Afrocats are pleased to announce a new addition to our team with university student Esha, who is completing a year-long work placement with us.
We sat down with Esha to get to know her a bit more – read on to find out how it went.
Hi Esha, it’s lovely to meet you. Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Esha Varghese and I’m currently studying my bachelor’s in psychology at Keele University.
For my third year, I chose to do a placement at an organisation of my own choice - and my research led me to Afrocats.
Fantastic to hear! What persuaded you to apply for a placement with us?
I believe that Afrocats is the perfect place for me; after reading about the work they do for global majority communities in Manchester and their organisational values, I wanted to be a part of it. It’s something really special.
What would you like to achieve during your placement with us?
It’s my first time working in such an environment so it’s all very new and exciting for me, but I hope to gain experience, develop new skills, and learn what it’s like to work out in the real world - I also believe this opportunity will strengthen my communication and problem-solving skills, which are both essential for a successful career in psychology.
'My placement will also equip me with the empathy, cultural awareness, and experience to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others as a future psychologist.'
I’d also like to be able to apply the knowledge I’ve gained in the past two years more practically, as studying psychology at university is mainly theoretical.
What have been your impressions of Afrocats’ work so far?
They help vulnerable people like asylum seekers and refugees on their way to reaching their full potential while encouraging them to grow through projects and workshops, which is something I’m really eager to play a role in.
What are you looking forward to the most?
I’m looking forward to gaining hands-on experience of helping individuals grow and reach for their aspirations through structured programmes which align with core psychological concepts like motivation, resilience and self-efficacy.
Lastly, how do you think your placement will help you in your future?
I believe that not only will my placement enrich my academic learning, but it will also equip me with the empathy, cultural awareness, and experience to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others as a future psychologist.
The experiences and knowledge I’ll gain from working at Afrocats in terms of project management will help me grow as an individual, and will aid me greatly in the future when I venture off into the world myself, so I hope to be a part of as much of this work as I can.
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