Kellie

What did you study and why?

I studied law because I had an amazing lawyer for child that advocated for my rights at a very difficult stage in my life. She inspired me to embark on a legal career and empower myself with the necessary legal understanding of my rights.

Why did you decide to study in tertiary education?

I wanted to be a lawyer and there was no other path in New Zealand to become a lawyer without a law degree (at the time) so I was determined to get into university and ensure I obtained a good enough grade to continue the law degree.

What did you find the most challenging?

At times, it felt like I was crawling over broken glass to the graduation line. In addition to the lack of financial support, I felt very isolated from my peers who were still living at home and had emotional and ‘life-admin' support. The most challenging barrier that I had was knowing that I did not get a second chance at university and that I could not afford to fail.

What did you find the most rewarding?

Looking back now and knowing I have changed my life for the better.

What are you doing now?

I worked at a top law firm in New Zealand for 5 years upon graduation and then relocated to a Magic Circle firm in London two years ago.

What are your future plans?

London is starting to grow on me so right now we are enjoying exploring Europe during the breaks and holidays but we also miss home so we may head back in the near future.

What bit of advice would you give to someone care experienced considering tertiary education? Use your experience in care and turn it into a positive trait to show how resilient you are. There will be times where you feel like you cannot go on but keep pushing through - know that only you can control your life and shine despite the circumstances you were dealt.

What changes would you like to see for care leavers accessing in the future?

There needs to be more support from tertiary providers to care leavers - this ideally should be at every level where possible (ie through tutors to lecturers) and a peer system developed for peer to peer mentoring from care experienced mentors to care leavers in tertiary education.