Masters Social Work volunteering experience

CylonYoda

Hi all

I looking to go into Social Work after i complete my Social Care course, I haven't started the Social Care course yet but I know what I want to study and where to end up so I'm planning long range at this point.

TCD, and I assume all places offering the Masters in Social Work, will need you to have some experience. Will volunteering work be sufficient or will they require actual paid work. Allso will it be neccesary for me to do a year out kind of situation or can people usually progress from their level 8 into the Masters?

As you know it can be quite hard to find paid work at the moment. So I would be volunteering in the areas of the ISPCC and day care centers for children/adults with special needs/disabilities.

Would they see this as an appropriate area to be in or are they looking for something more structured.

For anyone who has gotten onto the Masters course, what kind of experience did you have?

Any help you could offer me would be great.

LadyMayBelle

Right. NUIG, UCC, TCD and UCD offer the MSW (Master in SW). You will see, on each of their websites, the criteria for getting onto those courses including how many hours/type of work you need.

I did the course in NUIG in 2008-2010. I came with a few years experience in the disability sector, and everyone is the class had work experience as well as their primary degree; this ranged from eldery care, working with Simon, one person working in housing in their local council, drugs, residential care etc. Two people had a human right background, one with a masters already and the other having worked with FLAC. Technically, it can also be volunteer work, but if I am very frank, and no disrespect to any charity, doing an hour a week on a helpline is not sufficient; they look for hands on involvement in social care and change, and those who have that, stand a better chance.

I know in my college, there was a discrepancy in the amount of hours you had to have done, and that resulted in confusion, so def contact the course director in each case and check it out.


Two people did come straight from their degree, but both also had considerable experience summer work wise. Sounds like what you've sourced is great!

Remember though, that during your degree, you will have opportunities to do placements, and often summer jobs/maternity cover jobs come out of those, so keep your ears open for those..good luck!

CylonYoda

Thanks LadyMayBelle, that's exactly what I was looking for.

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Two people did come straight from their degree, but both also had considerable experience summer work wise. Sounds like what you've sourced is great!

So what I'm taking from this is that while it can be done, it's best to get as much or at least a suitable amount done. We probably all see the reasoning in this anyway and I look forward to it actually.

From what I outlined above, (ISPCC & Day Centers) are your saying that is great, or have I missed the point you were making.

LadyMayBelle

Yup, what you have is great, but do check with each college on their exact requirements as it would hugely suck if you got to interview stage and the amount of hours needed let you down. For example, for last years intake, NUIG required you have approx 960hours. It'll vary college to college but not by much

http://www.nuigalway.ie/courses/taught-postgraduate-courses/social-work.html