Two years ago, John‘s world felt like chaos.
College? That was for other people — the confident ones, the ones who had it all figured out. Not for someone like him.
“That’s all I’d be thinking. This is complete madness. There’s no way I could have seen myself doing this.”
Today, everything has changed.
John is thriving in his Applied Social Studies with Psychology degree, earning distinctions in challenging subjects like law. It’s a transformation that still amazes him.
His journey began with one courageous decision: stepping through the doors at Cork Simon.
It wasn’t easy — far from it.
“The challenge was stepping out. Going into Cork, doing the groups. That was a challenge for me, because yeah, I interact well with people, but back then, you know, I felt fairly hot-headed.”
But something remarkable happened.
The more John showed up, the more he discovered about himself and the world around him. He realised that the people in his life had been shaping his choices—and not always for the better.
“All the circles that I interacted with; they weren’t the right circles.”
Finding his People, Finding his Purpose
Education gave John something he’d never had before: structure, purpose and people who truly believed in him.
“I love the teachers. They’re absolutely diamonds, and they love me, to be quite honest. Oh, they’re very nice. Yeah, 100%.”
This wasn’t just academic support — it was life-changing encouragement that helped Eoghan build the confidence he’d never known he possessed.
“You couldn’t have told me that I’d be going into college and getting distinctions in law. My life has completely changed. The peace and serenity I have is second to none, and all of the madness is gone.”
The Ripple Effect of Believing in People
John‘s success has ignited a passion for helping others who might be where he once was.
He sees the untapped potential all around him—talented people who just need someone to believe in them.
“I hope to help a lot of people, because there’s a lot of people that are struggling, that were in my position, and they have no confidence. I know a lot of talented people that would flourish in the environments that I’ve been in. But they don’t know that, because they haven’t been there. And they need someone like me to get in there and motivate them.”
The Transformative Power of Support
John‘s story isn’t just about individual determination — it’s about what happens when communities like Cork Simon create spaces where people can discover their true potential.
“Cork Simon built me up,” John says simply.
These five words carry the weight of a life transformed.
His journey proves something profound: when we invest in people, when we offer genuine support and encouragement, incredible things become possible. People don’t just meet expectations—they shatter them.
What defines John today isn’t his past struggles—it’s his boundless future.
He’s living proof that our circumstances don’t determine our destiny; our courage to reach for something better does.
“I never thought I’d be where I am today. But yeah, it’s going absolutely brilliant.”
John‘s story is a reminder that behind every success is often someone who believed first. When we create environments of support, encouragement, and genuine care, we unlock human potential in ways that transform not just individuals, but entire communities.
It’s what believing in people is all about.
Lifechanging.
