Linda Gudgeon
Bristol,United Kingdom
Summary
Over 22 years at We Care Home Improvements I developed expertise in supporting older and disabled people to live independently, in homes which are warm, safe, secure and adapted to their needs. I started at We Care as a caseworker, directly supporting clients, including clients with complex needs, to enable urgent repairs, adaptations and energy efficiency measures to be carried out, in the home. This included securing funding for work, where needed and referring on for a range of additional support.
I have an empathetic approach and, was strongly committed, in my casework, to providing a a person centred and high quality service. When I moved into management this enabled me to provide strong leadership and vision, promoting a collaborative ethos and encouraging team members to develop their skills and take on additional responsibilities, in a supported way.
I built up strong external partnerships, which enabled me to access funding for new initiatives, to provide a more comprehensive service for clients.
Overview
47
47
years of professional experience
31
31
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Operational Lead (Bristol)
We Care Home Improvements
Bristol, Bristol
08.2019 - 05.2025
- Supported team of Caseworkers, Technical officers, and Information and Advice lead to deliver high-quality client services.
- Conducted case reviews, supervisions, and appraisals to address training and development needs.
- Refined processes to improve service delivery and long-term sustainability.
- Used strong interpersonal and analytic skills to manage and resolve any complaints
- Led on relationships with commissioners and external stakeholders in Bristol area, to foster collaborative work.
- Secured funding for service development, including a caseworker- led project to support clients whose preferred option is to move home for a better quality of life and to maintain independent living.
Bristol Team Manager
We Care Home Improvements
Bristol, Bristol
04.2015 - 08.2019
- Managed multi-disciplinary team of caseworkers, technical officers and information and advice lead, providing consistent support to maintain high levels of team performance and client satisfaction.
- Allocated work to ensure timely and effective handling of enquiries and manageable caseloads.
- Nurtured a strong rapport with team members, to foster a cohesive and collaborative workplace environment.
- Evaluated team performance regularly providing constructive feedback and support.
- Facilitated team meetings to share challenges and identify strategies for improvement.
Senior Caseworker
We Care Home Improvements
Bristol, Bristol
10.2011 - 04.2015
- Supervised team of caseworkers, working across Bristol, B&NES, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, sharing knowledge and best practice to improve team performance
- Collaborated with Senior Technical Officer to optimise service delivery
- Managed a small caseload of clients with complex needs, carrying out personalised assessments to produce individual support plans.
- Represented We Care Improvements at local events and delivered training to partner organisations, to promote awareness of the service.
- Adhered to safeguarding principles to protect clients from risk.
- Kept accurate, up-to-date and confidential files for case continuity and in-line with data protection
South Bristol Team Manager
We Care Home Improvements
Bristol, Bristol
06.2007 - 10.2011
- Managed small team of Caseworkers and Technical officers to deliver responsive service across South Bristol area
Urgent Response Team Caseworker
We Care Home Improvements
Bristol, Bristol
01.2003 - 05.2007
- Managed a complex caseload where repairs/adaptations needed to be completed urgently to address health and safety issues in the home or facilitate discharge from hospital
- Liaised with referrers, clients, technical officers and contractors to deliver a streamlined and timely service
- Effectively prioritised input whilst maintaining a client centred and empathetic approach, completing a full assessment and referring on to other agencies to meet additional needs. Also completed welfare benefits applications on clients' behalf to maximise income.
- Identified and accessed funding for work
- Maintained confidential case records for efficient delivery of service, and in line with data protection regulations
Housing Officer (Repairs)
Bristol City Council
Bristol, Bristol
06.2002 - 01.2003
- Worked proactively as part of a team, to manage a busy repairs line, providing a responsive and helpful service to residents
- Developed a good understanding of maintenance issues in order to to schedule work effectively for the maintenance operatives and improve efficiency of delivery
- Coordinated work orders to ensure that repairs were completed in a timely way and urgent work was escalated appropriately
- Liaised with residents to address any concerns and provided updates on timelines, where needed.
Full-time Mother
N/A
Various, Various
09.1983 - 06.2002
Research Assistant
Cambridge University
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
04.1980 - 06.2002
- Assisted in running research trials to develop understanding of relationship between obsessive-compulsive and addictive behaviours
Nursing Assistant (Mental Health)
St. Francis Hospital
Haywards Heath, East Sussex
11.1978 - 12.1979
- Cared for older patients with chronic mental health conditions.
- Facilitated activities of daily living, including bed-making, personal hygiene management, eating and mobilisation
- Engaged patients in recreational activities to support well-being.
Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Housing - Housing
University of the West of England
Brighton 09.1975 - 06.2002
Postgraduate Diploma in Housing - Housing
University of the West of England
Bristol 09.1999 - 06.2002
A-Levels - General Studies Grade A, English Grade A, Mathematics Grade B, French Grade B
King Edward V1 High School
Birmingham 09.1973 - 06.1975
Skills
- Reliable and trustworthy
- Communication skills
- Person-centred approach
- Working with vulnerable clients
- Client advocacy
- Problem solving
- Professional boundaries understanding
- Safeguarding protocols
- Resourcefulness
- Time management
- Team building
- Leadership
- Management
- Strategic Planning
Timeline
Operational Lead (Bristol)
We Care Home Improvements
08.2019 - 05.2025
Bristol Team Manager
We Care Home Improvements
04.2015 - 08.2019
Senior Caseworker
We Care Home Improvements
10.2011 - 04.2015
South Bristol Team Manager
We Care Home Improvements
06.2007 - 10.2011
Urgent Response Team Caseworker
We Care Home Improvements
01.2003 - 05.2007
Housing Officer (Repairs)
Bristol City Council
06.2002 - 01.2003
Postgraduate Diploma in Housing - Housing
University of the West of England
09.1999 - 06.2002
Full-time Mother
N/A
09.1983 - 06.2002
Research Assistant
Cambridge University
04.1980 - 06.2002
Nursing Assistant (Mental Health)
St. Francis Hospital
11.1978 - 12.1979
Postgraduate Diploma in Housing - Housing
University of the West of England
09.1975 - 06.2002
A-Levels - General Studies Grade A, English Grade A, Mathematics Grade B, French Grade B
King Edward V1 High School
09.1973 - 06.1975