Alan, Student Support service

Alan has received support from our Student Support service for over seven years. In the interview below, we asked him a few questions about the support he receives and how it improves his life.

Here’s what he said:

What is your name and can you tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Alan, I’m 24 and I study Certificate in Games and Computer Technology at Dundee and Angus College.

How did you first get involved with Hillcrest Futures?

I got involved with Hillcrest Futures, at the time it was called Gowrie Care, by starting college.  When I left school a Social Work Transition Officer decided that Gowrie Care would be the best option for me when I started college.

How long have you been supported by us?

I was involved with Hillcrest Futures for 7 and a half years for college support.

What type of things do staff support you with?

Hillcrest supported me one-to-one when I first started with them.  In Supported Education, they supported me constantly throughout the day.  Since leaving Supported Education they supported me occasionally in Hospitality, but I needed more support in Business & Administration and Computing.  They help me stay focused, and ensure that I understand the work. Since lockdown when I had to work from home, they check in to see how I’m doing and see if I’m working hard and how I’m coping with situations like this.

What difference does the support from Hillcrest Futures make to your life?

This made my life much easier by being supported by someone.  Knowing someone is there helps me to cope with situations like this and it helps to keep me calm.  They remind me to do distraction techniques when I’m not coping with college work or not coping with something happening within the family that is distracting me from college work.