Mission of Social Work Profession Discussion

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Discussion: Becoming a Lifelong Advocate

Ideology, politics, and the influence of values often override evidence-based policy. When there is evaluation conflict, a policy advocate must be prepared to defend their reasons for wanting to implement a policy. Because almost all proposed policies are circumscribed by politics, you should be prepared for some conflict, ranging from having your research ignored, to having the accuracy of your data questioned, to having your personal values brought into question.

Your work as a policy advocate is and should be an extension of your commitment to the social work profession. As such, it is important to continually reflect on how your actions and intentions align with the mission, values, and ethics of social work. For this Discussion, you will consider how your social change project connected with the mission of social work as described by NASW. Additionally, you will consider how your project represents the values of the social work profession.

To Prepare:

Read Chapter 14 of the Jansson text.

Review the Code of Ethics by NASW      found in the Learning Resources this week.

Focus on the mission of social work as defined in the       section “Preamble.”

  • Review the six core values outlined in the section       “Ethical Principles.”

Review the video in the Required Media this week.

  • Consider how your Social Change Project in this course      reflects the mission and values of social work. It is okay if you find      that your project does not align with some aspect of the mission or      values—this is an opportunity to reflect and consider how you can continue      to strive to uphold the mission and values of the profession.

By Day 3

Post to your Discussion, addressing the following:

Explain how your Social Change Project upholds the      mission of the social work profession. Cite 2–3 specific examples      from your project in your explanation.

  • Select one      core value from the NASW resource that you think is least      evident in your Social Change Project. Explain your selection.      Include actions you will take to better represent the value in your future      advocacy work.
  • Describe additional steps you will take as a social      change and policy advocate to ensure your advocacy work continues to be      guided by your social work mission and values as defined by NASW.
  • By Day 5
  • Respond to at least two of your colleagues. Address one or more of the following in your response:

Compare your explanations for how your Social Change      Projects uphold the mission of the social work profession. What do the      similarities or differences tell you about the relationship between social      work practice and advocacy?

  • Share additional steps your colleagues can take to      ensure their advocacy work continues to be guided by the mission and      values of the social work profession.

Highlight steps that your colleagues outlined to ensure      their future advocacy work is guided by the mission and values of the      social work profession. How will you use these steps in your own advocacy      work?

  • Response post 1 needing response: (L.C.)

RE: Discussion – Week 11

Top of Form

This has been quite the journey for me these past 11 weeks of learning with my fellow classmates and finding interesting research or information from multiple online sources and from the textbook. My milestone social change project has kept me on a good pace in track with my research and advocacy focus with involved a lot to what upholds the mission of the social work profession. With this project has helped me set in ideas to plan out objectives and set these objectives to reach the possible goal for assisting individuals, groups, organizations, communities, or populations.

One of the main examples I find that is the key source for achieving these goals sets back from Week 4 Issue Statement where I mentioned about public support, with my case, public support with the military and their families. Having connections with organizations like the USO and Wounded Warrior Project helps support the advocacy for military service based on gathering the different military branches while advertising for their services to help the men and women along with their family who have served for this country. Public support such as this can influence and also benefit decision makers to push forward (with their position) advocacies of change for improvement.

Another feature that functions along with the mission of social work is the support in policy. I mainly discussed this in my Week 6 Advocacy Proposal assignment where the issue takes place that certain policies have not been receiving constant check ups for updating and improving for certain cases or statements. Most of the time where men or women try to gain their benefits or supporting sources, the polices that are listed for their requirements are outdated and not up to code with modern occupations or lifestyles. This is a clear mission that social workers take for evidence-based practice to address the issues and forward for improvements or replacement for a better policy to match current needs with individuals. Reflecting back on this portion always makes me think that policies shouldn’t be settled so stubborn where in certain ares of issues it should be flexible to be appropriate under the agency but also reliable for the clients, because there will be moments where a social worker will have a client with an issue that doesn’t occur very often to where it would have to be settled in a different way that still relates to the policy but addressed in a different matter. This can reflect from Policy Assessment as Argumentation (Pg. 493) as Jansson mentions that having a developed table for policy assessments to compare the pros and cons of services that are and are not being served. Analyzing tools such as this can determine if these policies have beneficial functions, the percentage of the function or it can determine what the policy lacks and and then listing what improvements it would need.

  •         Going over the NASW core values and covering back to my social change project, I honestly cannot say which one of these core values was the least evident throughout my work. Being an advocate for the military and all of those who have and are currently serving has clear evidence for each core value: gaining and receiving services for those veterans in need with benefits, attaining social justice for veterans no matter their identity and ethnic background, dignity and worth of the person for those who sacrificed for their service and still ends up with nothing to be cast aside where we find them extremely valuable and appreciate for who they are and what they’ve done, importance of human relationships for veterans and their  families for moral support, integrity for honesty and being undivided, and competence for either successful accomplishments or positive income to live on. For me not one core value was least evident for my advocacy with the military, I value each core value as I value every military veteran. No one gets left behind.

For additional steps as I continue for social change and advocacy will be continuing my research as days goes by they change and so does policies, regulations, requirements, services, agendas, etc. I will guide my advocacy work with connections for those who share similar interests and fight for fair justice for our military. A constant way of sharing awareness and attending hearings or support groups will highlight my continuing path for social work and what I will work for is for what is right for my moral principles and values. Gaining a supportive team will be beneficial for not only me but for the population, community and/or organization I will be working with as helpful guidance and backup when needed. I know I can not go alone with certain projects but I know I will have my fellow colleagues to take my side when I need additional help with a case, client, or policy. My steps I will take to forward my guidance will be like clock work, constantly taking these helpful steps in circles and often take different paths to take on different challenges. I will never give up on myself so that I don’t give up on others that are in need.

Thank you for a wonderful course, I wish you all the best in success!

  • References

Cisco, Luke. (2021). Week 4 Milestone 2: Issue Statement & Policy Review. SOCW 6361

Cisco, Luke. (2022). Week 6 Advocacy Proposal. SOCW 6361

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice
(8th ed.).

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of…

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  • Post 2 needing response – (M.H.)

RE: Discussion – Week 11

Top of Form

Social workers have an ethical obligation to advocate for broader society (NASW, 2021). Social workers advocate for the welfare of their clients. Rallying for basic human needs and livable conditions is a key component of social advocacy (NASW, 2021). Environmental advocacy falls in line with this standard. The core value that comes to mind for this issue is that “social workers challenge social injustice (NASW, 2021). I tried to think long and hard about my project’s least relevant core value. However, I feel that every ethical value holds significant weight, especially when advocating for social change.

Climate change is not just an environmental issue but a public health concern. During my project, I conducted research on how climate change has affected the city of Chicago. Chicago has a combined sewage system that has become overwhelmed due to increased flooding (Hawthorne & Green, 2019). Poor people living in homes with poor infrastructure often deal with flooded basements and bursting pipes (Makra, Edith, & Gardner, 2021). They are left to deal with sewage flooding their homes, which poses a health risk.

Furthermore many people below the poverty line do not have access to health care (Tepper, 2017). Climate change contributes to an unfortunate cycle of keeping poor people oppressed. This project opened my eyes to many issues that stem from climate change. People from low-socioeconomic areas are disproportionately affected compared to the middle and upper class. For future advocacy, I will be sure to lead with this issue. One step I can take is to join my local housing commission and advocate for better city resources.

  • References

Makra, Edith and Ned Gardiner, 2021. Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, NOAA, and U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

Tepper, N. (2017, September 15). City reports record number of Chicagoans with health insurance. Crain’s Chicago Business. Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170914/NEWS03/170919929/city-reports-record-number-of-chicagoans-with-health-insurance#:~:text=Chicago%20has%20reported%20its%20lowest,remain%20uninsured%20in%20the%20city.

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