Your Role: Specialist Social Work Team Manager

Your connection to the course: Student Attended the Postgraduate Certificate Systemic Thinking and Practice 2021

A Journey of Discovery

I began my second chapter in systemic thinking and practice at the University of Derby, attending the Post Graduate Certificate Systemic Thinking and Practice 2021, ‘the second year of the pandemic’. But somehow, with a slight delay, I felt fortunate to be one of the seven students to commence this chapter on the 7th of January 2021. What a journey! Who would have thought a journey with a group of seven fellow peers, two course leaders, interspersed with interesting presenters, workshops, and patch groups reflective space, would have brought about such a personal and professional change process? My ending patch created reflects my journey on the course, from the influence of the course contents, the readings, and interactions with other peers through the patch group, combined with systemic supervision. Creating a catalyst in my reconnection to self-confidence and connecting with systemic thinking, ideas, and reflective learning, the course has exceeded my expectations. In particular, influencing my interest in research and increasing my enthusiasm to have taken this into practice within the team I lead, as we are now looking at how children of Black Minority Ethnic backgrounds, and their families, are engaged in services offering help. My hope is that the outcome will further influence the organisation in which I work, as we adapt a systemic and cultural lens to engaging children, young people, and their families of diverse backgrounds. For me, I will hold onto my learning from the PGC Systemic Thinking and Practice Course, as my inspiration to progress to the next chapter in my systemic journey, in the hope of gaining a place on the MSc Systemic Psychotherapy.