Chev Libaude Image: Otago Polytechnic
<h2>Every week is mental health awareness week, according to mature student Chev Libaude who is taking what she&#8217;s learned from running a restaurant, into her studies for a career change.</h2>
<p>&#8220;I’ve been surrounded by mental health issues most of my life, whether it is within my family or what I have witnessed within the hospitality industry,&#8221; says Chev, who is in her first year of a Bachelor of Social Services at Otago Polytechnic.</p>
<p>Having run a café-restaurant for 12 years, Chev realised she’d already been exposed to a wide range of personal experiences.</p>
<p>&#8220;I’ve always wanted to help people. And I’ve always been a good listener. I thought instead of listening to people, perhaps I could help others by getting into social work or counselling.</p>
<p>&#8220;Also, living and working in that industry led to a certain lifestyle. You know &#8211; it takes one to know one, so to speak. I think I have life experiences that inform both my studies and my approach to helping others.&#8221;</p>
<p>Based in Wanaka, Chev commutes to Dunedin, where she attends on-campus lectures and activities Monday to Wednesday for Otago Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Social Services, before returning home. It is a course with a strong emphasis on fieldwork placements and industry-relevant training.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have a daughter in Wanaka so am trying to parent her while also focusing on my studies. It’s tough, but I’m 38 and I had reached a point where I was thinking about where I wanted to be career-wise in, say, 10 years,&#8221; Chev says.</p>
<p>&#8220;That was when I really got into gear. However, I didn’t know if I was ready, academically. I had questions like, ‘can I write an essay?’.</p>
<p>&#8220;That’s when I realised I needed to do the bridging course to improve my academic skills,&#8221; says Chev, referring to the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3 and Level 4), which she largely completed online.</p>
<p>&#8220;The support I’ve received from Otago Polytechnic has really helped. And now I’m well into my first year of the Bachelor of Social Services.</p>
<p>&#8220;My path towards this industry just makes total sense. I feel I’m combining all that I’m learning with previous experiences add aspects of my life. I just can’t get enough of this programme.&#8221;</p>
<p>Chev says she is surrounded by inspiring people.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have made some life-changing connections within my class. There are some amazing people &#8211; all with their own rich back-stories. And my lecturers/tutors are also amazing. They have their own lived experiences, too.</p>
<p>&#8220;It’s so enlightening to be on this journey with others.&#8221;</p>
<p>-Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 27 September to 3 October. The theme for this year is &#8220;Take Time to Kōrero &#8211; Mā Te Kōrero, Ka Ora: A little chat goes a long way&#8221;.</p>
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