As a Psychology graduate with extensive work experience within health and social care I have not only proven myself to be capable of making a significant contribution to the field but have also been offered invaluable opportunities to experience the direct and meaningful difference that such work can make in people’s lives. Having witnessed the adversity that a vast range of various social disadvantages can present, I have become passionate about working hard and gaining the skills, knowledge and experience to help people to overcome them through effective social work. My strong performance throughout my undergraduate degree in Psychology has not only allowed me to gain valuable study skills that will ease my transition into postgraduate study, but has also allowed the opportunity to explore a range of mental health issues that are relevant to social work. Combining this study with practical experience within the field of mental health and social care has inspired a particular interest in helping those with learning difficulties and I am continually motivated by the thought of being able to offer more specialised help in this field in the future.

Outside of academia, I have also worked extremely hard to gain a high degree of practical experience within the fields of health and social care. My current role as a Social Work Assistant/Learning Disability and Mental Health Support Worker requires me to offer support and assistance for a range of service users, including assisting with medication and daily activities. In addition, this role also requires that I maintain regular contact with Social Workers responsible for managing the cases and alerting them to any concerns. This has offered the opportunity to gain understanding of the logistical and administrative aspects of the role. The skills and experience that have allowed me to perform to a high standard in this role are drawn from previous roles as a Support Worker for disabled children and a District Nurse Assistant. Both of these required strong communication skills when interacting with colleagues and clients and the successful execution of a range of physical and logistical tasks, from basic medical care to liasing with other agencies to create a care plan, as well as the ability to counsel clients through the emotional aspects. The teamwork and communication skills that I had built up through a prior career in retail and sales played a part in allowing me to perform these roles to the best of my abilities, while my natural aptitude for, and interest in, care-based roles ensured that I had the focus and enthusiasm to gain new skills when necessary.

My inclination towards helping others, and the satisfaction that I gain from this, is also reflected in my extra-curricular activities. Throughout my degree I performed the role of student mentor, advising students on personal and educational issues, offering a range of solutions and advice to make sure that they continued making progress. As a member of my church’s welfare team I now perform a similarly rewarding role for my fellow parishioners, offering emotional or practical advice and support whenever I can.

I still try and find time for myself outside of these activities, of course, and enjoy reading, playing and watching football and visiting the gym when I get the chance. I am a very sociable person and also like spending time with friends whenever possible.

As a warm and friendly person, capable of building trusting relationships with a range of people, I have built on these natural attributes to gain knowledge and experience within the field of social care. The intellectual rewards that I have gained through pursuing my academic interests in the field and the emotional rewards I have gained through practical experience have instilled in me the motivation to continue gaining further knowledge and experience to ensure that I can make a real difference in the lives of others through a successful career in social work.

Hopefully this Social Work personal statement example will provide inspiration to perfect your own personal statement for your university application.