Michelle takes one more step closer to her dream
South Shields, is in the second year of her social work degree at the University of Sunderland.
She said: “Personally and professionally, it has been both a challenging and a positive experience.
“Working remotely can be isolating and I am very thankful to my placement team for their daily contact, and allowing me the opportunity to try new ways of keeping in touch with the young people on my caseload.
"Two weeks into my placement my Nanna, who is like a mother to me, had a bad fall and was admitted to hospital. She was temporarily moved into a care home for convalescence and due to the lockdown restrictions, I was suddenly unable to visit her.
“It was a stressful and worrying time for me, and I really appreciated the support provided by my placement and my university tutor.
"I was privileged to be able to continue my placement despite the change from working in a busy office to becoming full-time home based.”
Michelle has since been able to visit. She was worried that her Nanna would no longer recognise her and others because of her Alzheimer's, but her Nanna did recognise them when they arrived in the care home's garden.
Stephen Mordue, senior lecturer in social work at the University of Sunderland and Michelle’s personal tutor, said: “The opportunities provided to Michelle were of a high standard in challenging circumstances and have allowed her to finish the placement on time.
"This is in no small part due to Barnardo’s having a strong commitment to our students and their learning. We are extremely grateful for this and look forward to further placements in the coming years.”