I had those phone calls that I was talking about... One from Student Support and one from Accommodation Services.
Student Support sounded genuinely sorry for what I was going through - at least after I read my impressive list of everything I've done trying to get help with housing. They even suggested that I could get a guarantor through the University to help me get my foot in the door for a flat! How brilliant is that?! Takes a massive weight off my shoulders because then maybe these places won't ask for six months rent up front - I mean, how impressive will it look to a landlord that my guarantor is an organisation, especially one as big as the University of York! Wow!
So the next day, Accommodation services call me back (I've been trying to get in touch) and ask me a lot of questions... Who have you called about finding a flat? What websites have you been looking at? According to her, it's because they "weren't sure how much I was doing to help myself". Well, more than YOU'RE doing to help me, lady... 96 phone calls between Saturday and Wednesday to letting agents, councils, MPs offices and the University itself. With knock back after knock back.
So I told this woman about the offer from Student Services, about them being my guarantor. What did she say? Altogether now - "Oh no, that's only for International Students! Or if you've already been here for a year..." Wahey! /sarcasm. Genuinely looking like I can't go to York unless I go to another country and try to get back in. Or unless I've already been there for a year... Now where did I leave my TARDIS?
The end of the conversation - wait until September, there will be far more flats available then because that's when we get the International Students moving over. They're even going to have a find a flat event in the University and maybe I'll want to attent that - oh but by the way, no one wants to let to families, because if they then want to change their property back to a student house, they have to pay a fine to Planning Permission. GEE, THANKS. They're just stacking everything upon everything against me!
I'm just trying to get there with my boy to start my degree. Everybody deserves an education. Everybody. Mums are people too. Home student mums are people too.
If I thought my boy could hack it, I'd be buying a caravan right now and finding somewhere to park it permanently.
Tuesday 27 August 2013
Wednesday 21 August 2013
Having Hell with Housing
I've not updated this for a while... To be honest, stress kind of makes me seize up... My brain thinks about all of the possibilities and before I know it, it's two o'clock in the morning and I have to be up for work in four hours...
So here's an update. It's exactly two weeks since I applied for housing and I still haven't heard anything from University Accommodation - only their first email acknowledging my application.
But, as I mentioned in my last post, I received a phone call from Student Welfare shortly after I applied for housing stating that because I'm British it would be "very unlikely" that I'd get University family accommodation. I immediately started searching the internet for private rent houses.
There were a few out there, but they were very expensive - of course, they would be, they're in York! But I reckon that I could manage with LHA... Unfortunately, they won't even make a calculation until I've got my childcare grant - so I have to have moved there already...
I went to view three flats on Saturday - A small one bed flat above a hairdresser, a very small two bed flat that was too far away and a gigantic one bedroom flat that was really close to the University. The latter was fantastic - it would have been perfect - so I phoned up first thing this Monday to apply. The estate agent said that it would be up to the landlord. After putting the phone down, I thought "no wait, all the landlord knows about me is that I'm a student single mum - I have much more to offer than that. I've been a civil servant for five years, I've been working, I have savings..." So I called back to tell them all the good things that I have going for me! It was then that the bombshell was dropped.
They wanted SIX MONTHS rent in advance, as well as the bond and all of the fees. You read that correctly - SIX MONTHS. A quick calculation reveals that to be £4,025. What student has FOUR THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE POUNDS in their bank account?
I subsequently learned that this wasn't uncommon - I'm a student, the word chewed up and spat out between the disgusted teeth of landlords. A "student" - it's become some kind of curse word... Like "commoner" or "leper"... This was why six months of rent was required up front - just from the "students".
And there's nothing I can do about it - My life savings do not amount to £4025. Even with the Charity for Civil Servants helping me, I can't afford it.
My MP could help, surely - I called, certain that he'd have a gem of knowledge that could rush to my rescue! He didn't. The government want people to be educated! Wasn't that a quote I'd heard? "No one should have to turn down an education because they can't afford it". I waited for him to think it through - would anything come to mind? I got a reply yesterday. They've spoken to University accommodation and "unfortunately, they say that all of the family accommodation has filled up". They haven't emailed me yet to say the same. I find out through a third party. Even now, I've had no news - it feels like they're biding their time trying to sugarcoat a response - "sorry, but because you're British, we can't house you."
What am I to do? University Housing won't help. Private landlords are asking for too much. I've looked everywhere, phoned everywhere, and I'm really not joking - I've made 96 phone calls since Saturday. I can't even get a bursary to assist - it's too late. What now?
I have but three more options - three more paths to take.
The first, I can apply for help from CCS to pay the initial costs and try to scrounge the rest from the whole of my life savings, to afford the tiny one bedroom flat above the hairdresser...
The second, stay where I am and only attend lectures on one day a week, by asking my mum to look after my son so that I can get the train 117 miles up there and back, and risk being kicked out by the University for living more than thirty miles away (yes, that's in their rules, would you believe)
The third, the proverbial bullet to the chest - give up my place at the university. The place that I worked so hard for, that I studied my HNC while keeping my full time job and raising my son for, that I've aimed towards, that I've dreamt about.
My hard work doesn't count for anything - my nomination for Young Female Engineer of the Year at the IET - my 15 and a half Distinctions - my countless exams. I cannot possibly explain to you how much this is breaking my heart.
There are no quotes of patience or solidarity today... I couldn't possibly take it to hear any more.
So here's an update. It's exactly two weeks since I applied for housing and I still haven't heard anything from University Accommodation - only their first email acknowledging my application.
But, as I mentioned in my last post, I received a phone call from Student Welfare shortly after I applied for housing stating that because I'm British it would be "very unlikely" that I'd get University family accommodation. I immediately started searching the internet for private rent houses.
There were a few out there, but they were very expensive - of course, they would be, they're in York! But I reckon that I could manage with LHA... Unfortunately, they won't even make a calculation until I've got my childcare grant - so I have to have moved there already...
I went to view three flats on Saturday - A small one bed flat above a hairdresser, a very small two bed flat that was too far away and a gigantic one bedroom flat that was really close to the University. The latter was fantastic - it would have been perfect - so I phoned up first thing this Monday to apply. The estate agent said that it would be up to the landlord. After putting the phone down, I thought "no wait, all the landlord knows about me is that I'm a student single mum - I have much more to offer than that. I've been a civil servant for five years, I've been working, I have savings..." So I called back to tell them all the good things that I have going for me! It was then that the bombshell was dropped.
They wanted SIX MONTHS rent in advance, as well as the bond and all of the fees. You read that correctly - SIX MONTHS. A quick calculation reveals that to be £4,025. What student has FOUR THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE POUNDS in their bank account?
I subsequently learned that this wasn't uncommon - I'm a student, the word chewed up and spat out between the disgusted teeth of landlords. A "student" - it's become some kind of curse word... Like "commoner" or "leper"... This was why six months of rent was required up front - just from the "students".
And there's nothing I can do about it - My life savings do not amount to £4025. Even with the Charity for Civil Servants helping me, I can't afford it.
My MP could help, surely - I called, certain that he'd have a gem of knowledge that could rush to my rescue! He didn't. The government want people to be educated! Wasn't that a quote I'd heard? "No one should have to turn down an education because they can't afford it". I waited for him to think it through - would anything come to mind? I got a reply yesterday. They've spoken to University accommodation and "unfortunately, they say that all of the family accommodation has filled up". They haven't emailed me yet to say the same. I find out through a third party. Even now, I've had no news - it feels like they're biding their time trying to sugarcoat a response - "sorry, but because you're British, we can't house you."
What am I to do? University Housing won't help. Private landlords are asking for too much. I've looked everywhere, phoned everywhere, and I'm really not joking - I've made 96 phone calls since Saturday. I can't even get a bursary to assist - it's too late. What now?
I have but three more options - three more paths to take.
The first, I can apply for help from CCS to pay the initial costs and try to scrounge the rest from the whole of my life savings, to afford the tiny one bedroom flat above the hairdresser...
The second, stay where I am and only attend lectures on one day a week, by asking my mum to look after my son so that I can get the train 117 miles up there and back, and risk being kicked out by the University for living more than thirty miles away (yes, that's in their rules, would you believe)
The third, the proverbial bullet to the chest - give up my place at the university. The place that I worked so hard for, that I studied my HNC while keeping my full time job and raising my son for, that I've aimed towards, that I've dreamt about.
My hard work doesn't count for anything - my nomination for Young Female Engineer of the Year at the IET - my 15 and a half Distinctions - my countless exams. I cannot possibly explain to you how much this is breaking my heart.
There are no quotes of patience or solidarity today... I couldn't possibly take it to hear any more.
Thursday 8 August 2013
Applying for everything else
The course isn't everything. I'm sure you know, a typical course at University now (depending on where you live and apply) is £9000 per year, then you have maintenance to think about, and childcare! Am I going to be able to work as well? Can I stay in University accommodation to save on my rent?
When I went for my interview, I was thrilled to discover that there was a provision in place to house families in their first year. This was perfect for me, so I looked up the application process. It was quite late in the year, but I decided to wait until the application process opened, because it sounded so good! They even have a campus nursery, so I filled in everything I could on the application and sent it in.
I enrolled on 6th August, quite late at night, but thought it would be essential to enroll before I applied for housing - what if I got to the housing application and it forced me to the enrolling process before it would let me put my name on that list! After enrolling, I got my timetable, which was a total shock - three or four days a week, my lessons finish at 6pm, and there isn't another class for me to swap to! That's far too late for my son, so I needed to seriously sit down and think about this...
Knowing that if I managed to make the timetable work, I'd still need somewhere to live, I decided to still apply for University housing. The applications opened on 7th August - yesterday morning - and I was there 40mins early on the website, watching it count down... I even took a picture closer to the time!
When that counter hit zero, I logged right in, with only 24 people ahead of me in the queue! I'm not sure how many people actually applied, but 25th on that list sounds like good going! After four minutes and some simple questions, it was all over. No "enter five years of your housing history" or "what was the maiden name of your father's first pet dog" or anything silly... Just what type of house did I want. Given that I was opting for "family", a lot of the difficult choices like which college to join were made for me. Easy as pie!
But, of course, that's not the end of the story. Housing is first come, first serve, but also based on a tier process - International students get priority. I'm not begrudging, exactly, but it's difficult to hear that you might find out in the month before you move that you can't live in University housing. The past two days have been spent trying to find a private rent place that's suitable for me and Elim. I have some viewings booked next weekend and we'll go from there...
I'm not sure what I can afford until I know how much housing benefit I can get to help out.
I'm not sure how much housing benefit I'm entitled to until I have a childcare grant.
I can't even apply for the childcare grant until I have a nursery place.
I can't get a nursery place for another week, and it's dependant upon my timetable.
And finally, I am currently waiting on an e-mail about my timetable, so everything has kind of ground to a halt!
Therefore, my mantra of the day -
"When your ability to control external events is limited or nonexistent, you must learn to control your inner responses" - Anon
Applying for Uni
Ok, I admit it, I told a little fib in yesterday's entry... As I'm sure you gathered, I've already applied for my course, so this blog isn't quite from "application onward".
If you want any advice on applying, it would be to do it early, get someone to read your personal statement (like a local college - they usually help their own students to apply, and could prove to be a good resource) and ask someone who really likes you (and knows a lot about team working and the kind of things that an employer would be looking for) to write your cover letter! I also made it clear that I'm a mum, because the way I look at it, some universities might turn you down, but if they're the type that will, then do you really want to go there?
After an interview, I got a place at York - my first choice - and they've known from the start that I have another life to think about. The lovely man who interviewed me asked a ton of questions about my boy, and beamed from ear to ear when my face lit up talking about him! I have been so understood, and probably so lucky.
Rather than taking A-levels, I took my qualifications in practical work (as in 'I practically worked!') but still gained the equivalent UCAS points to get into the Masters course straight off. I'm a mum, yes, but I have proven myself academically and have practical experience - being a mum shouldn't come into play, and my qualifications are equivalent to A-levels.
Of the five universities that I applied for, three didn't agree.
I won't name names, and I couldn't possibly comment on their decision making process. I don't know why they turned me down but I really hope that it wasn't because I have a son.
It's not all sunshine and rainbows just because I got onto the course! Plenty more hardships to go! Some that have happened already - I'll bring you up to speed soon.
In the meantime, a friend messaged me after my introduction yesterday, saying 'uve got "balls"!'... It reminded me of this quote, which I love;
"Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding." - Betty White
If you want any advice on applying, it would be to do it early, get someone to read your personal statement (like a local college - they usually help their own students to apply, and could prove to be a good resource) and ask someone who really likes you (and knows a lot about team working and the kind of things that an employer would be looking for) to write your cover letter! I also made it clear that I'm a mum, because the way I look at it, some universities might turn you down, but if they're the type that will, then do you really want to go there?
After an interview, I got a place at York - my first choice - and they've known from the start that I have another life to think about. The lovely man who interviewed me asked a ton of questions about my boy, and beamed from ear to ear when my face lit up talking about him! I have been so understood, and probably so lucky.
Rather than taking A-levels, I took my qualifications in practical work (as in 'I practically worked!') but still gained the equivalent UCAS points to get into the Masters course straight off. I'm a mum, yes, but I have proven myself academically and have practical experience - being a mum shouldn't come into play, and my qualifications are equivalent to A-levels.
Of the five universities that I applied for, three didn't agree.
I won't name names, and I couldn't possibly comment on their decision making process. I don't know why they turned me down but I really hope that it wasn't because I have a son.
It's not all sunshine and rainbows just because I got onto the course! Plenty more hardships to go! Some that have happened already - I'll bring you up to speed soon.
In the meantime, a friend messaged me after my introduction yesterday, saying 'uve got "balls"!'... It reminded me of this quote, which I love;
"Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding." - Betty White
Wednesday 7 August 2013
Why I'm doing all this
I've been planning this and planning... "Wouldn't it be good if I...", "I wonder what it would be like if I..." and "would anyone even read it if I..." (so thanks, for starters, for being here!)
So this is me kicking myself to do it. The documentation of my University life - application onward - from the point of view of a single mum.
Yeah, I'm nuts, right? In September (next month, eek!), I'll be heading 100 miles North, away from my family, to the University of York, finally starting my Masters degree in Engineering, with my three year old boy in tow. By the time I graduate, if I do graduate, my little man will be 7 years old. Well, we can always do our homework together!!
Since 2008, I've been completing an Engineering Apprenticeship, and loving the work. Best thing I'd done - Until 2010, when Elim appeared in my life! But being a mum didn't stifle my engineering desire one bit! If anything, I wanted to do better, and work harder, to provide a life for my little family. I want my son to be proud of me one day.
About a year ago, I found out that at the end of my apprenticeship, I wasn't going to be kept on at the company. I have the cuts in the defense budget to thank for that, but I'm not the only one in those shoes! It wouldn't be fair of me to hold a grudge when my company have given me the most amazing platform into my career that I could have asked for - the experience, the banter and the confidence. They've only driven me to reach for the highest possible option, because I know I can do the work!
And the highest option for me right now? My Masters Degree in Avionics! I'm looking forward to it so much!
That's my introduction, anyway. I'll be keeping a blog of my experiences - the hardships and the good times. I hope that there are other single mums out there whom myself and my boy can persuade to go for it! And I hope that you can learn from my inevitable mistakes, even if I can't!
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." - Ernest Hemingway
So this is me kicking myself to do it. The documentation of my University life - application onward - from the point of view of a single mum.
 |
| This is a bit old, but I like it! |
Since 2008, I've been completing an Engineering Apprenticeship, and loving the work. Best thing I'd done - Until 2010, when Elim appeared in my life! But being a mum didn't stifle my engineering desire one bit! If anything, I wanted to do better, and work harder, to provide a life for my little family. I want my son to be proud of me one day.
About a year ago, I found out that at the end of my apprenticeship, I wasn't going to be kept on at the company. I have the cuts in the defense budget to thank for that, but I'm not the only one in those shoes! It wouldn't be fair of me to hold a grudge when my company have given me the most amazing platform into my career that I could have asked for - the experience, the banter and the confidence. They've only driven me to reach for the highest possible option, because I know I can do the work!
And the highest option for me right now? My Masters Degree in Avionics! I'm looking forward to it so much!
That's my introduction, anyway. I'll be keeping a blog of my experiences - the hardships and the good times. I hope that there are other single mums out there whom myself and my boy can persuade to go for it! And I hope that you can learn from my inevitable mistakes, even if I can't!
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." - Ernest Hemingway
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