I need help leaving Home. But I don't know where to get advice.

Washington55

Hi there.

I'm attending UL but live at home during the summer & weekends. I've utterly hated it here for years since I live out in the back arse of nowhere where no friends can come visit & my family are the only people I see, day in, day out.

My family is on the low end of the income scale, so I am entitled to the full college grant for the year, not just the partial grant. There is no way of getting a job whilst I remain at home under my parents wing, since they are content with me, so long as I am alive and well. But I really want more from life than an ostrosized life in the countryside.

How would it be possible for me to leave home, and get a flat/room in the nearest city? I could not provide for this myself, since I'm unemployed & my family have a low income. Is there a way for me to apply for Independent Student Living & still get my college grant for maintenance come September???

Thanks in advance & kind regards.

Magicmatilda

Can't you try and get a part time job? Have you tried?

Where do you live during the week? Can you not stay there weekends?

I think the maintainence grant is all you get but you may be able to get a student loan. Have you tried that?

Why is there no way you can get a job?

You say "Independent Student Living" like it's a thing. Is it some sort of welfare payment I haven't heard of, or do you mean the student grant but with you down as an independent student living alone?

If you mean welfare, the only thing I can think of is rent supplement, but I don't think you'd be entitled to it. You could try talking to your local community welfare officer (details of which you can find online), but as a student living with your parents I'm not sure what they could do for you.

As for applying for the student grant, but as an independent living alone, you need to be over 23 for that as far as I know. Are you over 23?

If you can't work because of a disability or something like that, I'm sorry if I'm causing offence by saying this, but lots of people want to move out of the family home. You're entitled to a roof over your head and a decent quality of life, but it seems like you already have that. What you're looking for is independence and freedom (and the social life that would result from that). The best way to get that is to work for it.

The_Conductor

I'd echo what the others are saying here- why can't you get a part-time job? When I was in university- I regularly had a 60 hour week, when numerous labs and tutorials were on, alongside over 30 hours a week of lectures- and when on project work, I'd often be there at the weekend too. I managed to hold down a part time job- 15-20 hours a week, despite my ridiculous schedule. I was also quite ill a lot of the time. If I could do it- anyone could. Yes- it was hard finding jobs- and there were often lean times- but thats part of life.

Washington55

Magicmatilda wrote: »

Can't you try and get a part time job? Have you tried?

Where do you live during the week? Can you not stay there weekends?

I think the maintainence grant is all you get but you may be able to get a student loan. Have you tried that?

Hey.

Thanks so much for the response guys.:) And to the other posters aswell.

As for the part time job mentioned, I'm 26 km from the nearest city so I cannot get there freely & all of the time. I have an extremely low paying "job" that is say, maybe work 2 days, every 2 weeks, for no more than 60 euro & that'd be 7 hours per day ( realistically it's 30 euro a day, but that only barely covers the petrol money in ). Yes I'm 22 years old.

Washington55

Washington55 wrote: »

As for the part time job mentioned, I'm 26 km from the nearest city so I cannot get there freely & all of the time. I have an extremely low paying "job" that is say, maybe work 2 days, every 2 weeks, for no more than 60 euro & that'd be 7 hours per day ( realistically it's 30 euro a day, but that only barely covers the petrol money in ). Yes I'm 22 years old.

You say you only live at home during the summer and weekends. How about getting a job near UL once the summer is over? What's your set-up during those times?

ivytwine

What true or false said. Rent in castletroy can be as low as €25-€30 during the summer. Most landlords have little to no expectations of renting houses in the likes of elm park, Oaklawns for the summer, so it can be really cheap. I know limerick is hardly the job capital of the world but you never know. Only problem now it's June so it might be a bit late.

I know how frustrating it is to be stuck in ballygobackwards for the summer. I find myself all graduated back home working in my old job to earn money to hopefully go abroad. I missed every summer in college! Like you, never had the funds to do a j1 or similar.

I know it is frustrating and upsetting. I get down about it (today actually was a horrible one, stuck inside on such a sunny day, had to deal with an abusive and awkward customer who made myself and my coworker's shift hell, then came home to see on fb all my friends had gone to the beach, the match etc etc) but you know what everyone goes through those times. Very few people get to go to the beach ALL the time if you know what I mean.

Also edit: could you not take up some project/hobby over the summer, maybe a craft or something? Sounds corny I know bit I used to play music and even half an hour a day practice kept me sane in the summer between LC and college. Even going out on sat/fri night won't be enough if you have all week to fill, as you know already.

How about learning to drive? A really valuable skill. It is expensive but if you have a car to practice in it'd help a lot.