Compare your explanations for how your Social Change Projects uphold the mission of the social work profession. What do the similarities or differences tell you about the relationship between social work practice and advocacy?
Share additional steps your colleagues can take to ensure their advocacy work continues to be guided by the mission and values of the social work profession.
Highlight steps that your colleagues outlined to ensure their future advocacy work is guided by the mission and values of the social work profession. How will you use these steps in your own advocacy work?
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The mission of the social work profession is bound by core values that are cradled by social workers to enhance the societal well-being and inclusion of necessary services to be rendered to a person or an underserved community (National Association of Social Workers, 2021).
My Social Change Project upholds the mission of the social work profession, because it focuses on helping a marginalized population in the city where I live to obtain the right to services that are being allotted to members within our society which are of the same and different gender (Day, McLeod, & Mogro-Wilson, 2023). My social change project is geared for policy changes that will entitle single homeless females suffering with substance use disorders to receive long-term treatment just as pregnant females and males suffering with substance use disorders are obtaining on a long-term basis, instead of being provided 10-21 days of detoxification (Wenzel, Koegel, & Gelbert, 1996).
The core value of service is the least in my Social Change Project is competence because I must continually strive to increase my professional knowledge and skills by continuing to enhance my cultural sensitivity and cultural competence through engaging members of racial, spiritual, ethical, and economic backgrounds. These actions will be induced by introducing myself to members in leadership positions within the city government as well as potential program participants and actively listening to their input (National Association of Social Workers, 2021).
Analyzing the Intersection of Social Work Practice and Advocacy
Comparing Social Change Projects and Social Work Mission
Both Kenneth’s and your social change projects align with the core mission of social work, which is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty (NASW Code of Ethics, 2021).
Additional Steps for Future Advocacy Work
To further align future advocacy work with the mission and values of the social work profession, your colleagues could consider the following steps:
Integrating These Steps into Your Own Advocacy Work
I will incorporate these steps into my own advocacy work by:
By following these guidelines, I can contribute to positive social change and uphold the core mission of the social work profession.