Why Waheed Butt returned to study

UCLan Burnley Community Leadership FDA level 2

Waheed is currently a mature student on her first year of the Foundation Degree Community Leadership course at UCLan Burnley; she describes how the Burnley campus suits her family life.

“Being a mature student is more about the location, I am a full time carer to my husband and fitting in my family life around my studies is very important to me. I think I can do this perfectly at UCLan Burnley.”

Waheed came back into studying after 25 years; she describes how she struggled when she first started her course and how the staff has helped her gain confidence in her academic studies over the year.

“The student support staff are amazing and are always there for me, if I have something that I am concerned about or any work I need checking over they will always be there to help. They have guided me throughout my first year and made my thinking and the way I used to do things change all around, I have learnt to sit back and think things through. Wiser is also a great service UCLan offer, I have been working with Adele from the team on my assignments throughout the year and I have gained a lot more confidence within my writing skills.”

“The best thing about Burnley is that my class size is quite small and it helps to really get to know people within your course, if anyone is passing by in the corridor I can always say hello and recognise people.”

“After all the help I got throughout my first year I started to volunteer within the student support wellbeing staff and this has turned into a part time paid position that I can incorporate into my course. It is all about being available to step in and support students at Burnley, whether that is just someone who needs to be shown around campus or vulnerable students who need help. I really enjoy helping people and being useful, I would love to work here full time and as a student myself I feel like I needed that support.”

5 June 2018