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MSWSN Student Leader's Guide 2013-14
MSWSN Student Leader's Guide 2013-14
MSWSN Student Leader's Guide 2013-14
the most vulnerable lives dont improve the system trickles unity is
i am a macro social worker and i empower lives people will come after me and i want them to live better
by
Andrew Calderaro Master in Social Work, candidate 14 (CUNY) Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work
Michael Walters Master in Social Work, candidate 14 (SUNY) Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare
Faculty:
Kristin M. Ferguson-Colvin, Ph.D. Associate Professor (CUNY) Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work Mark Homan, MSW Chairperson Association for Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA) Terry Mizrahi, Ph.D. Professor (CUNY) Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work Naomi Silverstone, Ph.D. Professor University of Utah College of Social Work
Welcome..3 Mission & A History of Growth..........................4-5 Cultivating Success..6 Table 1.7 Organizing Principles Primer..8-12 Agenda Planning.13 Establishing a Campus Collective & Stepping Stone Goals..14-16 Potential Composite Goals..16 Needs Assessment Survey.17 School/Community Event18-20 Frequently Asked Question................................21-22 Contact/Sources .23
Dear Campus Leader, I went into social work because I wanted to be like Jane Addams. But I found myself in the world of Mary Richmond, Dr. Jack Rothman wrote from Los Angeles. There were different approaches in the field and my choice was vastly outnumbered. And, truth to tell, not well appreciated. In the 2012 Rothman Report, he found that by the mid-1990s, only 2.9 to 4.5% of social work graduate students were community or planning practice majors. This marginalized subfield in social work saw that only two percent of time each week is dedicated to community organizing and policy/legislative development (Rothman, 2013). Rothman, along with Meyer Schwartz, developed at the University of Pittsburgh in the early 1960s the first contemporary two-year concentration in community organization ("NASW social work," 2013). Roughly a half-century later Dr. Rothman, a professor emeritus at UCLA, conducted the research for and wrote the 2012 Report to illustrate the imbalance between micro and macro social work education. What is to be done if social work is systematically marginalizing those it is supposed to be training? MSWSNs June 14th event, Macro in a Micro World, produced a clear answer: Macro students must organize and advocate for better macro education. This means we must take our community organizing skills and employ them for an urgent brand of advocacy scholastic organizing. This is where you come in. As a Campus Leader, whether BSW, MSW, or PhD. student, you can organize for change in your curriculum and in your schools culture towards macro practice. This is why MSWSN is developing leaders at social work schools across the country. The potential for change exists among many talented, impassioned students. Indeed, this is why you are reading this. Use this Guide as you develop a collective on your campus. Along with your organizing skills and knowledge, you will be well on your way. In solidarity,
The Macro Social Work Student Network (MSWSN) began at the Silberman School of Social Work at CUNY-Hunter College in the Fall of 2011. Students of the Community Organizing, Planning, and Development (COP&D) method began a project in class titled the National Community Organizing Networking Project. The initial focus was to connect to other macro-focused students at the University of Connecticuts and University of Pittsburghs Schools of Social Work through a videoconference. Facilitated by professors of this triumvirate, participants realized that this was just the beginning of what could be a profound and progressive dialogue. The Silberman students initiated a coalition and developed a trial web site to provide greater organization and collaboration. During the Spring 2012 semester, students from the COP&D I course expanded the network beyond the Original Three to develop more of a national scope. During the fall 2012 semester, COP&D II students continued this growth. Allison Weingarten, Silberman 13, attended the Council on Social Work Educations (CSWE) Annual Program Meeting. Through promotion of the project to other attendees, Ms. Weingarten corralled contacts from numerous schools, which led to greater usage of social media outreach.
This increased communication led to an in-person event among New York City social work schools and the fledgling organization took on the moniker of National Network of Macro Practice Social Work Students. What started as coursework for Silberman macro students now had potential for great expansion. COP&D I students seized upon this opportunity under Dr. Terry Mizrahi, former president of the NASW, during the Spring 2012 semester. Nine students impressively chose the Network over other compelling social work campaign options. Now known as the Macro Social Work Student Network, these students used their collective skillset, diligence, and relationship with the Association for Community Organizing and Social Administration (ACOSA) to organize a furtherreaching event. The result was the June 14th, 2013 event Macro in a Micro World! What the 2012 Rothman Report Means for Social Change Hopefulness. Co-sponsored by the University of Connecticut School of Social Work; the University at Albany School of Social Welfare; the Silberman School of Social Work; ACOSA; and, MSWSN, the event brought in roughly 50 students from schools such as Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Columbia, and so forth! The event featured Dr. Loretta Pyles of Albany and Dr. Scott Harding of Connecticut, who spoke about the Report and what this meant for the budding practitioners in attendance. After a question-and -answer session, students shared meaningful, important ideas through open space exercises. The day was capped off with a happy hour and networking! Whats next for MSWSN? You are! On the heels of years of development and a stellar summer event, MSWSN is prepared to expand into campus chapters. As part of the Rothman Report illustrated, the future of macro education is in the hands of the students. As we learn to advocate for and empower others we must advocate for what we need and deserve in our own schools. Thus, the future of MSWSN and macro education is as bright as we make it.
Part of the beauty of the MSWSN Scholastic Organizing Co-operative Program is that we are not just charging toward better macro education and greater awareness but setting out to do actual organizing, thereby enhancing our skills! Some of us have pre-social work school experience yet others are newer to the field. Either way, we all need to have our organizing skills in order. The following organizing principles primer comes from from seasoned organization and is for our edification and clarification. Of course, we are all organizing in different schools and these principles will apply within various scholastic cultures. We cannot control all variables; but, we can be proficient in the skills necessary for strong , healthy organizing. Do this work, maintain humility, humor, and perseverance and see where your work can take macro social work, MSWSN, and you!
Development of macro practice tracks in social work schools without them; increased macro course offerings; greater hiring of macro professors; a cultural shift that is more inclusive of macro practice
Macro methods are not offered within social work programs; sufficient macro courses arent part of the curricula; schools ignore macro social work as an essential method in the field
administration aware that theyre shortchanging macro practice? Have they been operating in a clinical haze?
Do the students know what they are missing? In the case of the
administration they may know about this problem but wont act until someone speaks up. This is an opportunity to work with them and allow them to save face. If they wont work with you then your work, regardless, cultivates the influence to make change! 4. Process and Product: Establishing anything on campus takes time, and our busy academic lives dont help propel these other interests. We must act under the assumption that there will always be a shortage of resources (time, people, etc.) to achieve everything we want to. Thus, we must focus on process and product:
Many times this can be muddied waters and a power analysis is needed to clear things up. In this case, we know that we the students are the facilitating actors and the administration within our schools and, beyond them, the Council on Social Work Education are the critical actors. In our case, knowing who controls the educational strings within our buildings is key. We must ask, Who can enact formally the change we demand? 6. Assume that opposition to change or your issue will exist. In the Rothman Report, one professor asserts, I dont fully understand the lack of support, even though I know the majority of the faculty is now narrowly clinical. A few powerful full-profs do not think a macro concentration helpsSome disapprove of macro as a remnant of the 60s. Others think only clinically-oriented intervention research is legitimate (Rothman, 2012). While such opposition can be daunting, dont lose heart! You will face detractors throughout your careers. In fact, the skilled organizer uses this opposition to determine who exactly her allies are and who her opponents are. And, when you face opposition it is best to be prepared with counter-arguments. What if someone questions the validity of macro practice? Can you speak to the social improvements made by macro work in your community, on a larger scale, or generally? 7. Criticism of problem solving is something we may very well face. Although social work is inherently inclusive, you may encounter those students and professors who are clinically-biased. You may have people who support you yet think youre fighting a losing battle, as it were. Whatever the nature of the environment your collective and you function in, you know what youre doing is right for macro practice; thus, you can transcend any detraction with this knowledge and with your preparation for success.
8. Last, we cannot undervalue the power of influence the face of power acquired by people when they do not have the authority to make decisions. Whatever school you attend, it is your school and your education (or, in the macro case, generally lack thereof). As a Campus Leader and as a Collective, how can you amass the right influence? And, always remember, fortune favors the bold. You we are the bold, those who refuse to let our desired educations go ignored and who insist on being progressive agents.
Source: Community Practice Interventions. (2008). The Encyclopedia of Social Work, 20th Edition. T. Mizrahi & L.E. Davis, Eds. Vol. 4. NY: Oxford University and NASW Press.
We macro social work students must advocate for our educations. We use learned principles, like the ones you just read, in other communities, but what about our own academic environments? Change is not going to happen overnight, but by owning our educations and implementing these principles and leadership skills then change can occur. For example, at the Boston University School of Social Work macro students won over faculty support for macro workshops to supplement our classroom education. Now, we choose the topics of macro workshops that are offered each semester to all of the MSW students. Small changes such as providing workshops in individual programs will lead to changes in the profession as whole.
- Jessica Hudon, BU SSW
When preparing for the year be sure that you know what youre doing and that you have a roadmap to track your progress (see Campus Leader Documents). Surprises arise but your Collective and you will be most able to deal with these because youre prepared.
What other students are like-minded? It doesnt take many people to get the ball rolling. What are the major problems facing macro social work at your school? What goals can/should your Collective realistically pursue? What resources do you have?
What are achievable goals for the Collective and its resources? What actions suit progress your goals? What are realistic timeframes for your goals? Whose skills fit best in specific areas?
Put your plan into action and progress towards those goals! How can you maintain accountability? A timesheet? Weekly meetings? Make sure you have oversight, especially because were all so busy!
Establish the Collective: All of your passions and skills cant be put to use unless you set up a collective first! See your Campus Leader docs for key questions to ask yourself.
Stepping Stone goals: These are the smaller-yet-necessary goals you achieve to make the Collective known throughout campus, to recruit Collective members, and to spread Information about the importance of and problems facing macro practice. Composite goals: These are larger goals that require deeper planning. They are usually end-of-the-semester/ year events. They are called composite goals because they are the fruit of all the Collectives labors during the semester and may require long-term planning and organizing. Of course, you can prepare for a composite goal while reaching your stepping stone goals.
E-blast: This is an efficient way to touch base with as many students as possible. See who in administration or student activities sends out the mass emails and if they can work with you to get a mass-message out! Maybe they can even blast a flashy flyer!
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instragram, etc.: Let your classmates know through your schools social media sites.
I. Student Needs Assessment Survey II. School Event a. For students/professors b. Community-oriented III. Free Choice! (Have something in mind thats
great for your school community?)
See your Supplementary Docs for the assessment survey and additional information.
A good example is the event held by MSWSN on June 14th, 2013, Macro in a Micro World: What the 2012 Rothman Report Means for Social Change Hopefulness. The event took place in New York City at the Silberman School of Social Work at CUNYHunter College.
Although there was a lot of organizing done for the event, its premise was straight-forward. Dr. Loretta Pyles of the University at Albany and Dr. Scott Harding of the University of Connecticut spoke about the Rothman Report. Next, open space exercises allowed the roughly 50 students from over a dozen social work schools to have various dialogues about the Report and macro issues important to them. The day wrapped up with a reception that, of course, had some good food!
An event this simple can go a long way. In a post-event survey, 90% of the students rated the event as either very good or excellent. In open-ended responses they proclaimed:
The integration of education and actionbeing able to clarify the problem as a groupthen discuss solutions was helpful. I really enjoyed the open space exercise because it allowed the attendees to share ideas and thoughts. Seeing patterns across institutions is sobering, empowering, and motivating to start advocating more.
Ultimately, this event achieved multiple ends: Brought together like-minded macro students Showed students and professors alike that there is passion for macro progress Enlightened students to new ideas Created a greater sense of intra-state and intra-program macro solidarity By doing the same on your campus your Collective, wherever it may be, will empower and embolden the macro contingent everywhere.
ACOSA is the national body for macro social workers and students. You can contact the appropriate regional contact to work with ACOSA on an event in your school. Check out their web site to see who their regional reps are and how you can work together. ACOSA.org
General
Why Collective? Why Co-operative? Why not chapters? Quite simply, the work we do is profound. Chapters abound; we need to be more. A collective is the work of many toward one goal. A cooperative is the coordination and harmony of each of these collectives. By working together we can achieve great things for macro social work education and practice. Is MSWSN associated with any other organizations? Yes. MSWSN is associated with and works closely with the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA). You can learn more about ACOSA by visiting ACOSA.org. Where can I find the 2012 Rothman Report in its complete form? www.acosa.org/joomla/pdf/RothmanReportRevisedJune2013.pdf
Logistical
Do I have to start my Collective at the beginning of the academic year? No, you are able to start a Collective at any point and simply adjust your goals to the timeframe you give yourself. Do I have to register my Collective as an official student club? While you dont have to do so, this may be advantageous in terms of participating in certain school events and receiving funding from your schools student activities fund.
Can I be a Campus Leader if Im entering my first year of a social work program? Yes! MSWSN wants Campus Leaders of all ages, experiences, and perspectives. Of course, the less experience you have the more you may want to lean on those with more insight i.e. professors, other students, etc. Does my Collective receive any funding from MSWSN? No. As a young organization and an even newer program, the Academic Organizing Co-operative Program cannot provide funds for you Collective at this time. This doesnt mean that you can fundraise or embrace the challenge of pursuing your Collectives goals with limited financial resources. This is a student network; should I pursue professor involvement? Yes! As we discussed earlier in the guide, you need to know who the critical actors in your school are. Such a person could very well be a macro professor who is fully supportive of your Collective!
Academic/Professional
Can I receive academic credit for my work with MSWSN? While MSWSN does not have any agreements with any social work schools to offer academic credit towards a degree, you are free to inquire within your school if your work as a Campus Leader can qualify for academic credit. Keep in mind, any school willing to work with you will have to provide complete oversight. Can I receive a letter of recommendation from MSWSN? Yes, students who exhibit dedication and competent work can receive letters of recommendation from MSWSN.
The best way to reach MSWSN with any questions, concerns, or suggestions is via e-mail at MSWSNetwork@Gmail.com.
Berkowitz, B., & Nagy, J. (2013 ). Conducting needs assessment surveys. Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1042.aspx Rothman, J. (2013 ). Education for macro intervention: A survey of problems and prospects. Unpublished raw data, Association for Community Organizing and Social Administration.
Mizrahi, T. (2009). Community organizing principles and practice guidelines. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.), Social Workers' Desk Reference (2 ed.). Oxford University Press.
Community Practice Interventions. (2008). The Encyclopedia of Social Work, 20th Edition. T. Mizrahi & L.E. Davis, Eds. Vol. 4. NY: Oxford University and NASW Press.