Linda Litchwark

During her time at school Linda gained School Certificate and completed her Form 6 year.  She enjoyed her involvement in stage productions.  She remembers having singing parts in both “The Sound of Music” and “Oliver”, as well as being part of the School Choir.  Linda participated in swimming sports and liked playing rugby and hockey but was not part of any teams.

Post school Linda gained a Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences, a Post Graduate Diploma in Supervison and has had Department of Corrections training.

She has had a very interesting work history.  Of course being a mother and wife (five children) has been fulfilling and major part of her life.  Linda has been involved in all aspects of restaurant work – except being a chef.  For nine years Linda has been a Social Worker in Hamilton and for three years has been a rehabilitative programme facilitator for the Department of Corrections.

Linda credits her current work as her foremost achievement in her working world.  It took her almost two years to really get her head around the programme and to adapt to the mind set of an offender.  Learning to work in a prison environment was a great challenge.  She did her initial Social Work study from the Coromandel Peninsula and that meant travelling to Hamilton three times a week.  She was fortunate to have wonderful support to care for her son while she was away studying.  (She looks back now and wonders how the heck she did it!)

Although retirement is looming Linda says she won’t be taking that step for some time.  She feels a real sense of satisfaction working in this field and enjoys the human interaction working with people who require rehabilitation.  In the future she would like to provide a Supervision Service – to keep her hand in the social work field of practice.

Linda has five children and four grandchildren.