[sophieleannexo]

Hey, I was just wondering do I have enough work experience for:

- A LDN and SW course?
- A SW course?

and

- A LDN course?

Here is all the work experience I have and am hoping to get this summer.

• Best Friend has dyslexia, relating to literacy, she finds it difficult to read and write and spell, when I met her in middle school, I voluntarily accompanied her to phonics/spelling classes and helped her develop her literacy skills. This was rewarding, as now she is fully competent to a high standard in reading, writing and spelling. She now uses different approaches to spelling such as the “phonetic approach”. I was complimented by my head-teacher and he said that “through [my] help her support grew less”.

• Also whilst in middle school I used to help a learning support assistant look after a friend who has behavioural issues (ADHD). I used to volunteer every lunchtime from Year 5 up until Year 8 when he was moved into a specialist school, for those who had learning difficulties. I helped to stimulate his brain, by following what he wanted to do. For example if he wanted to go into the ICT room, as a team we would help stimulate him by encouraging him to go onto the Painting packages such as Paint or Dazzle.

• I have been exposed to learning difficulties and disabilities from an early age, my late cousin had autism, although I didn’t have direct personal experience with him, I learnt to understand autism and the profound difficulties a learning disabilities nurse/social worker faces, providing care and support. He was constantly monitored and this helped me understand the vulnerability that disabled people face day-to-day and the roles of professionals in the health and social care sector.

• Aunty has a learning disability, which affects her communication and concentration in a mild way. When I see her, I support her and help her develop her independent living skills, although she stills lives with her mother and father. She shows great determination which is something that has undoubtedly inspired me. She has an aim to be able to live independently and continues towards this aspiration with the help of various professionals, including learning disability nurses. From this personal experience, I feel I have again developed my communication skills as well as my ability to adapt to given situations, because she can be unpredictable behaviourally, due to her concentration issues.


• I undertook a placement during Year 10 for 2 weeks, whereby I gained experience with children aged between 0-5 years. I undertook the placement in a private day Nursery. I had many responsibilities but was mainly responsible for the development of the children, as whilst there I was a Student Nursery Nurse Assistant. I helped set up the different developmental areas each morning, consisting of different tables focusing on literacy, numeracy, science and understanding of the world. I took it upon myself to organise an activity for the children whilst I was there. I organised an outdoor pirate treasure hunt that would encourage them to use their literacy skills (as I used clues) and would develop their understanding of the world as well as their language acquisition. The activity was successful as the children really enjoyed it; the staff also complemented me on my organisational skills. This developed my awareness of development and showed me the importance of early years.

• I organised two placements, both within the same statutory school. For a period of two days I worked with children with physical/learning difficulties in a special school. During my time there, generically I helped with feeding etc., to gain experience of care, as well as this I gained experience of teaching as I helped with literacy skills – i.e. phonics, reading and writing as well as sign language. I learnt sign language from this but also developed my own communication and listening skills as well as theirs, which was rewarding and important to me personally, as this was one of my aims whilst on the placement, to help and develop their skills, as much as mine.

• I have also helped out at a Christian youth group, which helped me learn about diversity and respect for diversity. I helped support children and adults, through offering support and guidance on different issues such as sexual health awareness. This helped me understand the different issues that people face and it also helped me develop my own awareness.


• Throughout my education I have been involved in many support, mentoring and befriending schemes. I have been involved in such training since first school, when “buddying” was brought in. I gained experience in befriending from this and this resulted in me taking part in both peer mediating and mentoring schemes during middle school. During high school, I decided to take this training even further and decided to enrol on a peer mentoring scheme based at a local youth centre. From this I was trained in active listening, communication, role reversal and other counselling techniques. I had an active role within school as an ambassador for the peer mentoring team, as well as dealing with problems that students faced in school. My team and I were referred to by senior members of staff to deal with minor issues such as friendship issues. From this experience I have gained and developed many skills such as team working etc.

• In late 2005 my grandma fell down the stairs in her home and sustained a serious brain injury that would chance her perception of family and friends. As a regular visitor to my grandma’s home I help care for her, along with the care assistants. I personally care for her, helping her with cooking and cleaning as well as day-to-day tasks such as grooming. I do this because she has behavioural and learning difficulties resulting in her becoming irritable towards strangers and difficulty concentrating on multiple tasks. From this I have gained patience and have further developed my listening and communication skills.


• During my GCSE years, in addition to my regular weekly P.E lessons I used to support younger students. I volunteered before and after school to help teach and support beginners in gymnastics who wanted to compete. I developed my physical awareness, as I had to help with warm-up and stretch down activities that would stimulate the students. As competitions came around, I decided to train to become a qualified judge in my local sporting partnership and was asked to become a gymnastics leader in my school, for younger students wanting to compete on a local level in gymnastics. Having no coaching experience myself, I decided to give it a go and choreographed a routine for the students for the local competition, in which we were successful in winning. This developed my communication skills as well as my confidence.

• I am a frequent helper within my own Martial Arts class as well as the younger classes. I help younger children and help lower belted students in my own class with their techniques. This is not voluntary however and is expected as in the oath that head instructor says when a new person gets their white belt, the students have to swear that they will help that person gain their black belt, as a team and as individuals. Also in martial arts, in my class there is a young boy who has challenging behaviour issues as well as ADHD, I took it upon myself to help him with the techniques learnt in class, by making them simpler but more fun to learn. This developed not only my skills but his also, I have developed my concentration and confidence skills as well as my ability to be patient, as progress was slow at first, but gradually it has become rewarding.

•W.E – in hospital in palliative/elderly care hopefully.

•Volunteering – with elderly people in a day care centre – hopefully.

•W.E – in special school for children with learning difficulties – hopefully.

•Further W.E – in the private day nursery.

Apologies for the long rant.

Sophie.

[OSharp]

Wow, That looks like a lot to me, I know people who have got In with far less experience to Social work

I think you're asking the wrong question though, just try and get as much relevant experience as possible

(I have no idea what an LDN course is, I had to look it up) is that the same as mental health nursing?

[inspiron1]

That fact that my genuine reply was going to be ''tl;dr'' probably goes to show you have enough.

[sophieleannexo]

(Original post by OSharp)
Wow, That looks like a lot to me, I know people who have got In with far less experience to Social work

I think you're asking the wrong question though, just try and get as much relevant experience as possible

(I have no idea what an LDN course is, I had to look it up) is that the same as mental health nursing?

Hey, I think it is relevant and it is learning disabilities nursing to clarify. But thanks.

[sophieleannexo]

(Original post by inspiron1)
That fact that my genuine reply was going to be ''tl;dr'' probably goes to show you have enough.

Lol! Thanks!

[sophieleannexo]

Anyone else? I'm starting to write my personal statement (:

[viewtifuldp]

way too much to read. tell the people that in your interviews. youll get in. btw know how to change a bed with someone in it? its magical!

[lilibeth]

personally, i'd say you possibly need a bit more to do with care. you have a lot from school and whatnot but not a lot within the care community as it were. although i'm starting adult's in september, it might be a bit different with LD because it's more community based.

[sophieleannexo]

(Original post by lilibeth)
personally, i'd say you possibly need a bit more to do with care. you have a lot from school and whatnot but not a lot within the care community as it were. although i'm starting adult's in september, it might be a bit different with LD because it's more community based.

What kind of 'care' experience would you suggest? (:

[lilibeth]

i know a lot of people who have used care homes, even if it's a few hours a few times a week, many universities tend to like things like that. personally i was able to get four weeks in a hospital, one in an outpatient clinic setting and three shadowing nurses. however things like st. john's ambulance and working with age concern and other charities is often favoured. i see you mentioned working with your grandmother's care, possibly doing some further work within a care home setting might suit you better? you'll find a lot of them will always be looking for volunteers or people to help out. if not, like i said, age concern is how my friend got a lot of her work experience.

[sophieleannexo]

(Original post by lilibeth)
i know a lot of people who have used care homes, even if it's a few hours a few times a week, many universities tend to like things like that. personally i was able to get four weeks in a hospital, one in an outpatient clinic setting and three shadowing nurses. however things like st. john's ambulance and working with age concern and other charities is often favoured. i see you mentioned working with your grandmother's care, possibly doing some further work within a care home setting might suit you better? you'll find a lot of them will always be looking for volunteers or people to help out. if not, like i said, age concern is how my friend got a lot of her work experience.

I am a volunteer with Age UK (: I help look after elderly people.

[moonkatt]

I think there's plenty there to be honest. (Coming from a nurse who got onto his course with no relevant experience at all).

[sophieleannexo]

(Original post by moonkatt)
I think there's plenty there to be honest. (Coming from a nurse who got onto his course with no relevant experience at all).

Thanks (: