mswsn student leader's guide 2013-14.pdf
DESCRIPTION
MSWSN Student Leader's Guide for its School Organizing Program for macro social work students.TRANSCRIPT
: the personal is political
it is the opportunity to impac
positively the lives of people on a much larger scale
without macro, the most
vulnerable lives don’t improve
unity is LOVE essential
it IS social work culture matters
people will come
after me and i want them to live better
The Student Leader's Guide to a Successful Campus Chapter!
Macro Social Work Student Network
School Organizing Program
Andrew C. Schoeneman, MIIM
Doctoral Candidate
Adjunct Instructor
Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Social Work
Rebecca Stoll
Master in Social Work, candidate ‘14
Michigan State University
School of Social Work
Jorge Vargas
Master in Social Work, candidate ‘14
Rhode Island College
School of Social Work
by
Andrew Calderaro
Master in Social Work, candidate ’14
(CUNY) Hunter College
Silberman School of Social Work
Patricia Bamwine, MSW
Doctoral candidate
University of Pittsburgh
School of Social Work
Jessica Hudon
Master in Social Work, candidate ‘14
Boston University
School of Social Work
Nora Moran
Master in Social Work, candidate ’14
(CUNY) Hunter College
Silberman School of Social Work
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)
Reviewed and edited by
Students:
Faculty:
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
Michael Walters
Master in Social Work, candidate ‘14
(SUNY) Stony Brook University
School of Social Welfare
The Student Leader's Guide
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 Chapter& Stepping Stone Goals……………………………..14-16
Potential Composite Goals………………………..16
Needs Assessment Survey…….17
School/Community Event…………18-20
Frequently Asked Question…................................21-22
Contact/Sources ……………………………………………………………….23
Table of Contents
1
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?
MSWSN’s 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 school’s 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 chapter on your campus. Along with your organizing skills and
knowledge, you will be well on your way.
In solidarity,
Macro Social Work Student Network
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 Connecticut’s and University of Pittsburgh’s
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 Education’s (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 further-
reaching 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!
What’s 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.
The beauty of the School Organizing 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!
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.
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
Academic curricula; administrative and student culture
Macro social work students; macro professors; administrators
Macro methods are not offered within social work programs; sufficient
macro courses aren’t part of the curricula; schools ignore macro
social work as an essential method in the field
Campus Leader; Chapter members;
Involved professors
Organizing Principles Primer 1. Planning is integral. In a civilian community, for example, you
would have a lot more data collection and analysis and larger
timelines. Our school communities are literally and figuratively
shrunken. But, we still assess values, power, and resources when
outlining our work.
Values addresses why a problem exists (why is macro largely
ignored? Who is responsible?).
Power means that somebody or a body of people
wields the means to fix your identified problem.
Resources are the creation of or deployment
of assets that help us achieve our product.
2. Needs and asset assessments are core
component s to any organizing effort. Having a
sense of something wrong is much different from
being able to show something is wrong. Equally
as important is knowing where your strengths in
both groups and individuals lie, so that you can take
on your goals and challenges aware of your strengths.
See Supplementary Docs.
3. As you develop your chapter, assume nobody knows the
problems facing macro practice. In fact, reading through the
Rothman Report and reading through this Guide may be edifying
for you! If you, as a Campus Leader, are learning then how can
you expect others to know? This applies both to the critical
actors and the facilitating actors (see 5.Power). Is your administration aware that they’re shortchanging macro practice? Have they been operating in a clinical haze?
4. Process and Product: Establishing anything on campus takes
time, and our busy academic lives don’t 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:
Process: There must be enough dialogue or
filtering of ideas to determine agreed-upon and
appropriate goals to which all involved persons
can agree and feel a sense of buy-in.
Product: What are your chapter's goals?
What do you hope to achieve?
Have a realistic timetable and efficient allocation of resources
Be realistic about product
Know the consensus product among your chapter’s members
Assess skill sets – who is best at what and wants to take on specific tasks?
Allow for enough, or more than enough, time, and be aware of
your process and how it relates to product.
5. Power is a major element in the work we do. You need to
understand who or what has the decision-making capabilities to
create your desired change. Let’s focus on two types of power
actors. Critical actors have the technical authority to make
certain changes; facilitating actors can influence the critical
actors due to their relationship to them. (cont’d)
Do the students know what they are missing? In the case of the
administration they may know about this problem but won’t act until
someone speaks up. This is an opportunity to work with them and
allow them to save face. If they won’t work with you then your work,
regardless, cultivates the influence to make change!
6. Assume that opposition to change or your issue will exist. In
the Rothman Report, one professor asserts, “I don’t 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
helps…Some 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, don’t 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 you’re fighting a losing
battle, as it were. Whatever the nature of the environment your
collective and you function in, you know what you’re doing is right
for macro practice; thus, you can transcend any detraction with this
knowledge and with your preparation for success.
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?”
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 chapter, 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 you’re doing and that you have a roadmap to track your progress (see Campus Leader Documents). Surprises arise but your chapter and you will be most able to deal with these because you’re prepared.
What other students are like-minded? It doesn’t 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 chapter 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 we’re all so busy!
Establish the Chapter: All of your passions and skills can’t
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 chapter known
throughout campus, to recruit chapter 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
chapter’s 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.
Your first step in planning is going to be
actually setting up a chapter! Depending on
your school’s policies you may or may not
have to become an official campus club. There
are certain benefits to becoming an official club
i.e. financing, access to certain facilities, etc.
Here are some questions to get this process
started.
Is it to our advantage to become an official club?
How do I establish a chapter my school?
What are the technical ins and outs and paperwork necessary to
become a club?
Who in student activities should I know?
You’ll need to know who the “go to” person/people are.
Which professor(s) can I get to join me on this?
Despite the overall troubling treatment of macro social work on
campuses, there should be a few professors dedicated to macro.
Find one or more macro-focused professors and set up a meeting
to discuss how you can work together. His/her/their expertise will
help guide you. It is also an important step to bring into the fold a
potential “critical actor.”
What is the club culture on my campus?
Are there a lot of events to promote clubs? Is there a designated
“club time” every week? Depending, you’ll need to figure out the
best way to promote your MSWSN chapter.
Establishing a
Chapter
Tabling: Good ‘ol fashioned tabling puts you in direct contact with
fellow students. Set up in a campus-approved area with signage,
literature, a clipboard, and a smile – oh, and a table!
Flyers: You know this deal - post those MSWSN flyers where fellow
students will see them!
Event presentation: Our schools provide an array of events to
introduce clubs and alliances to the general student body. Make
your MSWSN chapter part of that!
Make announcements in class: Although class time is limited, any
concerned professor should gladly let you make a two minute
prepared announcement. Be sure to have flyers to distribute,
otherwise you risk your message getting lost.
White/chalk board messages: Figure out which classrooms (if there’s a difference) hold the macro classes. Write, neatly, about the Network and the chapter, who you’re looking for, and how to contact you. Then just let the foot traffic pass by!
Gaining interest when setting up
a Chapter/Stepping Stone goals
Setting up a Collective and Stepping Stone goals so mirror each
other that we’ve combined them. These tactics are essential to both
and are enhanced by being done regularly i.e. weekly, bi-weekly,
etc., to maintain continuity in your communications with fellow
students. An important point is that you don’t need to recruit an army;
a few dedicated students can get the collective moving in the right
direction.
Sidewalk message: Remember when you wrote all over
the street with chalk as a kid? Well, it’s time to put that skill
to use! As long as it’s cool with the campus, script a
message on high traffic walkways.
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, Pinterest, Instragram,
etc.: Let your classmates know through your school’s
social media sites or sites you develop.
Potential Composite Goals
Composite goals, going back to Table 1, focus either
directly or indirectly on the “systems targeted for change.”
Here are types of composite goals that are hypothetically
within the realm of the chapter’s ability and further the
“desired outcome” of the MSWSN’s mission.
I. Student Needs Assessment Survey
II. School Event
a. For students/professors
b. Community-oriented
III. Free Choice! (Have something in mind that’s
great for your school community?)
I. Student Needs Assessment Survey
Ultimately, your school’s academic infrastructure is where
your chapter can have the most impact. As the Rothman
Report illustrates, macro social work education is largely
downplayed, ignored, and non-existent. Of course, you
should know how this is happening at your school.
The best way to find this out is by conducting a student
needs assessment survey. You want to be able to answer
questions like, “These problems are bad, but are they
affecting us at our school?” By doing a survey, you’ll be
equipped to answer and for future action.
See your
Supplementary
Docs for the
assessment
survey and
additional
information.
II. School/Community Event
Another positive Composite Goal is holding an event in your
school that addresses a macro issue. Perhaps you have
done work in your community and it highlights effectiveness
and need for macro work; you could hold an event that
illustrates this work.
Here are some examples:
• An introduction to macro social work, its paths, and its
professional prospects
• MicMac: Connecting macro and micro social work
• A specific issue facing macro social work
• Work you’ve done on your own or for a class with the
community and how it reflects macro’s usefulness i.e.
educational outreach, fundraising, organizing community
children for a specific goal, etc.
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 CUNY-
Hunter 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 action…being able to clarify
the problem as a group…then 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 chapter, 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
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 chapter at the beginning of the academic
year?
No, you are able to start a chapter at any point and simply adjust
your goals to the timeframe you give yourself.
Do I have to register my Chapter an official student club?
No, but if there are advantages to doing so then it would be wise to make it oficial.
Can I be a Campus Leader if I’m 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 chapter receive any funding from MSWSN?
No. As a young organization and an even newer program, the School Organizing Program cannot provide funds for you chapter at this
time. This doesn’t mean that you can fundraise or embrace the
challenge of pursuing your chapter’s 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 chapter!
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
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.
Nasw social work pioneers. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.naswfoundation.org/pioneers/r/JackRothman.htm
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.