NASW-MO Chapter Awards

Public Citizen of the Year Award

The Public Citizen of the Year Award honors a non-social worker who exemplifies the best of the Chapter’s mission through specific professional accomplishments.

MISSION OF NASW MISSOURI CHAPTER

A member service and development association advancing a unified Social Work profession and standards, advocating for sound public social policies.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS’ MISSION

To enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is the attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.

In honoring the Public Citizen of the Year, the NASW-MO Chapter highlights superb accomplishments exemplified by the nominee throughout his or her career.

Nomination Guidelines

  1. Be a non-social worker.
  2. Have experience of five or more years in his or her field of work.
  3. Demonstrate outstanding leadership.
  4. Represent the NASW Missouri Chapter’s mission.
  5. Reflect the professional ethics of social work as defined in the Code of Ethics.
  6. Enlist public support for improved social services.
  7. Contribute to the public’s knowledge of social work and social problems.
  8. Hold significant achievements and accomplishments in the last year.
  9. Take risks to better social services.
  10. Currently employed staff of NASW-Missouri may be utilized as a resource but may not make nominations or write letters of support.

Nomination Procedure

Nomination application and information must be completed and received on or before February 7, 2025. Click here to complete the application and send supporting documentation to chapter.naswmo@socialworkers.org. If you have any further questions, please contact Cassie Brown, Executive Director NASW-MO Chapter. Nominations may be submitted by completing the following:

  1. Official Nomination Application
  2. Two-page summary of demonstrated contributions listing each of the following while incorporating the criteria listed on page 1 of the Nomination Application
    • What has the nominee accomplished?
    • What is outstanding about the nominee’s achievements?
    • What risks did the nominee take to achieve results?
    • Who are the beneficiaries of those risks taken?
  3. Curriculum vita or resume
  4. Two (2) letters of support
  5. A recent photograph (only 1 copy required). Photo will be used in the NASW-MO Chapter Journal and various other public relations publications.

To ensure the nominee's eligibility, please adhere to the nomination guidelines. Not following the guidelines or incomplete nomination applications will be eliminated from the selection process. Use clear, concise, descriptive examples of activities and accomplishments. The nomination form, summary sheet, vita/resume, support letters, and photograph must be received in the NASW-MO Chapter Office by February 7, 2025. Late nominations will not be accepted. The NASW-MO Chapter Board of Directors selects and approves an award winner based on the criteria listed above. The NASW-MO Chapter will notify the awardee and nominator. The award will be presented during Social Work Month.