“Studying counselling made sense to me as I believe developing meaningful connections is fundamental as a human being”, says Scott. “Personally, this was no more apparent than when I became a father and was invited to join a Father’s Group called ‘MUF’ (Men Understanding Fatherhood). Initially, it was an informal collective and we’d get together to chat about the challenges of fatherhood. That was ten years ago and it’s since evolved to become a more refined group of friends. We’ve helped each other through all sorts, so much so I ended up setting up a second support group so more people can benefit. Seeing first-hand the difference these groups make to people’s lives and families is what inspired me to dig deeper into the science of human connection and formalise some of those experiences”.
To Scott, joining ACAP Byron felt like a natural decision. He works full-time managing property and is a Dad so while he wanted a personal study experience, he was also looking for flexibility.
“Living in Byron, obviously ACAP having a campus locally was a huge bonus, especially as I personally prefer face to face learning. I needed study to fit in with the rest of my life but I wanted to feel supported as previous experiences elsewhere had felt cold, with technology actually making the whole thing feel more lonely. What I really love about ACAP, on the other hand, is the warmth. The staff fosters a genuinely supportive and caring community and there’s also so much extra support through SLS. Some students joined the course with no formal training or writing skills, and now they’re just thriving! As for study modes, while I prefer face to face it’s great to have flexibility. There have obviously been times we’ve had to move online due the pandemic, and the staff used technology in a way that brought us all together and kept us connected to each other. It feels like real people are running ACAP. It’s really very special”.
As a busy father, Scott knows only too well how daunting it can feel to take on extra study. His advice to anyone contemplating enrolling on a course? Just do it.