Elena registered for an Art and Design course and says, “I loved the course. You learn something every day. It was just great.” She did the course for two months, and then had to pull out because of family problems. She is now living in a hostel and finance is the major reason for withdrawal. She says, “I was getting £30 per week Education Maintenance Allowance to go to college, but this was not enough to live on, and so I left and have been trying to get a job. This isn’t easy because of the credit crunch, plus most of the jobs ask for qualifications and experience from previous employment, but I haven’t got either of those things, and I can’t get qualifications because I can’t afford to go to college”.