Darren Newall - Access to Social Work (SWAP)

As part of SWAP Week we caught up with Darren Newall...

After living in Australia for 2½ half years he studied Access to Social Work (SWAP). He’s now doing a degree in Social Work at University of Strathclyde, and believes that his time at college gave him the confidence to learn and helped him realise his potential.

He tells us more…

“Before coming to college I travelled around Australia, working on farms and in construction. I knew for some time that I wanted to go into social work but thought I’d get some life experience behind me first.

After staying in Sydney it was difficult adapting life in Kilwinning, but I felt pretty comfortable about coming to college. I left school at 16, so it was perfect for getting the qualifications and skills to move onto university.

I studied a mixture of different subjects including maths, English and areas within social work. We heard from speakers from different organisations, which was beneficial, and we attended a really interesting North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership workshop.

I really enjoyed learning again and focusing on something that I have a particular interest in. The lecturers were all brilliant – they made lessons comfortable and fun. I’ve developed critical thinking skills and my ability to problem solve. Every aspect of my experience at Ayrshire College was amazing.

The SWAP course has 100% helped me to achieve my plans and contributed to where I am now. It gave me the right foundations and aided my progression to University. Without it, I may never have gone back to college.

I plan to qualify as a Social Worker and go into practice for a while, then see what happens from there."

If you’d like to pursue a career in social work but aren’t quite sure where to start – this course is perfect for you. Apply now!