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Social Worker Community Placement
by
Jane Gibney
Its funny how things come together, and when you look back
on things you can see how God knows where you are going even before you do.
A few years ago my friend Sue Bree told me about some
voluntary work she was doing at a drop in centre in Harlow. I found it really interesting and felt I would like to be involved in the work
myself but sadly couldn’t because of my own work commitments at that time.
Whenever I heard her talk about this work I felt a little sad because it
was something I would like to do but couldn’t.
Last year after much consideration and prayer I decided to
go back to full time education and train to be a social worker. This is
something I had been thinking about for many years and with my family more or
less grown up I felt it was the right time to do it. So in September I headed
off to college, and to the beginning of 3 years social work training.
As soon as I started the course I was told that I needed to
find a 75-hour voluntary placement, and Sue Bree came straight to my mind – I
knew that the first place I would try would be The Maybury Centre at
St. Paul’s. I met with Liz and she told me I was very
welcome to join the team.
And what a privilege those 75
hours have been.
I’m sitting here trying to think of what I can say to
explain how much I enjoyed my time at The Maybury Centre – why did I enjoy
it? – because of all the people I had the great privilege of meeting,
because of the way you feel like you belong to one big family, because The
Maybury Centre manages to do what it set out to do – meet the needs of the local
community by being totally inclusive, allowing all who want to help the
opportunity to get involved, and also because, just like a family, all different
types of people come along and yet all mix in together, relax and enjoy each
others company. And more than that, support each other in times of need,
sadness, joy and celebration – just like any family!
I have some very happy memories of my time at The Maybury
centre, the lunch together in December was such fun, the card making, just
sitting chatting to different people, the ‘last suppers’ when everyone comes
together around a big table, the lovely friends I’ve made, I could go on
forever……
But I wasn’t only there to have a good time! I was there to
learn and I really believe I learnt a lot. Through the wonderful work that The
Maybury Centre does I saw how being ‘all inclusive’ really works in practice. I
saw how important it is for people to be able to give back to their local
community and saw how being able to be involved in voluntary work raises the
self-esteem of many people. I also had the privilege of being able to spend time
talking to many different people who have suffered great hardship leading them
to be homeless or vulnerably housed. This insight into their lives will be
invaluable to me in my training and certainly in my practice as a qualified
social worker. I would really like to thank everyone who was so open and honest
with me about their lives and who took the time to talk to me.
So, sadly my 75 hours are now up
I have to go back to college on Tuesdays. I miss coming
along and seeing everyone, but I hope that in the school holidays I will be able
to pop back. I would really like to say a BIG thank you to everyone, especially
Liz and Sarah, for having me. It has been a privilege.
I
began this by saying that God knows where you are going even before you do – He
knew I would go to The Maybury Centre, but not at the time I wanted to – but
when it was right!
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