South Staffordshire College student achieves inspirational success

Marvin Campbell is a remarkable young man.  He has just passed his BTEC National Award in Business at South Staffordshire College with a distinction and will soon be starting his HND course at the College's Lichfield Campus.  When you know the circumstances in which this was achieved, his story is more than a success, it is a genuine inspiration.

As a teenager, the future looked very uncertain for Marvin.  With little mainstream schooling behind him, he was nevertheless encouraged to go to college.  At first he found the workload and discipline very tough.  As he says himself he was "hyperactive" and found concentration difficult.  What's more, he was a few years older than his fellow students, as a late starter in educational terms.

Now, at the age of 21, with the help of South Staffordshire College course tutor Danielle Horton and her team, he is looking forward to future academic success, with a career plan to follow.

Marvin's is a story that could have turned out quite differently, had he not been blessed with strength of character and support from some key individuals in his life.  From continual disruption in his "home" surroundings, some drug and drink problems, and brushes with the authorities, he has moved on, finding purpose, structure and success in his life.

Now Marvin has clear, strong ambitions, very much based on his own experience.  As he says "I've been in care for 16 and a half years of my life and I haven't really had a proper start in life.

But after getting a distinction on my BTEC Business course I'm going on to do an HND in Business at the Lichfield Campus  of  South Staffordshire College which delivers a range of courses on behalf of Staffordshire University.  Then I'm determined to go on to do the full degree course".

To understand just how far Marvin has come, it is important to know just what level of adversity he has overcome.  As he says "I'm quite proud of my achievements - only 1% of young people in care make it to University.  Personally I've had about three sets of placements, including foster parents and children's units and I've been homeless for long periods of time.  I went to an EBD (Emotional Behavioural Difficulties) school, where we never really did proper school work, no exams or homework".

Transferring to college at 15, Marvin at first found the work ethic a challenge but he persevered.  He did GCSEs, then a Health and Social Care course in which he gained a distinction.

His life was still "a bit upside down" in his own words, but he got it back on track with the Business course, run by course tutor Danielle Horton at the Tamworth Campus of South Staffordshire College.  Danielle has been Marvin's tutor and mentor over the last couple of years and has been delighted by his progress.  "Marvin has successfully overcome many barriers to learning throughout his time at college including managing his behaviour, managing his time and assignments and building positive relationships with fellow students and staff at the college".

For the future, Marvin has a clear vision.  His focus is for continuing personal success but not by any means to the exclusion of others.

"It's my ambition to set up and run a business that helps people going through the same kind of experience as me" he says.  "It will have to be profitable but it will also make a difference to people's lives".

Marvin Campell's success truly is inspirational and an encouragement to all those young people who believe life can be made better.  His story is an example of the South Staffordshire College ethic that all students can "make it".

In his words he has "taken control of my own life.  About 80% of people going through what I did end up in prison.  I got very close to it myself when I was younger.  Living in a hostel environment it's very easy to get together and do bad things.  It happens.  Now I've learnt a lot and I think I've got quite an old head on young shoulders".

He also pays tribute to the dedication of Danielle Horton and her team at South Staffordshire College who, he says, helped him academically but in understanding that the "firm but fair" disciplinary approach was what he needed.  "It helped me knuckle down to the work.  I had a lot of support from my tutor and from all the business staff".

Marvin Campbell is justifiably proud of his achievements and South Staffordshire College is proud of him.