Tia Rodrigues has just graduated from MSc Counselling at UON. This year, Tia began teaching some of the third year ‘Counselling in Text’ workshops on BSc Psychology (Counselling). As a recent graduate, Tia is in a unique position to support students and help them to understand where their undergraduate studies can take them. Tia said:
“Although I have taught at a college for the past four years, when I was first asked to participate in a workshop at UON, I was both honoured and scared. The main reason for feeling scared was due to the weight of representation. As a young black female from a deprived area, I believe representation is both important and powerful in consciously and unconsciously encouraging people who may fall into the box of other, that there is a place for them. Combined with this was the thought of ‘who am I to be teaching at a university?’ Once I processed this weight, I began to feel excited to meet the students and pass on knowledge through teaching and sharing my experience.
Alongside counselling, teaching is a big passion of mine. Once I started delivering the session I felt in my element. The group interacted by making notes, asking questions, taking part in activities and sharing their experiences.
This year I have officially completed my MSc in Counselling, and my qualification has led me into employment in the career I want to follow – offering counselling and training to families and young people.”
