Ms Shona Healy:

I thank all the members for this opportunity to address the committee and hear about my lived experience. I am from Finglas, am 22 and have a late-in-life diagnosis of autism and ADHD. I am a student of National Learning Network Roslyn Park College, Stillorgan, and I am completing my course, Artlink, at QQI level 5. This course allows me the opportunity to work on my portfolio and it gives me studio space in which to work, develop my skills and work towards my goals.

Once I am finished this course, I hope to apply to the National College of Art and Design, NCAD, where I hope to qualify as a community art-based facilitator working within the disability community.

Prior to attending the National Learning Network, I had only ever been in mainstream education. I had attended secondary and further education, but I was unable to engage in my education in these settings and I did not understand why. I was unable to cope with the environment, which led to me going through quite bad school refusal. It was detrimental to my mental health. I left these educational settings believing I was unintelligent and that I was not meant to be in education. I felt lost and hopeless before coming to the National Learning Network. It was when I came to NLN and met people who were just like me that I began to understand myself a little better. It was because I came to the National Learning Network that I sought and received a diagnosis. This has changed my life for the better. I understand how to manage situations that cause me distress. It has helped me heal and rebuild my confidence. I have time to work on building my own strengths and coping skills while working on my education. The work experience I have received from this course has been amazing. It has given me real insight and understanding of the area I would like to pursue a career in after I finish education. It has given me direction and a goal to aim towards as I understand what I would like to do as a career.

Education is one part the National Learning Network. The staff and structure are what make the experience so valuable. The staff are approachable and my time there is focused on what I need to progress. Being with my peers has helped me to begin to understand myself better. I value the time I spend with my friends at college. I learn from them and they from me. I have such a better understanding of my needs as a result of this.