Leadership in Social Work

Social work is an ever-growing and expanding profession. You will find social workers in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, police departments, and more. We are working in politics and in the justice system both behind the scenes and in the public eye! Social workers are wherever change needs to happen and we hold ourselves to high standards because we care about our communities. Like it or not, if you choose to enter social work, you will become a leader! Perhaps you will be a leader in your organization, in your community, in the school, or simply to your clients. 

For me, leadership in social work is something that is very important. Social workers are being watched and held to a high standard because we claim to be working for the betterment of those we serve. As a social worker, I value the code of ethics very highly. According to the NASW code of ethics, “the mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, are the foundation of social work’s unique purpose and perspective.”

• service
• social justice
• dignity and worth of the person
• importance of human relationships
• integrity
• competence.

Anyone would agree these are also the hallmarks of a good leader. By living up to these values, I believe I can be a great leader as a social worker and as a person.