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Tell me about yourself I am in my late twenties living abroad having left the service some years ago. I am considering joining a similar service where I am but currently am enjoying working in the Behaviour intervention field, working alongside developmentally challenged individuals. I joined an 18-month training scheme to train to become a fully qualified probation officer straight out of university and worked for the service for a total of 4.5 years. Why did you become a Probation Officer? I half chose to become a Probation Officer and half fell into it, as I do have a genuine passion for helping others, particularly underdogs or those up against challenging situations. I did not intend to be a Probation Officer for my career but did enjoy working alongside some great colleagues despite the tough circumstances. There was also a really great lecturer/professor of mine who was a respected probation officer prior to teaching who influenced me sub consciously I held only academic experience in the fields of criminology and psychology however I felt I had a good grasp on a lot of the elements of the criminal underworld due to my interests in the subject prior to becoming a probation officer. The PQIP assessment was somewhat challenging in that it did not really allow you to focus on one task at a time and give it your all but rather juggle a few different assessments at once, which to be fair, reflects the job more accurately. I also did not like hearing my own voice on the recorded conversations. I was happy to be accepted in to the PQIP as it was a step up from my work as a host/bartender at a nice restaurant. I also felt that the assessment day itself had tests that I really knew the answers too already which gave me confidence that I would be good at this job. I was surprised at how little we actually had to go to lectures or seminars and were mainly left alone with some materials and references. I did not mind learning this way at all though. I found it challenging that some of my PQIP colleagues were leaving, particularly some closer friends who I had been on training sessions with. I think I have benefited from being an officer in some ways and also carry some unwanted baggage with me too. I think I am less naïve and have increased my ability to deal with emergency or crisis situations. What advice would you give to those who want to get into the role? I would advise those who are wishing to train to become an officer to not forget to keep the things in your life that give you the work / life balance that is required to take on this job and maintain some degree of optimism or satisfaction. I think I would also advise them to ensure they have the correct personal tutor for their teaching, I was lucky to have a great personal tutor. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 5 years… In truth I do not want to be working as a Probation Officer in 5 years but I do intend to get back into the service for a short period of time here, abroad. I would like to be in a position to open my own company and work for myself in 5-10 years. What is one thing readers should know? I think everyone should know that in truth, many jobs leave you overworked and stressed with either pressure or emotional stress. This job is unfortunately at the higher end of the spectrum for both of these stresses in my experience and a lot of my colleague’s experience, I would also state that it was very clear that some of my longer serving colleagues had clearly experienced burn out and were performing really poorly with no real consequences, this left other officers, particularly those freshly trained to take over a case or situation last minute or without proper knowledge of the case. If you would like to write about your experience of the PQIP or being a Probation Officer, or even being in prison or probation get in touch infoedwardstutoring@gmail.com

Journal articles will be familiar to anyone studying at degree level. But reading them can be time consuming and understanding them can be tricky. I’m here to let you in on a secret that will enable you to: Read and analyse journal articles more efficiently, thereby saving yourself time and effort Write your own journal article in a way that clearly and concisely reports your study findings Improve your understanding of psychology and criminology data Ultimately increase your grades! The reality is, journal articles are formulaic – once you know the formula, you’ll find them much easier to read and you’ll know where to look to get the information you need. Many people read the whole paper from start to finish – this isn’t always necessary and can lead to them getting bogged down in unnecessary details. The first thing to understand about journal articles is that they fall broadly into two categories – original research and reviews.

In this video I share with you what the PQIP scheme is like. Leave a comment and share!

Going back to the summer of 2018, I was a 37-year-old mum of 4 and had been talking about wanting to return to employment. But not back into my previous roles of working in a finance office or being self employed. I wanted to do something different, something I could potentially help just one person change their life. I wanted to study Psychology but was it really something a 37-year-old mum could accomplish? Was I being selfish even thinking of doing something for me? Was I missing out on my children? Were my children going to miss out on me? And there it first appeared the mum guilt was starting just at the thoughts of possibly returning to education. That September I began a Psychology degree with The Open University as it felt at the time it was the easiest to be able to fit around my family. I did not want to appear selfish (how is it even possibly to feel selfish to want to better yourself – well to a Mum anything that does not involve your children can creates these feelings and questions). I completed the year with a pass and was happy that I had proved to myself I could do something, but I wanted more. I knew this was something I wanted to do long term and something I could do well, so began questioning is it possible for a now 38-year-old Mum to go to university full-time? Let alone a Mum of 4 children? I applied to my local university in the summer of 2019 and surprisingly was offered an unconditional place straight away and was starting in the September. The feelings of dread and guilt were overwhelming. It felt like everyday I was questioning my ability and my role as a mum. Feeling like I constantly needed to explain to people that I may be starting university, but I am still a Mum. The constant questions of people asking why I wanted to study did not help and increased the guilt and lack of belief in myself.

As we all now, essays are required in every student’s life whether it be coursework, exams, reports, etc. They are tricky, so here is thorough guide to writing up a well written essay. Here we go. 1. Finding the right information. First of all, we look at the essay question: Look at your assignment brief and write down in your own words what they are asking of you. Highlight/circle key words – attention to detail is important. This will help you in searching for material to answer the essay question(s) effectively. Annotate/edit the rest of your assignment brief in your own words to make it easier to understand and to help make connection(s) within each section and throughout the assignment brief as a whole. Use the key words and formulate search terms to enter into online search engines to be able to answer the essay question effectively. You can use search engines such as: Google Scholar Your university online database(s) The results received will help you answer the question properly. Collect all relevant sources of information and omit if unnecessary. When scrolling through your sources of information (online journal articles, reports, books, etc.) refer back to your search terms, notes and annotated assignment brief. This will help you identify relevant bits and pieces of information and assist in collating all relevant information together. Use ‘Command + F’ and type in what you would like to find and your computer will gladly find it for you when using online material. 2. Putting your work together Using your assignment brief, the information that you have found that meets your set of criteria for the introduction, main body and conclusion, copy and paste it onto a Word document and paraphrase into your own words. Remember, less is more. Write it in a way that is easy to understand and that is concise – remove jargon and use simplified words. Its shows you understand the work and know how to apply it in the appropriate context. Do this as you go along, without forgetting to take note of all the references and sources you are using. 3. Format and essay structure Introduction Will be mostly a few lines long – consisting of one paragraph, introducing the topic and outlining the content for the remainder of the essay. Main body Will be the largest part of your essay and will contain to around 2 – 4 paragraphs depending on what you have to say and the word count. The main body talks about all the main arguments, in support or against the view point you would like to make. Both sides of the argument should be made here to provide a balanced view of the overall topic. Conclusion Will be one paragraph also and will reaffirm what is said in the main body and drawing all loose ends together – so any remaining conflicting points will be corrected here briefly. Make note of the word count at the essay. A common rule: You have (+/- 10%) of the word count of the essay. Last but certainly not least, are references. Your work has to be factual. Opinions have to be supported by evidence and taken from authentic sources, i.e. online journals, books, reports, etc. 4. References: Make a list in alphabetical order and use the correct referencing style you are using and be consistent with it. Reminder - Avoid writing in first person, write in third person to avoid using personal pronouns and this allows for an objective view on your chosen essay topic to be taken. And that brings us to the end of writing your essay. I hope that wasn’t too much and you enjoyed learning how to write an essay. Thasnim Begum is an experinced tutor in the following subjects; Religious Studies, Psychology, History, Sociology, Maths, Science and English. You can contact Thasnim directly about blog writing or tutoring: thasnimbegum008@gmail.com or make an enquiry here . If you are struggling with essay writing sign up to Edwards Tutoring: Master Psychology & Criminology: The Essay Skills Course here.

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I have struggled with anxiety since I was a child, even when I was in primary school I would worry about absolutely everything – even things I had done years prior. However, as I grew older, my anxiety got better. But then I noticed that as my school years got more serious, I found my anxiety was increasing. By the time I had reached year eleven and was preparing to take my GCSEs, my anxiety was through the roof, depression had also started creeping in. But still, I pushed through, I viewed GCSEs as my priority. I had to get these, so I could get A-levels, so I could go to university. I have listed some coping methods for anxiety and depression as these are typically the most common in students but may work for other mental illnesses as well. Now, some of these might not work for you and that is okay. Everybody is different, no one is the same. Some ways that you may find help with dealing with mental illness at school is sticking to a timetable. Sticking to a timetable can help implement a routine which in turn can reduce feelings of anxiety as there is no ‘unknown’ in your day. However, it is important to remember that there may still be some unknowns to your day, and that’s okay. It’s also okay if this method does not work for you. If you are suffering from anxiety, here are some tips, tricks, and methods that I do/have been recommended: Control your breathing. The one I have been told to try is the breathe in for four seconds, hold it until seven and then out for eight. Although I find this one quite difficult, but the method I use the most is called ‘square breathing’ you look at a square and slowly breathe in as you follow the top of the square, then breathe out as you follow round down the other side, then breathe in as you follow along the bottom of the square, breathe out as you follow up of the next side, and repeat. Whilst doing this method, you don’t have to look at a square, quite often I close my eyes and imagine one. Doodle . Focusing on doodling helps take your mind off what is worrying you. During school, I would carry a notebook with me and doodle whenever I felt anxious, I found that it really helped me. Folding paper. Don’t worry if you can’t fold some swans or boats or whatever. But just folding paper that you focus on completely can help take your mind off your worries. Obviously, if you fancy making a swan, then go right ahead, but don’t worry if you can’t, I can’t either. Maths. Simple maths, for example you could choose four random numbers, order them by size, multiply them, or subtract them- just distract yourself. That’s what these techniques are all about, taking your mind of what you are worried about. Fiddle with something small. Some people that I know carry guitar picks in their pockets, or hair clips/pins, that way if you are at school, teachers won’t really notice something you can keep in your pocket, that way you can channel your nervous energy into something that is unseen and therefore won’t cause more attention. It is also important to understand that if your mind is not in a good place, you will most likely be thinking irrationally. Sometimes, the best thing (for me at least) to do at that moment in time is to distract yourself and ignore any irrational thoughts. For me, distracting myself can be doodling, watching a funny tv show on Netflix, watching YouTube, going on social media , just getting out of my head. It’s important as well to try to focus on the positives – I know that this is a cliché saying, but trying to get into a positive and happy mindset will help. I understand that that is easier said than done for the majority of the time, but it’s always worth a shot to improve your Mindspace. People who haven’t had a mental illness will most likely not understand mental illness – and will most likely say things that are ignorant. If they say something about it, just remember that they most likely don’t understand what you are going through, so let it go over your head. Sometimes going to the doctors and informing them can help, doctors are usually very good with mental illness and will give you coping mechanisms, refer you to a counsellor or therapists if that is what you would like, or they may give you medication to help. It’s important to talk to someone about how your feeling, this doesn’t have to be a doctor, it could be friends, family, teachers, tutors, anyone who you feel you can trust. It’s not healthy to let your feelings bottle up. And if you need a break from studying, it’s okay. It’s okay to have a day or two where you don’t do anything. Sometimes we need to recharge. Kody is a Criminology Undergraduate Student who shares study tips and provides a safe space for other students on his instagram @Criminologystudies

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