Building the #MacroSW Syllabus Chat, 6/8 at 9pm EST

The author’s “it’s on the syllabus” T-shirt, lying on a syllabus.

“It’s on the syllabus” may be one of the most common refrains in the classroom and educator email inbox. It is a phrase meant to tactfully remind students that they may already possess the answer to the question they are asking. However, we do not yet have a syllabus for #MacroSW, and we need your help to build one.

The #MacroSW Syllabus (http://bit.ly/macroswsyllabus) is an open source document created by #MacroSW Chat Partners that enables macro social work practitioners to share community practice resources. It is a free resource whose aim is to gather resources for students and professionals who are engaging in macro practice. #MacroSW is a collaboration of social workers, organizations, social work schools, and individuals working to promote macro social work practice. Macro social work practice focuses on changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses a broad spectrum of actions and ideas, ranging from community organizing and education to legislative advocacy and policy analysis.

If you have questions or problems accessing the document please email us at OfficalMacroSW@gmail.com. You can also connect with us on Twitter (@OfficalMacroSW) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/macrosw). We encourage you to share the link with other macro social workers. This includes sharing the syllabus link via email, social networking account or through other forms of media. When sharing through social networking sites, such as twitter, please use the hashtag #MacroSW.

Submission Guidelines:

Material must be focused on macro practice social work
Shared resources must be easy to access
Resources should be free or low cost
Please use APA style
The #MacroSW Syllabus uses a Creative Commons license. Please read the licensing guidelines here.

Chat Questions:

Why does #MacroSW matter to you? What is your #MacroSW story/journey?
What are your favorite #MacroSW resources?
What #MacroSW resources do you still need?
Help us develop this resource by adding directly to the syllabus here: http://bit.ly/macroswsyllabus Please share with at least 5 contacts!

We will use this discussion to develop the #MacroSW syllabus – your feedback and syllabus additions will help us make sure it best reflects our community, concerns, experiences, and voice.

Fighting an Anti-Social Work Agenda: The Power of Protest #MacroSW Chat 4/13 at 9pm EST

Update: Chat archive available!

At first glance, social work may not appear to be intrinsically linked to protest. After all, we’re more likely to be found working behind a cluttered desk or our car between home visits. But in the earliest days of the profession social workers were integrated within the communities they served. Settlement houses were often used as meeting locations for community activists to organize strikes and other public demonstrations.

null — Image source. Photograph shows the American delegates to the International Congress of Women which was held at the Hague, the Netherlands in 1915. The delegates include: feminist and peace activist Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence (1867-1954), social activist and writer Jane Addams (1860-1935), and Annie E. Malloy, president of the Boston Telephone Operators Union. To the right of Malloy may be labor journalist and activist Mary Heaton Vorst (1874-1966) and the woman wearing a hat on the far right may be Lillian Kohlhamer of Chicago. (Source: Flickr Commons project, 2012)

Since the election of Donald Trump, America has seen a resurgence in public activism in

unnamed-1 — Left to right: Rudra Kapila, Sunya Folayan, Karen Zgoda, Kristin Battista-Frazee at the Women’s March in DC, January 2017. See more #MacroSW at the March here.

the form of mass protests and actions. Social workers of course have taken part in many of these actions as individuals or small groups, but our profession’s collective presence has been limited. The current administration has taken many actions that are explicitly contrary to social work values. With calls from the NASW and other social work institutions to organize, oppose, resist, and educate in response to an anti-social work agenda, it is time for social workers to consider how we can take bolder action to resist unjust policies.

This discussion continues the #MacroSW organizing chat series. The first chat focused on understanding power as organized people and organized money. The second chat discussed how we can effectively build relationships to develop grassroots power. How can we now take these concepts to develop public demonstrations of our power? And to what end? In the third chat of the series, we will answer the following questions:

Q1: Have you ever taken part in an action (rally, protest, disruption, etc)? What was it? Describe the experience. #MacroSW

Q2: Was the action effective? Why or why not? If so, what did it achieve? #MacroSW

Q3: Are there specific forms of protest or tactics you think social workers should be engaging in? #MacroSW

Q4: Do you have plans to participate in an upcoming action? What is it? If not, what would you like to see in your area? #MacroSW

About the Host

Justin Vest is the lead organizer for Montgomery County at Progressive Maryland where he leads issue-based advocacy campaigns and develops volunteer organizers to fight for social and economic justice. He earned his BSW from the University of Montevallo and MSW from the University of Alabama before relocating to the DC Metro area.

We’re Listening! Contribute to Future #MacroSW Chats

Chat Archive

During Social Work Month as we honor, teach about and praise our profession and those who have made an indelible impact, the #MacroSW partners want your input and participation as we plan for the rest of 2017 and 2018.

Join us on Thursday, March 23 at 9 pm EST to tell us what topics you would like to see discussed on future chats and learn about how to become a #MacroSW chat contributor or partner to effectively promote macro social work practice. We will explore in this open chat:

Which topics you would like to discuss on future #MacroSW chats.
Your interest in becoming a chat contributor to co-host a chat on your suggested topic.
If you would consider becoming a #MacroSW chat partner to grow this community.
If you are not interested in becoming a partner or contributor, who would you recommend to join our work?

Taking a leadership role with #MacroSW chat is a resume builder and could give you the opportunity to shape our discussions.

Thank you for your energy and enthusiasm in our weekly online conversations which have become a vibrant community. We are inspired by your engagement to come together to thoughtfully tackle some of the greatest challenges we face. We look forward to your feedback and ongoing support.

Resources

Check out our partner page

Submit to become a contributor or partner

About #MacroSW:

#MacroSW is a collaboration of social workers, organizations, social work schools, and individuals working to promote macro social work practice. Macro social work practice focuses on changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses a broad spectrum of actions and ideas, ranging from community organizing and education to legislative advocacy and policy analysis. The chats are held weekly on Twitter every Thursday at 9 p.m. EST (6 p.m. PST). Click here for a list of chat partners. For information about how to participate in the #MacroSW chat, view our FAQs. For chat schedule and chat archives check out: http://macrosw.com

Social Work Month 2017: For What Do You Stand Up?

Poster: National Association of Social Workers

(archive of this chat here)

March is Social Work Month, a time to “educate the public about the contributions of social workers and give social workers and their allies tools they can use to elevate the profession,” according to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). “Social workers stand up for millions of people every day. These include people who are experiencing devastating illnesses and mental health crises, our veterans, children, families and communities. Yet many people still misunderstand who social workers are and the invaluable contributions they bring to society…Social workers are trained to look at situations in a holistic way. They help people increase their ability to solve problems, to cope with stressors and to get needed resources. Social workers bring individuals together with other people and their communities to find solutions for problems that continue to plague our society, including hunger, lack of affordable housing, and equal rights for all. And social workers make organizations responsible to people through sound social policy.”

Every year, Social Work Month highlights resources and information that can lead to policy, laws and legislation that serve to increase social justice and advance the social work profession. It was established in 1963.

Logo: International Federation of Social Workers http://ifsw.org/news/world-social-work-day-2017/

World Social Work Day is celebrated on the first day of Spring, March 21st.

Join the #MacroSW chat this Thursday, March 16, with host Pat Shelly from @UBSSW, as all kinds of social work organizations, practitioners, agencies, legislators, schools and students share ideas and actions that help celebrate our profession in all its aspects. We’re pleased to have Greg Wright of @NASW on the chat too!

Discussion questions:

What activities are you engaging in for #SWmonth 2017?
Who or what do you stand up for?
Why this choice?
How does Social Work Month help you and other social workers?

And…
~Please share media – news, movies, books – that feature social workers~

The New Social Worker Online magazine has many articles, art and poetry by social workers in its special Social Work Month Project 2017 series.

Here is an annotated list of novels about social workers from 2015. Titles: All Our Names (2014); The Believers (2010); Fourth of July Creek (2014); The Interestings (2014); The Social Worker (2011); Unprotected (2012). And let’s add PUSH by Sapphire (1997).

Multi-colored letters wiht a sunburst effect spell out "social work month" in a design of 3 tiers, one word on each line. — Image: Media Education Foundation

Resources:

Green, Adrienne. (2016. August 11). From social worker to foster parent and back. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/08/social-worker/495533/

International Federation of Social Workers. (n.d.) Global definition of social work. Retrieved from http://ifsw.org/get-involved/global-definition-of-social-work/

Lewis, C.E. Jr. (2017 March). Young social workers should be preparing for the future. The New Social Worker. Retrieved from http://www.socialworker.com/extras/social-work-month-2017/young-social-workers-should-be-preparing-for-the-future/

National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.) Social Work Month 2017. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/swmonth/2017/default.asp

New Social Worker (2017 March). Social Work Month 2017. [Blog posts].Retrieved from: http://www.socialworker.com/topics/social-work-month-2017/

Social Work Licensing Map (n.d.) [Social worker’s salary guide] [Infographic]. Retrieved from https://socialworklicensemap.com/social-worker-salary/

Zimmerman, E. (2017, March 12). Social workers help many people. Sun Herald. Retrieved from http://www.sunherald.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article137497983.html

The Opioid Crisis 02-09-17 #MacroSW Chat

Map of USA overlaid with text "91 Americans die every day from opioid overdose (that includes prescription opioids and heroin). — Image: CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Here’s the archive of this twitter chat.

Why do social workers need to know about the opioid epidemic?

Opioid dependence is an epidemic in the United States.
Many social workers are interested in addictions.
We will see opioid dependence regardless of where we practice social work.
It is important that all of us know more about this issue.

Join us on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 9 pm EST, 8 pm CST, and 6 pm PST as we look at the epidemic of overdose deaths in the U.S. caused by use of opioids. We’ll discuss current stats, contributing factors, and evidence-based treatment and prevention practices. The host is Pat Shelly from @UBSSW – she’ll be on the @OfficialMacroSW handle.

Our guest expert is Charles Syms, from the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, using the @UBSSW handle.

Photo of Charles Syms, African American man,standing wiih arms crossed over chest, smiling, wearing white shirt, yellow tie, and eyeglasses. — Charles Syms, LCSW, ACSW

Charles Syms, LCSW/ACSW, is a clinical associate professor who has been a faculty member in the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work since 1998. A past National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Minority Research Fellow, Professor Syms’s current teaching and research interests include the treatment of individuals with substance use disorders, particularly the impact of alcohol and other drugs on people with mental health problems and those involved with child welfare system. He works to extend this education into the on-line environment.

Professor Syms has over 35 years of professional social work practice. He received his MSW in 1979 from California State University – Sacramento. His experience includes work in child welfare, domestic violence, forensic mental health and substance use disorders. He has held numerous positions, including child protection worker, child protection clinical consultant, prison psychiatric social worker, supervisor on an in-patient chemical dependency unit, domestic violence specialist and group leader, child welfare program director, and a leadership role in coordinating two community-based, university/public school collaborative violence prevention projects. Additionally, Professor Syms shares his experience and expertise as a member of agency-based and professional advisory boards at the local, state and national levels.

Here are some questions we will discuss this week:

Just how widespread is the opioid epidemic?
Why is it worse in the United States than elsewhere?
What are the evidence-based practices that are effective in treating opioid dependence?
Are there preferred prevention models?
What implications for policy does Carl Hart’s talk, “Let’s quit abusing drug abusers,” offer?
What are social workers doing at the macro level regarding this epidemic?

Resources:

“Let’s quit abusing drug abusers” by Carl Hart (19 min. video) http://www.tedmed.com/talks/show?id=309156

Understanding the epidemic: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/

Treatment Overview: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/effective-treatments-opioid-addiction/effective-treatments-opioid-addiction

Prevention: The IPP model. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/opioids/odprevention.html

Safe injection spaces: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2015/08/tuesday-new-film-documents-public-injection-drug-use-new-york-calls-supervised-injectio

Inside North America’s Only Legal Safe Injection Facility: http://bit.ly/2ke4B1h
Look for the archive of all tweets from this chat that will be posted the following day on February 10.

New to Twitter chats? Here is a great guide: “How to Participate in a Live Twitter Chat – Tips for Social Workers” by our partner, Laurel Iverson Hitchcock.

About #MacroSW:
#MacroSW is a collaboration of social workers, organizations, social work schools, and individuals working to promote macro social work practice. Macro social work practice focuses on changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses a broad spectrum of actions and ideas, ranging from community organizing and education to legislative advocacy and policy analysis. The chats are held weekly on Twitter every Thursday at 9 p.m. EST (6 p.m. PST).

-Click here for a list of chat partners.

-For the #MacroSW Chat Schedule, Recent Posts, and all chat Archives – See the column on the right side of our home page: http://macrosw.com

#MacroSW Chat – Nov. 10, 2016: It’s the Post-Election Detox / What’s On Your Mind / Fall & Winter Holidays are Coming OPEN MIC!

A swirling spiral of red and blue lines with people swept along it, leading to a ballot box. — Image: Stephen Savage for the NY Times

Here’s the archive of this chat.

Results are in; the winner of the US Presidential Election has been announced. The #MacroSW partners want to let everyone know that we will not assume we know how our colleagues / students / chat participants voted. #MacroSW chat will remain non-partisan in our role as the facilitator of these gloriously wide-ranging, informative, and stimulating chats. We plan on this chat being- as we hope all our chats are – trauma-informed.* We do expect people to be expressing feelings and opinions, with comments made in a safe and respectful way in line with the Code of Ethics and the history of macro social work.** Host Pat Shelly from @UBSSW will be using the @officialmacrosw handle to further align in a neutral position.

Votes will be in and counted; the political ads will disappear. How will you recover from this election season? Or do you want to talk about ANYTHING BUT the impact of the election?

Join us for this open mic:

What’s on your mind?
Regaining a sense of sanity after the 2016 U.S. elections.
Oh how those Thanksgiving and December holidays loom!!

Host: Pat Shelly @UBSSW University at Buffalo School of Social Work

We hope to have some fun, and offer ideas and resources for election season recovery! And – in case you are worried that your stress level will get too low – we might talk about how to prepare for the November/December holidays and the often fraught family time they engender. The open mic means you can introduce whatever else is on your mind.
*6 Key Principles of a Trauma-Informed Approach:

Safety;
Trustworthiness and Transparency;
Peer support;
Collaboration and mutuality;
Empowerment, voice and choice;
Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues

** “Macro social work practice includes those activities performed in organizational, community, and policy arenas. Macro practice has a diverse history that reveals conflicting ideologies and multiple theoretical perspectives (emphasis added).Programmatic, organizational, community, and policy dimensions of macro practice underscore the social work profession’s emphasis on using a person-in-environment perspective. Thus, social workers, regardless of roles played, are expected to have sensitivity toward and engage in macro practice activities.”

Netting. F.E. (2013). Macro Social Work Practice in Encyclopedia of Social Work 20th Edition. Retrieved from http://socialwork.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-230

Resources:

To put things in perspective, here’s a satirical piece from the digital humor magazine The Onion:
ELECTION 2016: Nation Admits It’s Probably Going to Come Out of This Having Learned the Completely Wrong Lesson

And some bona fide research:

These elections are having an impact on the nation’s mental health:
Talking to Your Therapist About Election Anxiety : “‘I’ve been in private practice for 30 years, and I have never seen patients have such strong reactions to an election,’ said Sue Elias, a licensed clinical social worker in Manhattan.”

A report by the American Psychological Society shows that the 2016 elections were a source of stress for 52% of Americans surveyed:
Stress in America: U.S. Presidential Election 2016

Breaking Down Advocacy Silos to Strengthen Macro-Level Change

Read the chat summary on Storify here.

Social Workers & Community Psychologists, Allies from Intersecting Domains

With pressing social issues and conflicts around the globe regularly calling out for intelligent, effective, and compassion solutions, the need for greater cooperation among diverse disciplines in the fields of community-related work is stronger now more than ever. Fostering interdisciplinary collaborations can go a long way in creating the macro-level societal change that impacts those issues. But as can be the case in academic fields of discourse, professionals hunker down in their “advocacy silos” (in the scientific professional, this can be called “stovepiping”) not aware of the larger context of other related fields and their resources, their interdependent relationships, and the great potential for healthful, societally beneficial collaboration.

Two fields in particular — community psychology and macro social work — share overlapping values and each field has unique talents and resources that they can share. How are the practices of macro social work and community psychology similar yet distinct? What can social workers and community psychologists do to collaborate for macro-level social change? Join us for a Twitter chat on Thursday, July 21, 9-10 p.m. EDT, for a discussion on these and other questions and related topics, including sharing of resources, practices, and research across these disciplines that are at the intersection of social change and working toward greater community well-being.

Hosts

Rachel L. West (@poliSW), L.M.S.W., Advocacy & Community Outreach Consultant, ACOSA (@acosaorg) Board Member, & Instructor at Stony Brook University-School of Social Welfare

Peter Charles Benedict, M.A. (@petebenedict), Outreach and Communications Specialist, Society for Community Research and Action (@scra)

Taylor Scott (@jtaybscott), Administrative Coordinator, Society for Community Research and Action

Special Guests

Jean Hill , Ph.D. (@jeanhillnm), SCRA Past President, and Director of Institutional Research, New Mexico Highlands University

James R. Cook, Ph.D. (@jimcookuncc), SCRA Past President, and Professor of Psychology, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Questions we will consider in this twitter chat

— What is community psychology and how is it distinct yet similar to social work?

— What are the primary goals and motivations of community psychology?

— What resources (practices, research, etc.) does community psychology offer?

— What resources does macro social work offer?

— What questions do you have about either community psychology or macro social work?

— How can social workers and community psychologists better work together to share resources and collaborate?

— What were some good collaborations you were a part of, and what were the benefits?

— What types of circumstances have you found yourself in that would have benefited from a collaboration, and if it didn’t happen, then why not?

Resources

What is Community Psychology?

Check out a brief VIDEO that describes community psychology. You can find additional information on the website for the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA), which describes CP research, training programs, and includes information on and relevant resources. Also find SCRA on Twitter (@scra), Facebook, and LinkedIn.

What is Macro Social Work?

The Association for Community Organization and Social Administration

The Society for Community Research and Action (@scra), a division of the American Psychological Association, is an 1,100-member professional organization devoted to advancing community research and social action, and it also serves and supports many different disciplines engaged in community work. SCRA members are committed to promoting health and empowerment and to preventing problems in communities, groups, and individuals. SCRA’s vision is to have a strong, global impact on enhancing well-being and promoting social justice for all people by fostering collaboration where there is division and empowerment where there is oppression. Learn more at scra27.org.

A Personal Brand is Not Just for Rock Stars but Social Workers Too

Here’s the chat archive link.

Developing a personal brand is not just for actors, rock stars, and tech entrepreneurs but for social workers too. As you prepare for graduation or the next step in your career, a strong brand can help you find great opportunities. How you portray your work and the issues you care about to the outside world shapes your career and reputation. Also, when social workers clearly articulate their skills and capabilities it can define roles for us in different job settings and change the perception of our profession.

Creating a brand unique to you is about authentically sharing your strengths and passions and leveraging different outlets and venues to talk about your expertise. For this chat we’ll explore the following questions.

What does personal branding mean to you?
How do you get started in shaping your personal brand?
What are the core things you need to develop your personal brand?
How do you clarify your goals, find an audience, and stand out in a crowd?
If you dislike self-promotion, how do you communication your brand?
What are some strategies for promoting yourself and your skills?

Resources

Your Social Work Brand Series by Kristin Battista-Frazee on The New Social Worker Magazine, #MacroSW’s Media Partner

PWC, Personal Branding Workbook

PWC, Elevator Pitch Videos

12 Tips for a Winning Elevator Pitch, Business Daily News,

How to Use LinkedIn: 35 LinkedIn Tips for Professional Networking, Business & Marketing, Hubspot

The Authentic Person’s Guide to Self-Branding, Fast Company

3 Brilliant LinkedIn Summaries that Will Inspire You to Update Yours, Mashable

Kristin’s Pinterest Board about Personal Branding

About #MacroSW:

Get Out the Vote

An edited chat transcript for this chat can be found here.

By Rachel L. West, LMSW

With the general election just seven months I thought it would be a good idea to explore the role social workers can play in voter outreach.

The NASW Code of Ethics states that:

Social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public in shaping social policies and institutions.

This Thursday’s chat will focus on Getting out the vote. We will cover voter education and voter registration. This includes a discussion of barriers faced by oppressed populations.

In addition to using the #MacroSW hashtag we will also be using #PoliticsNow tag. The chat starts at 9:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM PDT.

Resources:

Video: How to Register People at a Clinic or Anywhere

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: CONFRONTING MODERN BARRIERS TO VOTING RIGHTS IN AMERICA

Questions:

Q1: Those of you who have attempted to register clients what have you experienced? ie: what barriers from administration have you encountered? What was the response from clients?

Q2: For those of you who have advocated for voter registration in the work place, what was the argument you made?

Q3: Have/do you work at an organization that provides voter education; such as a voter’s guide or meet the candidate’s event.

Q4: What are some barriers to voting that the communities we serve might face?

Q4a: As social workers, what methods can we use to decrease/eradicate these barriers?

Links to State Board of Elections:

Alabama	Louisiana	Ohio
Alaska	Maine	Oklahoma
Arizona	Maryland	Oregon
Arkansas	Massachusetts	Pennsylvania
California	Michigan	Rhode Island
Colorado	Minnesota	South Carolina
Connecticut	Mississippi	South Dakota
Delaware	Missouri	Tennessee
Florida	Montana	Texas
Georgia	Nebraska	Utah
Hawaii	Nevada	Vermont
Idaho	New Hampshire	Virginia
Illinois	New Jersey	Washington
Indiana	New Mexico	West Virginia
Iowa	New York	Wisconsin
Kansas	North Carolina	Wyoming
Kentucky	North Dakota