National Professional Social Work Month began in 1963 when the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) chose the month of March to highlight social service agencies throughout the United States. In 1984, with the support of Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and Representative Edolphus Towns of New York, President Ronald Reagan signed a joint resolution legally recognizing March as Social Work Month. NASW selects a theme each year for Social Work Month. The 2016 Social Work Month theme is Forging Solutions Out of Challenges. This is a significant theme given the role of the social work profession in helping people bring about positive changes out of adverse situations. Social workers are an integral part of identifying solutions for the many challenges facing our society. Social workers are on the front lines every day protecting vulnerable children and adults; fighting for equal pay, affordable housing, and accessible health care; and working to reduce poverty. As a result, social workers are our beacon of hope for those in need.
The most effective social workers are not only knowledgeable in their primary practice area, they are also leaders in the field. We lead committees; advocate at the local, state, and federal levels of government; coordinate teams; and initiate community projects. Leadership is integral to situations social workers encounter each day, and is key to social work career advancement. Social workers with strong leadership skills are better at time management, delegating, collaborating, and organizing and are more successful at Forging Solutions Out of Challenges.
In honor of Social Work Month, BSCorbett Consulting is launching a two month series of blogs focused on how the Producktivity® Principles can help social workers identify and develop the leadership skills necessary to be an effective social worker.
Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world. Jane Addams, Social Worker and Noble Peace Prize Winner