Blog | “The importance of seeing each person as an individual with a unique story”

SIL recently welcomed Year 2 Mental Health Nursing student Chelsea Boyle for a placement with our Health & Wellbeing team. 

Chelsea has shared her reflections on this experience and how it deepened her understanding of the powerful connection between education

“My family experiences inspired me to pursue nursing, driven by a desire to make positive changes where support can sometimes be lacking.

I recently completed a placement with SIL, which was an incredible experience offering valuable exposure and learning opportunities. 

Unlike in a clinical setting, where they seem like a number, here I was able to see people’s lives behind the scenes, working with children in their daily routines. 

This helped me understand their backgrounds, challenges, and the experiences that shape who they are. 

It reinforced the importance of seeing each person as an individual with a unique story - a perspective I will carry into my nursing practice to provide compassionate, person-centred care.

Over three weeks, I took part in cooking sessions with mainstream and SEN schools, observed swimming lessons, and attended teacher training sessions on topics such as gangs and gun crime, ACES, bereavement, and PSHE. 

One standout session was bereavement training, which gave me confidence in an area I previously felt unsure about.

I felt privileged to have this placement - the staff were welcoming and supportive, and I accessed training that would normally be costly, and I feel proud to have engaged and learnt from this opportunity. 

This placement has taught me how closely education and mental health are connected, and it’s made me even more passionate about supporting young people in the future.

This insight has shown me the importance of seeing each person as an individual with a unique story, a perspective I will carry into my nursing practice to provide more compassionate and person-centred care."