Sociology & Social Policy Personal Statement Example

I have been deeply interested in the influences of the social environment that we live in, and how actions of individuals can affect society. As a result I jumped at the chance to study Sociology at A-level. My interest in social policy was sparked during a lecture, given by social workers from Wigan Council who gave us an insightful talk on the subject of domestic violence. I found it personally very shocking to learn not only about the statistics around women being abused, but also the increasing numbers of men suffering emotional and physical abuse by their partners. This prompted me to discover more about policies on domestic abuse and other areas that occur in society today. Sociology is a important subject to study as it looks at the components and institutions of society, and how they fit together.

I enjoy current affairs and am keen to understand social policy. During the recent Syrian refugee crisis, it has amazed me how the government turned a humanitarian refugee crisis, into an insular argument about the need to keep Britain free of a "swarm" of migrants. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle this and whether we can help refugees more effectively. The combination of all three of my A-levels has helped me to consider the legal, moral and ethical basis of current social policy in Britain, and also helped me gain skills such as essay writing, thinking critically and being analytical, which will guide me in my studies through degree level. So far, I have studied Families and the Household, Education, and Religion. I've particularly enjoyed studying the module on Families as we researched childhood and the creation of the concept of childhood throughout the years. I have felt somewhat sympathetic towards the Conflict perspective. They claim that there are massive inequalities between children in terms of the risks that they face, as many children today remain unprotected and badly cared for.

The March of Progress' view that the experience of children has improved, and that society has become increasingly child centred does make sense, however I am worried that they ignore the fact that not all children benefit from the protections and services put in place, and that many countries still do not separate children from adults. I am deeply interested in the perspective of Feminism as it shows that women still face assumptions that fail to be recognised are sexist. These range from views that the woman should take the traditional role and look after the family, whilst the male should provide for the family; to the view that women are portrayed negatively as a result of religious belief. I would like to learn more about feminism and current and proposed social policies, so that I can gain deeper insights.

Outside of my studies, I have volunteered at the local play scheme and highlighted to staff the extra needs of a special needs child that had been overlooked. I was awarded a leadership certificate for this intervention. I have a keen interest in the rights of children and in disabled children in particular. This has come out of a personal experience of having an severely autistic twin brother. I have observed first- hand how my parents have had to advocate for my brother within a system that seems determined to make as many barriers as possible for him to access the support that he needs, so I feel very passionate that disabled people need to be less marginalised in our society. I believe that it is very important to help others and that I hope to pursue extra curricular activities at university in order to discover new interests. I help to support my studies with a part time job at a restaurant and recently received a positive energy award from the company for my contribution to the business. Altogether, I am a hard -working, reliable and analytical student and believe that college has prepared me for university. I look forward to gaining a deeper knowledge of the dynamics of sociology and social policy.