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, independent social work consultant Sumayya Hanson pays tribute to Linda Dube, a social worker she once managed, whom she describes as a dedicated practitioner who balances supporting vulnerable people with inspiring women to pursue their dreams.
Dear Linda,
We met over ten years ago, when you started the assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE) programme and I was your manager. I am so impressed with how you've utilised your knowledge and skills since.
You've gained experience from working in local authorities and have even set up your own care company, whereby you employ staff to support people with learning disabilities. It is a huge responsibility to be running a business and have successfully gained registration with the Care Quality Commission!
In addition to this, you still practise as an independent best interest assessor. You recently initiated a safeguarding concern due to gaining information about some potential financial abuse towards a vulnerable adult.
As your experience and confidence has increased, you have started to deliver talks and encourage others to follow their dreams, particularly women, including those of colour. You have been a source of support for them, whether that be about being an independent woman, letting go of the past or gaining confidence to set up their own business.
You consistently use your own experiences constructively to help others at the start of their journey. Sometimes, I'm not sure when you get time to sleep, as you're also a single mum, though I'm sure this has contributed to your envious organisational skills!
Your family should be very proud of you. Linda, you are fantastic. You show us another way of doing social work.
I am proud to call you my colleague and my friend.
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.
