National Association of Social Workers

From the Director

A Vision of Social Work for Today

By Elizabeth J. Clark, Ph.D., ACSW, MPH

As I look forward to each new year, I like to review the previous 12 months and decide what type of year it's been. Most years have memorable moments, some positive, some not. Each calendar year is dotted with life's milestones such as births, deaths, weddings, graduations, new jobs and retirements — beginnings and endings.

There are also group memories of an event experienced by a cohort of individuals. Sometimes these memories surround a tragedy such as Sept. 11, 2001, or Hurricane Katrina. Or they celebrate a national achievement. Some of you reading this column will be able to recall the moon landing on July 20, 1969. You may still be able to remember the words of Neil Armstrong when he stated, "Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

Many of my personal historical memories have to do with the remarkable accomplishments of others. I will never forget walking on the Great Wall of China wondering how it was possible to build such a structure over 4,000 years ago. And I can still feel the thrill of standing in the tiny laboratory in Warsaw, Poland, where Marie Curie discovered radium. What type of determination did she have to achieve greatness under such limited circumstances?

Some memories are tied to visions that have the power to move us. President Kennedy's inaugural speech on Jan. 2, 1961, when he stated, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country," resulted in many young people going into public service.

Those of a certain age can also recall Aug. 28, 1963, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the Civil Rights March on Washington. The speech had an unparalleled effect on society.

Some stated visions have yet to be realized. The War on Cancer, declared by President Nixon in 1971, has not been won — years later. At that time, I was just entering the field of oncology social work, and it was such a hopeful vision.

As I look back on 2007, negatives jump out faster than positives. Health disparities and the number of people without access to health care are greater than ever. We watched the president veto an important health insurance program for children, and we witnessed an increasing number of tragic school shootings. The war in Iraq did not end, and more young lives were lost. The bottom fell out of the housing market, causing many families to lose their homes. Immigrants no longer feel safe in our country, and we can no longer ignore the effects of global warming or of our crumbling infrastructure of bridges, airlines, dams and schools.

If there ever were a crucial need for the social work profession, it is now. Social work has always been a resilient profession, and we think of ourselves as change agents and problem solvers. The unanswered question is whether we can make social work relevant to the problems society faces today. Can we discard old formulas and past answers in order to solve new problems? Can we redesign our profession and redraw our desired outcomes? Most importantly, can we establish a larger and broader vision — a vision of social work for today?

To do so will require an understanding of what our profession can mean and what it must become. It will take our best thinking, and it will take commitment, creativity, collaboration and connectivity.

At the end of 2008, when I am once again looking back on the year just ended, I hope I will be able to say that 2008 was the year social work went from being a good profession to being a great profession. I invite each of you to join NASW in creating this vision for the profession. Happy New Year to you all.

To comment to Elizabeth J. Clark: newscolumn@naswdc.org

From January 2008 NASW News. © 2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. NASW News articles may be copied for personal use, but proper notice of copyright and credit to the NASW News must appear on all copies made. This permission does not apply to reproduction for advertising, promotion, resale, or other commercial purposes.