Case studies

Learning gives Lukas the confidence to teach

A young man from the Wirral has got his life back on track, thanks to his local UK online centre.  

When 18 year old Lukas Windrow left school, he had just a few GCSEs and little motivation or ambition for his future.  Lukas has been totally deaf in one ear since birth and wears a hearing aid, and he found that his crowded secondary school was ill equipped to deal with his needs.  

“Because I’m deaf in one ear, I really struggle to hear what people are saying.  Being in a classroom with 30 or so other kids talking away made it more or less impossible to keep up with the teachers.  None of my teachers could use sign language, so I more or less gave up trying,” explains Lukas.

“I was also regularly bullied about being deaf, which made going to school really difficult.  I found it hard to tell people I was deaf and even harder to keep asking them to repeat what they said.  I had to really try just to be able to do the everyday things the other kids were doing, and I felt like I was missing out on so much.  I just sort of faded into the background and stayed there.”

By the time Lukas left school he felt completely despondent about education and learning.  The bullying he had been subjected to had resulted in a severe lack of confidence.  

“I just used to spend my time drinking, and because of that I never had any money,” Lukas remembers.  “I got into a cycle of sleeping all day, not getting up until mid-afternoon, and then getting drunk every night.  I was just living from day to day and I really wasn’t excited about my future because I couldn’t see things ever changing.”

But a chance conversation with a friend was the catalyst to Lukas turning his life around, and giving him a positive future to look forward to.

“For as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by computers, but I’d never really done anything about it.  I was chatting with a friend one day and he mentioned the CBED (Community Based Educational Development) UK online centre in Liscard, not far from where I lived.  He asked if I’d go along with him, so I decided to give it a go.  Although my confidence had been knocked at school I felt ok about going there because I wasn’t on my own, and my friend persuaded me that I’d be ok and the staff would look after me.  He was right!

“As soon as I went in I was warmly greeted and the staff explained everything they could do for me to get me started on the computers.  The other great thing was that they never made a big issue out of my deafness - they just said that they could get me any help I needed and that was that.  It was so reassuring being in an environment where I was totally accepted, and so different to what I’d been used to.   It felt right from the moment I first walked in the door.”

Because Lukas felt so comfortable being at the UK online centre, his confidence quickly returned.  The centre staff noticed his natural IT abilities and asked if he’d consider becoming a volunteer, and help IT-novices get to grips with the basics of computers and the internet.  

“Being asked to volunteer was a massive boost to my confidence,” says Lukas.  “They thought I could do it, and that I’d be good at it.  No one’s ever really had that sort of faith in me before, so it really meant a lot.  What’s more, I really enjoy it, and I think I am quite good at it, because I know how people feel when they first walk in here.  It’s really nice to be able to help other people, and really satisfying to see their skills and confidence grow and know I might have had a little bit to do with it.”

As his confidence has grown, Lukas has become much better at explaining and talking about his hearing.  “I used to have a real problem asking people to repeat themselves, but now I have no problem at all.  If I don’t hear what somebody says I just say, ‘I’m deaf, would you mind repeating what you just said?’  In some cases the UK online centre staff will organise an interpreter for me so I’m not missing out on anything anymore, which is such a good feeling.  Because of that I had the confidence to take more courses, and I’ve done some group things that I just never thought I’d be able to do before – like Fire Warden training and First Aid at Work certificates.”

A few months after he started going to the CBED UK online centre in Liscard, Lukas moved into the Birkenhead YMCA.  When Alex Melbourne at Birkenhead YMCA found out about Lukas’s IT skills and volunteering experience, he asked him to head up the Y Café, an internet café which was due to open at the YMCA.

“When Alex asked me to get involved with the Y café I was so pleased,” says Lukas.  “It’s open to the public, as well as residents at the YMCA, and I manage the online section.  I set people up on myguide, help them with their e-mail accounts, show them how to find things or transfer data – whatever they need, really.  I’m also able to continue with my European Computer Driving Licence course while I’m there so I’m still able to learn.”

“When I get my ECDL qualification I want to study further and either become a website designer or a computer administrator.  I’ve discovered that I’m really good with databases and creating reports, and I’m also really drawn to the creative aspects of web design.  I’ve already done my own website with the help of a friend, and I’ve recently started playing drums in a band called ‘Kids of Infidelity’ – they’ve asked me to do a website for the band which I’m really looking forward to.”

Lukas realised just how far he’d come when he received a telephone call from Alexander with some very special news.  “I was in the park with my mates when Alex called to tell me I’d won a UK online centres award – I couldn’t believe it!” he grins.  “I was so excited, and all my mates were really buzzing for me.  I was just happy that UK online centres were helping me qualifications so I could get a good job – for them to then say I deserve an award was just amazing.

“When I think about how things were less than a year ago - I could barely get out of bed before lunchtime.  I was going nowhere, and to be honest I was in a bit of a dark place.  Now, I have qualifications and I know exactly what I want to do with my life.  UK online centres has helped me in so many ways – I get up early, I hardly drink, and I want to help other people to do the same.  Thanks to UK online centres and the fantastic people at CBED UK online centre, I’m determined to push myself to the limit, and beyond.  I know I can do it.

Lukas is now convinced that his involvement with UK online centres has been the main influence in helping him to set goals and carve out a career.  “I’m more qualified than I ever would have been without UK online centres,” he says.  “My knowledge about computers has gone sky-high, and I just can’t wait to get out there and start my career working with them.  UK online centres can help you get qualifications and get better jobs, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t get on at school, or have a disability or problem that’s stopped you from learning.  They’re on your side and will let you learn at your own pace.  If UK online centres can help me, they can help anyone.”