Announcer:
Welcome to NASW Social Work Talks. The National Association of Social Workers is one of the largest membership organizations of professional social workers in the world. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members to create and maintain professional standards and to advance sound social policies. With our mission in mind, the purpose of NASW Social Work Talks is to inform, educate and inspire. We encourage you to learn more about NASW by visiting www.socialworkers.org. We thank you for joining us for this episode of NASW Social Work Talks.
Greg Wright:
My name is Greg Wright, and I'm the public relations manager at the National Association of Social Workers. We are honored to have NASW president Kathryn Wehrmann here with us. Kathryn is a faculty member and director of the BSW program at Illinois State University. Her passion is developing new and younger social workers. Thank you so much for being here.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Thank you.
Greg Wright:
Kathy, how long have you been a social worker, and what actually made you decide to pursue that profession?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I think I was always on the path. I just didn't know it until I knew it. I got my undergrad degree in education, went and taught for a year in Guatemala, came back. I was working as a residence hall manager. It's hard to be on a campus and not be involved in school, and so I applied and went to MSW School at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Greg Wright:
You've also mentioned that you had a few family members who were already a social worker, so were they also an inspiration to you to actually get into social work?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Absolutely. My aunt and uncle were both social workers. My uncle was actually on faculty at University of Illinois, so they had always been role models, but I have to step back and say so were my mom and dad. We grew up in a small town where everybody helps everybody and kind of looks after one another, so I think I came by it pretty honestly.
Greg Wright:
It seems that you have a passion for developing new or younger social workers. Where does that passion come from?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I think it comes from being able to see how much social workers can accomplish and who they can help accomplish it for. When you see undergraduates, in particular, who come in, they're really idealistic and passionate to kind of help them channel that energy and put it to work in the community, to help them develop projects that they can take leadership in and be the ones out front gives them such a sense of empowerment and that they can be effective in making change. That's really exciting to see.
Greg Wright:
What are some of the challenges that you are noticing when you are a new professional social worker? Is it a burnout issue? Is it that you are trying to do too much at one time? Are you trying to save the world in one fell swoop?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I think the students I see do want to change the world. I think they want to do it yesterday, so that's probably one of the challenges, to help them slow down a little bit and make sure they get all the steps in place so that they can be truly effective. I think we're placing a greater emphasis in our programs these days on the importance of self-care so that we can maybe avoid some of that burnout stuff in favor of people who are energized, who are sleeping right, eating, and staying the course.
Greg Wright:
Absolutely. Now, in your role as the president now of our association, how are you actually using that role to help our newer social workers?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I'm trying to be there. I'm trying to be as many places as I can be. Just to use this conference as an example, I had the opportunity to go in and talk to the student volunteers that are here to help out and to really congratulate them on their choice of a profession, that it's the right one. I'm so glad that they're here to see what's really possible in social work, because if you don't know it's possible, it's hard to make a path towards some professional goals. When you're at a conference like this, as a student, you get to see a lot about what's possible. I think that that's one thing, to try to be in contact with students, so that was one way.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Another way for students who have found our way to us through, for example, the HEALS program intended to develop leaders in social work and health care, I spoke at their luncheon yesterday and, again, congratulating them on what they've chosen to do and being in the program. Who knows where they're going to be tomorrow and the next day in terms of their profession? So anytime I get a chance to talk to students, I mean I certainly do at my school. I do it at other schools. I try never to miss an opportunity.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I also, this past year, I've had a chance to go out to a couple of state chapter conferences, and I'm always looking for the younger folks, the newer folks who are just coming into the profession. In fact, at this conference, some of the newer folks to the profession have come up to talk with me, and that's a real joy, so I try never to miss that kind of opportunity.
Greg Wright:
Is it important for a new social worker to have a mentor, and how could being a member of this association help them find mentors?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I think mentorship is one of those things. It's just invaluable. You need somebody who you can turn to for some insight, some ideas. It's maybe that person who may see things in you you don't yet see in yourself and who can coach it out of you and help you get where you maybe not only want to be but need to be. Mentorship is huge, and I think membership in NASW can lead you to some of those mentors. If you're involved in any level in a chapter, getting to know people, getting to network, it may not be in your particular group that the mentor is, but they may know of somebody and help get you there. You're joining a vast network of possibility when you join NASW.
Greg Wright:
How long have you been a member of this association? Was it a professor who said, "Look, join up," or was it on your own?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
It was the classic story. The professor said, "This is what you need to do. This is your professional organization," and my peers were doing it, and so it was the right thing to do. As it turns out, it helped to develop a lot of leadership skill in me, which I'm really grateful for.
Greg Wright:
Now you've actually moved up on the leadership ladder. Could you kind of walk us through that and also why did you decide to run for president?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I think my path was pretty, pretty traditional one. I'm from the Illinois chapter. I got involved at the district level on the program committee where we were setting up programs for members, speakers, and so on and became the chair there and then had an opportunity, a little while later, to be the chair of a statewide symposium. As we were kind of building that up in Illinois, I was working with Joel Rubin at the time, who is our ED, our executive director. At any rate...
Greg Wright:
He still is.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
He's still is, and so, from there, service on the board, the chapter board kind of led to eventually running for chapter president. I like the camaraderie. I liked what we were doing. I really loved Advocacy Day because that's another place we connect with students. We get about 1,000 students every Advocacy Day in Illinois. Once again, they see how powerful they can be in telling the story of people who don't always have folks to speak up for them. I really see students change after going. It's transformative. So did that.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Then I was asked about running to be on the national board, and it's like, "Well, all right," so I did it. I have to tell you that three years serving on the national board was, again, transformative. I got to see what the organization does from a national level and to participate in decisions that I think have been really good for our professional association. I was so sad to leave it because I made some great friends there that I still have.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Little while passes, and then I get a call one day would I consider running for president? I, "Wow, they reached out to me. I better give this some very serious thought." Between the thinking and a discussion with my very supportive department chair, the decision was made, and the rest is history. Here I am.
Greg Wright:
Absolutely. You are a president at a challenging time. We have a presidential administration that has a lot of policies that are antithetical to the social work profession. Could you describe how challenging it is both for our association and also for the profession, generally, in these times?
Kathryn Wehrmann:
You really get to see what you're made of when the chips are down, if you will. It's usually when the chips are down that social workers rise up and take the message out there. It is about policies. It's not personal. It's the policies, and that's where our focus is.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I did have a talk with someone the other day who was a little concerned maybe we're too political, and we had a good discussion about, "Well, let's focus. Let's think code of ethics." Our social work speaks, and we have to speak up when the policies are hurtful because we know what the consequences are, and it's part of who we are. We may work in clinical practice, but we have to, as ambassadors, Sherman said yesterday, do our job and a little bit more. That little bit more, right now, it's really important.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
I think we saw that, in terms of what happened most recently, around the separation of children from their families at the border. I think what social workers did, along with many other Americans and others around the world even helped push the needle a little bit. We're not there by any stretch, but we made a difference. Anybody doubting the importance of social work, and the need to speak up, and having an organization like NASW to amplify our voices, and to join with other organizations, I mean it's incredibly powerful. I keep using that word powerful, but it's the only one I can think of.
Greg Wright:
Absolutely. We thank you. I hope that this will introduce you in a more personal way to our members and the wider social work audience. Thank you so much.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Thank you.
Greg Wright:
We also want to have you back soon, so-
Kathryn Wehrmann:
Oh, absolutely, anytime.
Greg Wright:
Stay tuned.
Kathryn Wehrmann:
All right.
Jennifer Watt:
This is Jennifer Watt, membership director at NASW. We're excited to announce our newest product, CE Tracker. We know how hard it is to keep track of constantly changing licensing renewal requirements, and we're here to help. CE Tracker helps you keep track of your continuing education credits whether you earn them from NASW or somewhere else. CE Tracker tells you exactly what you need to renew your license in your state, everything from the number and type of CEs needed to proper documentation. Learn more at socialworkers.org/cetracker.
Announcer:
You have been listening to NASW Social Work Talks, a production of the National Association of Social Workers. We encourage you to visit NASW's website for more information about our efforts to enhance the professional growth and development of our members to create and maintain professional standards and to advance sound social policies. You can learn more at www.socialworkers.org. Don't forget to subscribe to NASW Social Work Talks wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next episode.