By Paul R. Pace
The ongoing pandemic and social isolation failed to deter social workers and their supporters from celebrating Social Work Month, which is recognized each March.
More than 83,000 people visited NASW’s Social Work Month website between February 1 and April 1, 2021, up from about 50,000 visitors during the same period in 2020. Those positive numbers were also reflected in NASW’s social media outreach, sharing thousands of pieces of content about the profession that was generated by NASW, its chapters, followers, supporters and partners, says Greg Wright, communications director at NASW.
Highlights
- NASW reached more than 400,000 people on Facebook and nearly 52,000 viewed our videos, including NASW’s Social Work Month public service announcement.
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The association’s interactions on Instagram increased 32 percent during Social Work Month.
- Visits to NASW’s LinkedIn page increased 11 percent in March from the previous month and 2,200 more people signed up to follow the LinkedIn company page.
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On Twitter, the association shared more than 300 tweets, an increase of 195 percent over the previous month. Almost 1.4 million people saw NASW’s Tweets (impressions) and NASW mentions increased nearly 13 percent.
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NASW produced videos from influential social workers that gave other social workers advice on how to tell their stories in the media and other channels. NASW offered this advice on its website and on social media. Social workers also were allowed to submit audio, videos and essays to tell others why members of the profession are essential.
Media Interviews
NASW President Mit Joyner and NASW CEO Angelo McClain participated in a radio tour that caught the ears of potentially millions of listeners in the markets of Washington, D.C.; Detroit, Mich.; Boise, Idaho; and Charlotte, N.C.
McClain wrote a Social Work Month opinion piece on how essential social workers are as the nation recovers from the pandemic. The piece appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Columbus Post-Dispatch.
In his writeup, McClain noted that social workers have been every bit as essential as other health care professionals during the pandemic. They’ve put their own health at risk responding to the crisis in hospitals, rehab centers, homeless shelters and elsewhere.
“It’s time for public officials to recognize and support their work,” McClain wrote. He also supported student loan debt relief and forgiveness, which can provide much-needed support.
Fortunately, social workers in Congress are championing legislation to promote adequate compensation, he added, noting that securing a safer working environment for social workers also should be a top priority.