Social Workers
Inspire Community Action
March is National
Professional Social Work Month
In
every community, there are people who go above and beyond their usual work to
make a significant difference in the lives of thousands. These advocates can
come from every discipline, but many times they are social workers.
Social
Workers often work in positions and organizations that allow them to see the
full impact of a larger social problem in a community. Many are driven to
launch and lead efforts that address the root of such problems. These dedicated
individuals are who the National Association of Social Workers seeks to honor
this March during National
Professional Social Work Month.
The
theme for this year’s celebration is “Social Workers Inspire Community Action.”
NASW
Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH says that the 2010 Social
Work Month theme underscores the Association’s focus this year on leadership
development. “We have so many inspiring leaders to look to in our
profession’s history as we plan for the future. Others may think and talk about
problems, but social workers do something to change the systems that perpetuate
them. Social workers help Americans succeed,” she says.
One such person is Dr.
Dorothy I. Height—a social work pioneer, President Emerita of the National
Council of Negro Women and one of the most recognized civil rights leaders in
the United States. Dr. Height worked directly with Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., Whitney M. Young, Jr. (also a social worker), John Lewis, and others
to enact the 1964 Civil
Rights Act. She also helped open YWCA clubs to girls of all
backgrounds.
A
documentary of Dr. Height’s life from the SUNY Stony Brook School of Social
Work is in production and both the House and Senate versions of the Social Work
Reinvestment Act bear her name and that of former NASW President Whitney
Young.
Stories
of social work leaders are published every day in newspapers—and sometimes become
TV news segments, magazine features and popular blog posts. However,
these profiles only show a small fraction of the positive changes created by
social workers in all communities.
Professional
social workers are on the frontlines, responding to human needs such as
homelessness, poverty, family break-up, mental illness, physical and mental
disability, alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence and much more.
They also know that helping people and families navigate difficult life
transitions may require “changing the map” through community action.