The Importance of Social Work and Politics: A Social Worker’s Call to Arms

A protester holds a sign at San Francisco International Airport during a demonstration to denounce President Donald Trump’s executive order that bars citizens of seven predominantly Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in San Francisco.

The social work profession is a diverse and vast profession whose mission is to improve outcomes and the quality of life for vulnerable populations. To put it another way, social workers are trying to help America find its dream again, and this dream crosses party lines. However, we are having difficulty seeing our common goal because we are so focused on the differences between us. What happened to “The American Dream” and how can it be part of our future again?

We have forgotten somehow the importance of social work in the political arena. Some may ask, “How can the social work profession help our society and improve the lives of  citizens?” The social work profession is the foundation that must be restored to help empower society to find its dream again and make it a reality.

Age 0-6 is the most important and formative years in a child life, and social work is the profession that creates programs to help aid families and protect children from scars that may affect them for the rest of their life. If a child is denied needed resources such as food, shelter, developmental education, and ability to live free from abuse, this child’s chances of benefiting from the best public or private education is diminished. ~ Deona Hooper, MSW

As social workers, we can be a great force for this kind of growth in our society, but we must be the Superpac for the poor and vulnerable populations. Too many social workers are “fighting the good fight” alone in their agencies and private practice. Although we work on the individual level, we must also” be a united front” as a profession politically and in our community.

We cannot be this force if we do not become more united and take a leadership role in society. Too many social workers have forgotten their social justice roots and are too caught up in their private practice or agency to reach out. As a result, social work as a profession has become almost invisible. We are not taken seriously by other professions and not really recognized politically either.

The voice and face of social work needs to be heard and seen by our government, by our society and by ourselves. Many times, there is a disconnect between social work values, legislation and the agencies we work in. We must unite as a profession and advocate for better work conditions, more efficient systems for client care, and be the voice for the populations we serve.

We are not represented properly in our society because we have remained silent, and being active in our profession and community can change this. We are the face, we are the voice, and we are the fire of our profession.

I call to you …don’t let your fire burn out. We cannot restore hope in society if we cannot restore it in ourselves.