My work experience with Bobby Dean
by Shreenithi Anbuselvan
Having already had a strong interest in politics and an ambition to potentially pursue a career in the field, my week of work experience at Bobby Dean MP’s office was an incredibly valuable opportunity. Before the placement, my interest in politics had mainly come from studying Government and Politics and following political issues and current affairs. However, the experience gave me the opportunity to see politics beyond the classroom and understand how an MP and their team work directly with constituents, respond to local issues and contribute to wider political debates.
One of the most interesting parts of my placement was learning about constituency casework. I had not previously realised how significant this aspect of an MP’s role was or how many different issues constituents approach their MP about. I had the opportunity to work on examples involving personal casework that involved housing and policy questions, which helped me understand how MPs and their staff can support people with problems that have a direct impact on their everyday lives. I also practised drafting responses to constituents.
Initially, I found it challenging to find the right balance between being professional, informative and empathetic, but the feedback I received helped me understand how important communication is in representing constituents effectively. Seeing how Bobby personally oversees local casework highlighted the dedication needed to represent the constituency effectively. Another aspect of the placement that particularly interested me was the role of media and social media in modern politics. I already engage with politics through social media, so seeing how an MP’s team uses these platforms professionally gave me a completely different perspective.
I watched a Treasury Select Committee meeting in which Bobby asked questions about the tax gap which helped develop my understanding of economic issues. I then had the opportunity to write a press release and a short-form social media video script based on political information. This taught me how the same political issue can need to be communicated in very different ways depending on the audience and platform. Feedback from the team helped me adapt my writing so that it remained informative and professional while being accessible to the public.
Seeing how Bobby personally oversees local casework highlighted the dedication needed to represent the constituency effectively. A particularly memorable part of this week was spending a day in Parliament.
The highlight of the week was visiting Westminster. Although Parliament was in recess—meaning we didn't see a live working sitting the tour offered an up-close look at how the institution operates behind the scenes. Walking through both the House of Commons and House of Lords chambers provided a clear picture of how MPs conduct business and debate key issues. Standing in the division lobbies the specific areas where MPs physically walk through to vote "Aye" or "No" made the parliamentary legislative process feel tangible and straightforward.
During our day at Westminster, we also undertook a practical task focused on political communication: drafting a campaign email advocating for the inclusion of Humanism within the Religious Education national curriculum. Working on this topic required researching arguments, considering public perception, and structuring a compelling message. It gave me a clear understanding of how campaign strategies are built and how MPs engage the public on educational policy.
In addition to our work at Westminster, I gained practical experience in social media and media strategy, observing how the team translates complex parliamentary discussions into accessible content for the public. Speaking directly with Bobby about his route into politics through the NGO sector was particularly inspiring, giving me clear ideas for my own career path. Overall, this placement went beyond my expectations. It transformed my theoretical interest in politics into practical knowledge, gave me a far better understanding of how Parliament and MPs function, and equipped me with skills I will use throughout my education and future career.
