The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) has launched its annual ‘#Yes2SocialWork’ campaign, encouraging people of all ages, backgrounds and life experiences to consider applying to study social work in Northern Ireland, ahead of the UCAS deadline on 13 January 2027.
This yearly campaign promotes the benefits of choosing a career in social work while highlighting the many routes individuals can take into the Degree in Social Work (the Degree), as well as the diverse range of career opportunities available in the profession after graduation.
Building on the success of previous campaigns, this year continues to focus on authentic stories from social work students and practitioners, showcasing the many different pathways into social work and the positive impact social workers make in communities every day. This includes speaking to graduates in relevant subjects such as psychology, sociology and criminology who are eligible to apply through the Relevant Graduate Route (RGR), completing the Degree in two years instead of three.
The Social Care Council is also using this year’s campaign to encourage more applications from groups currently underrepresented in the social work workforce, including men and people from minority ethnic communities, as part of a wider drive to build a profession that reflects the communities it serves.
Tracy Reid, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, said:
“Social work is a career that changes lives. Every day, social workers support individuals, families and communities through some of life’s most challenging circumstances.
“This campaign is about showing people that there is no single route into social work. Whether you are leaving school, completing a relevant degree, considering a career change or returning to education later in life, social work offers the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, improve lives and make a lasting difference.”
Among those backing this year’s campaign is Thomas Sturgeon, who has just graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with the Degree in Social Work at the age of 42.
Thomas left school at 16 to start an engineering course he realised he had little interest in, and spent years working in retail and delivery driving before discovering a passion for care work in his mid-thirties. After becoming his children’s primary carer, he enrolled on a part-time access course at Northern Regional College, encouraged by his wife to pursue his new-found interest in social care and, eventually, social work.
Thomas is now preparing to begin his career with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust social work team at the Royal Victoria Hospital and is advocating for others to consider social work as a career of choice.
“Six years ago, if someone had told me I’d be graduating with a Degree in Social Work, I would never have believed them,” Thomas said. “People always used to tell me I had the brains, I just didn’t do the work. Now, I’ve found something that gives me purpose and fulfilment, I’ve just thrown myself into it.
“I’ve absolutely loved every minute of the whole process. You never really get rid of imposter syndrome, but I have so much more confidence now than I used to.”
As one of relatively few men studying social work, Thomas hopes his story will encourage others to consider the profession. His advice for anyone considering the degree as a mature student is simple: “Social work is an area where you can make a real difference to people’s lives. Even helping just one person can change a whole cycle of a family living in poverty or with mental health issues. If anyone is ever worried about having the confidence to do it, if I can do it, they can. If they don’t try, it won’t happen.”
Find out if social work could be for you today
The Degree in Social Work is currently offered at five universities and colleges in Northern Ireland:
– Queen’s University Belfast.
– Ulster University (Magee Campus).
– Belfast Metropolitan College (Millfield Campus).
– South West College (Dungannon Campus).
– Open University (an employer sponsored route).
Applications for the Degree in Social Work can be made through UCAS. The deadline for entry is 13 January 2027.
Students who complete the Degree, both as undergraduates and through the Relevant Graduate Route (RGR) will study classroom-based theory and spend time gaining practical experience through Practice Learning Opportunities (PLOs) throughout their courses.
All social work students living and studying in Northern Ireland, are eligible to apply for an annual incentive payment of £4,500 to help support them through their studies.
Want to know more?
- To learn more about the campaign and steps to get started in applying to the Degree in social work, explore the website here, or read some of our social work stories.
- You can find examples of the different pathways students have taken to study the Degree through the video playlist here.
- You can also watch our animations explaining the Undergraduate and Relevant Graduate Routes into the Degree:
- Honours Degree in Social Work – 2 Year Relevant Graduate Route (RGR)
- Honours Degree in Social Work – 3 Year Undergraduate Route (UGR)