A group of young people in Portsmouth have been inspired by seeing first-hand how social workers in the city can transform lives.
Each young person visited organisations across the city that support families during their time of need. They also met with different teams at Portsmouth City Council to understand what it takes to be a social worker.
The young people who took part in the activity all live in Portsmouth and are currently studying health and social care courses at the University of Portsmouth or Highbury College. They hope the experience will inspire others to consider a career in the profession. To do this, they shadowed a social worker for the day to experience what the role entails
Maria Black, aged 22, shadowed a social worker during the experience. Maria said she had always wanted to learn more about the profession.
Maria said: “After completing a social care course at HSDC, I knew the profession was something that interested me. I’ve worked as a carer and in a hospital. This gave me the experience I needed to enrol on a social work degree at the University of Portsmouth.
“I’ve worked hard to get where I am and look forward to graduating in the future. This experience showed different areas of social work, enabling me to understand the rewards and challenges of the job.”
Ousman Youssouf, aged 19, who is enrolled on a health and care course at Highbury College said:
“My qualification is a great starting point to learn more about the sector and the types of jobs that are available to me. All are rewarding but social work is one that I knew least about.
“The experience allowed me to speak with social workers who gave me useful advice about their own training and career development. It has given an idea of what I want to do in the future.”
Maria and Ousman are just two of many young people inspired by our resident social workers
Young people interested in becoming social workers will now benefit from a new service set up by Portsmouth City Council. Stronger Futures provides useful resources and links to find local training providers who can support those at the very start of their careers.
For more information, visit www.strongerfutures.co.uk to learn how people can start a career in children’s social care.
