Stacey, nanny in Norwich

For as long as I can remember I have always been attracted to caring for people. It has always
been an interest of mine to make a real and positive change to people's lives. Throughout my
childhood I have experienced many situations in which I have gained various caring skills
which have also improved my people skills and how I interact with others. I have a genuine
concern in everyone that I meet and always find their own stories fascinating.
I feel that the rewards of a professional career in health care would more than satisfy the goals
I have always hoped to achieve and I am ready to embark on this journey. I feel that I have
the drive, enthusiasm and skills to train and hopefully one day work, as a mental health
nurse. To me, care is more than a profession; it is a way of life, as so much of a person’s
personality and time goes into this type of job. I am incredibly eager to pursue this career as I
feel that I have a lot to give.
I have recent personal experience of mental health in my immediate family and I feel that I
can use my own experiences and struggles to empathise and offer the best support that I can. I
feel that because of what I have been through and seen, I am able to interact and sympathise
in ways that other healthcare professionals may not. During various visits to hospital, I found it very easy to
notice the staff who were working because they wanted to help and those who were more
concerned with aspects such as pay. I feel very strongly that carers should be passionate
about their jobs and only enter into such a demanding and challenging occupation because of
their interest in patient welfare. I am positive that these skills, characteristics and
experiences would be of benefit when training and working in this field.
Studying at Dereham Sixth Form, I have not only been able to get a deeper knowledge of the
subjects I love, but I have also been given the opportunity to look into areas that I wouldn't
have necessarily done individually, allowing me to extend my awareness of the subjects even
further. It has also allowed me to gain vital study skills such as meeting deadlines, working
independently and self-disciple which I feel will be a huge part of university life. I brought
it upon myself to undertake an EPQ alongside my A levels, in which I am looking at 'Individual
struggles through my personal view of society'. This is a photography based project on how
others live and how as a society, we perceive them differently.
After sixth form, I took on a full-time job as a residential support worker in an autistic care home in order to further my knowledge and involvement within the caring sector. All
these experiences have fuelled my desire to gain entry to the healthcare profession and have
increased my motivation to work in this field. Work has shaped me as a person, allowing
me to find my feet and be the individual I want to be, growing in independence. It will allow
me to meet people who share similar interests and passions, will striving to meet the same goal. This is also why working life has always appealed to me.
The concept of seeing people at their most vulnerable and helping them gain their life back
seems to be the most rewarding and fulfilling job and I cannot wait to help in other's journey
to health and happiness.