Case Study - Thomas Truman

We caught up with alumni and Health and Well-Being Liaison Officer Thomas Truman to see how he’s been getting on since graduating with a Youth Work degree in 2013 and what inspired his career path.

Coventry was a good local University offering the qualification I needed for my dream job.

I am now the Health and Well-Being Liaison Officer at Coventry University. Studying at Coventry helped me have a better understanding of the theoretical aspects of the youth work profession. Obtaining a first-class honours in my youth work degree and JNC showed me this was the right career choice. These experiences and qualifications have lead me to be able to my current role.

My highlights were meeting other like-minded students who were pursuing a career in youth work.

I had an inspirational youth worker as young person, and I wanted to make the same difference to others that that worker had made to me and my mental health.

I have built my youth work experience from initially volunteering in my local church. I have then gone on to work with young people and students in a variety of different settings from local authorities, charities, student accommodation and built experience of delivering training to staff within a training role for Coventry University and Mental Health First Aid England.

Coventry is a great University, which helps students reach their potential, I recently completed an MBA with Coventry which I has helped me develop strategic leadership abilities and help me secure further career progression.

The best part of my job is actively making a difference and improving the lives of young people in Coventry.

I offer operational and strategic support to the implementation of the Health and Wellbeing strategy across Coventry University and provide a comprehensive and informed regular Health and well-being programme of preventative activities developed in collaboration with both internal and external colleagues.

Part of my role is also engaging in identifying, developing and delivering specialist training and awareness raising sessions for both students and key student facing staff, including to support the strategic roll-out of Mental Health First Aid across the group.