Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career. It is part of Community Care’s ongoing Choose Social Work campaign, which aims to champion the brilliant work social workers do every day and inspire the next generation of practitioners.
In this entry, newly qualified social worker Jennifer Streadwick celebrates her former tutor, Emily, for recognising her trauma, supporting her without judgment and advocating for her during the challenges of her placement.
I would like to nominate Emily as my 'Brilliant Colleague' because she has been one of the most outstanding tutors I have ever had the privilege to work with.
Entering the course at 63, I carried not only a wealth of life experience but also the weight of trauma and the racism I faced throughout my life. Emily recognised this and engaged with me in a way that was fair, respectful and deeply human.
It is her integrity and strength that makes her exceptional. Her feedback was always honest, constructive and rooted in truth. She critiqued me to help me grow, never once using power dynamics against me. Instead, she treated me as an equal, with dignity and respect, even when the conversations were difficult. Because of this, I trusted her completely.
Emily went beyond the role of tutor. When challenges arose in placement, she spoke up for me, advocated for a move, and ensured I could continue my studies. Without her, I may never have completed the programme or reached my final placement with Jade. Her ability to explain complex ideas clearly, to stand firm in fairness and to support without judgment makes her one of the best tutors I have ever known.
Emily deserves recognition not just for her professional skill but for the humanity she brings to her work. She has had a lasting impact on my journey and my confidence as a social worker. I cannot think of anyone more deserving.
I will carry Emily’s influence with me for the rest of my career. Her belief in me at moments when I doubted myself, and her refusal to let barriers define my future, gave me the strength to finish this course. She showed me what fairness, respect, and true advocacy look like in practice.
To recognise her in this series is to acknowledge the quiet power of an educator who not only teaches but transforms lives.
How to nominate a colleague
You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form. This could be with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.
*Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.*
If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.
