Social and Community Development Course- Mature Student any advice?!

fairycakes

Hi there

I am 28 sick of been really unhappy with my job so I am taking the plunge and applying through CAO to do Community and Social Development hoping to do this in Blanchardstown IT.

Just wondering has anybody done this course? any advice? I have never been to college so I am scared but very excited at the thoughts of a new career

Many thanks

Maple

Moved from TLL, hopefully you will get a better response here.

Maple.

Block G Raptor

maple wrote: »

Moved from TLL, hopefully you will get a better response here.

Maple.

I'm not on this course but am a mature student @ ITB. I was out of education for the best part of 15 years before starting A Degree in Computing in september and have to say it's the best decision I have ever made. see the computing degree thread on here for some other peoples views of the college life. I would say go for it you won't regret it

Soul Cake Duck

Hi Fairycakes,

I started this course in Blanch in September. Its a brand new course and this is its first year in Blanch so we are the guinea pigs in a way!

I applied as a mature student last year giving up work and changing everything and it was the best decision I every made. The college is great and this course has a wide mix of ages from 17 to around 50/60 this year.

The first semester of the course was very good with the differences from social care being;

Culture competence (looking at the anthropological study of culture which I found this very interesting and I think in second year we will study Anthropology more in-depth)

Community development (looking at the theoretical principles and debates underpinning the concept of community…this leads onto group dynamics and development semester 2 I think).

I can't really think of anything else but if you've any other questions let me know..

fairycakes

Hi Supercroc

Thanks for the info, I went to the ppen evening and got some advice there.

Tell me how many hours a week are you in college on average?? I need to do part time work as the goverment won't give me any help so want to know what way i can do some work. Also I haven't done much college before are they helpful with people who might not be so up to date with study and essays and that??

Sorry for silly questions, many thanks!
Fairycakes

Soul Cake Duck

The full hours (including tutorials) is around 20 hours from Monday until Thursday with Friday off and I just got our semester 2 timetable and we have Fridays off again. We finished at five or four most days as well and it really depends on tutorial groups for the start times in the morning..I think the other group has later starts!!

As for worries on essays/study etc we actually had a lecture called 'communication and the learning environment' which was totally aimed at giving skills and advice on such things, basically a lecture for any questions or help on essays/assignments and study skills.

I was very worried about this at the start but the college/lecturers in general are so helpful, it is an IT and relatively small so help is always there when you need it. I really wouldn’t let and inhabitations about your writing/learning abilities hold you back as it’s a learned skill that after 3/4 years you will have developed to a tee!!

fairycakes

Brilliant thats a great help to me Supercroc

Many thanks!
FC

BornToRun88

poor course, not well organised and it's course content is quite dour. I left the course and since i left i've left i felt so much better

danish pasterys

fairycakes wrote: »

Hi there

I am 28 sick of been really unhappy with my job so I am taking the plunge and applying through CAO to do Community and Social Development hoping to do this in Blanchardstown IT.

Just wondering has anybody done this course? any advice? I have never been to college so I am scared but very excited at the thoughts of a new career

Many thanks

Hi im just wondering as now ur probly finished the degree what you taught of it abd have u gained employment out of it? As im strongly tginkingbif doing it nx year more importantly whats the jobs seen like with this degree?? Anyone