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Thank you to everyone who voted for The New Social Worker and SaraKay Smullens' article on burnout and self-care in the 2013 NASW Media Awards. We are honored to be the winner for Best Magazine/Magazine Article. Congratulations to ALL the winners!
Welcome, social work students and professionals! Read articles from the Winter 2013 edition of The New Social Worker magazine, now in its 20th year! While you're here--we have job listings, a lively discussion forum, and more for you and your social work career!
Social Work Month 2013: Why I Chose To Study Social Work I am pursuing my Master’s in Social Work because I am a product and a beneficiary of the system. I truly believe that it is my charge and my calling. I am the youngest of 8 children born in Brooklyn, NY. Due to unfortunate circumstances I was separated from my family when I was just 2 years old and placed in my first foster home. It was a very traumatic, painful, and horrible time in my young life.... Read More >>
Social Work Month 2013: Relationships Are a Funny Thing Social work entered directly into my life at age 12 when I voluntarily moved into a foster home. Relationships are a funny thing--what is professional and what is personal? Contracts are one thing, but as a child, the implications very personal to me. What does the Indigenous adult who lived in foster care focus on in relationships? This question sets the stage for my current graduate research at the University of Victoria (UVIC). I am writing a peer mentorship program for Aboriginal girls in fo... Read More >>
Social Work Month 2013: A Love Letter to Social Work Dear Social Work, I cannot say it was love at first sight for me, though you undeniably found your way into my heart. Ours is a romance of 25 years … & like relationships of any length, it’s certainly complicated. ...You have become a comfortable life companion, though occasionally you challenge me beyond reason.... Read More >>
Social Work Month 2013: Healing Hurting Communities I graduated from high school with the desire to heal hurting communities. I did not know where to start, but I thought teaching little children would possibly give me the greatest long term impact. I believed that I could help the little ones to grow up to become change agents.... Read More >>
Social Work Month 2013: I See You Tim joined our adult day health program nearly four years ago. Diagnosed with schizophrenia in his 20s, he has had a difficult life. Due to the long-term use of a variety of anti-psychotics, he exhibits Tardive Dyskinesia, along with involuntary movements of his hands and arms.... Read More >>
Social Work Month 2013: Crocheted Rosary My best experience as a social worker is from my atypical social work group. I have to express my gratitude for working at a facility that allows for practice of diverse religions.... Read More >>
Social Work Month 2013: Our Social Work Story As social work intern, social worker, and program director, we are three young women at different places in our social work journey. Each of us brings a unique perspective on the social work profession to our work here at the South Shore YABC.... Read More >>
Field Placement
Thinking Outside the Box: Social Work Field Placements in Legal Settings For most field education programs, the hunt is always on for new, innovative, and educational agencies. The challenges facing field directors in finding appropriate and interesting practicum sites are great, and finding policy and community driven placements can be even more difficult. This often forces programs and students to “think outside the box” with potential BSW and MSW level field agencies, forcing field directors to look into areas previously undeveloped.... Read More >>
Groups
A Good Group Runs Itself, and Other Myths I am not a “group” person. Don’t get me wrong. I understand the therapeutic value of the group, as well as the stages of group development for both the group and the leader. I have excelled in my academic study of group work and successfully participated in countless role plays in the presence of both peers and mentors throughout my entire academic career. However, I must confess, there are many, many things I wish I had known before beginning my first support group for ... Read More >>
Professional Development
New Acronyms=Greater Opportunities for Social Workers in Health Care Settings For decades, regional, national, and international health care organizations have called for reform in the education of health professionals and have urged that health profession students no longer receive instruction in isolation. The term “health professions” refers to any discipline that provides patient care, such as but not limited to pharmacists, nurses, doctors, occupational and physical therapists, dentists, and social workers. There has been increased focus on re-trai... Read More >>
Educational and Credit Card Debt: What's a Social Worker To Do? Mark and Stacey, both master’s level social workers, live in an urban area. They both have steady jobs—Mark works as a mental health clinician for a foster care home, and Stacey is an outpatient therapist at a local clinic for adults who suffer from severe mental illnesses, such as depression and schizophrenia. After a few years working in the field and gaining some stability, Mark and Stacey are thinking about starting a family. “We were discussing when to have kids...an... Read More >>
10 Things Every New Social Worker Needs To Know About People If you are reading this article, you are probably a new social worker or someone working as a support to families in some way. This work can be scary, as it is about people’s lives. I am happy to have this opportunity to tell you some things I wish someone had explained to me when I started working as a child protective services worker. I hope these words may help you and your families thrive together. Thank you for carrying on the work of supporting families in being safe and healt... Read More >>
Tech Topics
Tech Topics: Sites Ease Stress of End-of-Life Planning It’s not an event that anyone “likes” to plan for. However, in our roles as social workers, we know that it can be extremely beneficial to make one’s wishes known toward the end of life. Doing some advance planning is a useful activity (for ourselves or our clients), especially when it comes to living wills, durable power of attorney for healthcare, and funerals. People use technology to get help for planning a wedding, a bar mitzvah celebration, o... Read More >>
Advertiser Index Winter 2013 Visit our advertisers for the Winter 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. They are: American Professional Agency—http://www.americanprofessional.comThe Carlat Report Behavioral Health—http://www.carlatbehavioralhealth.com Child Welfare Information Gateway—http://www.childwelfare.gov Erikson Institute—http://www.erikson.edu/dualdegreeLicensure Exams Inc.—http://socialworkexam.com NASW Assurance Services—http://www.naswassurance.org/pli/professionals Temple Univ... Read More >>
