John Maxwell's (b. 1934) career was defined by his 35 years at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica. This was his base for wide involvement in professional social work and community organizations in the Caribbean, as president of NACASSW and Vicepresident of IASSW. His qualifications include: Diploma in Social Administration, LSE; MSW, McGill University: Advanced Diploma in Social Work, University of Toronto; PhD, Cornell University. He had sabbatical periods in the US, England and Zimbabwe. His last position before retirement was Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, UWI-Mona. Among his achievements, he took a central role in starting and editing the Caribbean Journal of Social Work and in publishing about Caribbean social work.

When did you receive the award, and on what basis?

I received it in 2004, but it was a belated award for the 2002 year. I understand it was particularly for my contribution to the development of social work education in the Caribbean region, and the role I played in making links between the region and the international social work education community.

I taught at the University of the West Indies from 1971 to 2004, during which time the social work programme developed from a two-year certificate course to an undergraduate degree and then to a masters degree. I played a major role in developing the curriculum from the 1970s until the 1990s. At the same time, I was involved in developing links to IASSW and the international community, in particular the US and Canada.

I remember first meeting Katherine Kendall when she was with CSWE. I had to discuss with her what was necessary for social workers having done their training at the University of the West Indies to receive accreditation in the US. Subsequently, I met her at conferences, became aware of her impact on the international social work community and I recognized what an amazing woman she was, certainly the dominant personality of the age.

What activities were of major importance for your professional career and its impact on social work and its education?

Prior to joining UWI, I had ten years’ experience – four years of teaching and six years of youth development – which, collectively, helped me develop a sense of commitment to influence the lives of others, especially the more vulnerable in society.