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ACTION NETWORK FOR SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (ANSWER)
ANSWER is a coalition whose mission is to increase legislative and executive branch advocacy on behalf of social work education, training, and research. This goal is accomplished through collaboration among social work education, research, and practice programs, and other interested groups. Together with NASW, the following groups currently participate in the coalition:
- Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD)
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE)
- Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR)
- National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work (NADD)
- Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)
Since March 2002, NASW has been responsible for carrying out ANSWER’s lobbying priorities and staffing ANSWER’s steering committee.
- During the past year, on behalf of ANSWER, NASW staff: staffed and hosted two meetings of the ANSWER steering committee; built a Web site for ANSWER; maintained ANSWER’s presence on the NASW Web site; staffed and hosted a lobby day at the SSWR conference; provided ANSWER updates to practitioners through NASW’s Web site; and briefed educators at annual CSWE, NADD, and GADE meetings.
Also, NASW represents
the ANSWER coalition by advocating for the National Center for Social
Work Research Act (NCSWRA), and re-introduced NCSWRA in the 108th
Congress (as S.73/H.R.844).
MOBILIZING MEMBERS FOR POLITICAL ACTION
NASW participates in a variety of activities
to incorporate NASW members into the Association’s work in
ways that: (1) are meaningful to members; and (2) advance NASW’s
legislative and political goals. These activities include:
- Mobilizing social workers for legislative and electoral policy campaigns
- Planning federal lobby days
- Working with chapter staff to engage members in lobbying activities
- Providing outreach to social work educators and students
- Co-staffing the Social Work Council and ANSWER coalitions
- Planning events between NASW Government Relations/PACE staff and social workers on Capitol Hill
- Supervising PACE field organizers
- Assisting with get-out-the-vote activities
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