Leadership in Social Services Award
This award recognises a policymaker or leader in social services who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in shaping the governance, strategy, and long-term sustainability of social services. It celebrates an individual with visionary leadership that has driven systemic improvements, workforce development, and innovative reforms to enhance the effectiveness, accessibility, and resilience of social services across Europe.
Examples of key areas of social services leadership:
- Strategic Workforce Development – Implementing policies that address workforce shortages, training, retention, and well-being to ensure a highly skilled and motivated social services workforce.
- Integrated and Person-Centred Governance – Driving cross-sector reforms that integrate health, social care, housing, education, and employment services to improve coordination and service delivery.
- Rights-Based and Inclusive Policies – Promoting governance reforms that enhance accessibility, inclusivity, and user empowerment, ensuring vulnerable groups receive quality social care.
- Collaborative Governance – Developing adaptive, resilient governance frameworks that promote social services collaboration with other sectors to respond effectively to social crises.
- Thought Leadership - Contributing meaningfully to discourse on social policy through writing, and speaking engagements.
Special consideration is given to applications of individual leaders who have:
- Transformed the social services workforce, ensuring professional development, fair working conditions, and mental wellbeing support.
- Implemented governance reforms that enhance efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and make social services more adaptable to emerging challenges.
- Led inclusive policymaking processes, engaging service users, frontline professionals, and community organisations in decision-making.
- Fostered collaboration between public, private, and research sectors, ensuring evidence-based policymaking and service innovation.
- Demonstrated measurable impact, improving outcomes for service users, staff, and communities through effective governance reforms.
Leadership in Social Services Award 2025 Nominees
Title: “Leading Ukraine’s Digital Social Response in Times of War - Kostiantyn Koshelenko”
More information here: www.msp.gov.ua
Title: “Redefining Social Services in Romania - Florian Sălăjeanu”
Organisation: Professional Association of Social Assistance (ASSOC), Romania
More information here: www.assoc.ro
Title: “Transforming Disability Services in Malta - Oliver Scicluna”
Organisation: Agenzija Sapport, Malta
More information here: www.sapport.gov.mt
Title: “Fostering International Cooperation in Azerbaijan - Sabina Huseynova”
Organisation: Azerbaijan Social Services Agency, Azerbaijan
More information here: https://sxa.gov.az/
Title: “Transforming Social Services in Azerbaijan – Farid Mammadov”
Organisation: The Agency for Sustainable and Operative Social Provision (DOST), Azerbaijan
More information here: www.dost.gov.az
Title: “Inclusive Leadership in Offenbach – Boris Alexander Berner”
Organisation: Pro Arbeit - County Offenbach - (AöR) Municipal Job Centre, Germany
More information here: www.proarbeit-kreis-of.de
Title: “Transforming Brussels CPAS for Social Empowerment – David Weytsman”
Organisation: Association of CPAS Secretaries of the Brussels Region, Belgium
More information here: www.brucity.be
Title: “Transforming Long-Term Care in Malta – Renzo de Gabriele”
Organisation: Active Ageing and Community Care (AACC), Malta
More information here: www.gov.mt
Registrations to attend the 2025 ESSA Ceremony are now open, and voting will begin in October.
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