Cordwell
"It may sound corny, but doing this course has been a career changing experience for me. What and how I have been taught and the content of the MA programme have improved my practice."
Main details
How did you become involved with the course?
"My local authority education officer informed me of the MA programme when I was performing the role of my organisation’s practice educator. I always had an interest to further my training and education, as I believe education to be pivotal to empower self and others.
In particular, I found the programme’s educational research module invigorating as it enabled me to deliver a real action research project, working with individuals and groups to find answers. My first enabling others role was when I was a chef trainer, training apprentice chefs.
My role within social / health care for the last 15 years was in Mental Health Advocacy. During this time I performed the role of an on-site student social work practice educator and post qualified social worker assessor."
How did you find the course?
"The course was an excellent experience and the lecturers went out of their way to support participants. I appreciated the learning and teaching methods used, as information was not just thrown at you, I found the MA programme at Goldsmiths generated a positive learning environment, which allowed me and others to excel. I found my peer students to be engaging and like minded practitioners to want to make an actual difference to the customers that we serve.
As a learning institute, I found Goldsmiths to promote diverse learning approaches; anti- oppressive and anti discriminatory practice was its cornerstone. I gained new teaching skills and a deeper degree of confidence. As a result I am able to further comprehend organisational constructs on a higher level.
I completed the programme part-time over of 4 years, whilst working fulltime. My motivation and the student group work was an added value to my success. I used some of my annual leave to do the final research dissertation. It was challenging but a great experience, it was worth the effort!"
What are your career plans now?
"I have now changed my job and I'm a member of the London Borough of Lambeth’s Black Mental Health Commission. I am also a committee member of a local community charity. The MA helped me directly to achieve this."
