From A Levels to volunteering in the Philippines

A group of Coleg y Cymoedd learners from the Ystrad Mynach campus took part in a recent workshop organised by Fixers; an organisation where young people use their past to fix the future. These people are motivated by personal experience to make positive change for themselves and those around them.

The ten learners studying on the Business Administration Level 3 and Office Essentials with Paralegal Studies courses were invited to participate in the event; where 21 year old Shauna Pugh delivered an extremely interesting session, highlighting her condition of Dissociative Amnesia. She explained her experiences and feelings of coping with the condition and through a series of activities and discussions, engaged with the learners. Shauna shared with the learners her ambitions of studying at university but then at 18 years of age, whilst studying for her A Levels she was diagnosed with Dissociative Amnesia. Notwithstanding all her experiences she still has her sights set on furthering her education at some point in the future.

The workshop was beneficial to the 10 learners who gained an insight into this extremely rare condition. Learner Shannon Kinsey aged 17 from Business Administration Level 3 said “I really enjoyed the session. Shauna is an inspiration; she has such a positive outlook and wants to send a clear message out, especially to young people. Mental illness can affect people of all ages but there is always someone there to help, support and care for you”.

The workshop was filmed for use by the ITV and was broadcast in February 2015: http://www.fixers.org.uk/news/11171-11208/memory-loss-fix-on-itv.php

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