Today we’re catching up with BA Education, Society and Childhood student Marc for a Q&A all about his time here at UCW, and how this degree has helped him in the workplace and set him up for an amazing future!
What inspired you to choose the Education, Society and Childhood degree?
I was unsure about the path that I wanted to follow and really enjoyed psychology and sociology modules at access level. I always had a bit of an idea that wanted to work in social services but due to my lived experience had some reservations and thought this course would give me some insight and confidence.
How have you found the course?
I have really enjoyed the course – if anything I found it has exceeded my expectations, the three years have flown by!
What have been the biggest things you’ve learned?
The biggest thing that I have learnt is how to be a reflective practitioner. I am naturally a reflective person but did not have the theory to recognise it. As a mature student, lots of ideas that I learnt about were familiar but this course has enabled me to put some reasoning behind things and understand varying perspectives on the same idea.
Have any particular theories or approaches stood out to you?
The focus around trauma informed approaches has been an area that has particularly stood out! Understanding the physical, social and societal impact of adverse experiences in childhood and the impact this has on children and young people.
How has this degree helped you in the workplace?
I have used my current role as a social prescriber as my placement but on the back of a guest lecture I secured a volunteer role as an independent visitor for Somerset council. This is a mentoring role where I have been matched with a child being looked after to advocate for them and to meet and enjoy fun activities, being a person in their life that is not paid to be there is transformational for a young person. As someone who has experienced care myself, this is so rewarding and gives me a positive view of young people such as their resilience and great personalities!
What challenges have you faced during the course, and how have you overcome them?
I recognised that because I had worked independently for so long, working as part of a team was a challenge. This awareness helped to address the issue the reflexivity – understanding where the barrier developed and why meant I was able to change my approach. I am also one of those that loves writing an essay and presenting information but give me a creative task and I can struggle – just throwing myself into it I have realised I can adapt things to get those creative juices flowing!
What key skills do you feel you’ve developed since starting the degree?
Managing my time realistically has been one of the major skills I have developed. How to approach theories in a balanced way. With a strong sense of justice some of the subject matter has been challenging but applying theory and perspective has helped work through these issues.
How supportive have the staff been at UCW?
Staff are very supportive, whether popping into campus to have a meltdown moment or to answer a query on Teams I have felt very supported. The fact that UCW is a small institution means that everyone knows you by name and all staff are approachable.
What are your next steps after completing the degree?
I have options – I have been accepted onto a social work diploma with Frontline but am also considering a full time role with Somerset council – working with the organisation that I volunteer for – its great to have options.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying a degree in Education?
Go for it! Even if you are not sure what your journey looks like – the modules cover so much that is transferrable to lots of other sectors too.
A big thank you to Marc for sharing his time at UCW with us! If you want to know more about his course – BA Education, Society and Childhood, click here! To find all of our Early Years and Education courses, click here!
