To my social work mentor: ‘Your courage to confront injustice is truly inspiring’

For Community Care’s 50th anniversary, our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, principal social worker Wioletta Lewandowska celebrates her mentor, Tricia Pereira, a former PSW herself, for her leadership and courage “to confront injustice, despite potential backlash”.

Dear Tricia,

I really admire your passion for social work.

The way you mentor others is truly inspiring. Your leadership by example has been instrumental in my own development as a leader.

You have installed in me, and many others, a deep appreciation for diversity and the importance of respecting others’ beliefs.

Your ability to dedicate your time and attention to individuals, even amidst your busy schedule, is a testament to your compassion and commitment.

It’s clear that this genuine care for others is deeply rooted in your values.

I remember a situation at work when your unwavering commitment to fairness and professionalism led you to expose a serious issue, even when it meant facing isolation from senior management.

Your courage to confront injustice, despite potential backlash, is truly inspiring. You’ve demonstrated the importance of speaking truth to power.

On a more personal level, I will never forget the time when I was preparing for my first leadership role. Your guidance and support during that intense period were invaluable.

It was a true testament to your character and your dedication to helping others. I feel so lucky to have you as a mentor and friend. You’ve made a huge difference in my professional life and I hope others have the same opportunity to learn from your wisdom and kindness.

Thank you, Tricia.

How to nominate a colleague

For our 50th anniversary, we’re expanding our series My Brilliant Colleague to include 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 either:

• Filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.
• Or sending a voice note of up to 90 seconds to +447887865218, including your and the nominee’s names and roles.

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.