Finding My Voice Through Digital Learning Became My Weapon for Justice By Elyn Jean Perez
I came to VODW at a moment when I needed real support, standing beside me through my visa, my legal case, and a difficult work situation. That support is what drew me in, and over a year and a half across ESOL, IT, Mediacom, Body Mind and Wellness, Financial Literacy, and the Future Voices Revolution programme, I found far more than assistance with paperwork, I found a place to grow.
I believe deeply that learning has no age limit, only the willingness to show up and participate actively, and I carried that philosophy into every class. My lessons touched practical digital skills, communication, wellness, and advocacy, a combination that speaks to just how holistic VODW's approach to education truly is. During my sessions, I felt my confidence build steadily, and one moment in particular has stayed with me powerfully, being recognised by my IT teacher for my effort in the digital world, even as a late learner in that space. Being told that my dedication mattered gave me the confidence to keep believing in my own potential.
I would describe the lessons I learned as far more than helpful, I call them my weapons for fighting for my rights, my dignity, and my respect. It is a striking phrase, and an honest one, from someone who understands firsthand how closely education and advocacy are linked. My sense of self shifted accordingly, I now see the potential I always had, and I feel genuine gratitude for what I have achieved. Graduation, for me, felt like the fruit of real hardship and determination, recognition for showing up fully, whether in person or online, throughout my time in the programme.
My gratitude toward my teachers is warm, thanks for believing in me and encouraging me every step of the way. My hope for the future reaches generously toward other domestic workers too, encouraging them to keep learning no matter how busy or tired they are, to find their voice, and to stand strong together with dignity.
That message captures precisely what VODW's campaigns strive for, the right to change employer without restriction, the right to renew the ODW visa, the right to settlement, and the right to British citizenship, rights that I now understand not as distant policy goals but as weapons of my own, ready to be used in the fight for the dignity every domestic worker deserves.
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