HoW College Student goes above and beyond to write her future!

Poppy Chambers, HoW College Level 1 Care Student, has excelled in her recent work and work experience, so much so she’s actively sought out further opportunities to expand on her employability skills!  

Poppy has already completed her work experience with Ahead of Wellbeing, a mental health organisation. Poppy is an advocate for mental health and wellbeing and Ahead of Wellbeing has encouraged and supported her to believe in herself. 

Poppy also has a love and huge passion for writing and has even written a book of poetry which has been published. Her love for writing is inspired through the work of authors such as Patti Smith, Joan Didion, Emily Dickinson and W.B. Yeates.  

After showing her tutor snippets of her writing it clearly demonstrated her creativity and a maturity above her years, which led to further discussion with a local newspaper who offered to take Poppy on for her own, additional work experience.  

During Poppy’s first day of work experience, she was thrown straight into the deep end and asked to write. The piece of work she produced was so well written that it was published in the local Worcester paper.

Speaking about writing and her work experience, Poppy said: 

“In comparison to previous work experience, the position of “journalist in training” has been entirely new territory, with the challenge of developing a different writing style and structure. The basis of the role has certainly given insight into the environments I will find in future endeavours, and the expectations of myself as a reporter, the articles I present and my ability to capture human reaction when coinciding with fact in this wave of new journalism.  

It was a slightly differing feeling from self-publishing my own book, in that it is guaranteed to be read by any individual who picks up a paper for their local area. As well as that it is a factual piece of information, rather than it being a situation of my creation solely dictated by my own thought process. It was daunting, however, extremely exciting. 

I could do nothing but enthuse reading. The greatest things can come to you from the experience of another. Do not diminish your own experience, however. It may feel that you’re in dire need to alter your surroundings or suppress your history, but everything can emerge from accounts of nothing. 

Carry a pen, carry something which you could write on, remain present and observant. Make a habit of taking notes on what is heard around you in order to accurately portray conversation.” 

An example of some of Poppys work can be read here: https://www.malvernobserver.co.uk/news/construction-companies-and-trade-organisations-in-malvern-urged-to-give-to-the-turkey-and-syria-earthquake-appeal/