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Celebrate Social Work Month – March 2009
Each year, the National Association of Social Workers honors social workers across the country with National Professional Social Work Month. This important observance is an annual opportunity for the profession to reflect on its history, celebrate the important work that is being done and look toward a promising future for all those social workers serve.
This year we are focusing on the future of social work and the need to recruit more social workers into the profession. Our recruiting focus for Social Work Month in 2009 – Social Work: Purpose and Possibility – defines the social work profession. People who become social workers do so because they seek a purpose for their career, and recognize that there are many different paths where a social work degree might lead. We know that social workers are passionate, purpose-driven individuals who want to do an excellent service for individuals and communities. We need to bring more of these compassionate people to the profession to ensure its future.
We also know that social workers have the unique training and education to see the purpose and possibility in the lives of those they serve. Professional social workers are educated at a program or school of social work in the theory, practice and policy of social work. Through their education, social workers participate in field placements that allow them to get hands-on experience with individuals, families and communities. They understand that the potential of clients and communities is plentiful.
The Social Work Month 2009 logo conveys the infinite possibilities and connections that social workers make in the lives of individuals, families and communities.
In addition to our traditional media outreach tools, this year we are adding some exciting new tools to the Social Work Month promotions. We are building a Web-based application that will give people more information about the profession of social work. This application, called “50 Ways to Use Your Social Work Degree,” will draw people into the minds and hearts of dedicated social workers. We will also be working with programs and schools of social work to encourage people to become social work students. To find out more about these new tools, please see page 28 in this toolkit.
Goals of Social Work Month 2009
NASW, with the help of chapters and sister social work organizations, hopes to accomplish the following with Social Work Month outreach:
- Recruit more social workers to the profession
- Expand the public perception of the breadth and depth of social work
- Reach out to the media, both nationally and locally, to promote the importance of social work services and social work professionals to society
- Promote a theme that builds pride among social workers.
This online toolkit includes:
- History of Social Work Month
- Key messages for Social Work Month 2009
- Information on NASW year-round initiatives, such as the National Social Work Public Education Campaign and the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative
- Facts about social work and recruitment
- Press Release Templates
- Sample Letters to the Editor
- Sample Op-eds
- Social Work Month Proclamation
- Public Service Announcements
- Media Outreach Tips
- Suggestions for leveraging Social Work Month 2009
- Information about the forthcoming interactive social work recruitment Web application
If you have any questions about Social Work Month 2009, please contact NASW Communications at media@naswdc.org or 202-336-8212.
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