Our Students
Despina Skoutianeli
BA Social Work
I am 37 yrs old and I am originally from Greece. My social work training at Brunel was a continuation of many years of working in social care as a mental health support worker and many more years of encountering vulnerable people in my travels. I am the first person in my family that went to university and it has been a great inspiration to my younger brother who is also now studying at university in Greece. It has not been easy. As a mature student, I have far more responsibilities and this has made this a challenging experience. It is all worth it though. Throughout the three years of the BA training in social work I have met some great people, I have re-discovered myself and most importantly I am now more sure than even that doing this course was the best decision of my life. I am where I want to be and I have chosen the right profession for it. Brunel has been a great provider for the training and although there have been hiccups on the road overall it has been a good experience. The administrator of the course has been amazing to the students and our lectures have provided us with inspiration and guidance.
Winston
Full time BA Social Work student
“When I was first at Brunel, most of the intake comprised mature students like myself with significant previous work experience, whereas now a significant proportion are younger, many straight from A-levels. Many of these students have much to offer a profession in need of more dedicated individuals, and my student colleagues represent a diverse and interesting group, not only in terms of their backgrounds and individual challenges, but also in relation to their insights from their own work and life experiences.
This group are a credit to Brunel along with many staff members that encourage us to challenge our world views and unlock everyone’s potential as students and future practitioners. I look forward to graduating with them before going on to develop a career in social work management.”
Jeanette Banks- MA in Social Work
(Sept 2009- Sept 2011)
''After working as an unqualified social worker for London Borough of Ealing for 3 years, I was extremely lucky to qualify for a work secondment to the MA in Social work course at Brunel. The two year course offered at Brunel provided me with background knowledge in a huge variety of subjects including law, psychology, linking practice to current research findings and ethical considerations. Along with the academic knowledge, the two practice placements provided me with unprecedented opportunities to see social work in practice in very different settings, namely end of life and palliative, and dementia social work. This direct experience has improved my confidence in working with other professionals. Completing my own research was challenging but also taught me determination and persistence. My dissertation tutor, Rachana Patni, supported me through the process tremendously, encouraging me to ‘find my own voice’. This piece of advice continues to help me daily now I am currently employed full time as a social worker in a Community Mental Health team. This course permitted me to understand the values and ethics of working as a social worker in a world of limited resources, and to uphold these values when working with vulnerable people in need.''
