We’re delighted to spotlight 19-year-old Social Work Student, Alysia, who recently completed her 70-day placement with Savera UK. During her time with us, Alysia gained valuable hands-on experience being part of our work to end ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) and harmful practices. We caught up with her to chat about her experience.

What made you choose Savera UK for your placement?

“My placement was allocated by my university. Initially I was worried about this placement as I didn’t have any prior knowledge nor had heard of ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices. However, I am so grateful that this placement was chosen for me. I loved being there. The support from everyone was incredible, the clients were truly lovely, and being able to gain more knowledge each day was so rewarding. Overall, it was the best experience I could have had.”

What was the focus of your work during your time with Savera UK?

“During my time at Savera UK, I worked with the Direct Intervention Team. I worked one-to-one with survivors of ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices through trauma-informed, survivor-led interventions and multi-agency safeguarding.”

What’s something you learned at Savera UK that you don’t think you could’ve picked up in a classroom?

“During my placement, I developed a strong understanding of HBA and harmful practices. These topics aren’t covered through my education, and it was really interesting to learn about them and see what services are available to survivors and those at risk. Knowing what I know now, I believe this experience will really help me in my future practice.”

What did you find most unexpected about working in this area of social work?

“What I found most unexpected was how frequently this abuse was minimised or misunderstood by being attributed to culture. I saw how HBA and harmful practices were sometimes framed as cultural norms rather than recognised as forms of HBA and harmful practices, which often led to hesitation or missed safeguarding opportunities. I also found it unexpected how many professionals struggled to identify the risk indicators, potentially increasing the likelihood of further harm.”

What challenged you personally or professionally during your time here, and how did you grow from it?

“When I first joined, I struggled with my confidence and did not believe in my abilities, but with the support of the Savera UK team I overcame this. By the end of my placement, I was surprised at how confidently I was completing the tasks without second guessing myself. I found myself taking on multiple responsibilities for tasks I couldn’t have imagined doing before.”

How do you think future social workers can be better prepared to engage with survivors of ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices?

“I think future social workers can be better prepared through education and awareness about HBA and harmful practices. We are often taught about abuse without covering the details of specific types. I believe that having training through specialist services will allow us as practitioners to better safeguard clients.”

What’s next for you, and how do you think this experience will shape your path?

“I am currently back in education, and considering what to do for my next placement. I will take the skills and confidence I have gained throughout my time at Savera UK into my next role. I am so happy I was chosen for this placement and I feel confident that I will be able to apply these skills into my practice as a social worker.”

What advice would you give to another student thinking about doing their social work placement?

“Don’t be worried that you can’t do everything. Placements are about learning and gaining confidence before going into practice. Believe in yourself and lean on the team for support, ask questions as it will help and finally, take advantage of all the amazing opportunities the placement has to offer because it will really help with your experience for practice.

I want to say a final thank you to everyone at Savera UK. You are all such beautiful people inside and out and the work you do is phenomenal.”

Thank you Alysia for your hard work and dedication to our clients. We wish you the best of luck on your future endeavours!