This is the first step in my plan to become a social worker. Voluntary experience leads to getting on the course or experience which looks good when applying for new jobs. Essential.
I currently have one voluntary role which I will be continuing. In this role I assess and write a report on their circumstances which is passed on to the charity to see if they get funding. I love it, every time I visit someone It makes me feel happy and alive and as if I'm doing something useful. However, it doesn't take up as much time as I would like and I need a wider range of experience if I am ever to get out of my current job.
I have an application form for volunteering with the probation service, which I think will look amazing on my CV. The problem with this is twofold: first the application form asks me what qualities I have that are in line with their principles (not a quick answer but a long-winded, sell yourself kind of answer which I am rubbish at!) and secondly I need two references, one is easy, two tricky. Do I ask my current voluntary placement who is extremely busy or ask my manager at work who might not be as willing. It a tough one, I hate asking someone to be my referee. That's one of the reasons the probation service voluntary placement looks so good, they say they guarantee to give references. So if I can get accepted onto their six week training course, as well as great experience I get a reference. Which will completely side-step the next step of my operation. Step 1b) a reference.
Right I'd better get to it, no time like the present. You will not see me again until I have answered that question. Although I may still be worrying about the reference...
Friday, 8 July 2011
Thursday, 7 July 2011
The Beginning of the Operation
Current job: I work full time in a call centre.
The reason why I want get out: (see above I work in a call centre!!)
I live in the North-East of England. Before call centres the North-East had coal mines. Thousands were employed in them, people lived in pit villages and everyone knew someone that worked in them. Nowadays the same is true for call centres. They pay well and for many years provided security (which seems to be fading a little) there's very few other job opportunities about without skills and experience. Once you're in them you really feel trapped, its difficult to leave a job with plenty of overtime if you want it and many perks when leaving means a pay cut, retraining and getting new skills first. But I believe that call centres are exactly like pits and just like in the 1980's with pit closures and redundancies leaving some people that never recovered, that call centres have an expiry date. I don't want to be on a sinking ship and on the scrap heap in 5 or 10 years time. I want to get out and get a 'proper' job, a proper career that I enjoy and makes me want to go to work each morning.
About me: I enjoy holidays with my husband, spending time with my friends and have a good social life, I do my best to recycle (and obsess about one day completely filling my recycle bin before they collect it!) I try to spend my time knitting, sewing, reading, learning languages, baking and gardening (especially growing my own vegetables) I say try because with a full-time job, holidays and a hectic social life it's not always possible to devote the amount of time I would like to these activities.
The Plan: Eventually I want to become a social worker. I can apply for a masters course in January for 2 years training which would begin in September 2012. To do so I will need to find the time for volunteering to gain experience to get on the course. I am also constantly looking for other jobs for charities etc to get general working experience outside of a call centre. I just need to get out of my current work to something that gives me more worthwhile experience.
The reason why I want get out: (see above I work in a call centre!!)
I live in the North-East of England. Before call centres the North-East had coal mines. Thousands were employed in them, people lived in pit villages and everyone knew someone that worked in them. Nowadays the same is true for call centres. They pay well and for many years provided security (which seems to be fading a little) there's very few other job opportunities about without skills and experience. Once you're in them you really feel trapped, its difficult to leave a job with plenty of overtime if you want it and many perks when leaving means a pay cut, retraining and getting new skills first. But I believe that call centres are exactly like pits and just like in the 1980's with pit closures and redundancies leaving some people that never recovered, that call centres have an expiry date. I don't want to be on a sinking ship and on the scrap heap in 5 or 10 years time. I want to get out and get a 'proper' job, a proper career that I enjoy and makes me want to go to work each morning.
About me: I enjoy holidays with my husband, spending time with my friends and have a good social life, I do my best to recycle (and obsess about one day completely filling my recycle bin before they collect it!) I try to spend my time knitting, sewing, reading, learning languages, baking and gardening (especially growing my own vegetables) I say try because with a full-time job, holidays and a hectic social life it's not always possible to devote the amount of time I would like to these activities.
The Plan: Eventually I want to become a social worker. I can apply for a masters course in January for 2 years training which would begin in September 2012. To do so I will need to find the time for volunteering to gain experience to get on the course. I am also constantly looking for other jobs for charities etc to get general working experience outside of a call centre. I just need to get out of my current work to something that gives me more worthwhile experience.
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