Strengthen and Unify the Profession
by Heather Bradley-Geary, MSW
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the world's largest organization of professional social workers.NASW services social workers in 55 chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and abroad.NASW was formed in 1955 through a merger of seven predecessor social work organizations to carry out three responsibilities:
- Strengthen and Unify the Profession
- Promote the development of Social Work Practice
- Advance Sound Social Policies
As Social Workers, what are you doing each day to live by the principle of strengthening and unifying the profession?Do you identify yourself as a Social Worker?Do you live by your Code of Ethics each minute of the day?Do you lift other Social Workers up?Do you remind other Social Workers to live by their Code of Ethics?Do you unify and strengthen the profession?
In a time when the greatest unification of our nation needs to happen, how are Social Workers unifying, not only the profession but the country?Are we speaking to unify or are we speaking to divide?I would argue that if you are not speaking to unify, then you are not living by the Social Work Code of Ethics.
Social Workers have led by voice and example since the beginning of the profession.Let’s continue to live by the Code and unify and strengthen not only our profession, but our country.