The 31-year-old graduated from Kingston University with a master's degree in social work three years ago. But he believes the lessons he learned during his four weeks in Mbale inform his work today as a social worker for Derbyshire youth offending team.
With many universities offering just one, 200-day placement, Kingston's three placements of 70, 20 and 110 days gave Hollingworth the prospect of a broader range of experience.
After his first 70-day stint with a frontline child-protection assessment team in the UK, he decided to apply for the Uganda placement because it offered an opportunity to "do something you wouldn't normally do".
"It was very useful to see joined-up working in practice," says Hollingworth. "It was a very good experience in terms of career development and individual development – I had an experience of life with totally different concerns. They were more flexible in practice and far more creative interventions took place. That is something I still think about."
The placement was not without its challenges. Local transport was by matatus – old minibus-type taxis that are supposed to carry up to eight people, but usually have about 35 on board. Attitudes to timekeeping were also different – and took getting used to. "In Uganda, it's a very relaxed atmosphere - if you say nine o'clock, that could mean anytime up to three o'clock," says Hollingworth. "It's whenever it happens!
"Obviously there are societal and cultural issues that are very different and can be challenging, such as poverty and attitudes towards homosexuality and criminal justice. Working with children who have HIV is tough. They may have lost all their family to HIV, they don't even have enough money for food – yet they're doing brilliantly at school, getting up at 2am to do extra homework. And they're just the nicest children ever. That's very humbling."
Working for the Taso project gave Hollingworth an insight into good multi-agency working – and, back home, he shared his learning by doing a project comparing Taso with the work of UK HIV charity, Terrence Higgins Trust.
• Interview by Linda Jackson
