My Work Based Learning experience took shape in a community organisation affiliated with a local media and broadcasting service. I initially approached them after recognising that my formal placement—while valuable in some respects—didn’t offer the flexibility or enthusiasm to explore creative ideas. I’d tried to introduce new approaches there, but they didn’t land well, which prompted me to look closer to home. That’s when I noticed a charity I often walked past and decided to explore the opportunity.
I was lucky that the person I met was enthusiastic and open to developing something together. From that first conversation, we began a process of negotiation—figuring out how to meet course requirements, working with their Thrive practitioner and trainers, and ultimately shaping an idea for working with marginalised children. The idea was to co-create a communication tool around emotions and feelings, specifically for young people who may not respond to conventional, neurotypical approaches.
The process has really developed my skills—not just in communication and negotiation, but also in co-creation across disciplines. I’ve learned to combine my counselling perspective with the creative strengths of a broadcasting-based organisation, blending ideas, tools, and methods in a collaborative way. This project has also pushed me into spaces outside the traditional therapy room and helped me build links with other counsellors working with marginalised youth—something I didn’t anticipate but found incredibly valuable.
A recent challenge was logistical: the children who were meant to participate couldn’t attend due to transport issues. While disappointing, it also brought into sharp relief the very barriers marginalised children face—how something as seemingly small as transport can block access to needed support. It was frustrating, but also highlighted how systemic issues can compound marginalisation, and how critical it is to be flexible and resourceful in response.
Despite this setback, we’re now exploring alternative avenues, it’s exciting and still evolving. This whole experience has stretched me—advocating for myself, stepping into unfamiliar spaces, and seeing what happens when I bring my skills to the community, not just the therapy room. That’s been unexpectedly empowering.
Looking back, I realise I set up this placement myself, negotiated it from the ground up, and followed through. That in itself has been a huge learning curve. It’s shown me that stepping outside of traditional settings can open meaningful and creative opportunities that shape not just a project, but potentially my future career.
