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THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Social Work E-News
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Issue #100, March 10, 2009
Don’t Miss—Chat TONIGHT with author/social worker Emily Brown, March 10, 9 p.m. Eastern Time at http://www.socialworkchat.org
EDITOR’S EYE
Dear Social Work Colleagues,
Welcome to Issue #100 of the Social Work E-News! This e-mail newsletter is brought to you by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine, SocialWorker.com, SocialWorkJobBank.com, and other social work publications.
March is Social Work Month! Social workers are celebrating with banquets, workshops, conferences, newspaper articles, and lots of other activities this month. The NASW theme for this year’s Social Work Month is Social Work: Purpose and Possibility, and that does describe the social work profession quite well. I have been a member of the social work profession since 1982, and we have a lot to celebrate! So, give yourself a big pat on the back for all the work you/we do.
March also marks the observance of National Brain Injury Awareness Month, National Kidney Month, and National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month, to name a few. Last week (March 1-7) was National Problem Gambling Awareness Week, and March 24 is American Diabetes Alert Day.
The Winter issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available on our Web site (and the Spring issue is coming soon)! Go to http://www.socialworker.com to read the articles from this issue in Web format. You can also download this issue (and others) of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine in PDF format FREE at http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/TheNewSocialWorkerVol.16No.1(Winter2009)/
You can now go to http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Subscribe/ and subscribe (free) to receive an e-mail reminder and table of contents of each issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine when it is available.
In the Winter 2009 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, we introduced our new student columnist, T.J., who writes the “An MSW Student’s Life” column. See her first column at: http://www.socialworker.com/home/Feature_Articles/Professional_Development_%26_Advancement/An_MSW_Student%27s_Life%3A_Winter_2009/
You can read THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s blog at: http://blog.socialworker.com – T.J. and I are both posting on the blog. Please be sure to leave your comments. You can also subscribe to receive new blog posts by e-mail or in a feed reader.
And…THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is now on Twitter, too! Go to http://www.twitter.com/newsocialworker to read our latest updates and follow us, so you don’t miss out on anything!
The Social Work E-News has 25,717 subscribers as of this morning, and thousands of social workers (and people interested in social work) visit our Web sites. If you like our Web sites, The New Social Worker, and the Social Work E-News, help us spread the word! Tell a friend, student, or colleague to visit us at http://www.socialworker.com, where they can download a PDF copy of the magazine, become our fan on Facebook, participate in discussions, and lots more.
Until next time,
Linda Grobman, ACSW, LSW
Publisher/Editor
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER®
mailto:linda.grobman@paonline.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
Words From Our Sponsors
Features
Job Corner/Current Job Openings
News & Resources
On Our Web Site
In Print
Newsletter Necessities
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WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS
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Earn Your Master of Social Work Degree on a Flexible Schedule
At the
Demand for social workers who are prepared to address the needs of diverse groups is growing. That’s why our Extended Degree Program now offers two distinct concentrations, one focused on children, families, and multigenerational practice, and one focused on health and mental health.
A just, empowered, and engaged world starts with you. Learn more at: http://www.ssw.washington.edu
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NEED BOOKS OR GIFTS? The publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER has some great books that make great gifts for yourself or someone else. Give the gift of Days in the Lives of Social Workers, The
All of our books are available through our new secure online ordering system at:
http://www.socialworker.com/home/blogsection/Publications/
Get 10% off this month! Use Coupon Code SWMONTH09 when you check out.
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FEATURES
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ARTICLE EXCERPT FROM THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, WINTER 2009 ISSUE
An MSW Student’s Life
by T.J. Rutherford
I’ll always remember the day I gave in to my calling. A co-worker was in trouble with alcohol, drugs, and an abusive partner. I found myself, for what seemed the millionth time in my 49 years, counseling someone who needed help. After I referred her to the appropriate professionals, I walked back to my desk at the city magazine where I am an editor, and something inside me clicked.
This is my life’s work.
For the first time, I got it. More importantly, I gave myself permission to do something about it. Growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family environment, I had always run fast and far from the field of social work. I wanted to forget about it, not jump into the middle of it. I chose journalism as my undergraduate degree, and it has served me well for many years.
Over the years, however, I was pulled into the social work field. I worked in an alcohol and drug treatment center as an admissions specialist, and I worked for the Governor’s Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana as a community organizer.
That defining moment in December 2007 set me onto a whole new path. From the moment I made a decision to speak with the department head of the master’s social work program, doors began to fly open. Before long, I was filling out applications; scheduling, studying for, and taking the GRE; and registering for my first classes.
I was so excited. I hadn’t been in college for at least 26 years (yikes!). Those years were filled with high family drama and my attempts to escape it in any way possible. To say I did not apply myself would be an understatement. The fact that I graduated with a pretty decent GPA is a mystery I still ponder. I vowed that graduate school would be my chance to shine—to do projects and assignments to the best of my ability.
Read the rest of this article at:
or download the Winter 2009 issue (which includes this article) at:
http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/
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Social Work: Purpose and Possibility: Social Work Month 2009 Theme
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is celebrating National Social Work Month 2009 this month.
This year’s theme - Social Work: Purpose and Possibility—highlights the special characteristics of individuals who choose social work as a profession. Social workers are purpose-driven, compassionate individuals who work across a range of areas to help those most vulnerable in our society. Social workers have a vital role in hospitals, help children in schools reach their educational goals, provide treatment at mental health facilities, and play many other fundamental roles in our community.
“People who are looking for a career with meaning, action, diversity, satisfaction, and an abundance of options are often drawn to social work,” says Elizabeth Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, executive director of NASW. “Social workers are highly trained professionals who care about people, who want to make things better, who want to relieve suffering, who want their work to make a difference.”
Social workers believe there are no limits to human potential, and use their talents to help others create better lives for themselves and for their families. Some social workers help clients who face a disability or a life-threatening disease. Some assist families that have domestic conflicts involving children or spousal abuse. Other social workers conduct research, advocate for improved services, or are involved in policy development.
Take time during Social Work Month to thank a social worker, social work professor, supervisor, or student. While you’re at it, give yourself a pat on the back, too!
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CSWE Celebrates March As Social Work Month
The Council on Social Work Education joins its profession to celebrate March as the month to reflect on the progress made in advancing social work education—internationally and domestically and among both current and future leaders.
Internationally, CSWE’s Katherine A. Kendall Institute (KAKI) is building meaningful social work education relationships. March will be spent planning a disaster management seminar from May 8–12 in
Additionally, the scholarly work of the institute’s namesake, Katherine A. Kendall, will be built upon at 2009 UN Social Work Day with the theme, Global Poverty: Challenges for Social Work Practice. In a 2008 commemorative publication,
CSWE’s volunteer leadership bodies are very active this month. Comprised of members, CSWE’s Commissions on Curriculum and Educational Innovation, Diversity and Social and Economic Justice, Global Social Work Education, and Professional Development are working to improve social work education as a profession. One of the most significant developments is the emerging CSWE Leadership Institute. Spearheaded by the Council on Leadership Development, the Leadership Institute will offer special sessions at CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting (APM) designed to develop leadership among its members.
March is also the month that CSWE began its initial efforts to expand professional development programming for students each year at its APM. As a result of enriched programming tested in 2007, student participation doubled at the 2008 APM in
The White House officially recognized National Professional Social Work Month in 1984, with each year’s theme chosen by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). In 2005, NASW launched an effort to improve the general public perception of social work and focus on a specific practice area each year. The theme for 2009 is Social Work: Purpose and Possibility.
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WORLD SOCIAL WORK DAY—MARCH 17, 2009
The theme for World Social Work Day 2009 is:
Social Work and Social Development: The Agenda
The theme for World Social Work Day reflects the global preparations for the major social work and social development event taking place in Hong Kong in June 2010 when thousands of professionals in the field from all over the world are expected to gather for a World Conference on Social Work and Social Development. The conference is a joint cooperation between the International Association of Schools of Social Work, the International Council on Social Welfare, and the International Federation of Social Workers with eight professional
Social work has made and continues to make a significant contribution to the response to economic and social changes and to the support of vulnerable people and communities. Social work promotes the social welfare of individuals, groups, and communities; facilitates social cohesion in periods of change; and supports and protects the vulnerable members of the community, working in partnership with service users, consumers, communities, and other professions.
The social work profession has always been flexible in the face of social change, says IFSW President David N. Jones. Social workers make an essential contribution to the promotion of social cohesion, both through preventive work and their response to social problems. Social work is therefore an investment in the current and future welfare of our communities.
For more information about World Social Work Day, see:
http://www.ifsw.org/en/f38000248.html
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MARCH 1-7, 2009—SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK WEEK
The School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) celebrated School Social Work Week March 1-7. “School social workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the student services team. School social workers are instrumental in furthering the purpose of the schools: To provide a setting for teaching, learning, and for the attainment of competence and confidence,” according to the SSWAA.
For more information about school social work, see: http://www.sswaa.org
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HOME FUNERALS WITHOUT FUNERAL HOMES: AN INVITATION TO SOCIAL WORKERS
Undertaken With Love: A Home Funeral Guide for Congregations and Communities describes how to start and sustain a home funeral committee. It walks social groups through the process of researching their legal rights, options, and responsibilities in caring for the dead until burial or cremation. It tells them how to handle, bathe, and transport the body. It also directs them to sources of further information and training, as well as to its own Web site, where additional resources may be found. In so doing, the guide helps social communities to reclaim the knowledge and skills in caring for the dead that once were commonplace in
In most of the
“It does require a willingness to be something of a pioneer in today’s hands-off society,” says project leader Holly Stevens, “but those who have chosen to reclaim this historical tradition emphasize how healing and meaningful the process can be.”
Home funerals, Stevens says, appeal to families for a variety of reasons. Many are drawn to the spiritually wholesome and emotionally healing aspects of lovingly attending to a loved one’s body at an unhurried pace until burial or cremation. Many tout the noninvasive, earth-friendly processes involved in home death care. Others, who have already participated in home births or home schooling, see home funerals as yet another way to return significant life experiences to the hearth. Still others are pragmatic, aware that family-directed final arrangements cost only a fraction of what a funeral home would charge.
While a motivated family can independently acquire the legal knowledge and practical skills to arrange a home funeral, the process is eased considerably when a group assists. That is why the group of home funeral advocates created Undertaken With Love, designed as a study guide for six weekly or monthly self-training sessions.
The individuals involved in producing the manual are active in the home funeral movement, whether as members of Funeral Consumers Alliance chapters or as members of local groups embracing home funerals. They include: Donna Belk of
The group currently seeks community groups—religious or secular—that would pilot the manual as a study guide for six weekly or monthly self-training sessions. Hospice and other social worker facilitated groups especially are encouraged to participate. For more information, contact Holly Stevens at (336) 643-5947 or at hstevens@homefuneralmanual.org
To download the manual and for more information, see: www.homefuneralmanual.org.
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JOB CORNER
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MILESTONES RANCH
Seeking dynamic, motivated, dependable, and experienced LCSW to help grow beautiful state of the art dual diagnosis treatment center in
Seeking that special person!!!
E-mail deeamige@aol.com or phone 818-879-9110.
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Find more jobs for new grads and experienced social work practitioners at http://www.socialworkjobbank.com, THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s online job board and career center. We are proud of the fact that this site was chosen as one of 350 (out of 40,000+ employment sites) to be included (for the third consecutive time) in Weddle’s Recruiter’s and Job Seeker’s Guide to Employment Web Sites 2007/2008. Post your confidential resume at http://jobs.socialworkjobbank.com/c/resumes/resumes.cfm?site_id=122
If you or your agency are hiring social workers, don’t forget to post your jobs on SocialWorkJobBank.com. Please check the SocialWorkJobBank “products/pricing” page at http://jobs.socialworkjobbank.com/r/jobs/post/index.cfm?site_id=122 for job posting options and SPECIAL offers.
Job seeker services are FREE—including searching current job openings, posting your confidential resume/profile, and receiving e-mail job alerts. Please let employers know that you saw their listings in the SOCIAL WORK E-NEWS and at SocialWorkJobBank.com.
As of this morning, there are 1,064 jobs currently posted on SocialWorkJobBank.com. Check it out today.
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NEWS & RESOURCES
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IdealistNews.com - a new service from Idealist.org and Reddit.com
IdealistNews.com is a new “social news” service that features news of the nonprofit world. The site is built using Reddit.com's technology. The way it works is that users submit stories, and the users of the site vote on the submissions. Based on those votes, the submissions float up or down in ranking.
There is a tutorial on how to use idealistNews.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RLnJiZnSq4
Here are some of the top headlines from IdealistNews.com this morning:
Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, is excited about the potential of the new site. "Last month we saw nearly 5 million unique visitors to Reddit," he said, "many of whom participated in our recent FEEDaNEED project (http://feedaneed.org/), volunteering their talents to nonprofits that needed them. We've already seen what good can come from our community."
See the new site at http://www.idealistNews.com. You can register, submit news, and vote on your favorite stories.
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CALL FOR CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
Social Welfare Action Alliance (SWAA) and the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) invite participation in their joint 2009 conference -
This conference is being organized to provide a forum for people to share ideas, inspire, and motivate each other. Community activists and organizers, social workers, human service workers, students, faculty and all who are concerned with meeting human need and claiming economic human rights are encouraged to propose workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, presentations, papers, skill-building sessions, and more.
Participatory formats are especially encouraged, including proposals for cultural contributions in the form of music, poetry, art, drama, and multimedia presentations. Proposals may be submitted by fax to 216-651-2633 or e-mail to mpardasani@fordham.edu.
Please include the following:
(i) A cover page indicating title of the proposal and the names, addresses, and affiliations of all presenters
(ii) A 200-word proposal linked to the conference theme
(iii) Proposed format & amount of time desired
For more information, see http://www.socialwelfareactionalliance.org. For questions or assistance, contact Manoj Pardasani at 212-636-6622 or at mpardasani@fordham.edu.
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SocialWorkChat.org–A Service of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER and NASW
Connect with other social workers online! THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and the National Association of Social Workers have teamed up with the Social Work Forum to bring you SocialWorkChat.org, an online community of social workers offering twice-weekly online real-time chats on a variety of topics. The chats are held on Sunday and Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Upcoming chats include:
Tuesday, March 10, Chat with Emily Brown (TONIGHT)
Sunday, March 24, Chat with Connie Konikoff
Registration is free! Chats will last about an hour. Check regularly for chat topics or sign up for e-mail reminders.
Go to http://www.socialworkchat.org to register and participate in the chats and other features of the site.
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SocialWorkJobBank.com Offers Ways to Find Social Work Jobs
Have you been to SocialWorkJobBank.com lately? Well, now is the time to visit and learn about THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s online job board for professional social workers. This site is available to all social workers searching for employment opportunities. Check out the site’s new look today!
We recognize that searching for employment opportunities within our specialized niche can be time-consuming and frustrating. In providing this career center for our users, we are streamlining the process by focusing on our specific profession and offering jobs targeted to you.
The
The
SocialWorkJobBank.com Offers for Employers
We have some great offers to start out the new year. On our Products/Pricing page at http://jobs.socialworkjobbank.com/r/jobs/post/index.cfm?site_id=122 you can find all of our rates, packages, and special offers. These include a Buy One Get One Free March Special for 60-day job postings.
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15% Discount Now Available on THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Continuing Education Program
YOU DESERVE CREDIT! Now you can get it. Keep up with your profession (and get credit for it) with THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER.
We have partnered with CEU4U (http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw) to provide online testing, so you can receive continuing education credit for reading your favorite magazine. Take THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER courses or ANY courses at http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw and automatically receive a 15% discount.
Continuing education credit is available for the Winter 2006-Fall 2008 issues of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER (2 hours/credit per issue).
All of these issues can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format at: http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/
Go to http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Continuing_Education_Program/ for complete details on THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s Continuing Education Program.
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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES & ETHICS CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics, a free, online, peer-reviewed journal published by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, now offers continuing education credit. Beginning with the Spring 2007 issue of the journal, you are able to read selected articles and then take an online exam and receive continuing education credit. See http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/57/52/ for complete details of this program.
CE credits for the Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics are offered in cooperation with CE-Credit.com. To see a complete listing of the 600+ courses that CE-Credit.com offers, go to: http://www.socialworker.com/cecredit.html
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ON OUR WEB SITE
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WINTER 2009 ISSUE OF THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER IS NOW AVAILABLE!
The Winter 2009 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is now available to download in PDF format at: http://www.socialworker.com/home/component/remository/Download/TheNewSocialWorkerMagazine/TheNewSocialWorkerVol.16No.1(Winter2009)/
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s Web site at http://www.socialworker.com includes the full text of many articles from past issues of the magazine. The current issue is featured on the site’s main page. The last several issues can be found under “Magazine Issues” on the top right column of the page. For selected full-text articles from issues prior to Spring 2006, click on “Feature Articles Archive” on the left side of the page. The magazine is also available for FREE download in PDF format.
Current articles from the Winter 2009 issue now online include:
Our online discussion forum/message board is a place for open discussion of a variety of social work-related issues. Join in our discussion at http://www.socialworker.com (click on the “Forum” link).
Be sure to check out http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw for online continuing education offerings, including courses based on reading THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine. Receive a 15% discount on all courses you take at: http://www.ceu4u.com/tnsw
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JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS—WINTER ISSUE AVAILABLE NOW!
The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics is a free, online, peer-reviewed journal published by the publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. It is published twice a year (with occasional special issues), in full text, online at: http://www.socialworker.com/jswve
The Winter 2008-2009 edition, a special issue on disabilities, is available online now.
Included in this edition are the following articles:
Go to the journal Web site at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve to read this and other available issues. You can also sign up for a free subscription, and you will be notified by e-mail when each issue is available online.
Get continuing education credit for reading selected articles from the Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics. See http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/content/view/57/52/ for details.
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SHOP ON OUR WEB SITE
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* Browse our hand-picked selection of social issues posters at THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER’s Poster Store at http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Poster_Store/ or search for your own. (In association with AllPosters.com.)
* Social work specialty items: Visit http://www.cafepress.com/socialworker for our unique social work teddy bears, mugs, calendars, custom postage stamps, and other items.
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IN PRINT
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White Hat Communications, publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and the Social Work E-News, has published several books about social work. These books make great gifts (for graduation or other occasions) for yourself, or for your friends, students, and colleagues in social work!
Briefly, those currently in print are:
DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS: 54 Professionals Tell Real-Life Stories From Social Work Practice (3rd Edition), edited by Linda May Grobman
MORE DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS:35 Real-Life Stories of Advocacy, Outreach, and Other Intriguing Roles in Social Work Practice, edited by Linda May Grobman
DAYS IN THE LIVES OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORKERS: 44 Professionals Tell Stories From Real-Life Social Work Practice With Older Adults, edited by Linda May Grobman and Dara Bergel Bourassa.
THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICANT’S HANDBOOK: The Complete Guide to Selecting and Applying to MSW Programs (2nd Edition), by Jesus Reyes
THE FIELD PLACEMENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: What You Need to Know to Get the Most From Your Social Work Practicum, edited by Linda May Grobman
We also publish books on nonprofit management. Want to start your own agency? Check out THE NONPROFIT HANDBOOK: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Nonprofit Organization (5th Edition), by Gary Grobman.
HOW TO ORDER
All of our books are available through our new secure online ordering system at:
http://www.socialworker.com/home/blogsection/Publications/
You can also download our catalog in PDF format at:
http://www.socialworker.com/catalog20082009.pdf
Use Coupon Code SWMONTH09 to receive a 10% discount. (Coupon expires 3/31/09.)
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NEWSLETTER NECESSITIES
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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® SOCIAL WORK E-NEWS is published by:
White Hat Communications (publisher of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® magazine and THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® ONLINE)
Linda Grobman, Editor
linda.grobman@paonline.com
http://www.socialworker.com
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Advertising: To place a job listing, sponsor this newsletter, or place a banner ad on our Web site, e-mail linda.grobman@paonline.com for rates and further information.
News: Please send brief social work-related news items to linda.grobman@paonline.com for consideration.
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Copyright 2009 White Hat Communications. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this entire newsletter, with all information intact, by e-mail to social work colleagues, students, and others interested in social work, for personal use only. You may also print out this newsletter for personal use. All other uses of this material require permission from the publisher at: linda.grobman@paonline.com
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