“I am able to help them see that they are not alone, no matter what they’re going through in the darkest time.”
Nadia Smaidre’s route into social work began long before university. Her ultimate career path was shaped by years of watching other people’s lives unfold from the sidelines as a language interpreter. It was something she circled for years, influenced by a role that placed her at the centre of people’s most difficult moments.
A close-up view of hands-on help
Nadia worked as an interpreter across several agencies in Northern Ireland, and this is where she first made contact with social workers. Her work gave her a close-up view of social work in action, planting the seed that this could be a future career for her.
She saw the hands-on help and support that social workers provided families and individuals, the possibility of genuine work satisfaction, and the value of a purpose-driven career. In addition, she also saw the potential of the wide range of roles available to her through a social work career. “I was drawn to the diversity of the profession itself – that it has so many different applications – and I’m one of those people who likes to try new things and have new experiences,” Nadia says.
Her role as an interpreter, though fulfilling, placed strict limits on her involvement and scope for truly making a difference. “I was a voice to share what someone was saying. So, if someone couldn’t speak up or was perhaps using the wrong words to describe a situation or advocate for themselves, I couldn’t help them to articulate themselves better.” Nadia was present in moments of tension, fear, and misunderstanding, but was unable to intervene and felt frustrated as she wanted to help. She often understood what was going wrong in conversations, recalling moments where she sat between professionals and families mentally urging them to “use different words, just use different words”, yet knowing she could not step outside her role.
A time to step up
What stayed with her most was the lack of closure. “As an interpreter, the moment you close the door, you on rare occasions hear the outcomes of the conflict or situation you were assisting. In a majority of the cases, that was the one only time I saw the people involved. I sometimes wondered what was the outcome”. It was this feeling of proximity without impact that ultimately pushed Nadia toward social work. She wanted to be more hands-on and to go beyond being a voice, to those she supported.
Nadia then encountered some big life changes including becoming a mum for the second time. She stopped interpreting and as single mum of two, with no family support close by, studying felt impossible.
She moved between jobs – working in catering, working with people with special needs, and later as a refugee support worker – roles that continued to bring her into contact with social workers and kept the idea of becoming a social worker alive. With the support and encouragement of her partner, she applied to the Honours Degree in Social Work.
“I filled in my UCAS form with my fingers crossed,” Nadia said. She worried that interpreting alone would not be enough, but her qualifications, including a Foundation Degree in Event Management, a Certificate in Counselling, and a Level 6 in Interpreting, combined with her life experience, were enough for her to be offered a place on the full-time, three-year Honours Degree in Social Work programme at Ulster University following a successful interview.
A new beginning – and a turning point
Returning to education after many years was intimidating. She had been out of academic study since 2012, and as the demands were significant she sought support. A turning point came midway through her first year, when she was diagnosed with dyslexia.
Her diagnosis reframed her experience of education. Nadia credits the university’s Student Support Services for encouraging her to seek an assessment and making the appropriate help accessible. With extra time, training, software, and proofreading support, she found herself not just managing the courseload, but excelling. Only now, on reflection, Nadia can see how a lifetime of undiagnosed dyslexia has affected her. With the right tools and accommodations in place, she has gone on to achieve something she had never expected, becoming a Dean’s List student on a university course.
Placement has cemented Nadia’s commitment to the social work profession, with her first placement in the community and voluntary sector “This placement was very, very fulfilling. I felt truly privileged to be involved at a time when someone is at their most vulnerable. Here, I was trusted with their stories and able to help them see that they are not alone, no matter what they’re going through in the darkest time. There is hope, and they can get to the other side of it.”
Looking forward to next steps
Nadia has now graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Social Work. She is looking forward to starting her Assessed Year in Employment (AYE), a requirement for all Newly Qualified Social Workers.
Nadia can an expanding future ahead of her and aspires to pursue a variety of possible roles in social work, and potentially even becoming a Guardian ad Litem. “In this role, I would be appointed by a judge to get the information from both parents involved in a Family Court, but at the same time I would work with a child, get their viewpoint of the situation, and represent them in that case, looking after their best interests”, she explained.
For Nadia, this a role that brings together everything she once lacked as an interpreter – appropriate influence, advocacy, and the ability to shape outcomes in a person-centred way.
For anyone considering social work, Nadia’s advice is simple, “It may seem impossible, but it is possible, and if I can do it, anyone can do it!”.
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Anyone of any age can apply to the Degree in Social Work. If you would like to find out more visit Interested in becoming a social worker to find out more.