“I’ve learned social work isn’t just about counseling, school and hospital work,” said Jillian Dean. “It’s also about what you can do by advocating for the people of the state and even the country.”
A senior psychology and social work double major from Lone Tree, Colorado, Dean is completing her final practicum at the National Association of Social Workers. With 55 chapters across the United States and its territories, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. “Our mission at the Nebraska chapter is to advocate for Nebraska families and citizens,” Dean said. “We focus on what we can do for agencies in Nebraska.”
At work, Dean helps organize annual webinars and conferences, as well as assisting the advocacy committee with their work. “We’ve been focusing a lot on the Nebraska legislative session,” she said. “The advocacy committee goes through all the bills that are introduced and picks the ones that are most important to social workers. Then they write letters about the legislation to senators and some even go and testify. I help keep the documents organized. Recently I helped set up the yearly Legislative Day conference. I got to select the speakers from organizations in Lincoln to present. I’ve been given a lot more responsibility at this practicum, and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
For Dean, working at NASW has opened her eyes to new ways to use her degree. “The biggest learning experience so far has been the shift from individual-based social work to whole community-based social work,” she said. “The NASW focuses on advocacy at the macro-practice level and working on policies that will best support communities. It’s been really cool to see what we can do on a larger scale.”
Dean isn’t the only Union student with ties to the NASW. “When social work students reach their senior year, Union College enrolls them in the NASW so students can start experiencing the benefits of belonging to their professional organization,” said Jody Detweiler, assistant professor and social work field director. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with local social workers and to learn best practices for therapy, advocacy or large-scale change.”
Along with becoming an NASW member, social work students are also required to complete 400 hours of practicum work with a local organization. Most students choose to split these hours over two semesters. Dean said, “At the end of my junior year, my advisor gave me a list of agencies around Lincoln that I could apply to. For my first semester, I chose to do my practicum at Friendship Home, which is a local domestic violence shelter. Working there was definitely more client-based. We worked with moms and their children and helped them get set up with housing and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.”
Her on-campus advocacy has been no less serious, but possibly more fun. As the social vice president of Union’s Active Minds club, Dean works to raise mental health awareness and plans activities to help her fellow students de-stress. She is also a student social activities dean for the women’s residence hall, organizing events such as cinnamon roll Sabbath and TV nights.
After Dean graduates, she will be attending the University of Denver to pursue a master’s in social work. Because Union’s social work program is accredited by the Council for Social Work Education, Dean will only need one more year of schooling to complete her master’s degree rather than the usual two. “There are many different specializations I could go into, and I haven’t chosen which one I’ll do yet,” she said. “But my practicum at NASW has helped me see that I like advocacy a lot, and picking a pathway toward that would be a good option for me.”
by Annika Cambigue, a junior communication and English major