Social Workers Beyond Burnout | Earn More Without Leaving Your Job

Ade Larigo
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This is the show for experienced social workers who are burnt out, can't afford to leave, and are ready to earn more without leaving the job they trained for. I'm Ade Larigo. Social work has been my world for over twenty years, and it still is. I'm a registered, practising social worker and a national adoption panel adviser. I've worked on the frontline of safeguarding, worked with three quarters of England's regional adoption agencies, led the UK's only research into panel diversity, and advised the House of Lords on panel diversity. But here's what my CV won't tell you. I've been through bullying. I've been through redundancy. And I've been through burnout, not once, but twice. I kept changing jobs, hoping the next one would fix it. It never did, because I was trying to fix a one salary problem with another one salary job. It left me not knowing who I was or what I was worth. Then I realised my experience was never just part of the job. It was my most valuable asset. Now I help social workers and caring professionals see the value they already carry and turn it into income, alongside the work they do. No retraining. No quitting. No starting from scratch. Every Tuesday you'll get real stories from my own social work journey, honest teaching, and one small action you can take straight away. We talk about social worker burnout, what else you can do with a social work degree, how to earn more without leaving social work, independent social work, and how to build a second income from the experience you already have. Whether you're a social worker, a nurse, a therapist or anyone whose work is helping other people, you're in the right place. Around here, we dey change our story. 👑 📥 Free gift for you: the Expertise to Income Action Pack. Find out what your social work experience could earn you, and take your first step this week: [LINK] 🎁 Join my free Beyond One Income Circle: https://www.skool.com/the-beyond-one-income-circle-8391/about 🗺️ Want your own 90 day plan? Book your Expertise to Income Blueprint: https://stan.store/adefunkeclarity 🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/

  1. Oct 20

    EP35 | Burnt Out But Can't Afford to Leave Social Work? (Why Another Job Won't Fix It)

    35 | Burnt Out But Can't Afford to Leave Social Work? (Why Another Job Won't Fix It) Have you ever driven home at two o'clock in the morning asking yourself, why am I doing this? You're burnt out. You know something has to change. But you need the salary, so you stay. In this episode, I take you back to my years as an employed social worker. The night on the M6 when I realised I wasn't protecting the young person, I wasn't protecting my own child, and I certainly wasn't protecting myself. And yet I didn't leave. Because I couldn't afford to. You'll hear about the job moves I made, each one fixing something but never everything, and the one line that changed how I saw every one of them. Then I'll give you a simple 10 minute exercise called the fix list, so you can see if you're stuck in the same loop. Whether you're a social worker, a nurse, a therapist or anyone whose work is helping other people, this one is for you. I'm not here to tell you to quit social work. I'm here to show you there's another way to think about burnout and money. Around here, we dey change our story. 👑 I didn't have anyone to ask when I wanted something different. That's exactly why I built the Beyond One Income Circle, my free community for social workers and caring professionals who want to start earning from the experience they already have. Founding members are joining now. It's my gift to you. 🙌 Request your place here: https://www.skool.com/the-beyond-one-income-circle-8391/about   Want your own 90 day plan? Book your Expertise to Income Blueprint: https://stan.store/adefunkeclarity Let's connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ More episodes you'll love: EP28 | You Know You Need Another Income Stream… https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep28 EP30 | Are You Undervaluing Your Own Genius? https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep30 EP25 | Why Everyone Else Can See Your Potential… Except You https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep25

  2. Sep 29

    34 | You've Reached the Top of the Social Work Ladder. Now What?

    Episode Title: You've Reached the Top of the Social Work Ladder. Now What? DARE 29TH SEPT 2026 Episode Description: Have you ever felt like you've climbed the entire career ladder, only to realise you might be on the wrong wall? In this episode, Ade Larigo gets real about the feeling of being a successful, senior professional who is secretly asking, "What's next?" Drawing on her 20+ years in social work, from the front line to policy conversations at the House of Lords, Ade shares her personal story of hitting burnout and why she believes that for most high-achievers, the problem isn't a lack of motivation—it's a lack of clarity. This episode is for any capable professional who knows they have more to offer but feels stuck on the next right move. In this episode, you will learn: The real, hidden costs of not having a clear plan for your future. Why your "normal" skills are actually your "genius" (and a high-value asset). How to start seeing the legacy you are already building, and how to shape it with intention. GET CLARITY ON YOUR NEXT CHAPTER: You can learn more about The Clarity Blueprint™ and book your private 90-minute session here: ➡️ https://stan.store/adefunkeclarity START THE CONVERSATION: Have a question about the Clarity Blueprint? Send me a WhatsApp with the word CLARITY: ➡️ https://wa.me/447348956483?text=CLARITY CONNECT WITH ADE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ If this episode made you think of a colleague who needs to hear this, please share it with them. And remember, around here, we dey change our story.

  3. Sep 22

    EP33| Stuck in Social Work With Nowhere to Go? (Your Next Move Isn’t Another Job)

    Do you know that Sunday night feeling? You've got a good job, years of experience behind you, and you still feel stuck in social work with no idea what your next move should be. In this episode, I pick up where Genius Blindness left off and ask the harder question. Once you can finally see your own value, why does your next move still feel impossible to plan? I share why more information probably isn't what's missing, the real difference between a motivation problem and a clarity problem, and the one small shift that starts to make your next step visible. Because you don't need to write the whole book of your future today. You just need the next sentence. Whether you're a social worker, a nurse, a therapist or anyone whose work is helping other people, this one is for you. And no, your next move doesn't have to mean leaving the job you trained so hard for. Around here, we dey change our story. 👑 If you can see your value but can't see what to do with it yet, message me the word BLUEPRINT on LinkedIn and tell me one thing people at work always come to you for. I'll tell you straight whether people would pay for it. 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ > I get asked one question all the time: "Ade, how can I build income from what I already know?" That's exactly why I'm building the Beyond One Income Circle, my PRIVATE community for social workers and caring professionals who want to start earning from the experience they already have. It's my gift to you, and I'm opening the doors to our founding members NOW. Request to join  🙌 🔗 Request your founding place here: https://www.skool.com/the-beyond-one-income-circle-8391/about   More episodes you'll love: 🔗 EP32 | Social Worker, You Can’t See What Your Skills Are Worth (It’s Not Impostor Syndrome) https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep32 🔗 EP34 | You've Reached the Top of the Social Work Ladder. Now What? https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep34 🔗 EP35 | Burnt Out But Can't Afford to Leave Social Work? (Why Another Job Won't Fix It) https://tinyurl.com/swbb-ep35

  4. Sep 15

    32 | It's Not Impostor Syndrome. It's Genius Blindness.

    32: It's Not Impostor Syndrome. It's Genius Blindness. 📅 17 September 2026 There's a kind of brilliance that becomes so normal to you, you stop calling it a skill at all. You read the room before anyone speaks. You hold fifteen things at once and still know what matters. People trust you with the hardest conversations in the building. And somehow, you've decided none of that counts. Sis… the very thing that makes you brilliant might be the exact thing you've stopped letting yourself see. In this episode: The everyday phrase capable women say that quietly reveals they've stopped seeing their own genius Why calling yourself "just" a social worker might be costing you more than you know What Ade caught herself doing the moment she talked about the House of Lords The name Ade gives to this pattern, and why it has nothing to do with arrogance The one question worth sitting with before you decide what's next   Know something needs to change, but can't quite see what comes next? 🎟️ Join me for The Clarity Catalyst — my FREE live workshop on Thursday 24 September at 12:30pm UK time. Created for the capable woman who's spent years giving everybody else value but is struggling to see clearly what could come next for her. 👉 Save your free seat: https://adefunkeclarity.lovable.app   💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/   If this episode made you think of another woman, send it to her and simply say: "Sis, I thought of you when I heard this." Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

  5. Sep 9

    31 | Feeling Stuck in a Caring Profession? The Skill That Could Be Holding You Back

    EP31: Feeling Stuck in a Caring Profession? The Skill That Could Be Holding You Back 📅 Wednesday, 9 September 2026 There is a skill that can make you brilliant at caring for other people — and it could also be one of the reasons you feel completely stuck in your own life. You assess risk. Solve problems. Think three steps ahead. You're the woman everybody relies on. But what happens when you turn that same brain onto your own future? Before an idea has even had a chance to breathe, you've carried out a full risk assessment on your own dream. Sis… sometimes what looks like careful planning is actually fear wearing professional clothes. In this episode: The professional skill that could quietly be keeping you stuck Why “I'm just a social worker” may be saying more than you realise What nearly ignoring an invitation to the House of Lords revealed about how I saw my own value Why more information may NOT be what you're missing The uncomfortable question we rarely ask when we're afraid of change Know something needs to change, but can't see what comes next? 🎟️ Join me for The Clarity Catalyst — my FREE live workshop on Thursday 24 September at 12:30pm UK time. Created for the capable woman who's spent years giving everybody else value but is struggling to see clearly what could come next for her. 👉 Save your free seat: https://adefunkeclarity.lovable.app 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ If this episode made you think of another woman, send it to her and simply say: “Sis, I thought of you when I heard this.” Around here, we dey change our story. 👑

  6. Sep 1

    EP30 | Are You Undervaluing Your Social Work Experience? (My House of Lords Story)

    EP30 | Are You Undervaluing Your Social Work Experience? (My House of Lords Story) Have you ever been so used to your own social work experience that you couldn't see what it was worth? I nearly ignored the message that took me to the House of Lords. A stranger reached out, I thought it was a scam, and I almost said no. In this episode I tell you what happened when I said yes, why I still couldn't name the value I was bringing even when I was sitting in that room, and the one conversation that finally helped me see it. I also give you one question to ask yourself if you can't see your own worth yet. Whether you're a social worker, a nurse, a therapist or anyone whose work is helping other people, this one is for you. Because having the experience is not the same as being able to name it. And you can't earn from what you can't name. Around here, we dey change our story. 👑 I get asked one question all the time: "Ade, how can I build income from what I already know?" That's exactly why I built the Beyond One Income Circle, my free community for social workers and caring professionals who want to start earning from the experience they already have. Founding members are joining now. It's my gift to you. 🙌 🗓️ Our first live is on 4 November 🔗 Request your place here: https://www.skool.com/the-beyond-one-income-circle-8391/about > Let's connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/   More episodes you'll love: 🔗 35 | Burnt Out But Can't Afford to Leave Social Work? (Why Another Job Won't Fix It) https://tinyurl.com/swbb-ep35 🔗 25 | Why Everyone Else Sees Your Potential Except You https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep25 🔗 28 | Social Worker Needing Another Income Stream? Why You Haven't Started Yet https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep28

  7. Aug 25

    29 | AI in Social Work: What Every Social Worker Needs to Hear

    29 | AI in Social Work: The Conversation Every Social Worker Needs to Hear 📅 25th Aug 2026 AI has saved me hours. But it has also confidently given me information that was completely wrong. In social work, where our assessments and recommendations can affect children, families and vulnerable adults, that cannot simply be dismissed as an inconvenient mistake. Last week, I asked why you have not started creating another income stream. This week, I want to show you what starting can actually look like through something many of us may already be using, but are not yet talking about openly. Artificial intelligence. I have been using AI since 2021, the same year I started my social work consultancy. At first, I used it for simple tasks such as writing emails and social media posts. Over time, that developed into research, creating courses, building systems and supporting how I run my business. But this episode is not a sales pitch for AI. It is an honest conversation about where AI has saved me time, where it has completely let me down, and the questions I believe our profession and its leaders need to ask before its use goes any further within social work. Whenever I talk about using these tools, I am referring to my own notes and non-confidential information. Protecting client confidentiality and sensitive data must always remain the priority. In this episode: • My AI journey since 2021, from writing emails to building business systems • Why burnout and bureaucracy may be a greater threat to human-centred social work than the technology itself • Why social workers may already be using AI quietly, without guidance, training or a safe space to ask questions • The confidentiality, GDPR and professional responsibility questions to consider before entering anything into an AI tool • Why I think of AI as my kitchen assistant while I remain the head chef • The difference between polished writing and genuine professional analysis, and why that matters in assessments • What happened when AI completely failed to save me time while I was editing this podcast • How AI helped me solve an urgent family problem in under an hour when my dad’s freezer broke • Why AI can appear to build trust and the risks this could create for vulnerable people • The questions social work organisations and leaders need to ask before introducing AI tools • Why practitioners, children, families and vulnerable adults must be part of shaping this conversation Reflection question: What is one task you would like AI to help you with, and what is one part of your work you believe AI should never decide? This is not a one-off conversation for me. I will continue sharing what I am learning, what is working, what is failing and the questions I believe our profession needs to be asking. Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me what you are seeing in your own work. What excites you about AI? What concerns you? Where do you believe the boundary should be? Connect with Ade Larigo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/ If this episode has made you think differently about AI in social work, please share it within your network, your community or at your next team meeting. Sis, you were built for great things. And remember, around here, we dey change our story. 👑

  8. Aug 11

    28 | Social Worker Needing Another Income Stream? Why You Haven't Started Yet

    28 | Social Worker Needing Another Income Stream? Why You Haven't Started Yet   You know you need another income stream. You've known for a while. So why haven't you started? If you're a social worker who keeps saying "one day", this episode is for you. I talk about what really keeps us stuck when we already know what we want, and I share the moment I finally stopped circling and took my first step. I also give you one small thing to do today, so "one day" doesn't turn into another year. Whether you're a social worker, a nurse, a therapist or anyone whose work is helping other people, this one is for you. This isn't about leaving your job. It's about creating options beyond one salary. Around here, we dey change our story. 👑 I get asked one question all the time: "Ade, how can I build income from what I already know?" That's exactly why I built the Beyond One Income Circle, my free community for social workers and caring professionals who want to start earning from the experience they already have. Founding members are joining now. It's my gift to you. 🙌 🗓️ Our first live is on 4 November 🔗 Request your place here: https://www.skool.com/the-beyond-one-income-circle-8391/about   > Let's connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/   More episodes you'll love:                                                                                                                                                                    🔗 35 | Burnt Out But Can't Afford to Leave Social Work? (Why Another Job Won't Fix It) https://tinyurl.com/swbb-ep35 🔗 30 | Are You Undervaluing Your Social Work Experience? (My House of Lords Story) https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep30 🔗 25 | Why Everyone Else Sees Your Potential Except You https://tinyurl.com/swmums-ep25

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About

This is the show for experienced social workers who are burnt out, can't afford to leave, and are ready to earn more without leaving the job they trained for. I'm Ade Larigo. Social work has been my world for over twenty years, and it still is. I'm a registered, practising social worker and a national adoption panel adviser. I've worked on the frontline of safeguarding, worked with three quarters of England's regional adoption agencies, led the UK's only research into panel diversity, and advised the House of Lords on panel diversity. But here's what my CV won't tell you. I've been through bullying. I've been through redundancy. And I've been through burnout, not once, but twice. I kept changing jobs, hoping the next one would fix it. It never did, because I was trying to fix a one salary problem with another one salary job. It left me not knowing who I was or what I was worth. Then I realised my experience was never just part of the job. It was my most valuable asset. Now I help social workers and caring professionals see the value they already carry and turn it into income, alongside the work they do. No retraining. No quitting. No starting from scratch. Every Tuesday you'll get real stories from my own social work journey, honest teaching, and one small action you can take straight away. We talk about social worker burnout, what else you can do with a social work degree, how to earn more without leaving social work, independent social work, and how to build a second income from the experience you already have. Whether you're a social worker, a nurse, a therapist or anyone whose work is helping other people, you're in the right place. Around here, we dey change our story. 👑 📥 Free gift for you: the Expertise to Income Action Pack. Find out what your social work experience could earn you, and take your first step this week: [LINK] 🎁 Join my free Beyond One Income Circle: https://www.skool.com/the-beyond-one-income-circle-8391/about 🗺️ Want your own 90 day plan? Book your Expertise to Income Blueprint: https://stan.store/adefunkeclarity 🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelarigo/

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