First-class management support leads to First-Class Honours Degree for Teri!

Orkney Health and Care’s Teri Wood is a shining example of what can be achieved with first-class management support behind you!

For the 30-year-old from Harray has gained a First-Class Honours Degree in Social Work whilst juggling full-time study, three young children, and a caseload at work!

Teri has praised the “exceptional” support from her husband, Chris and wider family, but also her line managers within the Adult Social Work team at Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) whom, she says, have been “incredible mentors and provided immense support”.

She said: “Working within the OHAC Social Work team has been an absolute pleasure. The team have a wealth of experience and are keen to support students. They have been amazing and are always on hand to answer my endless number of questions.

“I have felt incredibly supported by all levels of management as they have regularly checked in on my wellbeing. It has been a difficult time for staff, but they continue to do their jobs and as a result I feel team spirit in the office has increased.

“I am aware Social Workers get some difficult press at times, but these stories often don’t cover the great work our teams do. I have been fortunate to see firsthand the great work that can be achieved by the Adult Social Work team who are fully committed to serving our community.”

Teri’s journey with OHAC began in 2013 when she returned to work following the birth of her first child.

“It was only after he was born that I knew that any time I had to spend away from him had to be something I loved doing. I always knew from a young age that my future career would involve caring for people but was indecisive of whether this would be from medical or social perspective. I was very fortunate that through OHAC I was able to gain invaluable experience through a range of relief and permanent contracts in various areas of the service.”

Teri was keen to progress her career and in 2018 the family made the difficult decision to move south to allow Teri to attend at university – her youngest of three children was just eight months old at the time.

“When I moved south, I completed an HNC in Social Services at Nescol North East Scotland College which I had initially started at Orkney College. When I initially signed up for the course at Nescol I was still mulling over the idea of Social Work, however, the lectures on the course were inspiring and my mind was made up very quickly. I then applied and was accepted for direct entry into the 2nd year of the Social Work Course at Robert Gordon’s University. 

“I returned to Orkney and OHAC in summer 2022 for my final placement starting in August. I absolutely loved my placement and in October I fleetingly said to my manager ‘I don’t want to leave’. The management staff within OHAC advised that I could apply for a social worker in training role, and I’ve just never left.

“I travelled up and down to university for seven weeks after the Christmas holidays, working between trips. I then got some regular protected study days to complete my studies so that I could better juggle my full-time studies and my Social Work role.”

Teri acknowledges that the journey has been challenging at times.

“I’m not going to lie there were times when it was really hard but having the kids has motivated me to be the best version of myself and I cannot explain the feeling of pride (or maybe relief) when I got to the end. I genuinely loved studying, I have learnt so much for my professional career, but I have also learnt a lot about myself.”

What does Teri hope to bring to the role?

“Being a Social Worker is about supporting an individual or family through difficult times, being an advocate and upholding individuals’ rights. I am absolutely dedicated to achieving this in our community as it’s a community I care so much about. It’s important to me that people can access opportunities and receive the care they need. Although there is a national shortage of resources in the care sector, I hope to try to be creative with care packages.

“I hope to bring some creativity, a voice for my clients and encourage more people to become social workers. I am looking working closely with service users and their families and become more confident in my practice.”

As to the 1st, she is feeling overwhelmed!

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it. I have checked my results so many times to ensure I read it correctly. I didn’t expect to do so well considering this year has been extremely challenging trying to juggle full-time study, a case load at work, three kids and some family bereavements.

“I will attend my graduation on the 7th of July. I hope to grow and develop into my new role as a social worker and undertake as much additional training as possible. I would at some point like to return to university to further my knowledge and skills.”

If you would like to join Teri and the Adult Social Work team, please take a look at www.orkney.gov.uk/wecare