Olivia is a formidable young woman who aspires to disrupt and improve the education system following her own negative experiences in education.
Olivia told us how she would always run out of time in exams and struggle to keep up in lessons at school. It wasn’t until she reached college and her needs were assessed that she was given the extra support she needed (such as access to a computer and extra time in exams).
Olivia has turned this negative into a positive and is now the first person in her family to be accepted into university – a fact she is incredibly proud of. She is due to start her undergraduate studies in September 2021 at Manchester Metropolitan University. Here she will study Education to begin her journey to change the education system by becoming a qualified education professional. Her family, like many, have been hit hard by the pandemic and Olivia is worried that without the correct technology, she would struggle once again.
The MRSF awarded Olivia £668 towards an I-pad and an Apple pencil, to support her studies and her ambitious plans. She told us by having this technology ‘This will give me the opportunity to access equipment that allows me to take notes, whilst recording my lectures and seminars – so that I don’t miss key information and have access to the content at any time. This means I will be able to revise and review work in my own time and feel confident in my ability to understand the content. However, I will not be limited to just note taking. I will also have access to online resources that will allow me to research deeper into course modules and have exposure to opportunities of further reading.’
Roger Harding, CEO at RECLAIM, told us that:
“Support from the MRSF would help Olivia make the most of the educational opportunities she has fought hard for, and is a real investment in one of the city’s rising stars. Throughout her time at RECLAIM Olivia has been an active campaigner for improving the education system to benefit of other young people. Her campaigning to secure the Our Pass, acknowledged by GM Mayor Andy Burnham, has made a huge difference to thousands of young people’s ability to access education, employment and cultural opportunities across Greater Manchester. She was also active in the campaign to secure working class students like her fair grade assessments last summer, with her appearing in several on several media outlets to successfully make her case. Olivia is supportive of the younger people at RECLAIM and generous with her time. We are excited by her plans to become a leader in the education field.”
A fantastic story about an inspirational young Mancunian. We’re looking forward to supporting Olivia and watching her journey as a Rising Star!
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