Molly Smith: Personal resilience and tailored support lead to distinction

When Molly Smith began her Level 4 PR and Communications apprenticeship in October 2023, she was looking for a fresh start. After a disappointing university experience, she was ready for a different way of learning — one that was practical, supportive and better suited to her style.

She started the apprenticeship and her new role at Kingston Council on the same day. From the beginning, she thrived in the dynamic and varied nature of her role, which involved everything from social media and press activity to event management, councillor communications and financial reporting.

The apprenticeship started positively. The structure suited Molly, the work was rewarding, and she was excited to build her skills in real time. But as the year went on, personal challenges outside of work made it harder to maintain her momentum.

About eight months in, Molly was dealing with difficult personal circumstances. On their own, her job and studies were manageable — but combined with things going on in her family and personal loss, the pressure became harder to carry.

“I was reluctant at first. I thought taking a break might be seen as a negative thing or stop me from finishing,” she admitted. “But Jo and Annabel made it clear it was just another form of support — and that really helped shift my thinking.”

For her EPA, Molly designed and delivered a communications campaign for Kingston Council’s “Safer Month” — a borough-wide initiative spotlighting local efforts to promote safety, prevent harm, and support vulnerable residents. Her campaign aimed to raise awareness of community safety services, including domestic abuse support, youth outreach programmes, and neighbourhood watch initiatives.

Molly was responsible for developing a comprehensive content strategy that spanned social media, internal communications, press engagement, and web updates. She produced campaign assets tailored to diverse audiences, liaised with local charities and service providers to share real stories, and coordinated messaging across council departments to ensure consistency and reach. One of the standout elements was her ability to handle sensitive topics — such as refuge services and support for victims of abuse — with empathy, clarity and discretion.

The project not only demonstrated Molly’s grasp of audience segmentation, stakeholder engagement and campaign planning, but also highlighted her maturity and professionalism in managing complex, high-stakes communications with care and impact. Her work helped to build trust in the council’s safety initiatives and fostered stronger connections between residents and local services.

With the right support in place, Molly not only completed her apprenticeship but achieved a Distinction.

“This time last year, I didn’t think I’d finish — let alone get a Distinction. But the support I had from Jo, Annabel, Iain and Support Connect — it was incredible. I felt so encouraged and believed in.”

She has since been promoted to Communications and Engagement Officer at Kingston Council and continues to thrive.

Molly’s journey highlights how apprenticeships can offer far more than just a route into a profession. For learners like her, they provide a framework that’s responsive to real life — where academic learning meets professional development, and where wellbeing is treated with the same importance as achievement.

With tailored support and a model designed to adapt, Molly turned a challenging year into one of transformation. Her story shows that when apprenticeships are built around the individual — with empathy, flexibility and trust — the impact can be life-changing.