I know, another one!
Please be honest, because i'm reading through thread after thread of anxious applicants who seem to have years of what is often paid experience and i'm thinking: i have no chance, and maybe that's right, I thought i knew what i was getting myself into, but if not, more experience it will be.
i'm a graduate with a good BA from a good uni, but nothing related to social work, law, psychology etc. nothing helpful like that...
i've about 200 hours voluntary experience with the physically disabled, personal care work as well as befriending and supporting. Then maybe 40 hours at a day centre for people with acquired brain injuries, and about 120-130 volunteering with mental health service users both in a residential setting and one-to-one befriending work, though the mh work was not within the UK and i think i read that the experience needs to be within the UK.
Did a couple of week's work experience in a primary school years ago, which is nothing much. Oh and volunteered in a primary school a couple hours a week for a few months again a few years ago.
Nothing groundbreaking. i fully intend to take this year, as soon as i can leave my job, to gain about 10-12 months full time experience, which will probably be another 150 hours care work with people with physical disabilities, a month to six weeks of whatever i can find - hopefully in the field of substance abuse or offenders, something different - then hope to do about 9 months residential full time volunteering on whatever project i'm placed on. Would be applying for the MA near the beginning of this though (for 2013 entry) so would not already have this experience.
Please be honest, do i have a chance? I'll try to do some intensive reading in this year as well as all the social policy/law etc. goes way over my head.
I'm much more interested in working with adults but would this go against me in application?
I'd be interested to hear your views!
Mostly i'd like to know: are these acceptable areas to have experience in or not really relevant enough?
Any suggestions?
Hi Newbie422,
I didn't have a 'relevant' degree for the MA and I had offers for the unis I applied to. I did have a variety of experience mainly in learning disabilities and mental health. I am a believer in support which enables people make choices about their lives and this was how I wrote my person spec. I had no experience of children's work but because I applied my experience to my development I think I got interviews.
I think the main thing is to show on your application that your experience is part of your development and what it is from your experience that you feel is relevant to you becoming a social worker. Another area of experience to look at is any personal experience - caring roles or having used services, for example. I don't think you need to worry about specific hours/days youve done but just say 'I've have recent experience of.......' you would need to show that you were able to recognise and/or challenge social inequalities such as discrimination and oppression.
I think overseas experience would be regarded as relevant and appropriate - you can look at sw in another country/culture and contrast and compare. I would advise you look at some books on anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice and think about how these apply to your experience.
Your experience is fine. Plenty of people on my course have similar to what you have. You just need to sell yourself with the personal statement on the UCAS form and then the interviews. Good luck
newbie422: I know, another one! Please be honest, because i'm reading through thread after thread of anxious applicants who seem to have years of what is often paid experience and i'm thinking: i have no chance, and maybe that's right, I thought i knew what i was getting myself into, but if not, more experience it will be. i'm a graduate with a good BA from a good uni, but nothing related to social work, law, psychology etc. nothing helpful like that... i've about 200 hours voluntary experience with the physically disabled, personal care work as well as befriending and supporting. Then maybe 40 hours at a day centre for people with acquired brain injuries, and about 120-130 volunteering with mental health service users both in a residential setting and one-to-one befriending work, though the mh work was not within the UK and i think i read that the experience needs to be within the UK. Did a couple of week's work experience in a primary school years ago, which is nothing much. Oh and volunteered in a primary school a couple hours a week for a few months again a few years ago. Nothing groundbreaking. i fully intend to take this year, as soon as i can leave my job, to gain about 10-12 months full time experience, which will probably be another 150 hours care work with people with physical disabilities, a month to six weeks of whatever i can find - hopefully in the field of substance abuse or offenders, something different - then hope to do about 9 months residential full time volunteering on whatever project i'm placed on. Would be applying for the MA near the beginning of this though (for 2013 entry) so would not already have this experience. Please be honest, do i have a chance? I'll try to do some intensive reading in this year as well as all the social policy/law etc. goes way over my head. I'm much more interested in working with adults but would this go against me in application? I'd be interested to hear your views!
For me that is, Newbie. Universities are different but what do they know?
Hey all, I'm a 1st year MA student at sheffield uni. The universities vary loads, and check through their entry criteria re: work experience. A couple of girls I know applied to Nottingham, who stipulated 18months. They had just under this, but in very relevant jobs (SW assistant & family support worker) so applied anyway. They were given interviews, but were eventually rejected purely due to lack of experience (both requested feedback after the interview), as they have to sift out applicants somehow.
However, sheffield uni only asked for 6 months. There is such a huge variety of people on the course, from those who have been working in social services departments for years to those who have literally just graduated from their BA. Although one theme that seems to link everybody is that we all appear to have the qualities that you can't 'teach' easily eg empathy, people-oriented etc, ie the raw ingredients.
Sheffield doesn't appear this year on the SW league tables, as these are mainly done on BA courses, and they have stopped intaking for BA SW to focus on MA. But prior to this, it was consistently top (if that's the kind of thing that is meaningful to you, I know it's not for everyone). So just goes to show that the most competitive unis don't necessarily have the strictest work experience criteria.
However, I did work for 2 years on top of voluntary work to gain experience, and I absolutely wouldn't be without it. I find I have a much deeper appreciation of theory/research. Not only this, but SW academic essays are slightly different to general academic essays in that you have to switch between the 1st and 3rd person. In doing this, you have to reflect on what you have found in your own practice and offer this as critical analysis. Some assessed work takes place before placements start, so you might find this easier if you have plenty of work experience to draw on.
Hope this helps x
PS (soz to be long-whinded!)
Having said that, in our seminars I've sometimes found that some students with an 'intimidating' amount of work experience can find it more difficult to critically challenge the status quo, as they've been working in a certain culture for so long. Whereas those who are completely new to it have a fresh pair of eyes to offer a more critical perspective.
At the end of the day, it's an academic masters course as well as a professional qualification, so it's really important to be able to critically analyse everything you come across.
I think for those who don't have as much work experience just need to have the confidence to speak up as much as those who do, and realise that their thoughts have as much to offer as everyone else's.
So basically there are pros and cons to both, and I think unis recognise this.
As for relevant first degrees, our course is made of people who studied drama, journalism, accountancy and law as well as sociaology/psychology etc