National Social Work Month 2021: Social Work is Essential
Last March, the world began to shift dramatically with the arrival of a global pandemic -- and shortly thereafter came the changes imposed to help flatten the curve, which have brought their own evolving challenges and uncertainties.
Yet, social workers kept working: evolving your practice to meet new challenges while often placing yourself at risk to protect those made vulnerable by the pandemic.
Now, a year later, vaccines bring a sense of hope -- but with no clear end to the pandemic in sight, social work is essential.
Essential to meeting the immediate needs of those carrying the pain of loss.
Essential to those navigating overwhelming uncertainty imposed on peoples’ lives.
Essential to addressing the profound systemic racism thrust into the spotlight by the pandemic, and
Essential to advocating to reconcile the economic, health and social inequalities glaringly exposed by not only COVID-19, but efforts to flatten curve as well.
As organizations with the honour of representing social workers in Canada nationally and internationally, we watched with immense pride as our members met ever-changing moments of crisis and uncertainty with strength, empathy, and professional commitment to service.
We acknowledge and appreciate that the pandemic also imposed personal and professional barriers on your lives that did not permit you to maintain your practice, or to complete social work education as planned.
