"Go for it."
It’s simple advice, but for many women taking the first step back into education, it can feel like the hardest decision they’ll ever make.
Our latest video shares the real experiences of women who chose to take that step by enrolling on the Access to Higher Education Diploma for Health Professionals at Tees Valley Women’s Centre. Their stories are honest, inspiring and proof that it’s never too late to change your future.
For many of the women, the biggest challenge wasn’t the coursework – it was believing in themselves.
Returning to education after years away can feel overwhelming. Balancing family life, childcare, work commitments and anxiety often leaves women questioning whether they can really do it. But as our learners explain, once they walked through the doors at Tees Valley Women’s Centre, they realised they weren’t facing that journey alone.
The course is delivered in a welcoming, supportive environment where women encourage one another every step of the way. Rather than feeling like just another student in a large classroom, learners become part of a close-knit group, sharing knowledge, building friendships and growing in confidence together.
For some, access to our on-site nursery made studying possible. For others, completing Maths and English qualifications first gave them the confidence to progress onto the Access course. Whatever their starting point, every learner found the encouragement and support they needed to succeed.
One participant describes putting her dreams on hold for years while raising her family, believing she was “too old” to return to education. She soon discovered that age is no barrier to achieving your ambitions. Every year, women of different ages and backgrounds begin their journey with us, supporting one another and proving that it’s never too late to pursue a new career.
The impact of the course extends far beyond the classroom. Our learners go on to university, qualify in healthcare professions and build careers they once thought were out of reach. As one former learner, now training to become a midwife, shared:
“If it wasn’t for where I started, I wouldn’t be qualifying as a midwife.”
Stories like these remind us why education has the power to transform lives.
If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a nurse, midwife, paramedic, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or another healthcare professional, this could be your opportunity to take that first step.
Access to Higher Education Diploma – Health Professionals
Our next course starts Monday 14th September, with an Open Day on Thursday 3rd September, where you can meet the tutors, ask questions and find out whether the course is right for you.
If fear, self-doubt or time have held you back in the past, we hope the women in this video inspire you to believe that you can do it too.
Your future could begin with one decision.
Find out more
01642 296166
reception@tvwc.org.uk
www.tvwc.org.uk
Tees Valley Women’s Centre
Supporting Women. Changing Lives. Building Brighter Futures.
