Competency 5: Engage in policy practice.
I stay informed about current policies and legislative updates that impact the communities I work with, especially related to disability services, education access, and volunteer involvement. When I notice gaps in how policies affect day-to-day practice, I bring those concerns to supervisors or consider how they might be addressed in future planning. Locally, I’ve used feedback from volunteers to suggest changes that make our programs more accessible and inclusive.
I also follow statewide policy efforts through organizations like Disability Rights Tennessee to stay aware of legislation that could impact service delivery. On a federal level, I monitor broader policy trends that affect social work, such as funding for education and public health programs. Staying engaged with policy helps me connect individual needs with systemic issues, and guides the way I approach advocacy in my role.
5.1 Advocate with and inform stakeholders to impact policy change.
Field Evidence: Volunteer Hour Log Form
While supporting program development at Signal Centers, I identified a structural gap in how volunteer hours were tracked across departments. There was no consistent system for logging engagement, which hindered accurate reporting, volunteer recognition, and program accountability. Drawing on policy analysis and systems thinking (K), I brought this issue to my supervisor and proposed a sustainable solution that would improve internal coordination and uphold the dignity and worth of volunteers (V).
I collaborated with our Marketing Department to design a Jotform that could be used across programs to consistently collect volunteer hour data (S). This process incorporated organizational systems theory (T) and emphasized equitable documentation practices that ensure all volunteers are acknowledged, regardless of which program they supported. Through this collaboration, we implemented the Jotform organization-wide, and by the end of the fiscal year, we were able to collect and document over 3,200 volunteer hours (K, C/A).
This small but meaningful policy change enhanced transparency, strengthened cross-departmental communication, and provided a clear structure for evaluating community engagement. It also reinforced my belief in the importance of practitioner-led policy improvements that reflect social work values such as service, integrity, dignity and worth of the person, and social justice (V, C/A). Overall, this experience demonstrated how macro-level policy practice can emerge from identifying day-to-day challenges and advocating for equitable solutions (S, T).
5.2 Develop and propose/implement a policy and/or advocacy plan.
(see page 33)
In my Advanced Social Policy course, I collaborated with peers to craft an advocacy initiative in support of Tennessee House Bill 0369 (TN HB0369), which seeks to remove criminal history questions from admission applications at public colleges and universities. This proposed change responds to structural inequities that often block justice-impacted individuals, particularly those from historically marginalized groups, from accessing higher education. As part of our plan, we recommended a post-admission screening process for high-risk campus roles, offering a balanced approach that addressed both equity and safety concerns (K, V).
Throughout this project, we drew from foundational policy knowledge and applied systems thinking to analyze how criminal record disclosures reinforce cycles of exclusion. We framed the issue through a social work lens grounded in the principles of self-determination, social justice, and the inherent dignity of all people. My contributions included co-authoring advocacy briefs, designing outreach materials, and mapping a communications strategy that would resonate with policymakers, students, and community allies (K, S, T).
To support our argument, we applied Rational Choice Theory to demonstrate how reducing early disclosure barriers may lower psychological and procedural obstacles, increase application rates, and promote rehabilitation by expanding educational opportunities (T). Research shows that higher education access is linked to lower recidivism and increased economic stability, outcomes that align with both public and institutional interests (K, S).
This work also involved deep engagement with affective and cognitive processes. We carefully weighed campus safety concerns alongside the human impact of stigma and exclusion. Our plan made space for justice-involved individuals to lead, ensuring their stories and insights were woven into the policy campaign not as supporting details, but as central drivers of change (V, CA).
Overall, this advocacy experience underscored the role of macro-level social work in advancing ethical, evidence-informed reforms. It equipped me with practical tools for policy engagement and reaffirmed my commitment to supporting equitable access for all individuals, regardless of past system involvement (K, V, S, T, CA).