Imogen Meakin

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

I’m Imogen, I live in Berwick, and I’m on the autism spectrum. Sometimes this means I struggle with schoolwork, but I always try my best not to let that slow me down. 

How did you hear about Newcastle College? Did you attend an Open Day prior to starting at the College? If so, did you find it useful?

My cousin goes to Newcastle College (she came here last year) and she really enjoyed her time at the College, so when I started looking for a college she strongly recommended it! Based on her feedback, I went on the College’s website and looked at all the available courses and facilities for Health and Care, and was really impressed by the quality. I also came to an Open Event, which I found really helpful, since I got the chance to speak to tutors, see the facilities and meet a few students, so I had the chance to get a real feeling for the College and the course I wanted to do. 

What made you decide to come to the College and enrol on your chosen course?

I’ve wanted to be a social worker for a long time, so when I looked around for colleges, I knew I wanted to study a course in social care. Newcastle College is the closest college to me that offers strong courses in Health and Care, so even though I commute an hour every day, I really felt like this was the best place for me. Besides, my cousin obviously loves her time here, so I thought, “Why not?”. 

How would you describe the advice and support you've received from the College staff and your tutors? Have you had any support from our Central Support Service?

With my autism, sometimes certain things are a bit difficult. My tutor always reaches out to me to ask if I need anything, and if I do then I can always let her know and she’d make an arrangement with the Central Support Team to make sure that I’ve got all the support I need. My tutor’s also really good at supporting me academically as well! Some of my classmates can struggle or get a bit overwhelmed in class, but she’s really patient, empathetic and helps us to understand what we’re learning. Thanks to her support, I’ve never really needed help from the Central Support Team because I feel like I’ve got good friends and a strong support network within my class, so I feel comfortable enough at college not to have any real worries. 

Do you have any tutors with industry experience? If so, how has this helped you?

A few of my tutors were practising clinical nurses. They’re all really understanding of how everyone is different, so they’re comfortable with adapting how they teach sometimes to make sure that everyone in my class gets the most out of lessons. Thanks to their support, when we go out into industry, we know what to do as well. Thanks to their past experience in the healthcare industry, they can give us stories about their time working in hospitals or in social care, which really helps us to contextualise the importance of everything we learn. For example, one of my tutors was a nurse who has spoken about what it was like working during COVID to help us understand in practical terms how best to apply infection control measures, which helps us a lot within the context of the course.  

Have you overcome any challenges while on your course? If so how has the college helped you?  

When I first started at Newcastle College, I had really bad anxiety because I’ve come to such a new, big campus! My tutors helped me out to process that at the time and always went the extra mile to listen or offer advice where it was needed. That level of support really helped me at the time and now I’m much more comfortable studying here.  

What do you enjoy the most about your course?

I really enjoy just learning the different content, to be honest! My favourite topic is psychology, because I’m really interested in how people’s brains work and why various people from different walks of life all come to think in such different ways. 

How do you feel that the course is benefitting you?

Compared to when I first started at Newcastle College, I feel like I’m much more confident in myself now! I’ve gained a lot of experience and I feel confident that I can go to university and learn whatever I want to learn, so I’m actually able to study the different topics I’m passionate about!  

Have you done any work experience or a work placement as part of your course?

I’m starting my work placement in two weeks’ time: I’ll be shadowing a social worker based near Berwick, and then change to different departments under the social work umbrella so I can get a sense for how social workers in different areas do different types of working, depending on who they’re trying to look after. I’ll have the chance to go to different houses with the person I’m shadowing and see what the needs of the occupants are, then figure out how to help them best. I’ll also have the chance to go to Malta for a two weeks in April with my cohort, so I’ll get to see how placements work in industry over in Europe! 

What would you like to do when you finish your course? Would you consider studying a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

I’d like to go to university to study a degree in Social Work. I’m not certain about which university I’d like to go with yet – I’ve looked at a lot of different options, but Newcastle College University Centre is still a strong contender, because I really like the environment at the College and I know coming here, I’ll feel really well supported. 

What are your ambitions for the future?

After university, I’d like to get a job as a social worker, because obviously I’ve experienced my own struggles growing up, so I want to do my best to help people as much as I can, wherever I find them. I don’t currently have a particular area of social work which interests me more than others, but I’m just really keen to get started on everything! 

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a course with Newcastle College?

Definitely come here! Newcastle College is a really supportive environment and the tutors are all really nice. If you’re ever struggling, academically or pastorally, there’s always support available, and you’ll gain loads of experience here that will set you up well for your future career.  

What are your top tips for being a student at Newcastle College?

Be yourself – it’s fine to take time to settle in at first, but never be afraid of just being yourself!  

Go into your first day with an open mind – you never know what it’ll be like, and you’ll get so much more out of your time here if you come in willing to accept whatever’s thrown your way to learn.