I am Christopher. I am a final-year student of 2022-2024 Master of Social Work (MSW) cohort in the Department of Sociology.
Currently, I am doing my final placement in Durham County Council hospital social work team east and social care direct team. Before joining the MSW programme, I worked in healthcare public affairs advocacy, breast cancer foundation and a banking industry secretariat for five years. Apart from the social work knowledge, skills and values nurtured from this programme, my strengths are media relations development, policy advocacy, event management, and account management of different banking and healthcare projects with a devoted attitude. My favourite subject to study is theories discussing issues around adult mental health.
Based on my previous working experience, I uncovered that social work is another profession to empower and to engage clients with healthcare needs from perspectives different from biomedical model. It could be a rewarding profession if I could receive their affirmation regarding my direct work with them, other than advocating for a policy change with them.
Before I came to Durham, I completed my undergraduate degree – Bachelor of Social Sciences (Major: Politics and Public Administration; Minor: Sociology) in the University of Hong Kong in 2016. I decided to study at Durham University because the ranking of this university is the highest based on different reports among all the British universities providing the MSW programme.
What I enjoy the most about my course is when we were discussing the theoretical knowledge in relation to social constructivism, social judgemental theory, social model of disability and biomedical model, the theories provided me chances to review my past events in different stages of life course. They also provided me contrasting perspectives to perceive the world with more lens.
In the future, I hope I could be an approved mental health professional after working in adults’ services for 2-3 years and completing the postgraduate diploma of approved mental health professional subsequently.
If you’re thinking about coming to Durham to study this course, please research about the placement and evaluate if you could complete your life tasks after working hours (8:30pm-5pm) during a total of 170 working day placements because you need to write reflections re placements, to prepare portfolio regarding your practice in both placements and to complete your assignments after working hours.
Lastly, think about which stream, adults’ or children’s services, would fit for your professional development before joining this programme, so that you could maximise your learning by choosing placement institutions offering relevant services in first and final year.
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