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Competing personal and professional stressors, as well as feelings of isolation
as an AYE social worker, underpinned the transitional period from student to
social worker.
4) AYE Mentoring helped with the transition from student to social worker
Mentoring was viewed by some as an extension to practice teaching, which was
valued following the early cessation of PLO. Mentors provided consistent
support in an uncertain climate.
5) Mentoring supports professional and personal development
Participants garnered both personal and professional support from their
mentors, and the provision of this support helped them feel valued by the
organisation. There was appreciation of the mentor as being independent of the
team.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The study emphasises the challenges of the transition from student to social
worker, and highlights added difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is imperative that AYE social workers are provided with formal, accessible and
effective organisational support during their transitional period. Mentoring is
strong organisational response, and the study highlights the far reaching
benefits for the individual. The organisation also stands to benefit from
mentoring in terms of nurturing AYE social workers' commitment to the
organisation. Mentoring should continue to be facilitated for future cohorts of
AYE social workers in order to cultivate a supportive organisational climate,
formalise peer support and strengthen our workforce. Future service evaluations
and research will be beneficial for continuous scrutiny, development and
improvement of the AYE Mentoring Programme.
Name of researcher
Bronagh Hamill
Organisation Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Contact Details bronagh.hamill@northerntrust.hscni.net