Student Starter Toolkit

From Campus to Career: Practical Resources for Social Work Students

Are you interested in an NASW internship?

Your student years are the prime years to establish your relationship with your professional association, the National Association of Social Workers. More than 150,000 of your colleagues belong to NASW and renew their memberships year after year because of the professional development opportunities, practice resources, research, networking, and advocacy available through NASW.

As a student, you will find that NASW has the resources to launch your career, develop it, and protect it from malpractice pitfalls.

Membership in NASW is cheaper than a textbook and is an investment in your career.

I encourage you to join NASW now. I joined as a student and have been a proud member ever since.

Now, as NASW’s Executive Director, I welcome you to the NASW Student Starter Toolkit. What you find on these pages will get you where you want to go.

All the best,

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
Executive Director
National Association of Social Workers

 
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Students NASW Student Membership ~ $48 Annually
Invest in your career. Join NASW today. Membership includes both national and chapter (state/local) memberships.
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Ethical Decision-Making
Understand your obligations as a social worker before you start your field work, and become more competent in making ethical decisions. What you learn here will help you reduce your risk of an ethics complaint, and potential lawsuit.
NASW WebEd FREE Understanding the NASW Code of Ethics
(Available to NASW members only)
Available online around the clock, this free online course from NASW easily fits into busy class and social schedules.
 
The image “http://www.socialworkers.org/images/ce/lunchtime/naswLunchtime.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. FREE Making Ethical Decisions
(Available to NASW members only)
Listen to the audio recording or download the transcript of the “Making Ethical Decisions” teleconference.
 
Code of Ethics

FREE  Ethics Consultation
 (Available to NASW members only)
If you are experiencing an ethical dilemma, NASW’s Office of Ethics and Professional Review will guide you through the NASW Code of Ethics and point you to the areas of the Code that address your concerns, as well as provide dialogue and considerations that allow you to make ethical decisions.
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NASW JobLink NASW Career Center
Go from student to employed professional. The NASW Career Center has the tools you need to land that first job and grow your career—career coaching; résumé and cover-letter writing; résumé critiquing; interactive social work job bank; and more.
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Sections Logo Specialty Practice Sections
Stay in the know about the populations you’ll be working with and any emerging issues, research, policy, or advocacy that can affect your work. It is highly recommended you join your practice section before you start your field work.
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The Social Work Dictionary The Social Work Dictionary, 5th Edition
An essential resource for your studies, The Social Work Dictionary captures more than 9,000 terms, cataloging and cross-referencing the nomenclature, concepts, organizations, historical figures, and values that define the profession.
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Child Welfare Titles from the NASW Press
Educate yourself by reading the latest resources.
   
Finding Help for Struggling Teens Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them
By Frederick G. Reamer and Deborah H. Siegel
   
Developing a Sense of Self Developing a Sense of Self: A Workbook of Tenets & Tactics for Adolescent Girls
By Dorothy A. Kelly
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Malpractice Risk
Your field work puts you at risk for being sued. Lessen your risk of ethics complaints and malpractice lawsuits and protect yourself from financial devastation if you are sued.
   
FREE  Understanding Malpractice Risk: What Social Workers Should Know
This course is available 24/7 online and can be taken over several sessions.
   
NASW Assuarance Services - Insurance Services for Social Workers Risk Management Workshops
Learn more about social work malpractice issues, such as the extent of personal and organizational liability today, and discuss strategies for reducing your exposure to a social work malpractice suit.
   
NASW Assuarance Services - Insurance Services for Social Workers Malpractice Insurance (Available to NASW members only)
Get full protection at discounted rates as an NASW student member. Insured student members pay no deductible and receive a paid legal defense if sued for a malpractice suit arising from field placement or student training.
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Laws, Regulations, and Advocacy
Keep pace with the political issues and policies affecting your profession and the clients you serve. Make your voice heard through effective grassroots advocacy.
Celebrating 35 Years

General Counsel Law Note Series
Examine legal topics of concern to the social work profession.

Legal Issue of the Month (Available to NASW members only)
Access the NASW Legal Defense Fund's "Legal Issue of the Month" online library for overviews of legal topics relevant to the profession.
   
PACE NASW Government Relations and Political Action
NASW’s Advocacy Web page is the hot spot for social work political action on Capitol Hill. View NASW’s legislative agenda and get involved in grassroots advocacy.
   
Advocacy Legislative Advocacy Listserv
Make your voice heard on Capitol Hill. Join NASW’s Advocacy Listserv and make a difference.
   
SWRI Logo Social Work Reinvestment Act
Champion for the future of the profession and the populations we serve. The Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act addresses recruitment, retention, research, and reinvestment in the social work profession, and is designed to help the nation's 600,000 social workers better serve families and communities in need. Get involved. Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor the Social Work Reinvestment Act. Learn more here.
   
  Loan Forgiveness
Sweeping changes were made to federal student aid programs with the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007. Find out more about loan forgiveness and eligibility here. Learn about additional proposed loan forgiveness legislation and ways to support new legislation here.
   
Social Work Speaks

Social Work Speaks, Seventh Edition, NASW Policy Statements, 2006-2009
A valuable reference tool for class, Social Work Speaks is the social worker’s guide for developing policy and responding to policy issues.  Refer to it for NASW statements on an array of issues ranging from affirmative action, child abuse and neglect, disasters, end-of-life care, HIV and AIDS, people with disabilities, and more.
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IASWR logo NASW Research Web Page
We’ve done the research for you.  Apply evidence-based research on a variety of topics, such as health disparities, aging, cancer, and end-of-life and palliative care, to your course work and field work.
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http://www.socialworkers.org/students/starterKit.asp
4/9/2013
National Association of Social Workers, 750 First Street, NE • Suite 700, Washington, DC 20002-4241.
© 2013 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.
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