Baptism of Fire 🔥 in Social Work

I vividly recall my initial stint as a migrant social worker at a local authority in 2005, fresh from completing a Masters program. My duties began with managing phone calls, followed by accompanying social workers on home visits, where I was sometimes denied entry. As one of the few black employees, I faced skepticism in the office and remarks about my accent.

Incidents of water being thrown at me at the bus stop and occasional threats while walking in town are still fresh in my memory. My employment was terminated over a single mistake, despite my appeals. A union representative informed me that I was facing blatant racism and presented me with two choices: confront the local authority and be branded, or move on and live to fight another day. I opted for the latter, with minimal support in a new country, and joined another local authority where I felt welcomed, advanced in my career, met incredible people, and matured as a social worker. Challenges persisted, but they paled in comparison to those early days. It was truly an initiation by fire into a vocation I deeply revere.