How Laura beat the odds
MOTHER-OF-THREE Laura Harris escaped a life of homelessness, drug abuse and mental health issues to win a Learner of the Year award.
A CYNON Valley mum has opened up about how she turned her life around and escaped homelessness, drug abuse, domestic violence and mental health issues.
After being placed in a women’s refuge, 33-yearold mother-of-three Laura Harris moved to Aberdare in 2015, enrolling at college.
Now she has just won the Overall Learner of the Year at this year’s Inspire! Awards, in recognition of her transformation into a confident and successful student.
Mum to Tyler, 15, and 10-year-old twin girls, Laura said: “I had a troubled childhood. I didn’t go to school and had a difficult relationship with my mother. It was no surprise when I was made homeless and ended up walking the streets of Swansea trying to find shelter at 14 years old.
“I used drugs to escape from my life but they made me psychotic and frightened.
“I got pregnant at 17 and was given my own property and came off drugs and started to turn my life around. I met my partner and all was all right until he became controlling.
“I was placed in a women’s refuge and was transferred to Aberdare, an area where I knew no-one but I was safe. I wanted to get an education to help my son with his school work. I began at Coleg y Cymoedd and have never looked back.
“I relish learning and nothing feels more rewarding than the pride I feel achieving distinctions in my work. I have been accepted to university next academic year which is something I thought I would never ever do.”
Laura started with an Access to Humanities course and progressed onto Level three Business and Administration.
Determined to succeed, she excelled at her studies, achieving distinctions in her coursework.
She received the Overall Learner of the Year as well as the Health and Wellbeing category at this year’s Inspire! Awards on June 15 in recognition of her transformation into a confident and successful student progressing to university, having secured a place to study events management at the University of South Wales in September.
She has also used her challenging background to help others in the past.
As a result of the trauma of her past life, Laura suffers panic attacks.
As part of a theatre workshop Laura devised a DVD which features her experiences on relationships and domestic violence.
The DVD was rolled out across schools and colleges in Rhondda Cynon Taf and won a National Union of Students Enterprise award in 2016.
Laura adds: “My message to anyone who suffers from mental health, alcohol and drug problems like I did is that the answer is education. It has transformed my life and that feels amazing.
“My mum has come back into my life. She’s really proud of me. She’s amazed by the transformation in me and I now feel complete.
“I’m overwhelmed at winning this award, I’m excited and I’m proud. I’ve proved to myself and others that I can do it.”