Brighton & Hove social worker wins national award

A member of Brighton & Hove City Council’s adult social care team has won a prestigious national award.

Odi Oquosa has been named Student Social Worker of the Year 2016 at the annual Social Worker of the Year awards, which are supported by the Department of Health and Department for Education. 

Odi undertook a work placement with the council’s adult social care team as part of his social work degree course at Sussex University. Now qualified, he is back working for the council as a social worker based at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Odi grew up in Nigeria and lived in other countries before settling in England in 2001. His award citation referred to his ‘sharp intelligence and profound understanding of international social work’, and said this different perspective had contributed to his student group reflecting more deeply on diversity issues.

Odi has a key role at the Royal Sussex working alongside nurses, doctors, therapists and other healthcare professionals, as well as with the voluntary sector, to plan for people’s care following their discharge.

Odi said: “As winner of this award I want to be an ambassador and advocate campaigning for diversity, human kindness and inclusion of indigenous knowledge in our assessments and mode of working.

“I would like to thank Dr Denise Turner for her understanding, one-to-one feedback and support, and also my two practice educators Andrea Coloquea and Llinos Evans, who were very supportive during my degree studies.”

Odi’s manager at the Royal Sussex, Guy Jackson, said: “Odi has brought a fantastic level of skills, insight and experience to a highly demanding role. We’re delighted to have him working with us and are really excited about where his career may lead.”