Oluchi Paula Apeja (Paula)
Oluchi Paula Apeja (Paula) left LSC in 2021 after completing a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care. Paula is now working part-time while studying Adult Nursing, but somewhere in the midst of that, she wrote a book which is about to be adapted into a play! We asked Paula to tell us about her Life after Leyton so far…
Can you tell me about your time at LSC?
I had fun at LSC. I made a lot of friends, and it was an interesting change coming from an all girls secondary school to a mixed sixth form. I struggled at first with my essays, but, my teachers were adamant on pushing me to pass. I’m glad they did because I left with D*D*D*. I’m very grateful.
What happened after you completed your studies?
Due to personal reasons, I couldn’t go straight to university as I had hoped. Instead, I took two years off, to work in social care.
I received support from my teachers from the health and social care department (where I had studied), who signposted me to a childcare centre locally. After I was hired, I built various skills which allowed me to take on other jobs such as domiciliary care and befriending services. I was working part-time in all of these places at once. Eventually, I left the agency where I was working in domiciliary, to work for another client which fit my schedule better.
Meanwhile, I was elected to be the youth representative at my parish. This automatically initiated me into the Newham Deanery Youth Council – a group made of representatives from the seven Catholic churches in Newham. I took part in the planning, hosting, and advertising of the events we created for the young people in Newham.
Eventually, God answered my prayer and I was able to start my Adult Nursing course at City University, last September. Because of this, I had to leave my previous jobs in social care and thankfully got a part-time job as a Co-Producer for a migrant charity called WeBelong. I am currently working remotely with them along with my studies and other personal endeavours. I also published a book in March called Brother-Hood which is in the process of being turned into a play.
Tell us more about the inspiration for Brother-Hood?
Living in East London you can’t escape hearing about or witnessing knife crime and unfortunately, the victims and perpetrators are mostly young people. Writing has been a hobby of mine since Year 10 so I wanted to create a story about young people involved in knife crime. I believe people are complex. What we see in the news is only one side of the story, so I wanted my characters to be as realistic as possible. How do people get into gangs? The effects of parental neglect on a teenager. The psychosocial effects of bereavement. Young carers. Where does religion lie in today’s society? To sum it up the story is about brothers, betrayal and banter. In terms of how the characters interact and the various venues, it was a mix of my personal experiences of friendships at LSC and pure imagination.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge would be dealing with disappointments as well as managing multiple tasks at a time. I overcame it by seeking help from those around me. I would say I’m a very independent person, but learning to depend on others really helped me to manage my stress and still achieve what I set out to do. I’m still learning how to be less harsh on myself when I can’t complete everything. I’m my own biggest critic!
What has been the most rewarding experience?
Reaping the fruits of my labour. When a patient smiles and says thank you after I have helped them. When the children I looked after feel safe around me and play freely. Building rapport with my service users. Watching young people have fun after working hard to plan events. Receiving positive reviews of my book. Anything where my work has a positive impact is hugely rewarding.
Do you have any advice/guidance for current students?
Follow your dreams but do it wisely. Pick a career that you love but will also support you in the future. Make a plan and follow it as best as you can. Seek guidance and you will go a long way.
If you have time, pick up a hobby and turn it into a craft. Unfortunately, we are in a cost-of-living crisis and things are getting more expensive. It would be helpful to pick up a skill like sewing, baking, designing or even learning a new language or perfecting your communication skills. If you do them well enough, they can be a good side hustle to support you. It also looks good on your CV.
Try to be kind to everyone. You never know what they are going through or who may be your saviour one day. Thanks to good connections, I am blessed with the position I am in today. That doesn’t mean grovelling at everyone’s feet! No, please. Have healthy boundaries and know your worth. Just be humble and kind. I like to say “you can serve without turning into a servant”.
Give yourself a break! Please!! Take care of your physical, mental, emotional and social health. Eat well, exercise and hydrate. Treat yourself. You deserve it! Anything that damages you, cut it off or at least learn to manage it. Seek help if you are struggling. Don’t take advice from TikTok or podcasts I beg you.
Get out of a procrastination phase. It’s not great.
University is not the only pathway to success. There are multiple ways to reach your goal. Don’t be too stressed if your plans don’t work out. Re-evaluate and think of another way.
Last but not least, I would be a liar if I said I got through this without God. Because I didn’t. I can’t even imagine a life without him. I don’t think I’d even have a story to tell today. If you don’t know him I urge you to find out. I’m not saying you must, but it’s just an invitation. God bought me through my rough days, brought me good people, keeps me occupied, comforts me and so much more. He’s helped me so much, I believe he can help anyone if they chose to give him a try.
Brotherhood is available to purchase from Amazon.
