Information Competencies for Social Work Students

Intro || 1. Basic Skills || 2. Research Process Skills || 3. Critical Thinking Skills || 4. Advanced Research Skills || 5. Policy Practice and Advocacy Skills || 6. Professional Organizations and Job Search Resources || 7. Local Resources

5. Policy Practice and Advocacy Skills

• Know the reasons to engage in policy reform
  • To promote the values in the Code of Professional Ethics
  • To redesign programs and organizations to respond to the shift of social welfare away from federal government to state legislative bodies ( Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996)
  • To promote evidence-based practice using the latest findings of social science and medical research
  • To put pressure decision makers to advance citizens' well-being
• Know the types of policy reform
  • Government Agency Regulations (Minimum Wage)
  • Needs-meeting Policies (Social Security)
  • Opportunity-enhancing Policies (Head Start, Affirmative Action)
  • Social Services (Child Welfare Services)
  • Referral and Linkage Programs (Case Management Services)
  • Equality-enhancing Policies (Medicaid, Food Stamp Program)
  • Rights-conferring Policies (Civil Rights Legislation and Amendments)
  • Public Improvement Policies (Public Transportation)
  • Economic Development Policies (Empowerment Zones)
  • Asset Accumulation Policies (Income Tax Deducations)
• Know how to define the stakeholders in a given public policy debate
• Engage in Public Policy Debate on the Internet
  • Family, Children and Youth Services: Policy Analysis and Formulation Wayne State University) A brief tutorial for tracking current legislation and writing an advocacy letter to Congress or State Legislature
  • NASW National Advocacy Activities
  • Social Welfare Policy and Services (New York University)
  • Social Work and the Law (Wayne State University) A tutorial for tracking current legislation and finding case law
  • Political Advocacy Groups California State University, Chico)
  • Social Issues & Social Welfare (MEL Michigan Electronic Library)
  • Social Welfare Resources (University at Albany) Selected annotated list of topics in Social Welfare: Children, Youth and Families; Gerontology; Health; Mental Health and Therapy; Social Policy; Substance Abuse
  • Transportation as a Civil Rights Issue (Wayne State University)
  • Webliography on Advocacy Sites (ACRL EBSS Annual Program 1999)

Send corrections and suggestions to the EBSS Social Work/Social Welfare Committee Chair

Social Work/Social Welfare Committee Web Resources || Social Work/Social Welfare Committee || EBSS