Adult Social Care

Name: Isaac Barerra

Job title: Website Content Development Lead, Adult Social Care

I am leading a project that focuses on reviewing Adult Social Care related content on the council’s website. We are updating the website so that residents can access accurate and up-to-date information about our responsibilities and services available.

I am a qualified Social Worker, but I started working as a carer after university. My first job in Adult Social Care was in a role for unqualified professionals where I gained more knowledge and experience. Then I worked as a Social Worker and then as a Senior Social Worker. And, now I am leading the Website Content Development Project.

I always knew I wanted to study something that would enable me to help others. I learnt about social work and how these professionals can have a huge impact on the lives of people; not only those with vulnerabilities but every single person (there are social workers even in the biggest multi-national companies!). This showed me the power that this profession has to build better, stronger and more cohesive communities.

As my career progressed, I have had the opportunity to work with people and contribute to a better and healthier community in many ways in my various roles.

After finishing my university degree in social work, I left my home country and came to London. I started working as a carer. Then Tower Hamlets Adult Social Care gave me the opportunity to work in a role for unqualified professionals, which enabled me to continue developing my knowledge and skills to work with people. As I gained more experience, I moved to a social work role and then to a senior social work role, where I supervised and supported social workers.

Tower Hamlets has sponsored various post-qualifying university courses that have also boosted my career progression.

And more recently, Tower Hamlets offered Adult Social Care staff an opportunity to lead the Website Content Development project, where we could utilise our expertise to design content about our services that not only meet the legal requirements but that is accurate, accessible and user-friendly.

Social work is such a broad profession that the knowledge and experiences one acquires help developing skills that are transferrable, and this enables one to progress through many different pathways.

For example, I’ve gone from working with people in the community directly to supporting social workers who work with people in the community and helping them provide an excellent service to Tower Hamlets residents. And, now I am supporting residents to access correct and necessary information about what we do. So, I have been able to achieve my initial life goal which was to support my community in many different ways, whilst growing personally and professionally.

Moreover, as mentioned before, as an immigrant and also part of the LGBTQ+ Community, I can say that Tower Hamlets supports and values diversity and promotes equality at work, making Tower Hamlets an inclusive environment where opportunities are equal for all.