DCU Ability 'Works for Me' 6 Week Placement in the EDI Unit
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit have the privilege of hosting one of the learners from the DCU Ability 'Works for Me' course for their 6 week placement. Learn more about the DCU Ability 'Works for Me' course on the DCU Ability page. Also, make sure to check out DCU Ability's Twitter page as they follow each of their learners in their placements across campus.
Lizzie joined us in May and is gaining valuable experience working in an office environment and learning different skills associated with working as part of a team.
Lizzie has a keen interest in writing and has been keeping a weekly journal of what she's been getting up to! Check it out below.
10 May 2022
My thoughts of Week 1 in the EDI Unit
I started the DCU Ability Programme in April 2022 before the Easter holidays. I enjoyed meeting everyone and getting to know them and their support workers. I also got to know more about their disabilities and all of them are very nice and lovely. We talked about doing work experience in early May and that it will last until mid June. On the Thursday before the Easter holidays, we did a presentation about what we like, what are our hobbies and interests and what we would like to do for a career. I said I wanted to be a model, YouTuber and author when I am older and I said I wanted to work in a loud place that has a lot of people I can talk to.
The five things I liked were:
- Getting to know everyone
- Getting to experience something different besides school
- The presentations because at the end, we got sweets, cakes and drinks and I got to chat to the students more
- Going out for a walk down to the Helix Cafe and got to tour around it.
- Meeting the three tutors who helped us to get prepared for our work experience who were so helpful and kind.
17 May 2022
For week 2 of work, I started focusing more on my folder because I was confused about it at first but now I understand that I have to write my diary every day, and I need to write on the day I did my work experience. On Tuesday, I did some writing about the LGBT video I watched and I sent it to Lorna, Joanne and Emma via email. On Wednesday, Iara came to my workplace and we talked about doing a spotlight for the DCU Twitter account and asked me if I would like to do it. I said yes, but only using a picture of the back of my head. On Thursday, I had another presentation with Emma and this one was about how to send an email in different ways and how to greet formally and informally. I really enjoyed it and I thanked Emma for helping me to learn more about emails.
Week 2 was amazing and very busy compared to week 1. I had a few problems but it was quickly sorted and I am excited to start week 3.
24 May 2022
On Tuesday, May 24th, I did folder work with Lorna and we talked about writing my diary up every day. I also attended my first team meeting and heard about all the work.
On Wednesday, May 25th, I did my last presentation with Emma because it was her last day in the office. After my morning break, I went to the Student Union Building with Lorna and Emma to meet Bobbie, who is also visually impaired like me and she had a guide dog named Josie. She talked about what it was like to have a disability and what it is like to work in DCU. It was amazing to meet her and to know more about her. I said goodbye to Emma and I was very sad because she was a joy to have around and a very kind person. She gave me a card and a packet of jellies as a goodbye present. I then went to meet Iara and Mary from DCU Ability and we had tea and biscuits. After that, I met one of my DCU Ability classmates in Londis where he is working.
On Thursday, May 26th, me and Lorna did more folder work and we went to the Café to get some nice snacks and to chat. At the end of the day my mobility instructor picked me up so that we can do mobility back to Childvision.
31 May 2022
On Tuesday, May 31st, I had a chill day in the office. But I got to catch up with Iara in my boardroom to talk about the graduation and more about where we are going to do the last three weeks of classes. I went to the Business school cafe with Lorna.
On Wednesday, June 1st, I did folder work and I did my blog so that I can send it to Lorna. In the office, Fiona was with me.
On Thursday, June 2nd, Me and Lorna put up the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag in the office. Iara came to see me and Lorna for my reflection meeting and we talked about what I will do for my last two weeks. The graduation is on July 7th 2022 and we are going to enjoy it. Lorna and I also talked about me doing a presentation for the whole team on my last week of work experience and that I can do a practice one for Colm. I am very excited to show everyone how much I succeeded during those six weeks. After that lovely meeting, Lorna, myself and Clare went to the Buisness School Café to get lunch and I was happy because I got to know Clare a bit more.
07 June 2022
On Tuesday, June 7th, I did a lot of folder work with Lorna as I forgot to bring my laptop from my service before going to DCU. I also did up my blog on my notebook so that I can re-write it when I got my laptop back. I also went with Lorna to take some photos of the Pride flag outside the DCU campus and I also took photos with me sitting on the DCU sign. Afterwards, I met up with Niamh and we had lunch together and to catch up.
On Wednesday June 8th, Lorna and the others took me to a Coffee Morning upstairs and I got to socialize with new people and we were talking a lot and laughing. I really enjoyed myself meeting others and eating a lot of sweets since I have a really giant sweet tooth, hahahahahahaha. But afterwards, I went back and I wrote up my blog on my laptop and I was happy that I got to go to the Coffee Morning as I love meeting new people.
On Thursday, June 9th, Lorna and I worked on practice for my presentation for Tuesday June 14th and I emailed everyone in the office about it and they are all excited for it. We practiced by pretending I was actually doing it with people, even though we were on our own in my board room. We practiced a lot and I feel like I am ready for the big day. Afterwards, I had my lunch before going back to my service and doing mobility with my instructor.
14 June 2022
On Tuesday, June 14th, I did my presentation that I’ve been practicing with Lorna and I was so excited to do it. Iara and Mary came in because they wanted to hear my presentation and Mary took some amazing photos of me doing the presentation and she even did a video of me talking and send it to my service. I was so proud of myself and I feel like I can do presentations in the near future but with practice first. Afterwards, we had some treats and it was amazing to chat to the other co-workers and all of them were very proud of how well I did. (PS: We had a team meeting before the presentation about what is coming up for the LOD-EDI Office) Afterwards, myself and the whole team went to the Buisness School Café and I had a Kinder Beuno Cookie which are famous because of me hahahahahaha. But then, we had a lot of nice chats and we even watched some of the graduates in their graduation uniforms on a screen TV. Afterwards, I said goodbye to the whole team while Lorna took me back to the lift so that I can go to the ground floor and go outside the building to wait for my driver to collect me.
On Wednesday, June 15th, I did the last bit of my folder work with Lorna and we put up pictures of me throughout the work experience in my folder, especially the photos from my presentation on Tuesday. After that, I wrote my diary for Tuesday on the laptop and I send it to my service via email so that they can have a read and enjoy it. I did my other diary entry on the folder for my DCU Ability Project and that Iara and Mary will be proud of me. I also wrote up a little Thank You email for Lorna and the whole team as it was my last day with Lorna and I was so sad about it, but I know I will see her again before I leave DCU. She gave me a Thank You Card for my hard work during those amazing six weeks. I said goodbye to her before going on the lift for my driver so that he can drive me back to my service.
On Thursday, June 16th, I finished watching the rest of the Black History Month Video and I wrote a little summary about it and I send it to Lorna so that she can have a read over it. I then started finishing up the rest of my blog and I send it to Lorna so that she can read it too. Afterwards, I did my folder work for yesterday and today and then Joanne showed me a lovely video of an event that was on yesterday on campus.
I am so sad that Thursday, June 16th was my last day of work experience. I am really going to miss everyone on the lovely team. They are so kind and lovely. I recommend working in the EDI Team Office. It’s about Human Rights, it’s about Equality and it’s about being who you truly are, being true to yourself and being proud of the amazing person you’ve become.