Miss-Delectable
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Kilmarnock graduate will help deaf people - Kilmarnock Standard
BEING deaf hasn't stopped Frankie McLean, 28, from leading a successful life.
The Kilmarnock man is now aiming to inspire and help others in similar circumstances to himself.
Despite being profoundly deaf, Frankie managed to complete an education in mainstream schooling and has graduated for the second time from university with a degree.
On leaving school Frankie attended Strathclyde University and graduated with a BSc (Hons) Immunology and Pharmacology. However, Frankie soon realised that his real talent was working with people and he embarked on a different career path.
On leaving university, he began a spell working with a charity as a lifelong learning development officer. He then moved into a position helping other deaf people as an information, advice and guidance worker for Deaf Action and worked closely with their social work team.
It seemed to Frankie that this was where his real talent could be utilised: “I enjoyed the social work aspect and was soon entrusted with increasingly complex work and cases. I was drawn into social work, and Deaf Action encouraged me to take up the professional social work qualification in order to advance my career and skills,” he said.
The Kilmarnock man then signed up for a distance learning course at Robert Gordon University's School of Applied Social Studies. Unlike other students, Frankie had to find a sign language interpreter and this could have proved problematic.
He explained how vital the school's help was: “The School of Applied Social Studies didn’t shirk from this challenge, and obvious large financial commitment, and this commitment to equality of opportunity is something I am very grateful for.”
It would have been very difficult for him to get through the course without the help of a sign language interpreter.
Frankie continued: “Luck also had it that the school had a lecturer on staff, Sheila Slesser, who had worked as a social worker with deaf people for many years and who could sign.
“She became my personal tutor and has taught me a great deal.”
Frankie graduated this month with a BA (Hons) Social Work and is working as a fully registered and qualified social worker for Deaf Action.
He has nothing but praise for the help, he received: “As a deaf person, I've come across discrimination in many forms, and still do to this day. My experience at Robert Gordon University has been very positive, however, and their attitude is one that other universities and organisations should aspire to,” he said.
The double graduate is now committed to ensuring that other deaf people get the same opportunities in life that he has had, he added: “I am relishing the challenges my new job brings. My life and successes so far have been unusual for a deaf person, sadly, and I have a personal commitment to challenging the inequalities that unbelievably still exist for deaf people. A deaf person should be able to achieve things and become a proper and full citizen, able to contribute a great deal to society. Part of my job is trying to make this happen.”
BEING deaf hasn't stopped Frankie McLean, 28, from leading a successful life.
The Kilmarnock man is now aiming to inspire and help others in similar circumstances to himself.
Despite being profoundly deaf, Frankie managed to complete an education in mainstream schooling and has graduated for the second time from university with a degree.
On leaving school Frankie attended Strathclyde University and graduated with a BSc (Hons) Immunology and Pharmacology. However, Frankie soon realised that his real talent was working with people and he embarked on a different career path.
On leaving university, he began a spell working with a charity as a lifelong learning development officer. He then moved into a position helping other deaf people as an information, advice and guidance worker for Deaf Action and worked closely with their social work team.
It seemed to Frankie that this was where his real talent could be utilised: “I enjoyed the social work aspect and was soon entrusted with increasingly complex work and cases. I was drawn into social work, and Deaf Action encouraged me to take up the professional social work qualification in order to advance my career and skills,” he said.
The Kilmarnock man then signed up for a distance learning course at Robert Gordon University's School of Applied Social Studies. Unlike other students, Frankie had to find a sign language interpreter and this could have proved problematic.
He explained how vital the school's help was: “The School of Applied Social Studies didn’t shirk from this challenge, and obvious large financial commitment, and this commitment to equality of opportunity is something I am very grateful for.”
It would have been very difficult for him to get through the course without the help of a sign language interpreter.
Frankie continued: “Luck also had it that the school had a lecturer on staff, Sheila Slesser, who had worked as a social worker with deaf people for many years and who could sign.
“She became my personal tutor and has taught me a great deal.”
Frankie graduated this month with a BA (Hons) Social Work and is working as a fully registered and qualified social worker for Deaf Action.
He has nothing but praise for the help, he received: “As a deaf person, I've come across discrimination in many forms, and still do to this day. My experience at Robert Gordon University has been very positive, however, and their attitude is one that other universities and organisations should aspire to,” he said.
The double graduate is now committed to ensuring that other deaf people get the same opportunities in life that he has had, he added: “I am relishing the challenges my new job brings. My life and successes so far have been unusual for a deaf person, sadly, and I have a personal commitment to challenging the inequalities that unbelievably still exist for deaf people. A deaf person should be able to achieve things and become a proper and full citizen, able to contribute a great deal to society. Part of my job is trying to make this happen.”