55 “I RETIRED...BUT THEN REALISED I WASN’T DONE!” When I was at my last job interview, I was asked what part of the job I thought might be challenging for me,” Bill Niven smiles. “I said the toughest part, after carrying out an assessment in a nursing home, would probably be convincing them to let me leave and go home!”
And Bill can certainly believe it. In fact, after retiring from social work six years ago, Bill reveals he actually chose to come back to the sector in 2018. “For me, it was a combination of factors that brought me back,” he explains. “I went into retirement with a list of things I wanted to do, and three years in, realised I’d done it all! “I found myself at home, watching Netflix, reading books, and trying to decide what to have for dinner nightafter-night. I realised I wasn’t done yet.
but is concerned that - while for him, it is a choice - for his own children, it will be a necessity. “BY THE TIME MY KIDS ARE MY AGE, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO GET A STATE PENSION UNTIL YOU’RE 70. That’s all well and good if you’re fit and healthy, but I’m sure there are plenty of people who will find that difficult, and I do think it’s a concern.”
He continues: “It’s been interesting going back into the sector as an “The bottom line is that I enjoy working, older social worker, and I’ve found and I like a challenge. I was still “I’M DEFINITELY A BETTER SOCIAL on the whole that people have been registered, so I thought ‘why not?’ I still really welcoming. I told them from the WORKER NOW THAN I WAS 20 felt I had a lot to give. beginning, ‘there are some things I YEARS AGO,” CONFIRMS BILL, “I got a job working for CLIC Sargent, need to brush up on, after a few years WHOSE DAUGHTER IS ALSO A and worked there until last year. away, but I’m a safe and experienced SOCIAL WORKER. pair of hands,’ and I’ve been able to “It felt good to feel useful again; keep busy ever since.” that desire to work, and to make a difference in people’s lives never went “I remember reading a study last year Bill is currently working with a mental that said social workers who are still in away. There’s also something about health team on a three-month contract, the profession after the age of 60 have working as part of a team, especially if and doesn’t know what he’ll do next. it’s a good team, that’s just awesome, higher levels of compassion, and a “I think this industry needs good more positive attitude to having chosen and the collective work you can do is people working right now, with social work as a profession, and to their just amazing.” experience under their belts, and now current work environment, and younger Bill says he’s pleased to still be that I’ve had my vaccines, I’m happy to counterparts.” working, and enjoys what he’s doing, be here and doing my part.” At 70-years-old, Bill has been a social worker for the past three decades.
