The start of Phillips Passion for Social Work
Phillip’s interest in social work started at home, inspired by his sister who works in the field. Reflecting on this influence, he explains:
“My sister’s a social worker, and I think coming home and her, not sharing all the cases, but a little glimpse of taking care of children, taking care of adults, interested me.”
These early insights, combined with his natural personality, shaped his direction. As he puts it simply:
“I think also I’m quite caring and kind and stuff like that.”
Turning Social Work into a Career
For Phillip, choosing social work wasn’t complicated – it came down to passion.
“I think just having the passion to help people really.”
This strong sense of purpose guided him away from other career paths and towards a profession where he could make a real difference in people’s lives.
Gaining Confidence on his Course
Starting the course came with uncertainty, but Phillip’s confidence grew over time, especially in his second year.
“First year, you’re trying to get a taste of the course and degree, but in 2nd year I learnt a lot about stuff that interested me… you learn more about psychology and attachment theory.”
His placement experience became a defining moment. Working at Men Standing Up, part of Bradford Cyrenians, he gained hands-on experience supporting men who had fled domestic abuse.
“I’ve had the chance to work with children and support parents.”
This period marked a clear turning point, helping him realise he was on the right path.
Development of Key Skills
Over the three-year course, Phillip has developed a wide range of essential skills. Communication stands out as one of the most important:
“I’ve definitely gained communication skills and getting to analyse people and situations better.”
He also highlights how his confidence and mindset have evolved:
“I feel I’ve become more curious, asking questions a lot more and generally having more initiation.”
Comparing himself now to when he started, he recognises just how much he has grown both personally and professionally.
Proud Moments During Study
Phillip’s proudest moments come from his placement experiences, where he saw real progress in himself.
“Doing placement I would say has been my proudest moment.”
Moving from charity work into a local authority setting gave him more responsibility:
“I’ve worked more directly with children, and I feel I’ve been trusted with more intense work. It made me see myself doing this role in the future.”
Breaking Stereotypes: Men in Social Work
Phillip is passionate about challenging stereotypes within the profession.
“Social work is often female led, but I think being a male social worker allows you to have a slightly unique perspective.”
He believes men can play a crucial role, particularly in connecting with certain individuals:
“We can be that safe space for them and offer a different point of view.”
Encouraging Other Men to Break Barriers
Phillip has a clear message for other men who may be considering social work:
“We need men in social work.”
He stresses the importance of diversity across all backgrounds:
“Whether you’re any ethnicity or race, it doesn’t matter… it will allow more perspectives to be heard and can help us reach out to more people.”
His advice is simple but powerful:
“Go for it. Just go for it… you never know what could happen.”
Desired Impact
While he remains humble about his ambitions, his motivation is clear:
“I don’t expect to like change the world, but the small number of people I’ve managed to help so far, that’s the impact I want to have.”
Future Career Plans
As he approaches the end of his final year, Phillip is focused on moving straight into employment:
“Mainly working for the local authority, I’m not too sure where yet but I have a few options so I will be looking to go straight into work.”
His placement experiences have given him the confidence to take this next step.
Impact of Tutor Support
One of the most significant parts of Phillip’s journey has been the support from his tutors.
“Oh, they’re amazing! They’re great, all of them.”
He highlights how accessible and supportive they are:
“If you need support you’re able to go to them straight away and just say look I’m struggling.”
The personalised approach stands out in comparison to university:
“They give you 1-2-1 support that you just wouldn’t get in university.”
He also emphasises their dedication:
“They don’t want you to fail, and it would take you a lot to fail with the amount of support you get.”
Overall College Experience
Phillip values the close-knit environment of the college:
“I like how I’m not at a big uni, and how everything feels close.”
The smaller class sizes have made a real difference to his learning:
“It makes me able to ask questions.”
This supportive atmosphere has shaped his overall experience:
“It’s a good college, I would recommend to anyone to be honest.”
He even believes this environment has influenced how much he enjoys social work itself.
Interested in Social Work? Apply here.