David Affleck (1940 - )
Social worker
David Affleck was born in Leven in Fife, Scotland on April 4th 1940. At twelve a teacher noted his aptitude for music and his secondary school curriculum was consequently based on the expectation his studies would continue in this field.
However, the plan was not borne out and instead he entered the Civil Service in 1956 to give him time to consider his options. The job developed his skills in people management and leadership, and he took a particular interest in getting work groups to take part in collaborative activity.
In 1966 he trained for professional social work. This came after having been involved in voluntary youth work and attending an international seminar in Germany in 1958 which proved a major experience in shaping his future. Following organisational change in Social Work Services in 1969, David’s management experience and zeal for creative and strategic planning was in demand, and rapid promotion followed.
In his career as a manager of Social Work Services, David served nine years as convenor on Scottish committees dealing with service development and planning with regard to mental health, learning disability, and criminal justice. He was also a member of the Executive of the Association of Directors of Social Work for a similar length of time.
Additionally he held social work responsibilities in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Lothian Region. On two occasions David represented Scottish social work departments within the Council of Europe in relation to young offenders’ policy. His professional career was marked by his success in delivering interagency strategies and working with voluntary and community organisations, many of which he helped to establish with support from his management team. Getting grassroots activities to relate to operational collaboration and strategic planning between agencies was an approach he both advocated and delivered.
In 1996, he retired from professional social work, and has since pursued interests in horticulture, history and music.
Sources:
- Biography provided by David Affleck