Terry Turns It Around
At 21 years of age, Terry Reilly, from Wester Hailes, become an Adult Learner of the year after overcoming a history of offending.
Terry’s efforts to turn his life around were acknowledged at the recent Scotland’s Learning Partnership Awards ceremony for which Terry had been nominated through local education programme, Passport.
Terry came to Edinburgh’s Passport programme - an accredited programme of 1:1 support for ex-offenders, care leavers and recovering drug users to move on to work, training and college - while serving a sentence in Polmont Young Offenders’ Institute. With real determination to put his past behind him, Terry successfully completed qualifications in Jobseeking Skills and Personal Effectiveness in Polmont and a Rural Skills course after release.
Terry said "I have achieved lots through Passport. I’ve been able to get on training programmes that have given me focus, qualifications and more chance of getting the job I want."
While on the Passport programme Terry enrolled on the Access: Cars trainee mechanics course delivered by GTG Training Group. He completed the course and is using the experience gained to go into self employment as a car valeter.
Terry said "If I was speaking to other young people I’d be saying look at your life now it might not be too good but you can get the skills to better yourself and I’m an example of that."
Terry is the eighth award winning adult learner to come through Access to Industry projects over the past 6 years.
Access to Industry Passport manager, Seamus Spencer, said "Terry’s story is an example of what’s possible when we combine individual determination with the right support and right opportunity. I think this project remains one of the best ways to help people move on from offending and other difficulties."