1st Edition
Starting Social Work Reflections of a Newly Qualified Social Worker
1. Introduction.
2. Discovering you can get paid to help people.
3. Starting the course and meeting Spider Man.
4. Single-handedly saving the world.
5. The Riots.
6. The key to being a good Social Worker is good rum and a great friend.
7. Red-tape.
8. The Fear.
9. So are you a Social Worker or not?
10. The Assessed and Supported Year in Employment.
11. Conclusion: Idealism Lost?
Biography
Rebecca Joy Novell is a Newly Qualified Social Worker working for a charity in Sheffield which works with homeless young people. She graduated from The University of Sheffield in 2012 with a Masters in Social Work. Rebecca has been involved with Youth Justice for five years in a variety of voluntary and paid roles and is currently undertaking a PHD in Youth Justice. She was recently elected to the Professional Assembly for The College of Social Work and regularly blogs for The Guardian’s Social Care Network.
I very much enjoyed reading the book and felt that it was a well written, honest and forthright reflection of the experiences that Rebecca had in the early days of her career, both as a student and as a newly qualified social worker. I felt that there were many ways in which the book could assist those students on pre registration course, those considering entering the profession and experienced workers who have been around the block a few times, such as myself. What was apparent was how Rebecca reminds the reader why they entered the profession and the importance of not becoming jaded so that social workers continue to offer the support and resources that young people need to make positive changes in their lives, in short at times the book was inspiring. I really enjoyed reading it! - Matthew Smith, University of CumbriaIt is so refreshing to see a newly qualified social worker producing a book about their experience of challenges and joys of social work education and their first steps as a social worker. A valuable contribution. - Professor Harry Ferguson, University of NottinghamJust wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rebecca’s book ’Starting Social Work’. The book is very user friendly and gives a valuable insight to how to cope with the transition from student to qualified practitioner. - Gary Hickman, University of Birmingham
