Podcast: from independent domestic violence advocate to social worker

The Social Work Community Podcast talks to a practitioner who previously worked as an independent domestic violence advocate about what they bring to social work

By Kirsty Ayakwah on April 29, 2025 in Choose Social Work, Workforce

In this episode of the Social Work Community Podcast, senior careers editor Kirsty Ayakwah speaks to specialist domestic abuse social worker Jenifer Lamadrid, who started her career as an independent domestic violence advocate (IDVA).

We find out why she made the move, what core skills she’s been able to take from her former profession into social work and what keeps her in the sector.

About The Social Work Community Podcast

The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners in their working lives. Careers editor Sharmeen Ziauddin and fellow host Kirsty Ayakwah, our senior careers editor, interview experienced and inspiring guests, including frontline social workers who speak from the heart about their jobs, the sector and society.

It was nominated in the podcast category at the 2024 BASW Social Work Journalism Awards following its first season, which ran from October 2023 to April 2024.

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Listen to “Career transitions: from independent domestic violence advocate to social work” on Spreaker.

Read the transcript of the interview here.

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