RE: SOCW6361 Discussion 2- Response to 1 Student (WK11)

by

Humanities

Respond to a colleague with suggestions on how he or she can put his or her policy advocacy into action. Discuss which policy advocacy skills you can use as a social worker in all levels of practice.

Response to Jacquelyn,

As a social worker, what is your responsibility to engage in political action?

As a social worker, my obligation to engage in political action is listed in National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, under 6.04 Social and Political Action, part (b) Social workers should act to expand choice and opportunity for all people, with special regard for vulnerable, disadvantaged, oppressed, and exploited people and groups NASW, 2018. In our diligence

People don’t know what they don’t know, so in saying, we must gather all appropriate information so individuals will be able to make a more educated decision. Our job is to open up their mind, to new and different resources that are put in place to help them become better and do better. Show them that there is more than one options for what they are in need of

Identify an area of social welfare where social work policy advocacy is needed?

One such area is working with the Homeless. The misconception is that people are homeless because they just don’t want to work, or they’re lazy, however, that is a lie that we continue to tell ourselves. Jansson (2018) stated “poverty, inadequate safety net, lack of affordable housing and rising unemployment & declining wages are some contributing factors documented from a social science research (p. 60). We can build tiny houses for these people; however, we still must teach them how to maintain them, teach them job skills, and create an atmosphere of positive self-esteem so they won’t stay down, or want to stay homeless.

Reference

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: from policy practice to social

justice, 8th ed. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series

National Association of Social Workers. (2018). Code of ethics. Retrieved from

https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English