Inspiring university personal statement from South West young person

One of our amazing young people in the South West has shared their personal statement for their university application with us as an inspiring message to other children in care, especially those that may hope to go on to University one day.

Anna who is our Childrens Champian for the South West can't believe the remarkable change in the young person. She said: "This young person has made such enormous leaps in her ability to express herself, if you had met her when she arrived 7/8 years ago it was hard to imagine this would be possible and it has taught me not to underestimate any of our young people!"

You can read the inspiring personal statement below: 

Having studied art and design at both A-level and GCSE, I’m certain that this course is perfect for me. During my 2-year A level course, I explored a varied artistic practice incorporating a mixture of different mediums into my work, for example Lino printing, painting techniques and more controlled applications such as oil pastels. At the start I was driven by the more expressive aspect of portraiture, layering acrylic paint to create an interesting texture. I was thoughtful about the process I would take, in order to think critically about how I would link my piece to the studied artist I studied the layer formation, in simple terms I tried to work out what colour to layer first. My determination to succeed along with my passion has been evident from the start. Going into lockdown enabled me to adapt and focus as one of my final outcomes had to be completed in isolation, without very much tuition and using my own materials. I am able to work independently.

As a young child art allowed me to express my emotions during difficult times. From the age of 3 I was always drawing and doodling as a coping mechanism, this continued then amplified until I was taken into foster care at the age of 11 where I started to explore other mediums to express myself. Now living on a farm, I am surrounded by still life which I can incorporate into my work and express the values of nature which I feel shows my commitment. My ability to adapt and strive in the unknown is what makes me a determined and consistent learner as well as giving me the skills to think creatively about my subject matter.

Furthermore, I have also gained valuable experience from past voluntary events, I have worked for St John Ambulance as well as joining the National Citizenship Service. Working for the community has helped my confidence grow as well as develop my patience and humanity. Whilst on the NCS 4-week service I took part in teambuilding activities to improve my social mobility as well as my general communication skills, which I feel will help me adapt to university life. Towards the end of the program I engaged socially in completing a creative project for the local community which took a lot of planning and preparation, such as handing out leaflets, raising money for the charity Young minds and Livewire and inviting the general public by radio broadcast. This was a very rewarding experience.

Currently I am studying 3 A- levels: Art and Design, English language and literature and Geography, where my field stretches more onto the creative and recreational side. I am highly motivated to learn and practice new skills in all these fields and may pursue an editorial career where all these skills can overlap.

If you would like to share your inspiring story with us, please get in touch with us at: communication@capstonefostercare.co.uk.