Induction week of MA

This week was my induction week for my Social Work MA.

After a few logistical nightmares i am finally registered!!

It's been quite a fun, if perhaps slightly pointless few days but a great opportunity to meet the others on the course. There's about 30 of us and everyone seems really lovely. There's also a huge mix of backgrounds and although as expected, i'm one of the few without much relevant experience, there are at least a few others - one who worked in the DOH and one as a physio - there's also someone who is using the course to help her family law career, and an ex met policeman who spent 30 odd years in the force! Some pretty great experience across the mix.

We had one lecture with the Youth and Community degree programme about the importance of integrated working, looking at a case study in groups. And today and yesterday we spent some time looking at our research methods module - discussing the importance of research within social work, and experience we had in this field, and today designing a practice research project looking into people's perceptions of social work. It was a fairly laid back day designing a questioniarre and going out on campus to fill it in before presenting back results later.

I've been really impressed with how friendly the tutors have been. The course tutor put on a lunch for us all to bond with the tutors mingling with us all, discussing the course etc and it was also interesting hearing people's experiences with other universities.

Inevitably there is already a fair amount of placement comparison. There are others who are probably going to residential homes, and then one "student unit" off to the local authority - they were called out infront of everyone as the people being put forward for the statutory placement - but there's lots of politics - i.e those wanting to end up in C+F, don't want a children's placement this year so are trying to move to adults etc! WE've also heard from a LA who presented to us about their bursary scheme we can apply to in March - you get a position with them for your second placement and then a job for 2 years after...obviously will be hugely competitive!

Oh and we've been given our first assignment already - a reflective diary, that involves us writing every week of the term, and also some extra reflection on key areas of social work such as values, communication etc - it;s a pass or fail assignment apparently.

Anyway...lectures begin on Monday and i have a 9-5pm trial day at my potential placement on Friday. Having spent time with my coursemates and already started to become submersed in the SW world, i'm really looking forward to next week.