Pel Ahmed

• Year of graduation: 2022

Your University Journey

What inspired you to study at UON?

When I was in the sixth form and it was time for me to pick what I wanted to study at university, I had to really think about what I wanted to be and why. I knew I was somebody who liked to ‘give’ to the world in order to make it a better place, even if it’s by just 1% and as a second-generation refugee, I wanted a role that would connect me with people in low developed countries – refugees, asylum seekers, etc.

I realised that my dream job was to become a humanitarian. I knew that by taking Health Studies and Applied Social Care, I’d be able to have a variety of different jobs to choose from because the course was so broad and so is the field of employment – in both the health aspect and the social aspect.

Changemaker Team Support

How did the Changemaker Team support you during your UON journey?

Before working with the Changemaker Team there were a lot of “huh?” moments, if I’m being honest! But towards the end of my third year, I knew that I wanted to do a Master’s degree once I graduated, but I didn’t know what subject it should be in. I did some research into different courses, before booking a telephone appointment with the Changemaker Team to talk about my plans.

At the appointment they asked me: what’s your career plan? When I told them I wanted to be a humanitarian, or something related to that, we discussed a more accurate plan for me and looked at which Master’s courses would be most relevant – it was a real “a-ha!” moment when I found the course I wanted to do. Once I’d figured that out, I came up with another plan, to do volunteering abroad. So thanks to that appointment, I was able to consider suitable Master’s courses, the job opportunities that would come with it, and the volunteering opportunities that I’d be interested in doing in order to develop myself and build my career.

How did you embrace the ‘Changemaker mindset’?

Changemaker goes by these statements:

• taking action to solve a social problem
•  being driven by a passion and a genuine goal of making the world a better place
• being a person who acts and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer – being resilient and persistent in the face of challenges.

I felt I embraced the Changemaker ethos, as I have a similar mindset based on my own beliefs and values, but working alongside the Changemaker Team strengthened this mindset even further. To solve social problems and make the world a better place is a statement I already live by but being involved with Changemaker encouraged me to feel confident in facing challenges.

How have you personally grown and developed since engaging with the Changemaker Team?

The team had a way of supporting me – offering advice and guidance without making me feel like I should have had my life already figured out at the age of 20. This enabled me to become more confident and comfortable in stepping out of my comfort zone. For example, I joined the STAR – Student Action for Refugees society and was involved in many campaigns and fundraisers. Due to the society campaigning for such a big cause, we often found it quite hard to do successful fundraisers, but thanks to the support of the Changemaker Team, we were able to do many worthwhile campaigns and fundraisers.

What kind of opportunities has the Changemaker Team given you?

Surprisingly, you don’t know how many doors Changemaker is opening for you…until you realise. Through my experience with Changemaker, I met many people and discovered so much about things I never previously thought to give my attention to. As a student, it made me notice all of the different types of jobs I’d be able to apply to, or work towards – jobs that I’d never even heard of before!

Your Future

What are your future plans?

I’ve applied to some hospital jobs, as well as some social care jobs which are based on working with children. Because my degree is so broad, I can work in either health or social care, but I’m more interested in the health side of things. I plan to work in the UK initially and will then look at volunteering abroad – I’d like to do something related to the welfare of animals in Thailand before going to Africa to volunteer in medically helping people or teaching.

Ultimately, I’m working towards a role with The British Red Cross or the United Nations – it’s a bit of a long journey, but I’m eager to make sure I reach my goal!

What excites you most about the future?

Until now, all I’ve known is education and being in an environment where I’ve had constant support from teachers/lecturers and the students around me, but now I’ll be stepping out into the world by myself. The future itself excites me, but also keeps me on edge and I’m looking forward to going into the unknown.

Watch the video of Pel’s experience:

We no longer offer Health Studies and Applied Social Care BA (Hons). Visit our Social Work and Social Care subject hub to explore similar courses.