Leona Curwen

My advice for anyone thinking of doing Health & Social Care Level 2 is to just go for it, especially if it's your passion. You could also get some experience by contacting local care homes and asking about volunteering or becoming an Ancillary Assistant, as that can jump start your career in Health & Social Care.

Leona Curwen first came to Lancaster & Morecambe College and studied a Childcare course and then progressed onto the Health & Social Care Level 2 at Lancaster & Morecambe College.

Leona has chosen to study Health & Social Care because she has always had a strong desire to look after people and help them meet their needs. Initially, she wanted to care for nursery-aged children, so she enrolled in the Caring for Children Under Five course. This was a Level 1 course during her first year, and she found it to be a lovely experience. Leona completed several placements in nurseries and also worked in a voluntary role over the summer to begin building her career.

However, she later decided not to pursue a career in the early years sector. Instead, Leona chose to move into Health & Social Care, a field that would broaden her skill set while still allowing her to work with people and support them.

The most enjoyable aspect of my course is learning about all the various communication types and how to use them in the workplace. I have found these skills the most helpful in my job. Another enjoyable part of my course is going to the Clinical Ward on campus, because you learn how to use equipment and how to help the patients, and the ward even has its own interactive patient.

The key skills that Leona has learnt during her Health & Social course include:

• How to communicate effectively
• Safeguarding
• Professionalism

My dream career is to be a Carer or Social Worker for the elderly. My course is benefitting me professionally as I am learning all the relevant skills to work in Health & Social Care and all my tutors encourage me to be the best that I can be.

Leona's biggest achievement since starting College has been receiving distinction in her communication assignment, along with a combination of merits and distinctions in her other assignments.

My advice for anyone thinking of doing the Health & Social Care Level 2 course is to just go for it, especially if it's your passion. You could also get some experience by contacting local care homes and asking about volunteering or becoming an Ancillary Assistant, as that can jump start your career in the Health & Social Care industry.

Leona's personal experience with the Health & Social Care Level 2 course has been amazing. All of her tutors have supported her both intellectually and emotionally, helping her with every assignment. At first, starting the course felt daunting, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to progress. However, she has made great progress, and now finds the assignments quite straightforward. She speaks highly of all the staff in Health & Social Care and Child Education departments, describing them as incredibly supportive. Leona plans to move on to the Health & Social Care Level 3 course to further develop her experience and knowledge for her future career.

My classmates and course manager support me in every way possible. As a class, we all work together to reach the same end goal and everyone is so friendly all the time. My tutors and course manager always make sure everyone is okay and help with all our assignments. I am very lucky to be studying at Lancaster & Morecambe College.