Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
As an advanced generalist social worker, the rights of my all clients, regardless of their position, are important in my work. This includes the basic human rights of safety, freedom, privacy, and adequate health care, education, and a standard of living. I will work for social, economic, and environmental justice for my clients and educate myself on policies that may infringe on the rights of my clients by understanding the global interconnections of oppression, discrimination, and human rights violations. I will work to demonstrate leadership and help implement strategies to promote justice and equitability.
“Civilization is a method of living, an attitude of equal respect for all men”. Jane Addams
PRACTICE BEHAVIORS:
3A: Demonstrate leadership in advocating for human rights, social, economic, and environmental justice.
Academic Evidence: In my Integration of Faith and Advanced Practice I class I wrote a paper on the issue of people who are transgender. I looked at the different ways that the Christian church views this issue and contemplated my own thoughts and opinions on the controversial and timely issue. I believe it is a human rights and social justice issue and feel that the Christian faith has sometimes contributed to injustice and discrimination for this population. This paper on a contemporary human rights issue motivated me to advocate for those who are transgender and to demonstrated (cognitive level: application) the NASW value of respecting the dignity and worth of each person regardless of their circumstances.
Field Evidence: I attended (affective level: receiving) the June 2019 meeting of the Southeast Tennessee Medical Social Workers meeting where my field agency served as the host. The speaker was a congressional case manager who informed us about federal policies that affect immigrants and refugees and other human rights issues. I wrote a journal entry about this training. The NASW value of competence relates to this experience, as I gained knowledge about the most effective ways to reach out to legislators when trying to assist clients.
Other Evidence: On January 30, 2019 I participated (affective level: responding) in a Poverty Simulation event where participants from Chattanooga Christian School experienced an exercise in what it is like to live in poverty. I helped lead the event by playing the role of the manager of a Quick Cash and Loan business and participated in a debriefing discussion with the students afterwards. Here is a photo from the event and a journal entry about my experience that relates to the NASW value of social justice.
3B: Design and implement social action strategies.
Academic Evidence: I helped create (cognitive level: synthesis) and deliver a powerpoint presentation for a nonprofit proposal for a community garden in the underserved food desert of East Chattanooga. The social action strategy for this proposal includes collaborating with area master gardeners and local horticultural students in order to increase access to healthy and affordable food for this impoverished part of town. Designing (cognitive level: synthesis) this social action strategy involved research skills in studying the issue from an empirical standpoint, technical and creative skills in designing the powerpoint, and people skills in reaching out to local organizations to form a collaboration.
Field Evidence: I am involved with a social action strategy in downtown Chattanooga that provides a place for the homeless in Chattanooga to take a shower, do their laundry, get their hair cut, and eat a meal on Thursday evenings. In the summer of 2019 we took surveys of the participants of this ongoing strategy in order to implement and design new or different ways to help this population. The social action strategy is based in social justice, particularly economic justice, and respecting the dignity and worth of each person, especially those on the margins of society such as the homeless. I incorporate a theoretical foundation of the strengths perspective when volunteering with this population. I journaled about this in my weekly journal.
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