Beks
What were you doing before this?
I’ve always been helping people one way or another.
What led me to this was my work in a forensic mental health setting. I was helping people living with mental health issues who were in touch with the criminal justice system, supporting them to reintegrate into society through voluntary and paid work, education and training.
If you can imagine, many of these people were living on a ward, behind locked doors and high fences, with little or no time spent in the community. They weren’t involved in normal day-to-day life and could be institutionalised, so helping them scope out their next steps and supporting them to reach those goals was really valuable.
How did our attributes fit with your skills and experience? Did you have any gaps?
My first degree was in biomedical science, which was very factual with a logical thinking style. So the reflective element of social work was really foreign to me, and building my self-awareness, and consideration of what I bring to certain situations took a lot of thought.
I had a lot to discuss in terms of relationship building, communication and motivation skills though.
I’d been working with vulnerable people for many years. People who were on the fringes of society and I was helping build their confidence, motivating and encouraging them to move from A to B.
I also had previous experience as a manager, so I had some of the necessary leadership qualities needed for social work practice.
Was there anything you were hesitant about when you were applying?
I finished my last degree over 10 years ago. I was miles off being in higher education and wondered if my brain could handle it all. I’ve got a son now as well who’s two and a half so I was worried about how I’d balance it all.
I’ve learnt that you have to give time to everything – time to family, time to training, time to yourself. And you need to have good communication with family and friends to help manage expectations and line up support.
It’s been stressful at times, but we learn to adapt don’t we. The support around me and my determination have been crucial in helping me overcome any challenges.
How are you finding the role and training?
It’s been really good. The practical nature of the programme means; I’m learning a lot and doing a lot!
Despite being in an NHS setting I have had the opportunity to do some statutory interventions such as Care Act Assessments, to identify what needs people have, consider what support we can arrange, and how we can manage risk.
In the forensics setting people were monitored more closely, but in community mental health services, people may be living on their own or homeless even, so the challenges and ways in which we manage risk are different.
I was nervous coming into this and still feel like an imposter sometimes. But my confidence has grown, and it’s been really comforting to know I’ve got my consultant social worker and peers to lean on.
Do you have any advice for applicants?
Highlight your links to or passion for adult mental health. Maybe that’s through volunteering with vulnerable people or it could be from your personal life, if you’ve dealt with mental health issues yourself or someone close to you has.
If you have some empathy or understanding of those experiences that’s a really good starting place.
If you haven’t got any experience to draw on, see if you can get some. This will not only help with your application, but more importantly, it will help to reinforce for you the reason for pursing this profession.
And that will be important to remind yourself along your social work journey far beyond the application stage.