For the 23rd year, Epilepsy Ireland are currently enrolling students for their renowned Training for Success course in IT Sligo.
This QQI Level 5 course is specifically targeted at people with epilepsy whose educational or social development may have been impacted by their condition which in turn has affected their ability to gain employment or pursue further education.
Training for Success aims to help students overcome this by helping them to better manage their condition in a third level educational environment where they can develop both the theory and practical life skills that are vital for employment or further education.
Training for Success Course Manager, Maire Tansey, explained the basis behind the course and the impact it has had in the lives of people with epilepsy in its 23-year history.
“Due to the nature of epilepsy, particularly when it is uncontrolled, it can be something which can impact on a person’s educational & social experiences. It is not difficult to imagine how repeated seizures for a person during their leaving cert year could negatively impact their results.”
“Additionally, the psychological impact of the condition can mean that sometimes living with epilepsy can lead to a person believing that they will not be able to gain sustained employment or be able to pursue education. This self-determined stigma is something that we try to overcome with our students at Training for Success.”
Maire, who earlier this year won an award from the European Federation of Neurological Associations for her work on Training for Success, explained how the course can help support people with epilepsy in this situation.
“At Training for Success, we work with students to show them how they can better manage their condition through lifestyle changes and by better understanding their own epilepsy. Alongside this, modules on customer service, communications, research & study skills, health & safety at work are delivered with the end goal of a QQI Level 5 award in General Studies”.
“The environment is truly unique as everyone on the course is a person with epilepsy and our previous students have formed lifelong bonds with their classmates. 85% of those who have completed the course have gone on to enter the workforce or pursue further education – a figure we are immensely proud of – and many of those who have completed the course point to it as a turning point in their lives.”
“We are very excited to be recruiting students for the 21/22 year and if you’d like to discuss your eligibility for the course – or that of a family member – please do get in touch with me on tansey.maire@itsligo.ie. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have and explore whether Training for Success is an avenue you should consider pursuing.”
For further details on Training for Success, visit the 'Training for Success' section of our website.