“This experience, working with individuals on the fringe of society, was the beginning of my journey towards social work and I am very glad of it.” ~ David Clark

David Clark

Adult Mental Health Social Worker, English BA (Hons), Social Work MSW, Edinburgh Napier University.

“In 2020 I began a Social Work Masters, qualifying in 2022. Since then, I have worked in an adult Mental Health & Substance Misuse Social Work team in Edinburgh.

Studying English at university improved both my written and verbal communication, and greatly improved my ability to analyse and assess literature and other forms of communication be they media or otherwise. I feel I am a more confident speaker and writer as a result.what I took and enjoyed most from the course was a deepened understanding and appreciation of culture, social theory, history and human behaviour. Through works of fiction, we are afforded a glimpse into different settings, in both time and place, characters from different socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, narrative voices that are sometimes trustworthy, other times not, and subject matters that I might never have considered of interest. As a result, you can travel around the world and through time, understanding the essential one-ness of the human experience.

In my final year, I had the opportunity to visit and support with a creative writing class in prison, over the course of a few weeks. This experience, working with individuals on the fringe of society, was the beginning of my journey towards social work and I am very glad of it. I think this, again, speaks to the variety and unexpected opportunities and learning that can be gained from an English degree.”