National Social Work Month
Apparently in the US, March is ‘National Social Work Month’.
I know about World Social Work Day which falls on 15th March this year but I hadn’t thought about extrapolating out the joy of celebrating social work to an entire month!
The theme of the month according to the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) is that ‘Social Work Changes Futures’. Nice slogan – I wonder if it fits as well for those working in palliative care as it does for those working with young people.. I can see where they’re coming from with that though.
What will I do to celebrate National Social Work Month?
Well, I’ll tell people for a start – in the hope that it might make them leave me gifts of chocolate – (when I say people I mean colleagues at work!).
Other than that, I’ll probably just continue to plough through my work the way I always have and will always try to do – namely to be best of my ability and with my ethical codes intact.
I wonder whether a National Social Work Month would have much steam here in the UK? Somehow I doubt it. Even a day seems a bit flashy and overindulgent.
I notice that both BASW and the College of Social Work are having events to ‘celebrate’ World Social Work Day.
BASW have an event in Glasgow and the College have an event in London which I can’t link to because I think they only sent it to people who had signed up for membership but trust me, it exists!
I’m tempted to go to the London event but it depends on whether I can persuade my manager to ‘celebrate social work’ by allowing me leave to attend!
Although National Social Work Month is a US specific ‘event’, I am going to spend just a little time to reflect on the increased opportunities we have to work and build networks of common interest across international boundaries.
Hopefully, in the near future, we (social workers, that is) won’t be reliant on a ‘College’ to promote social work – we’ll be able to do it ourselves and tell our own stories to counter some of the attitudes that have shaped negative perceptions of our profession.
We need to be proud of what we do and extend the voice of social workers at the front line through social media and social networks so we take part of the process of effecting change and making all our our futures better as well as those of the people we work with and for!
The role of social work and advocacy is, in my view and experience, increasing with the diffusion of media and communication means. We have to speak up for ourselves now and not rely on spokespeople and ‘friendly media outlets’ to do it for us.
Posted on March 2, 2011, in social work, work and tagged British Association of Social Workers, college of social work, National Association of Social Workers, national social work month, social work, world social work day, world social work day 2011. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
We also have Social Work celebrations here in Canada. The national organization likes to pretend it is an entire month (theme of Social Workers for Dignity and Inclusion: Upholding Human Rights, but provincially it is brought down to a single week (March 13 – 19) withthe same theme. Typically we would have our annual conference at the end of the week, but this year the conference is in April. Probably facility booking issues.
Anyone can come to our World Social Work Day in Glasgow and many of those booked already are not SASW members . Our advertising was certainly much wider than just our membership. If you cannot make it to our event you can link with us by skype if you want – this day builds towards exchanging creative, high quality practice and we will go on learning form each other throughout the year. Go to http://www.basw.co.uk/scotland and find out more. Next year we will be sharing good practice with colleagues around the world in Stockholm in July – find out more about exchange across the world by visiting http://www.ifsw.org. Social Work is a global profession – we need to open our eyes, ears and minds to different methods of practice – join in this dynamic event on World Social Work Day 15 March!
Carolyn – thanks for filling us in about Canada! I really like that theme.
Ruth – thanks for that. If I were anywhere near Glasgow I really would go! I was interested in the Stockholm event and the practice symposium but it wasn’t clear on the BASW site how it would work so I haven’t made any moves in that direction.
I think it is tragic that there isn’t more encouragement for those of us in practice to actually do research and to contribute. It shouldn’t be for universities to lead the direction of research on the basis of the whims of academics who can’t remember direct practice.
Hi! As well as the BASW/CoSW Scottish event there are also events in the other UK nations to mark World Social Work Day. On March 16th BASW England has its conference in Birmingham – the international flavour being provided by a group of Russian Soical Workers. Fascinating to find out more about our noble profession as practiced in other countries and to celebrate it as a global profession. More info on http://www.basw.co.uk
I asked colleagues from Business Support about this. They said a month was excessive and said we could have an afternoon, and then asked if we could get the numbers in for the PI silly season in April.
My agency is having a five hour meeting to celebrate Social Work Month. I can’t even deal. I hate to think what “Torture A Social Worker Day” would be like.
Ruth – thanks for that!
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Guilsfield – For us, March isn’t the best month, is it when all the figures need to be in for the year ending.. still, maybe that’s the best time to remember all the documented and PI measured work we do!
socialjerk – five hours…. in a room with social workers….. that could be a vision of hell
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