Heather
Trainee Social Worker, Exeter
What does your training involve?
The course is a post-graduate Masters and is two years full time. On the course we look at many different areas of social work such as ethics and values, psychosocial issues, law and social policy, and professional practice. We also have 200 days out on placements working with a team. My first placement is with a Fostering team and my second will be in Personal Care Management with a Children and Families Team.
Why did you decide to train as a social worker?
I have been working for Devon County Council for seven years in various different jobs, mainly in East Devon. I was a Community Enabler, a Centre Organiser and a Mental Health Support Worker. I then moved to being an Assessment Coordinator for Enabling Learning Disabled adults in Exmouth. I enjoyed my work, but realised that I couldn’t really progress any further unless I got a professional qualification.
What support have you had from Devon County Council?
Devon County Council is helping to support me through the course, which means that I get paid a salary while I am a student. When I finish the course I have to stay with Devon for at least two years. When I was preparing for the course I found it easy to access other teams, like the Child Intervention Team, to gain information and experience. I’ve also had a lot of support from the team that I worked with. I think that it is important to keep in contact with your colleagues and with other people on the course to have a good support network.
What keeps you working for Devon County Council?
Working for such a big organisation means that lots of opportunities come up and there are a wide variety of roles available in the authority. There is also a really good management structure in place, which is helpful when you need advice on a multi-disciplinary way of dealing with issues that arise.
I would not have been able to do this course without the support of Devon County Council and I feel that I have been able to reach where I want to be in my career. I also know that I could go on to become an Approved Social Worker or Mental Health Practitioner after this, so I have opportunities for the future.