Applications have opened for aspiring social workers.
BCP Council’s Step Up To Social Work is a 14-month, full-time training programme starting in January next year.
It’s designed for degree-qualified people who want to become a social worker but don’t have a degree specifically in social work.
Successful applicants gain hands-on experience working in a real-life social work role through placements at BCP Council, Dorset Council or Wiltshire Council, while undertaking their qualification with Bournemouth University.
Students will receive a bursary of £21,995 and all university fees will be covered for the duration of the programme whilst in training.
Cllr Richard Burton, BCP Council Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People, said: “If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career working with vulnerable children, young people and families, the Step Up to Social Work programme could be for you.
“We are looking for talented graduates and career changers to become the next generation of child and family social workers to make a genuine positive impact on people’s lives.”
Cathi Hadley, Director of Children’s Services at BCP Council, said: “We are really pleased to be part of the Step Up To Social Work programme which is an excellent way for graduates to qualify in social work.
“Our Children’s Services have recently been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, with inspectors commenting that our social workers are very positive about working for BCP Council.
“This is a good place to work, and we look forward to welcoming several new members to our team and supporting them to make a real difference to the lives of children and families.”
Briefing sessions are being held until 1st March 2025, helping people to find out more about the programme before applying. Applications close on 25th March 2025.
The Step Up to Social Work programme is a national government funded initiative delivered in the local area by South West Partnership 1, which includes BCP Council, Wiltshire Council, Dorset Council and Bournemouth University.
The partnership, which has run the training programme for 15 years and helped 56 social workers to successfully qualify, is opening the initial recruitment round for a total of 18 aspiring social workers to join the programme.
- Picture: BCP Council.