Thank a Social Worker Social Work Month 2021
by Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW
Social Work Month is here! The New Social Worker invites you to join us as we celebrate throughout the month of March 2021. Of course, I want to THANK you for all you do.
Last year at this time, we were preparing for Social Work Month. Little did we know what was just ahead. Early in March 2020, it became clear that the coronavirus would be a full-blown pandemic, and in mid-March everything changed. Soon, social workers were working in very different ways, as it became necessary to physically distance from co-workers, clients, family, and friends. Our focus shifted daily with new developments. I began to receive numerous COVID-related article submissions, and this was what social workers NEEDED at this time, as COVID-19 affected them and their clients, and social workers had a crucial, essential role in the response.
Then, after the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others, the focus of much conversation turned to systemic racism and white supremacy. The NASW Code of Ethics says, “Social workers challenge social injustice.” Are we living up to this? Are we doing everything we can to be allies for justice? Is our allyship performative? Please read the three linked articles for perspectives on these important questions for social workers.
Health care crises, racial inequity, anti-Black violence, and intersections among these issues are not new issues. And they are not “extras” for social workers. These are all part of the social environment within which social workers and their clients work and live. Social work does not have the option to ignore them. Social workers have essential roles.
The New Social Worker Social Work Month Project 2021
With the pandemic came discussion of who was considered an “essential worker.” The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) chose “Social Workers Are Essential” as the theme for this Social Work Month (2021). What does it mean to be essential? How are social workers essential? What's essential to social workers? These are some questions that came to my mind.
For The New Social Worker's Social Work Month Project 2021, we will publish items throughout the month. I asked leaders in the profession to address this theme of essentiality for our readers. Several took me up on this invitation, and you will see their messages in the first two weeks of our 2021 Social Work Month series.
I also wanted to explore the question of what is essential to social workers. So, I sent out a call for submissions, in which I asked the following two questions:
- For social work students: What is The Most Essential Thing You Have Learned in Social Work School So Far?
- For degreed social work professionals (including practitioners and educators): What is The Most Essential Thing You Want Social Workers To Know?
I am pleased to report that the response to this call was overwhelming. The result is a collection of practice wisdom that I think you will find relevant, whether you are a student, new graduate, or a seasoned professional. I hope the entries will inspire you to think a bit about what is essential to you as a social worker.
Please join us!
Celebrating Social Work and Themes
We have several social work celebrations in March:
- National Social Work Month: The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) theme is “Social Workers Are Essential.” The Canadian Association of Social Workers has adopted a similar theme, “Social Work Is Essential.”
- March 7-13, 2021, School Social Work Week. The theme is “Beacon of Hope: School Social Workers Lighting the Way,” announced by the School Social Work Association of America.
- March 8-12, 2021: Social Work Management Week. Check out the Network for Social Work Management for resources on leadership.
- March 16, 2021: World Social Work Day. The theme is “Ubuntu: I am Because We Are.” This is the first theme of the 2020 to 2030 Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development.
Have I missed a celebration in this list? Please comment and let us know what and how you are celebrating!
Linda's Social Work T-Shirt Project: Take 2
Linda Grobman tshirt 2021
Linda May Grobman, "Got social work?"
I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, when t-shirts and jeans became my standard wardrobe. I have an extensive collection of social work and social justice t-shirts that I wear these days, as the weather is getting nicer. My personal commitment is to “wear my heart (social work) on my sleeve” during Social Work Month. Wearing these shirts is a way to advocate and educate about social work in my community.
I hope you'll join me in this project. Take Linda's Social Work T-Shirt Challenge! If you have a social work or social justice t-shirt, wear it during Social Work Month. Take a picture of yourself in your social work t-shirt and post it on social media, tagging @newsocialworker on Twitter and Instagram, so I can amplify the message with retweets, posts, and stories. If you want to send me a t-shirt, I'll wear it, too!
Let’s Go!
Social Work Month is a time to recognize the commitment social workers make to serving others while respecting the dignity and worth of the person, with competence, with integrity, with a recognition of the importance of human relationships, and with a dedication to social justice. These are the core values that are essential to our work as professional social workers.
Please watch The New Social Worker’s website throughout March, as we post new items. Follow us on Facebook (click “Like” and then “Following” and “See first”) and Twitter, or subscribe to our publications, to make sure you don't miss anything! We'll also be celebrating on Instagram and LinkedIn.
So, let’s go! HAPPY SOCIAL WORK MONTH from me to you. Thank you. Please join me.
Linda
Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW, is the publisher, editor, and founder of The New Social Worker® magazine.