The BASW England e-mentoring service has been in operation since 2011 during that time has supported many individuals to either obtain their first paid role as a social worker in England or to return to the workplace after a career break. Taking your first steps into paid employment as a social worker can feel like a daunting step for many reasons, for some people it might be related to the transition from student to fully qualified practitioner or confidence levels following a career break. 

The service is available to BASW members who are based in England and are either:

  • Newly Qualified Social Workers seeking their first paid social work job
  • Social workers looking to return to practice after a career break 
  • Social workers from abroad seeking employment in England and registered or in the process of registering with SWE.

The service is free to all members based in England and has two main elements:

  • Monthly workshops where hints and tips for job applications are shared - we tailor the session to the specific requirements of those attending for example how to maximise your chances of being shortlisted for interview, how to secure an ASYE role or how to showcase your transferrable skills, if you have no direct experience of undertaking assessments related specifically to English legislation. 
  • Focused 1:1 support from mentors who are qualified social workers - mentors will provide up to three 1:1 online support sessions and will focus on areas that you identify together, as important to your success. This may range from confidence building, interview skills, identifying your strengths and showcasing them in your applications. The service will aim to match you with a mentor who is experienced in the area of work you wish to enter.

Although I am now in a position to return to employment, I have lacked confidence in applying for posts after a substantial career break. In fact, it has been difficult to know where to start. The BASW 1:1 mentoring service has provided invaluable and ongoing support. During an introductory meeting, we reviewed my experience to date and identified a range of opportunities going forward. We used a second session to look at ways of strengthening job applications, that I had submitted previously and considered techniques to assist with interview situations. Perhaps more importantly, the opportunity to connect with someone with similar experience to me but in current practice closed what seemed like an impossible gap and affirmed my skills and experience
Claire, Social Worker

What is the difference between the Mentoring Service and the Social Work Professional Support Service (SWPSS)?

The Mentoring Service is focused solely on supporting individuals into paid employment as a social worker and is only available to members based in England. 

The SWPSS service is UK-wide and has a wider remit i.e. they offer 1:1 sessions with a trained volunteer coach who is also a qualified social worker, it offers an opportunity to reflect and talk through any personal and professional challenges you might be facing – to find solutions and ways forward, this service is free to all England members and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Find out more about the SWPSS

Can I have more than 3 sessions if needed?

Yes, if both you and your mentor feel an additional one or two sessions would be beneficial we can extend beyond the 3 session limit in some circumstances.

For an application form for 1:1 support or further information please contact mentoring@basw.co.uk  

For details of the monthly forums please visit our events page.

Information for prospective mentors

The mentoring service has successfully welcomed a number of new mentors to the service. Following a high level of interest we will therefore pause the application process for the moment but please continue to monitor this page for updates as this position my change over the coming months.