Social Work Personal Statement

Whilst helping to care for my elderly grandfather, I saw first-hand the invaluable work that a social worker offered my family at a very difficult time. The challenges that were faced on a day-to-day basis were eased with this individual’s support and I witnessed what a unique system of help a social worker can offer to people in difficult and changeable circumstances.

I realise that a career in social work is a more complex and challenging vocation than my current job roles. However, I believe that my life experiences, through my work and volunteering, have equipped me with various skills that would be of benefit to my working life as a social worker.

I currently work within the events and retail sectors, organising !!!!!! and supervising a small team in an often-fast paced shop setting. The ability to converse well with both the public and my colleagues is paramount, and I feel that I have good, confident communication skills, both on the telephone and in person. I work well under pressure, meeting deadlines and encouraging and supporting others to do the same, and I am comfortable working in a group environment or on my own. Both roles require me to work with a range of people and, as a result, I became more mindful of my own values and beliefs whilst showing respect for all individuals and their needs, beliefs, cultures and values.

Volunteering with the !!!!!!! has also furnished me with beneficial skills that are relatable to a future career as a social worker. I was involved in supporting a range of service users with a varying amount of disability and needs, both physical and emotional. The experience taught me that every service user is an individual and that each situation must be approached in a calm and patient way; ensuring that they get the best experience they possibly can. This was done through liaison with the service users’ parents and/or guardians. I have also recently started the training to become an Independent Visitor volunteer for !!!!!!!. The training so far has enabled me to attend various programmes such as safeguarding both adults and children and also how to comply with GDPR.

I have previously studied the Access to Higher Education course, with modules in Psychology, Law and Criminology. The course required a high level of dedication with work focused on research skills, group discussions, presentations, and essay writing. The access course was both interesting and useful, as it enabled me to further develop my analytical approach to academia and to also be succinct in my eventual evaluations. Through various group activities I was able to listen and respect the viewpoint of my peers whilst also making productive contributions in reaching common goals. I also started a Law degree at !!!!!!!!. However, I realised after one year that this was not the profession for me, so I took time out to continue my volunteer work and to find the correct career path.

To keep up to date with sociological issues, and to develop more knowledge and understanding of social work as a career, I subscribe to ‘My Social Work News’ and also read ‘The British Journal of Social Work’ as well as other online resources, such as ‘community care’, ‘Social Work England, and ‘British Association of Social Workers’. The topics covered are both interesting and also relevant, as they give an insight into the experiences and pressures that face current, qualified social workers.

I have also spoken, at length, with both existing and ex-social workers who were all keen to point out the negatives and positives of a career in this field. I feel, after discussing my plans with service providers and users, coupled with my own research into social work as a career, that I am well prepared to engage with a degree in social work which will eventually lead to a career in which I can hopefully make a positive difference to people and their lives.