Michelle Buckberry, BA (Hons) Sociology and Visual Art, 2001

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Posted on 10 August 2012

Michelle Buckberry (large image) I graduated from Keele University in 2001 with a degree in Visual Art and Sociology. About two months before I was due to sit my finals, I went into panic mode. What on earth was I going to do with this degree once I got it? How on earth was I going to integrate my two main interests, art and society, into some kind of paid employment come July? It was a scary thought, and one I began to wish I had considered sooner.

So, what did I do? Well, I read a self-help book; a guide to careers for artists and unconventional people. Several quizzes, personality tests and soul searching sessions later I figured out what I wanted to be: an Art Therapist. It was perfect. I get to work with interesting people and paint at the same time. My dream job.

Looking at the Society Guardian I found a couple of jobs I could apply for that did not require previous experience. One of them was working for Mencap as a support worker for adults with learning difficulties in London. I worked for Mencap for four and a half years, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, it was challenging at times, but I look back on that first job with fond memories.

However, it became apparent quite early on in my career that I like change. I did a bit of voluntary work to widen my experience, first at a clinic for sex workers, and later at a hostel for rough sleepers where I ran an art group. In 2005 I got a job at Camden Council, first as a support worker for homeless families, then with ex-offenders and drug-users who needed support moving into privately rented accommodation. It was certainly an eye-opener and my first proper glimpse into the Criminal Justice System. But after two-and-a-half years it was again time to try something new.

Since then I have worked with Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPOs) and their families in a multi-agency team alongside London Probation, the Metropolitan Police and the Drug Intervention Programme. It has certainly been both a challenge and rewarding to say the least.

As for the Art Therapy, I have yet to give up on the idea. Who knows what the future might bring? One thing is for certain, if you had told me when I graduated that in ten years time I would be knocking on the door of burglars with the police and popping along to HMP Wormwood Scrubs on a regular basis, I don't think I would have believed you.

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