Naomi’s Story

Naomi Donald

Youth, Community and Families BA (Hons)

Youth violence and domestic abuse consultant

Since graduating, Naomi has worked as a consultant on Midlands-based projects to reduce youth violence and raise educational aspirations, leading workshops in schools and community centres.

She has helped develop pioneering research for national charity Safelives, developed a community performance arts project exploring trauma through storytelling and is working with young people on a project on peer-on-peer abuse and self-love.

If she hadn’t discovered her degree, however, it could all have been very different.

“I was unhappy in my career and spent some time researching degrees that would enable me to work with young people and their families,” she said. I felt University College Birmingham was right for me.

“I learned how to communicate academically and conduct research to articulate to large organisations, while the broad knowledge I gained has enabled me to confidently work within a variety of settings. I also completed very different placements at a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and a counselling and psychotherapy service.

“As a mature student, I was nervous about starting university. However, it was a relaxed, diverse and friendly environment. My lecturers always delivered interesting lectures and seminars and took time to engage with students and offer words of encouragement along the way.”

Read other student stories.