
Steven and Stevie-Leigh Jewell, a father-daughter pair from the UK, recently achieved a significant milestone by both qualifying as registered mental health nurses within weeks of each other.
Despite their 20-year age gap, Steven and Stevie-Leigh share a passion for mental health advocacy. They now work together at The Harbour, a mental health hospital in Blackpool.
What’s also interesting is that they took different paths to get there.
Different pathways to a registered mental health nurse qualification
Steven, who transitioned into mental health four years ago, started as a healthcare support worker at The Harbour in Blackpool. With a background in manual jobs and retail, he undertook a trainee nursing associate course before completing the registered nursing degree apprenticeship.
Reflecting on the journey of his nursing degree apprenticeship, he shared, “Starting a new career later in life can be daunting, but the support from peers and managers led me here, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Stevie-Leigh, taking a more traditional route, graduated from Edgehill University. Despite pandemic challenges, she worked diligently at the trust alongside her studies, gaining valuable experience.
Stevie-Leigh commented, “I love my job and feel lucky to share this experience with my dad. Graduating within weeks of each other feels special.”
Steven specialises in working with older adults, while Stevie-Leigh is focused on older adults with dementia.
Chris Oliver, chief executive of the trust, said: “It is amazing to see Stephen and Stevie-Leigh both complete their studies simultaneously and continue their mental health nursing careers with us. Steven was named our apprentice of the year for 2023 and I know he has been integral in many recent projects and invaluable in supporting other colleagues who are currently studying.
To see their shared passion is inspirational, care and compassion clearly runs in their family. We are extremely lucky to have them working with our older adult service users and I personally can’t wait to see what else Steven and Stevie-Leigh go on to achieve with us.”