I enrolled at City College four years ago.  This was for just one course, half a day per week, a digital photography course.  I had left school unable to read or write. The school I went to was a residential special school for children with learning and behavioural difficulties.  Most of the time at school was wasted the pupils were so badly behaived (me to) that the teachers would give up teaching us if you could not read or write by about  eleven years old, the teachers did not bother trying to teach you these skills.  I spent most of my time from this age until I left at sixteen years old, working on the gardens and trying to avoid being slapped around by the teachers.  I did deserve some punishment, but not the way I was assaulted nearly every day.  From leaving school to starting at a college, I tried several schemes and courses, bricklaying, painting and decorating, etc,.  None of these was helpful, I would start with the hope that they would teach me a skill and I would be able to get a job.  All that happened was that I became bored and then disruptive, it was like being back at school except they did not hit my, just called me a f*****g b*****d waste of time.  Then I would get upset and lash out with my fists.  I was sick of being treated like a freak because I could not read or write. 

Coming to college was a shock,  I just could not believe it.  The teachers were interested in me as a person.  They wanted me to succeed and learn and most of all, no one hit me.  After a few weeks my Personal Tutor asked me if I would like to do more than half a day at college.  Within a few months, I was attending this college three days each week and making good progress.  For the first time that I can remember, people were telling me that I was doing some thing that was considered good by them.