Vivian Okeze-Tirado

Vivian is a national award-winning social work leader, social justice advocate, and practice educator, an experienced Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) specialist trainer and consultant. Since 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Vivian has actively committed to advancing cultural competence in social work, equity and inclusion in workplaces. Vivian leads her own organisation, VOT Training and Consultancy Services, where she designs and facilitates EDI training workshops and conferences for public and private organisations, including local authorities and universities. She has provided training for a wide range of social work and social care professionals, from practitioners to leaders. Vivian has delivered headline trainings for national organisations such as Social Work England (SWE), the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), Community Care Live, and the Royal College of Paediatrics, as well as keynote speeches for large local authorities. Her work helps foster equitable and inclusive workplace cultures. Before establishing her Training and consultancy, Vivian spent over nine years with West Sussex County Council (WSCC), where she progressed from an Advanced Social Worker and Practice Educator to the position of EDI Lead for Children’s Services. She also served as a Social Work Member of the Adoption Panel for two years. Vivian’s academic journey began with a degree in Linguistics, followed by a master’s in business administration (Management). After exploring her initial career, she shifted to a more humanitarian focus, driven by her desire to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families. In 2014, she earned her second master’s degree in social work from Brighton University. She has since developed a range of resources for social workers and foster carers to support vulnerable children from diverse backgrounds. Vivian is also a published author, having written the *Diversity Acrostic Poem*, which appears in the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) anthology *Outlanders: Hidden Narratives from Social Workers of Colour*. And in her book D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y. Currently pursuing her Professional Doctorate, she is researching ways to empower social work and social care professionals in EDI and anti-racism efforts. As a social worker of African origin, wife, and mother, Vivian strongly advocates for cultural competence, justice, and equality in social work and the greater society.