Evie knew she wanted to work with children with additional needs, but she wasn’t sure exactly where that would take her. Through work placements at Itchen College, she explored different roles, discovered what she loved and found a clearer direction for her future.
When Evie Hanham started at Itchen, she already knew that she wanted to work with children with special educational needs.
What she didn’t know was exactly where that interest would take her.
Studying Education and Early Years gave Evie the chance to explore different areas of the sector, including through work placements. It was those real-world experiences that helped her start to picture her future more clearly.
Discovering what she wanted to do
During her work placements, Evie was able to shadow and work alongside a variety of professionals.
One experience in particular helped her realise where her interests lay.
While shadowing a speech and language therapist, Evie became particularly interested in supporting children with additional needs. She told her placement provider about this interest, and they helped create further opportunities for her to explore different areas of the work.
“I worked out I wanted to work with children with special needs after I shadowed a speech and language therapist.”
For Evie, this was an important part of her journey. Rather than having to know exactly what career she wanted from the start, she was able to try things, learn from them and gradually work out what felt right for her.
A moment that showed her the difference she could make
One of Evie’s most memorable experiences came during a placement in a primary school.
She shadowed a one-to-one support worker working with a child with additional needs who was non-verbal.
As the child became more comfortable around Evie, she was able to communicate with them using visual boards.
“It was very rewarding.”
It was a small but meaningful moment that showed Evie the impact that this kind of support can have – and reinforced her interest in working with children with additional needs in the future.
Finding confidence through experience
Evie’s placements also helped her grow personally.
When she first joined her course at Itchen, everything was new. She didn’t know anyone and wasn’t familiar with the course or what to expect.
But with support from her teachers, friends and placement mentors, her confidence grew.
“My confidence has changed immensely since starting at Itchen.”
She says the experience helped her become more confident in practice and helped her discover “a big part” of herself.
One of the people who made a particularly big difference was her mentor at a nursery.
From the moment Evie joined the placement, her mentor took her under her wing, teaching her everything from scratch and supporting her through her coursework.
That support gave Evie the confidence to take the next step, and, after completing her placement hours, she was offered a job at the nursery.
Taking her next step
Evie’s journey has now given her a much clearer idea of where she wants to go next.
She has chosen the University of Chichester to continue her studies in Teaching and Education.
She is looking forward to meeting new people who share her interests and gaining more experience through work placements over the next few years.
Her long-term ambition is to work in a role supporting children with special educational needs, potentially as a coordinator connected to Portage or as a SENDCo within an educational setting.
It’s a future that has developed through exploration rather than one fixed plan.
“College is a great time to explore”
For students who aren’t sure what they want their future to look like, Evie has a simple message.
“College is a great time to explore new interests and subjects.”
She also wants future students to know that they don’t have to figure everything out alone.
“There is so much support from all of the staff at Itchen so you are never alone.”
Evie’s experience shows how trying different things, asking questions and making the most of opportunities can help you discover a direction that feels right for you.
She started at Itchen knowing she wanted to work with children with additional needs, but without knowing exactly what that future would look like.
Through her course, work placements and the people who supported her along the way, she has been able to explore that interest, and turn it into a much clearer ambition.
You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going. Start by exploring.
Explore your future at Itchen.
