Three Ways to Celebrate Social Work Month

March 25, 2015 

Spread the word! March is National Social Work Month. Sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), this annual celebration recognizes the contributions of the nation’s more than 600,000 social workers.

This year’s theme, “Social Work Paves the Way for Change,” highlights the efforts of the social work profession and the NASW to bring about positive change in society and for individuals — from advocating for social justice to making a direct impact on the daily lives of millions of Americans. The celebration also kicks off NASW’s eight-month public awareness campaign to mark its 60th anniversary.

Inviting You to Celebrate and Educate

You can join the celebration and help spread the word about the critical role social workers play in transforming lives. Here’s how:

Share compelling stories. Supported by the NASW, Lifelines: Stories from the Human Safety Net is a media project produced by the University of Maryland Journalism Center on Children and Families (JCCF). Through audio, video, cartoons and news articles, professional journalists tell the stories of social workers who strive every day to help people cope with life challenges — including the story of USC students who are working to support the children of deployed military personnel. Post your favorite stories on your social media accounts using the hashtag #SWMonth and encourage friends to share. Let’s go viral!

Get inspired at local events and conferences. Various NASW chapters across the country are hosting events to celebrate social workers and inform the public. Find your local NASW chapter’s website and check for upcoming events to attend.

Tell others about social work’s history and scope. Although social workers impact the lives of millions, many people know little of our profession’s history or its scope of responsibilities. You can help change that. Share some of our history by posting links to NASW’s Social Work History page or educate your friends and colleagues about our work and the issues we address by sharing some of these articles and infographics:

For more tips and resources to celebrate National Social Work Month and NASW’s 60th anniversary, visit NASW’s Social Work Month website.