My previous piece, entitled “A Social Work Background Can Be Helpful to Public Policy Work,” described the strengths that social workers can bring to public policy. This follow-up explains how workplaces should not be perplexed by people with social work degrees pursing public policy jobs.
Since many people think that social workers help individuals, they can be puzzled by people with social work degrees who intend to work on policy. Individuals with social work backgrounds are often asked why they want to work on policy. Employers can even be confused by a social worker who has limited (if any) clinical social work experience because they see social work on that individual’s resume. Offices should realize that everyone with a social work degree does not want to be a clinical social worker. They also should not automatically decline to consider a person who has a substantial amount of clinical social work experience for public policy roles, as that individual may understand problems and potential solutions better than others.
Professionals and hiring managers should understand that:
- Policy work is in the social workers’ code of ethics (from 2017):
Social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services and opportunities they require to meet their basic needs and to develop fully. Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for change in policy and legislation to improve social conditions to meet basic human needs and promote social justice.
- The Council on Social Work Education’s 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards for Baccalaureate and Master’s Social Work Programs lists “Engaging in Policy Practice” as one of “The Nine Social Work Competencies.” At least Columbia University School of Social Work school requires that its two-year master’s students take one policy class.
- Fundamentally, social work helps people and communities address social challenges. Social work is not practiced merely on the clinical/micro level. While many social workers work on the micro level, others work on other levels. Even when social workers focus on public policy, they still practice social work.
- Social workers have been and continue to be instrumental with policy. Some prominent public policy professionals are examples of social workers’ potential to make profound contributions to the formulation and implementation of public policy at state, federal, and global levels. They include Members of Congress, one of whom was reportedly shortlisted to a vice-presidential running mate in recent years. Not all of these important policy employees work in traditional social policy. Some even work on foreign policy.
- A social work background is useful in policy in terms of skills, values, and relationships. Social workers can have more relevant public policy experience when beginning their careers.
More social workers could and should do public policy work. Their backgrounds enable them to make valuable contributions.
Miriam Edelman, MPA, MSSW, is a Washington, D.C.-based policy professional. Her experience includes policy work for Congress. Miriam’s undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, with majors in political science and urban studies. She has a master’s in public administration from Cornell University, where she was inducted into the national honorary society for public administration. She has a master’s of science in social work (focusing on policy) from Columbia University. She is a commissioner of the DC Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Miriam aims to continue her career in public service. She is especially interested in democracy, civic education, District of Columbia autonomy, diversity, health policy, women’s issues, and disabilities.
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