Ayrshire College Foundation provides welcome boost to Applied Sciences student
An HNC Applied Sciences student at Ayrshire College is the latest beneficiary of a £5,000 grant from the Ayrshire College Foundation’s Enterprising Student Fund.
31-year-old Kyle McLaughlin from Irvine aims to use the funding to help build on a promising start to his McLaughlin Sports Massage business, which is based in Troon.
The Ayrshire College Foundation works in partnership with Bridge 2 Business to help support Ayrshire College students with their business plans and provide funding grants of up to £5,000. Kyle was made aware of this during his time juggling his college work with getting McLaughlin Sports Massage off the ground.
Now he has big plans for how to best spend that money on his business.
Kyle said: “I’ve ordered a new treatment table which is one of the best you can get. It’s so important. I’ll use some of the rest of the money to get my license for acupuncture. I’m going to apply to the council for that. The requirements for that are you need a certain type of sink, one that’s foot operated, so I’ve ordered one of them. Some other bits and bobs too.
“I’ve moved my business premises to Troon. I’m going to get a sauna in here, a two-person sauna which only one person will use. I’ll convert this toilet into a shower room as well. Clients will have the option for a 45-minute sauna session and be able to use the shower, as well as their usual 45-minute treatment.
“I would just like to say thanks to the Ayrshire College Foundation for the chance to apply for the grant. They gave me amazing help. For anyone thinking about applying for the grant, 100% go for it and make sure you put 100% into it as well, as it’ll pay off and help your business massively. I’d be happy to help anybody thinking about applying, just get in touch.”
Kyle’s story is an inspirational one. He left school at 15 with no qualifications and quickly found himself mixed up in a life of gang-related violence and substance abuse. In and out of prison from the age of 18 into his mid-20s, Kyle’s mindset altered for the better after meeting a mentor from the Wise Group’s Routes out of Prison project.
Kyle said: “From living a life of crime for so many years to then becoming a functioning member of society was difficult. It was a slow transition; it wasn’t overnight.
“Six months before I was due to be released, I got linked in with a woman from the Wise Group, through a programme called Routes out of Prison. She mentored me before my release and made me realise I did have something to give. There was something positive that I could give back. I came to a crossroads and decided I needed to do something with my life.
“When I got released she was there to support me through, as I was straight back into a hostel again. Which isn’t really the best environment if you’re wanting to turn your life around. She gave me the support I needed at a really strange time.
“That was the kickstart for me to slowly start to change my ways.”
First, Kyle tried his hand at some part-time jobs, before finding a stable full-time position working on the railways. After an enjoyable time there and approaching 30, Kyle knew he was now ready to Choose College.
He said: “When I got the chance to work on the railways, I grabbed it with both hands. That was a big thing for me as it gave me stability and a bit of structure. It was great and served its purpose.
“In the back of my mind though, I always knew I wanted to do something else, something involving health and fitness. I just didn’t know how to go about it.
“About two years ago - still on the railway at this time - I decided I’d make a plan. I was approaching 30 and thought if I don’t make the move now, I might never.
“I’ve now finished the SWAP course in Health and Life Sciences. The reason I chose that course was because I wanted to go to university to study nutrition. The SWAP course allowed me to do one year of college before going to university, but I’ve actually decided to stay on at college for another year to do an HNC in Applied Sciences before moving onto university after that.
“The SWAP course has been intense, it’s a lot crammed into a year because it’s geared towards people who have been out of education for a long time or have no education. You study chemistry at higher level, biology at higher level, and then Maths, English, Computing at Nat 5. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but the most beneficial.
“It’s taught me a lot and gave me an insight into time management and how I need to sacrifice other things.”
4 October 2022
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