job or prospects.

When the study packs arrived it was like Santa had been.  Everything was very self-explanatory and there was a guidance book to read before you started the text books and a study guide took you through each and every chapter.  My tutor was very supportive and I go to tutorials regularly.  My fellow students were from different backgrounds and with different reasons for being there, studying for work, to enhance what qualifications they already had.  I think I was the only one there doing it for what are deep seated reasons.

There was also social media where we could chat about the course material and there was also an element of chatting while learning at the same time.  There was always something going on, discussions and helping each other but I didn’t do the pubbing and clubbing.

And there was always help available from the OU, sympathetic and no question is ever considered too stupid or too silly – and they don’t judge.

I have a study routine when, after doing all my jobs and sorting out the kids I can sit down and give my books undivided attention – but you can still get overwhelmed and there is nothing wrong with having a day off now and then.  Study with the OU fits in well with my other commitments.

I aim to complete the degree in 2019 but after a year’s study I already feel I am a different person, not only adding another string to my bow but now I can see the future and where I want to be. My aim is to gain a Practising Certificate and a training contract and then qualify for the Bar.

In the past my hope and belief in myself was dismissed but with the OU I am in a really positive place now – and my mum is very impressed.

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