'You've been amazing' - Saying goodbye to four of our wonderful social work students

We said goodbye to (left to right): Beyonce, Megan, Jacinda and Charlotte.

We offer placements to social work students from universities in Leicester and further afield, enabling dozens of undergraduates to spend between 70 and 100 days here at the project, directly helping the women and young people we support.

Each is placed under the supervision of a qualified social worker and is responsible for a caseload of up to 12 women or young people, giving them invaluable real-life work experience before they resume their studies.

The students say being confronted with the realities of our clients’ lives – including the corrosive effects of homelessness, debt, substance use, mental ill-health, sexual abuse, domestic violence or sex work – has a profound effect on them and gives them an invaluable insight into the profession.

It's always an emotional day when we say goodbye to our wonderful social work students when they reach the end of their placements with us.

Beyonce Ekomisa, Megan Emin, Jacinda Amoa-Mintah and Charlotte Collyer are second year BA social work students at The University of Nottingham and they've just completed their 70-day placement with us.

We gathered together to thank them for their hard work and dedication. And yes, cream cake was consumed.

We asked them to reflect on their experiences here and to put into words how our placement scheme has complemented their studies and shaped them as future frontline social workers.

Beyonce, 19, said: "Coming to New Futures has definitely contributed to my personal development as well as my academic and professional development.

"At first I was worried I wouldn't be able to meet the clients' expectations, solve all their problems or that they wouldn't be happy with the service I provided for them.

"What has been really valuable is hearing what they think about what I have done for them and realising that you can make a difference to someone's life.

"I'm going to miss all the people I've met at the project, but hopefully I will be able to see everyone again."

Charlotte, 29, said: "It has been a huge learning curve. I've worked with a huge variety of clients with different experiences of trauma.

"I've had a moment with each of them when I felt I'd made a breakthrough. It might only have been a relatively small step forward, but it was still important.

"I think I have learned more in my time here than I have in two years at university. There are things you can't teach in the classroom.

"But I never prepared myself for how it would feel to say goodbye to the people I've met here."

Megan, 19, said: "It's been a really good experience. I've met so many different types of people during my time here.

"I've seen their lives first-hand and done what I can to help them. It is frontline social work.

"The placement has been so valuable because you always receive feedback from the clients and the professionals at the project.

"Its’s been lovely working with the other students too. We've worked together really well and supported each other."

For Jacinda, 19, one of the high-points of her time with us was the day she learned her efforts had helped one of her clients secure a home.

"I was so ecstatic that day," she told us.

"Everyone has been so supportive and welcoming since the day I came here. I always knew they would be there for me if I was having a bad day.

"I've had a great time at New Futures and I'm very grateful to them for the opportunity to learn so much."

During the send-off our director Della Kagure Brown told the four students: "Thank you for everything that you have done and all that you've achieved.

"Some of you have had some very difficult cases, but you have been wonderful."

Avril Lewis, our crisis intervention worker, said: "You've all worked as a team and it's been lovely to see how you've all supported each other if one of you has had a bad day.

Carl Martin, our direct services manager, added: "You have all bought into the ethos of the work we do here. Thank you and good luck with everything you go on to do."

The New Futures Project offers a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.