Access course vs A Levels

I turn 20 in June but due to bad mental health problems I had earlier in my teens, I still only have three GCSEs. I want to make something of my life, not be effectively locked down a path I don't want to go because of past bad health, and I'm considering my options. I'm looking for a full-time job to earn money before I start voluntarily English tutoring a woman in her home next week and I help out Arab friends online with their English. EFL teaching is something I've been thinking for a few months about doing as a career. While of course it would be better if I had longer to consider what I want to do with my life, really I think I should get a move on with making a decision.

A local college has offered to interview me for a place on an Access to Teaching course, which I would study part-time along with GCSE Maths (I didn't get it at school). If I did the Access course and my GCSE Maths (or an equivalent - I've been told because I'm on JSA I can do a qualification called I think Lifeskills Maths for free somewhere, but I'm not sure if college will charge me for the GCSE) I'd be able to progress to uni after a year.

Another option is to take two GCSE courses in September (including Maths) either alone or with AS subjects if a college will let me. That would allow me to progress to uni in two or three years. This option is better in the sense that IMO A Levels are better-respected than Access courses (and the Access route would mean still only having 4 GCSEs), but I'm getting bloody old and I'm not sure how well I'll stick out two-three years of balancing GCSEs and work and then A Levels and work (if I were to live on my own I'd have to study the A Levels part-time to be able to afford to live - my mum is happy to let me live with her but I'm itching for independence).

Which option do you think is better if I would like to go to SOAS? I know I would have to work hard to get in but I don't think they would reject me on the basis of not amazing GCSEs, it's no Cambridge? Ideally I'd like to study Arabic there but they prefer applicants to have a language A Level. I don't know any language well enough to do an A Level in it, and I'm not sure how easy it is to go from beginner to A Level A or B grade standard within a 1-3 years in say, French (Arabic is ****ing difficult but I am determined to be able to speak it eventually). BTW I know that it would obviously be better to take a language A Level and say A Level Religious Studies and A Level History if I were to apply to study Arabic and Islamic Studies at SOAS than to do an Access to Teaching course because an Access to Teaching course is for teaching! But what universities want isn't the only thing I'm thinking of here (I've not gone into personal circumstances much but I can if anyone wants me to).

What I really need is CELTA which I don't have to go to uni to do, but I'm more likely to get a decent TEFL job with some kind of degree than without, obviously. Thing is degrees take years, years I could be spending abroad gaining teaching experience...

Before anyone suggests I go to see a careers advisor, I have done. They reckon I should do an Access course, but they're under the impression that Access courses are equally respected as A Levels which I really doubt, so I'm consulting you TSR. Please be nice. Making sardonic remarks will help no one.

Thank you!!