The course associated with this grant is SW 338: Social Policy and Social Justice and is a required course in the Social Work Department curriculum. In SW 338, students study the history, politics, and structure of the U.S. social welfare system and investigate
the benefits and effectiveness of selected social policies. A key objective is for students to learn to interrogate the value, political, and societal issues that underpin policies and programs,
giving special attention to contexts of diversity and examining how these dimensions (e.g.,
ability, age, class, race, ethnicity, family structure, marital status, gender, gender identity,
religion, sexuality) influence historical and contemporary social welfare policy and practice.
As a part of this work, students examine federal, state, and local levels with a focus on evaluating policies through research and the application of principles of social justice.
Students work directly with the National Association of Social Workers, New York State
(NASW-NYS) to complete a semester-long policy-advocacy project with the purpose of gaining hands-on experience addressing a social justice issue that falls within one of the challenges
identified in the grant. To that end, students identify a national, state, or local social policy they would like to see implemented and/or reformed and develop a proposal for change. Students then present their work to stakeholders, revise their proposals based on stakeholder feedback,
and submit the amended policy proposal and a formal letter to an official (e.g., elected representative, public department or agency head, cabinet member) at the end of the semester. As students are developing their proposals, the NASW-NYS assists them in identifying potential officials, preparing their presentation to stakeholders, and refining their proposals to ensure that they are effectively rooted in community-based needs.
