Welcome to The New Social Worker's Blog

The New Social Worker is the quarterly magazine for social work students and recent graduates, focusing on social work careers for those new to the profession. This blog is a companion to the free online magazine at http://www.socialworker.com.
Showing posts with label From the Editor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label From the Editor. Show all posts

Friday, October 4, 2013

Fall 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available now!

As we continue our 20th year of publication of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine, exciting things are happening!

First, I want to thank all of our subscribers to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's free electronic edition. The Fall 2013 issue of The New Social Worker magazine is now ready to download! It is available, free of charge, in PDF format, directly from The New Social Worker Web site.
 
THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and SaraKay Smullens' article on burnout and self care in the social work profession received the 2013 NASW Media Award for Magazine/Magazine Article. SaraKay and I will be at the PA NASW conference next week to accept the awards. I hope to see some of you there!
 
For this Fall season, Karen Zgoda and I put together THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER Magazine's Back-to-School Guide for Social Work Students. This guide is a collection of articles from the magazine that will help students succeed in the new academic year, mixed with back-to-school tips from a variety of social work experts. The guide is available in e-book formats only at Amazon.com (Kindle edition) and Smashwords.com (ePub and other formats).
 
A new book for your wish list! BEGINNINGS, MIDDLES, & ENDS: SIDEWAYS STORIES ON THE ART & SOUL OF SOCIAL WORK is is a collection of 99 stories, parables, poetry, and other writings on life as a social worker. It contains wit and wisdom about the profession that you will not find in a traditional textbook. As author Ogden Rogers says in the book's preface, "If they provoke a smile, or a tear, or a critical question, it’s worth it." I hope you'll consider putting this book on your holiday and graduation wish list!
 
If you have not subscribed to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER and/or our e-newsletter, you can do so here:
 
 
Download the Fall 2013 issue
The Fall 2013 issue is hot off the press! We have so much great material that we increased this issue from 32 pages to 36!
 
Highlights include  building resilience for new social workers, a response to the DSM-5, individual and group supervision, public housing,  mandated reporting (parts IV), social work at the movies, family technology assessments, poetry, book reviews, and more! We also are featuring an audio feature -- a very powerful poem by social worker Mozart Guerrier!
 
TIP FOR READERS
Did you know that when you read THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER in PDF format on your computer, you can click through to items as you read about them? Many URLs and e-mail addresses throughout the magazine are clickable. Give it a try!
 
 
Read It on Our Web Site
Articles from this issue are also available on our Web site (http://www.socialworker.com) in Web format.
 

...and much more! The above is just a sample of the content of the Fall issue. Visit our website for the full list of online articles and to download the full issue!
 
Visit Our Advertisers
Please visit  our advertisers for this issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. They are:
 
Submit an Article
Share your knowledge and experience with other upcoming social workers! I am seeking articles for our “What Every New Social Worker Needs To Know…” column. Also, I am always looking for interesting and educational articles in the areas of field placement issues, social work careers, and other topics of interest to new social workers.
 
Feature articles typically run 1,000-1,500 words in length and are written in a conversational, entertaining, and educational style. Write as if you are having a conversation with students or new social workers about something they need to know to enhance their social work career.
 
If you have an article idea, please e-mail me with your idea or complete manuscript.
 
Networking and Our Other Sites
Network with us!

 
Until Next Time...
I hope you enjoy this issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER.  Please let your colleagues, classmates, and/or students know about THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, and the fact that it is a FREE social work resource. Feel free to pass along the download links above, and let them know that they can subscribe free to receive notifications of future issues. If you have received this message as a forwarded message from a friend or colleague, you can subscribe at our subscription page.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Summer 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available now!

As we continue our 20th year of publication of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine, exciting things are happening!

The Summer 2013 issue of The New Social Worker magazine is now ready to download! It is available, free of charge, in PDF format, directly from The New Social Worker Web site. Or you can buy The New Social Worker in print.
I am happy to announce that in the Summer 2013 issue, we are starting another fun new column in The New Social Worker! Social Work Goes to the Movies is the latest addition to our regular line-up. It is written by Addison Cooper, LCSW. Addison blogs about adoption in the movies and will be bringing his insight into all things social work on the big screen to our pages!
We are still so thankful to all of our fans who voted for THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine and SaraKay Smullens' article on burnout and self care in the social work profession for the 2013 NASW Media Award for Magazine/Magazine Article! It was such an honor to be chosen for this recognition along with all the other winners.


Download the Summer 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER

The Summer 2013 issue is hot off the press! Highlights include the NASW Code of Ethics and social work obligations, what students need from their field supervisors, breaking boundaries with empathy, ER social work, a first group work experience, becoming a therapist, mandated reporting (parts II and III), social work at the movies, federalism and social welfare policy, Internet as a career killer, poetry, book reviews, and more!
TIP FOR READERS
Did you know that when you read THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER in PDF format on your computer, you can click through to items as you read about them? Most URLs and e-mail addresses throughout the magazine are clickable. Give it a try!


Read It on Our Web Site

Articles from this issue are also available on our Web site (http://www.socialworker.com) in Web format.
Here are some highlights from the Summer 2013 issue:


...and much more!



Networking and Our Other Sites

Network with us!

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Catching Up With THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER

Just a few notes to catch you up with some things that have happened since my last post here in March (Social Work Month).

    Spring 2013 issue THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
  1. THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER won the 2013 NASW Media Award for Best Magazine/Magazine Article! Thank you to all who voted. You can read the award-winning article on self care and burnout here. Congrats to SaraKay Smullens for this article. And, of course you can read the magazine here.
  2. Our Spring 2013 issue came out in April.  You can download it here. Highlights include: Part I of our new series on mandated reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect by Kathryn Krase, the first installment of our new "Turn Up the Tech in Social Work" column by Ellen Belluomini, ethics and texting, learning about learning, continuing education attitudes, what social workers need to know about money, and more.
  3. We moved our office! This was a big project and part of the reason that this blog has not been updated during this time.  Our mailing address has not changed, but our physical space has.  I am enjoying the new office quite a bit and still getting settled in.

The Summer issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is coming out this week, so be on the lookout for it! If you have not subscribed yet (it's free), you can subscribe now at this link.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Happy Social Work Month 2013!

Happy Social Work Month, everyone! THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is celebrating Social Work Month this year by posting inspiring stories of social work on our site.  You can read the first installment, "Why I Love Being a Social Worker," here.

We will post more stories throughout the month. You can follow these by going to our main page and scrolling down to the section, "Social Work Month 2013."

For more information on Social Work Month, check out NASW's Social Work Month page. This year's theme is "Resilience Weaving Advocacy."

There is still time to send in your story to be posted on THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER's site! Send 300-500 words to Linda Grobman, editor, for consideration.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is honored to be a finalist in NASW 2013 Media Awards--YOU Can Vote!



I am honored to announce that THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine, along with SaraKay Smullens' article in our Fall 2012 issue on burnout and self-care, is among the finalists in the 2013 NASW Media Awards.

The National Association of Social Workers 2013 Media Awards will recognize reporters, bloggers, columnists, television producers, movie directors, and other media professionals who help raise awareness about the social work profession and issues important to social workers.

In 2012, more than 750 social workers and others voted for nominees. Voting is now open for all who wish to vote in the 2013 awards.  You do NOT have to be an NASW member or a social worker to vote!

I am so proud of SaraKay's article, "What I Wish I Had Known: Burnout and Self-Care in Our Social Work Profession," and I thank all the many, many social workers and others who have contributed to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine over its first 19 years.  To be nominated for this award is quite an honor.

Please go to the 2013 NASW Media Awards page to see the complete list of finalists and to cast your vote.  We are listed in the "Best Magazine or Magazine Article" category.  Be sure to hit the "Submit" button at the end of the ballot after you have made your choices!


Friday, January 11, 2013

Winter 2013 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is available now!

by Linda Grobman

Happy New Year!  I am very excited that we are starting our 20th year of publication of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine! We have a lot in store in the coming year.

The Winter 2013 issue of The New Social Worker magazine is now ready to download! It is available, free of charge, in PDF format, directly from The New Social Worker Web site.
I am thrilled to announce that in this issue, we are introducing a new ethics column by Dr. Allan Barsky! Dr. Barsky is the chair of the NASW National Ethics Committee. He will be sharing his expertise with us in his new Ethics Alive! column.
If you have not already subscribed to the quarterly magazine, THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, why not do so right now? Why not subscribe to our monthly e-news and other announcements, too?




Download the Winter 2013 issue
The Winter 2013 issue is hot off the press! Highlights include following up on practice errors, field placement in legal settings, group work, social worker debt, new acronyms, what social workers need to know about people, online resources for end-of-life planning, book reviews, and more!
TIP FOR READERS
Did you know that when you read THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER in PDF format on your computer, you can click through to items as you read about them? Most URLs and e-mail addresses throughout the magazine are clickable. Give it a try!

Read It on Our Web Site
Articles from this issue are also available on our Web site (http://www.socialworker.com) in Web format.
Here are some highlights from the Winter 2013 issue:

• Student Role Model: Sean Hudson (in PDF and print version only)

• Ethics Alive!: Whoops! Practice Errors and the Ethics of Follow-Up
• 10 Things Every New Social Worker Needs To Know About People

• Tech Topics: Sites Ease Stress of End-of-Life Planning

• On Campus (in PDF and print version only)

• Reviews

...and much more!

Networking and Our Other Sites
Network with us!

Until Next Time...
I am very excited about 2013! Please let your colleagues, classmates, and/or students know about THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, and the fact that it is a FREE social work resource. Feel free to pass along the download links above, and let them know that they can subscribe free to receive notifications of future issues. Again, you can subscribe at our subscription page.

If you have any questions, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW
Publisher/Editor

Friday, December 21, 2012

Happy Holidays To YOU From THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER!

Hello!

I want to take this time to wish you a very happy holiday season! Social workers' work is so important, and I truly appreciate everything you do. I commend all the social workers who have been working tirelessly to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and, most recently, the Sandy Hook School shootings...in addition to all the work each social worker does each and every day.

If you are a December social work graduate, congratulations and welcome to this wonderful profession!

Download the Fall issue
 

Have you read our fall issue yet? It has gotten a LOT of great feedback! Highlights include thwarting disclosure in court, burnout and self-care (must-reading for every social worker), homeless education, workplace safety for social workers, getting in to social work grad school, benefits of undergrad research, digital disaster resources, book reviews, and more!


Subscribe

Why not subscribe to our quarterly magazine, monthly e-news, and other occasional announcements, too?

Moving Forward

I am very excited about 2013! It will be our 20th year of publication! We have lots of great things in store, so stay tuned! The Winter issue will be out before you know it, in early January! Please be sure to tell your friends, students, and colleagues about THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER!





Sincerely,

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Newtown Shootings: Questions and Resources

The school shooting in Newtown, CT, is a tragedy that has shaken our nation. I have heard many people debating what to do, how to respond, what are the possible causes, and so forth. This tragedy has opened up new discussions about gun control, mental health services access, causes of violence, and more. Parents are wondering what to say to their children. Social workers are wondering how to respond to their clients.

There are several resources I want to bring to your attention. First, Gift From Within provides resources on PTSD for survivors and caregivers. Some especially relevant resources on GFW's web site include:

SCHOOL DISASTERS
 
Kathleen Nader, D.S.W.
 Helping Traumatized Children at School
Erwin Randolph Parson, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.
 Inner City Children of Trauma: Urban Violence Traumatic StressResponse Syndrome (U-VTS) and Therapists' Responses
Dr. Kathi Nader and Dr. Robert Pynoos School Disaster: Planning and Initial Interventions
Frank M. Ochberg, M.D.
 Bound By A Trauma Called Columbine

Survivor Guilt


Kathleen Nader, D.S.W.

 Guilt Following Traumatic Events


EFFORTS TO HELP

Many are offering help in one way or another. Here are some examples.

Here's what one group of social work students from the University of Maryland did to help the Newtown survivors:
Social Work Students Send Sympathy Cards to Newtown

Give an Hour is coordinating to offer mental health services to those affected by the shooting:
Give an Hour to Offer Services for Conn. Tragedy

The American Red Cross is also providing support to the Newtown community:
American Red Cross Helps Support Community 


MUSICAL TRIBUTES

Music can be a great healer.

The Voice "Hallelujah"

Vance Gilbert "26 Reasons"


There are many other articles, as well as discussions going on on various social media sites and social work sites...too many to mention.
 
What do you think are the next steps for social workers in the aftermath of this tragedy? How has it affected your social work practice? What resources/ideas have you found helpful for you and your clients?


 

 

Friday, October 12, 2012

GUEST POST: How To Bring Conversations to a Screeching Halt

by Kristin Johnson



I learned many years ago when I made a woman cry (at a party no less) that sometimes even the mere mention of what I do for a living can shut down just about any conversation.  I was at a friend’s baby shower, and we were all recent college grads.  The hostess asked me if I was working, and I told her I was a child protection social worker.  She dissolved into tears as she described a story she had just read in the paper about a baby being abused by a parent. It was a terrible story, but she immediately associated me with that story and spent the rest of the shower tearfully telling me that she didn’t know how I could possibly do my job.
I’m never sure how to take that comment, and I get it all the time.  Sometimes it’s spoken with a bit of awe:   “I don’t know how you do your job!”   Other times, it comes across with a bit of a tone:  “I could never do your job.”   I understand that it’s usually meant as some type of compliment, but I also wonder if the unspoken question is, ”What kind of person chooses to be around such misery every day?”
There are other professions that involve varying degrees of sadness, stress, overwork, and worry, but they are usually viewed with more admiration.    Oncologists, fire fighters, police officers, NICU nurses…usually these people are admired and honored, and they are often portrayed in the media as noble, self-sacrificing warriors.
Social work is rarely portrayed in the media, but when it is, it is almost universally negative.  Usually, the social worker is the cold and unfeeling.  Oftentimes the “real hero” of the story tries to protect the child in question from “the system” out of fear that the child will get lost or abused even worse if that nasty social worker gets her hands on him.
It is even more negative when there is a high profile child abuse case in the news.  These cases are often the only time that child protection gets any media attention, and the story is usually about whether the system did enough.  At worst, the stories attack and blame the local child protection agency for failing to protect the child.  And because of data privacy laws, the local agency can say nothing more than, “no comment,” which in this day and age is often taken as an admission of guilt.
So back to the question: “How do you do your job?”  I can only speak for myself, but I have learned to accept the reality that sometimes Bad Things happen to kids.   It’s a truth that feels wrong to accept.  For one, adults are supposed to be the protectors of children, and if we accept that child abuse happens, then doesn’t it mean that the adults have failed?   Second, most people who hurt their children don’t look the part.  There are a thousand reasons why a parent abuses a child, but it is rare that a parent hurts his child with no guilt, shame, or remorse.  The vast majority of parents who hurt their children also love those same children dearly.  It is a paradox that is hard to grasp in a black and white world.    
The grimace that I get from people who ask about my job comes from not wanting to think about or hear about child abuse.  And I get that completely.  There are days that I don’t want to think about it either.  In our office, we talk about how nice it would be not to know what we know.  I’m guessing it’s that feeling that leads to the burnout that is common in the profession.
But to be honest, there’s not a lot of turnover at my agency, and that’s because we also laugh a lot—not at our clients’ expense, but we do laugh about almost everything else that comes with our jobs—awkwardly observing urine drug testing, getting chased by mangy dogs, playing cards with hilarious grade schoolers.  So sometimes all we can do is laugh.  And many times, my clients and I laugh together.
So my usual answer to the question that brings a hush over the room is that I have learned to accept, to do the best I can, to be kind, and to laugh.


Kristin Johnson has worked for nearly 20 years at Goodhue County Social Services in Red Wing, MN.  She has recently published a novel based in the child protection system called “unprotected.”  Find more information at www.kristinleejohnson.com.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Fall Is Here and So Is The Fall 2012 Issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER!

Happy October!  

I am pleased to tell you that the Fall 2012 issue of The New Social Worker magazine is now ready to download! It is available, free of charge, in PDF format, directly from The New Social Worker Web site.

To download the Fall 2012 issue, go to The New Social Worker's download page. Then click on "Download." If the file opens in your Web browser, just click on "Save a Copy" or "File>Save Page as" and save the file to a location on your computer's hard drive.

If you have difficulty with the above link, here is another download link:
Fall 2012 The New Social Worker--direct download link 

Articles from this issue are also available on our Web site (http://www.socialworker.com) in Web format.

Also, don't forget that THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER is now available in a full-color, high quality PRINT edition! If you love the feeling of holding your very own print copy of your magazine in your hands, you can purchase print copies of this issue and previous issues from:
http://newsocialworker.magcloud.com.
 



Additionally, you can get a printed, bound volume of all 4 issues from 2011 and/or 2012! You can find these on my Amazon page at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/lindagrobman
(The 2012 volume will be available within the next week...2011 is available now.)

Here are some highlights from this issue:

• Student Role Model: Christine Webb (in PDF and print version only)

• Ethics: Clinicians in Court: Thwarting Disclosure

• Field Placement: What I Wish I Had Known: Burnout and Self-Care in Our Social Work Profession

• Homeless Education: Providing Stable Education for Children and Youth in Transition

• Workplace Safety for Social Workers: A Student’s Analysis and Opinion

• Evidence of Time Machines

• Being Who We Are, Every Day, Everywhere (in PDF and print version only)

• Your Social Work Graduate School Application: 14 Tips To Help You Get an Acceptance Letter

• Research: 10 Benefits of Student Participation in Undergraduate Social Work Research

• International: ABCD in Practice: A Practical Lesson From the Field Placement (in PDF and print version only)

• Tech Topics: Red Cross Digital Disaster Volunteers Offer Support Through Social Media/Sidebar: Disaster Distress Helpline

• On Campus (in PDF and print version only)

• Reviews

...and much more!

PLUS…watch our slide show of social work students in action—advocacy style!
 
As you know, this year is a presidential election year, and I have heard of many social workers and students (like the ones on our Fall 2012 front cover from La Salle University) who have become involved in such activities as voter registration, advocacy regarding voter ID laws, campaigning for candidates, and the like. As social workers, we have ethical responsibilities to clients, colleagues, practice settings, and the broader society. I encourage you to review the NASW Code of Ethics, and then think about which candidates’ positions are in line with our ethical responsibilities to society. Be an advocate by being involved! Don’t forget to cast your vote this November. 

Also, we have posted some “Web-only” articles providing information, insight, and opinion on various policy issues for you to consider as you consider the various candidates on the local, state, and national ballots this November. You can read these articles here:

Perspective on Social Welfare Policy and Retirement Income Security

Why Social Workers Need To Care About Breastfeeding


NETWORK WITH THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/newsocialworker 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/newsocialworker
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3041069
Google+: http://plus.google.com/u/0/101612885418842828982

SOCIAL WORK JOBS
If you are looking for a professional social work job, or looking to hire a social worker, be sure to visit our online job site, SocialWorkJobBank.com (http://www.socialworkjobbank.com) today. Employers, please contact me at lindagrobman@socialworker.com with any questions about posting jobs on the site.


Please let your colleagues, classmates, and/or students know about THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER, and the fact that it is a FREE social work resource. Feel free to pass along the download links above, and let them know that they can subscribe free to receive notifications of future issues. If you have received this message as a forwarded message from a friend or colleague, you can subscribe at http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Subscribe/



Friday, September 14, 2012

Congrats to NASW "Restoring Hope" Essay Contest Winners

The winners of the National Association of Social Workers' "Restoring Hope" essay contest have been announced. There are two winners, one social work student and one social work professional.

The student essay by Megan Salisbury, a senior at Arizona State University, focuses on homelessness. She wrote:
For social workers, there are no instant answers. Restoring hope is an act of blind faith and perfectly timed phone calls, and yes, even instant answers from a collaborative partner. It is about finding the means when you are unsure of the way.
Read her essay on the NASW web site.

The social work professional winner is Lauren Anzaldo, MSW, LCSW, CAP. Lauren's essay is entitled, "Conveying Hope to Every Client." In it, she said:
A social worker embodies the words “You are a life worth saving” every time she meets with a client and sits with him in his discomfort. We convey hope when we treat our clients like people, when we let them know that how they feel and what they want out of life is important.
Read Lauren's essay on the NASW site.

You can also now access photos and videos from the NASW Restoring Hope conference on the conference web site.