Youth and community at the forefront of change: Q&A with Fern Higgins-Atkinson

24 Sep 2024

• Fern Higgins-Atkinson shares insights into her career in youth and community work.
• Fern shares advice for secondary students considering a BSoc Youth and Community work.
• BSocSc Youth and Community work graduates are highly sought after in diverse areas nationally and internationally.

Fern Higgins-Atkinson is Senior Training and Development Officer with SHEP (The Social and Health Education Project).

SHEP is an Irish Community Education and Development Organisation based in Cork- also working in Kerry and Limerick. SHEP’s main areas of work are; Training and Development, Earth Awareness & Action, Counselling, Advocacy and International Partnership.

Fern is an experienced trainer/facilitator, a registered health promotion practitioner, a professional youth worker and a Youth Mental Health First Aid associate instructor. She is also a part-time lecturer and tutor on UCC’s BSocSc Youth and Community work.

What did you study at UCC?

I completed the BSocSc in Youth and Community Work and a Master’s Degree in Public Health. I am currently working towards completing my Doctor of Social Science degree.

Why did you choose to study at UCC?

I had always been interested in working with people. I had worked in a variety of different roles, including some voluntary work, while raising my family. When my sixth child was 6, I decided to participate in a local, year-long, FETAC level 5 course in West Cork. This was based on youth work, disabilities and social studies.

This led to me taking the plunge and sitting my MSAP, an admissions pathway for mature students to enter third level education, so that I could enroll in the BSocSc in Youth and Community Work in UCC the following year. I chose UCC because of its reputation. The opportunity to experience practical youth and community work settings throughout the degree embedded academic and theoretical learning, helping me to fully understand what I was doing and why.

One of the key elements of the programme was the support offered and the connections I made. The people I formed bonds with during those three years are still in my life today, and this has really helped with networking and relationship building. For example, at our collaborative initiatives, I often encounter familiar names and faces, people with a shared ethos and interest in improving health and wellbeing outcomes and making a difference in people’s lives.

Can you share a little bit on your career journey to date?

Before joining SHEP, first as programme manager before moving to my new role, in 2022, I worked with the West Cork Development Partnership as Youth Health Promotion & Development Officer before becoming coordinator with Ability West Cork. I am also an associate trainer with Mental Health First Aid Ireland, and I lecture, tutor and create module content for the Certificate and Diploma in Youth & Community Work with Adult Continuing Education team at UCC. I also sit on a number of steering groups and have recently become involved with the Youth Work Educators’ Forum, an all-Ireland forum for youth and community work educators in Higher Educational Institutes.

Working with SHEP has been an amazing experience. I first entered the organisation as a programme manager (2022), before moving to my new role as Senior Training and Development Officer (STDO) in SHEP’s core training programme. SHEP is celebrating its 50th year, having been co- founded in 1974 by Fr Donal Linehan (UCC Chaplain at the time) and Nuala Rearden. Many key people have been involved over this great number of years and I think a sign of the deep work that SHEP do is that many of these people are still supporting the SHEP experience, values and ethos.

What advice would you give to current secondary school students considering a BSoc Youth and Community work?

This is a journey of discovery- finding yourself, who you are in the world and how you have impact on the world. During my time as student, I always had a sense of being held and supported in my journey. Throughout my degree, I gained new friends and colleagues, as well as a strong foundation for my career.

The career pathways from a degree in Youth and Community Work are varied. We have had students move on to work in statutory services (HSE, TUSLA, ETB, Government departments), we have others working in youth services, community centres and mental health organisations as well as some moving into consultancy, training delivery and international aid and development work. We have even had some past students who have moved into politics.

The degree gives a great foundation to students- both theoretically and practically. From first year, students study academically and theoretically for half of the week, then undertake a practice placement in either a youth or community setting for a prescribed number of hours (to gain the professional qualification through NSETS). In this way, students will start to connect theory to practice. Its very dynamic and no day is the same. Students learn the important life skill- critical reflection- essential for any work or life journey.

For me, the relationships that I have formed over the last number of years through UCC are all important. They serve to sustain and maintain me through challenging times, and they add a fullness to my life.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I feel that my personal and professional life are complementary. The professional work I do is deeply rooted in and connected to my own sense of my personal value system- I know I am privileged to be able to experience this. I really enjoy the people I work with, both staff and members of the community. They consistently help me to reflect on the humanness of us all.

In a world that seems complex, troubled, joyful and multi- faceted, the reality is that we all have similar and basic needs. We need to find a way to connect our own inner feelings to the wider context, stay curious, have fun, lean into support and trust the process.

Learn more about the BSocSc Youth and Community Work here.