Student Placements
Sapphire Independent Housing has been approved by Middlesex University to take Social Worker students. These students generally come to Sapphire Independent Housing to complete their first or second placement.
A designated Sapphire Independent Housing staff member trained in mentoring supervises their time within the scheme. During the placement students receive induction and guidance in dealing with vulnerable clients as well as learning many other aspects of service delivery within a hostel environment.
So far this has proved to be a positive experience for Sapphire Independent Housing and the three colleges currently involved and we are planning to expand the arrangement with other institutions in the future.
Student Placement Stories
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Chiya
My time at Conway has been nothing short of a great learning experience.
The collaborative nature of Conway House has been a highlight. Team meetings and case discussions allowed me to learn from a diverse group of professionals, this was a significant learning opportunity for me. The team at Conway House also assisted me with enhancing my practical social work skills by supporting me with conducting assessments and developing support plans for the individuals we key-work.
The mentorship and guidance I received from my colleagues was so valuable, especially from my Practice Supervisor, Fiona. I felt the team instilled so much confidence in me, and I am grateful I was given the opportunity to grow professionally. In addition, learning to utilise various community resources e.g. grants, has been so valuable, enabling me to find other ways to support my future clients, as I continue my social work practice. Interacting with clients has been a profound learning experience, it has allowed me to demonstrate empathy and active listening. Overall this placement has provided me with a further understanding of how to support others to navigate through challenges effectively.