Youth Mobility Visa Applicants: This are qualified Social Workers or in some case unqualified Social Workers that are commonwealth citizens (from countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Monaco who are 30 or under. If you qualify for this visa we do encourage you to have some experience/ or recent practicum experience before you go. This is going to play a main factor in finding you a role. (We are not saying you need to have 6 years of experience, with a 1 year of a recent practicum or even 1 year of work experience we can totally help you find a good role in the UK)
If you qualify for this Visa..you have great opportunities and advantages...This visa is great because it gives you the opportunity to work in the UK for 2 years and also explore Europe. Our experience has been that it's fairly easy to get as long as you qualify; from a timing perspective it takes between 15-30 days to get a response back from your closest UK consulate. You can work there in a permanent role or temporary roles you have great advantage and flexibility compared to other work permit visa holders; for example in some cases youth mobility applicants decide to work seasonally and they can work on a 3 month contract and then take a month off to explore Europe! After they come back from their Euro trip, we can find another role in a location of preference. There many opportunities on a contract basis, so this is something totally doable!
Stick with one Discipline:
If your qualify for this visa , it would be a "key" factor that your experience is relevant to the discipline you choose to stay with for example if you are a newly qualified Social Worker and you have done your practicum in Child Welfare we encourage you to be open to Child Welfare roles...because that is what you will be in most of the cases considered for,and you have to think ahead, although you might not have completely enjoyed your practicum! You want to stick with something that is going to allow you to transition into your "ideal" role and pay off in the future.
In the case of "unqualified Social Workers" not that we are trying to say you are unqualified, (we know you are properly trained to do you your job) it's just a term used in the UK for describing applicants who don't hold a degree in BSW or a MSW therefore they cannot be registered with the GSCC. For example some one with a BA in Psychology and a SW Diploma with 2 plus years of relevant experience ( type of roles available managing a caseload in foster care/ working as a youth transition worker) you will be looking at opportunities in "Social Care" for more information about the roles please visit: http://www.socialcarecareers.co.uk/
If this is your case, we do encourage you have relevant experience, since you are going to be competing with Social Care Workers in the UK you need to also have relevant experience in the area of your chosen discipline.
