QSWs and the Blogs They Write

Last time on my blog I wrote about ex-pat blogs that help me escape from the mundane everyday existence that I sometimes find myself dwelling upon. This next round of links is another form of escapism, but they focus more on the experience of QSWs (Qualified Social Workers) residing in the UK. Some are ex-pats, some are British Natives. Each of them describe work and life experiences that help to inform my own soon-to-be adventures overseas.

• Fighting Monsters is a British Social Worker who works on an over 65s community mental health team. She holds the designation of an AMHP (Approved Mental Health Professional) and a BIA (Best Interests Assessor). She writes often about social policy in the UK, as well as her experience in this particular field.
• Life Across the Pond aka Wanderlust, is a blog by Melissa. She is a Canadian (from the GTA) studying Law in London, and as a part-time job works in social care. She's not a QSW, but her experience is helpful in preparation for the professional adventure. She is a Key Worker (Case Manager) for adults in recovery from addictions.
• Livin The Dream: An American Expat in London. Julie is, as you can tell, an American QSW in London. She has her Masters in Social Work and, when not being affronted by tumbling rats, works as a Social Worker for a school board in London.
• Social Worker-to-be - as the by-line says, "The musings of a British social work student."
• The Masked AMHP is a Social Worker and AMHP (Approved Mental Health Professional) working in a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) in England. (In English (and Welsh) law (Scotland is different again), if it is considered that someone needs to receive assessment or treatment in hospital for serious mental disorder and they are not willing or able to make that decision for themselves, two doctors need to make recommendations for a person to be detained, but the final decision rests with the AMHP, who is explicitly not a doctor, but can be a social worker, mental health nurse, clinical psychologist or occupational therapist. - from her About section.)
• Yohabloespanglish's Blog is written by an American Social Worker who is awaiting her Visa, and in the meantime working in CP as a volunteer Social Worker.

C'est tous pour ce moment. I like signing up to have new posts emailed to my inbox, but that's your call, folks.

Youth Mobility Visa Applicants Experience and Practicum Experience and Are they related Does it matter? Some Valuable tips for people starting this journey

There has been many questions with regards to the discipline you practice as a Social Worker, the experience you need in order to work there and the Visa eligibility and how all factors are correlated or affect each other one way or the other. Although there are many different scenarios we typically brake it into  4 different type of applicants that we can assist in this exciting journey of working in the United Kingdom as a Social Worker, today I'm going to talk about the Youth Mobility Visa applicants.

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.

If you are a recent grad and you have no experience in Social Work and you fall under this unqualified category, we don't encourage you to go the UK. Even though you might qualify for the Youth Mobility Visa, you need to get at least 1 year of relevant experience before you. Since you are going to be competing with the British grads and it will make your job search a little bit more challenging. Our advise in this case is Get Experience before you go! It's going to be easier to help you find a role with some relevant experience, plus you will be in advantage to the recent grads in the UK since you have some relevant experience and this will give you more advantage!