DELEGATE ASSEMBLY National Association of Social Workers Purpose - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

National Association of Social Workers

Purpose

• Set broad organizational policy
• Establish program priorities
• Develops collective stance on public and

professional issues

The 277 Delegates

• Elected by each chapter
• National Board of Directors
• Non voting delegates:

– National Executive Director – Chapter Executive Directors

• California’s 15 member delegation the largest
• f all chapters

California Delegation

• Chapter President
• 4 at large delegates elected statewide, 2 north

and 2 south

• 9 regional delegates
• 1 student delegate (not elected until Spring

2014)

Duties and Roles of Delegate Assembly

• Set broad organizational policy:

In the form of Program Priorities – Composition, structure, and financing of the Association

• Bylaws amendments authority (est. 2008):

– Limited to the organization and role of Delegate Assembly – membership dues split between the National Office and its chapters

• Revisions to The Code of Ethics

Priority Categories

• Financial Viability
• Social Justice and Anti‐Oppression
• Professional Identification and Membership
• Promoting and Marketing the Profession
• Public Policy
• Social Work Training, Education, Research, and

Practice

• Workforce Development

Public and Professional Policy Statements

• Public policy statements:

– NASW's position on issues that affect society in general and recipients of social work services in particular

• Professional policy statements:

– social worker conduct, standards or relationships with other professionals

Policy Statements Provide Guidance

• Proposed legislation
• Legal matters (e.g. amicus curiae friend of the

court briefs)

• Social work education
• Practice settings
• Social Work Speaks

Policy Statement Update Process “Evergreen”

• Members may propose new, updated, revised or

deletion of any policy any time online.

• Policy Statement Steering Committee (NASW

practice/policy staff with input from Chapters and experts) decides “retain, revise, eliminate or new within 2 months

• NASW CEO reviews and posts on web for

feedback

• Panel members finalize and present to

Committee, CEO and National Board

2014 DA Issues

• Should the Delegate Assembly continue as is?

– What are some of the reforms being discussed for the Delegate Assembly?

• Do away with it
• Bring back a live in person national conference
• Bring back a hybrid live in person regional conference
• Review and revise policy statements annually
• Permit all members to be “delegates” and comment

and revise policy statements

DA Timeline

Feb 2013 Call to Assembly Prog Priorities Bylaws Amend Ethics Amend Spring 2013 Proposals developed x x x June 2013 Deadline for proposals x x x Sep Oct 2013 Board of Directors approval Website comments x x x Spring 2014 Prelim and final Agenda approved by Board Panel Review Online x x Aug 2, 2014 Assembly Convenes x x x Implementation July 2015 Jan 2015 Jan 2015

Detailed Timeline

– Feb 2013 Call to Delegate Assembly – Spring 2013 National Program Committee develops the initial set of proposed program priority goals, input sought – June 2013 Proposal deadline to DA Planning Task Force – Sep 2013 National Board of Directors approves Program Priorities – Oct 2013 Delegates, members review – Jan‐Mar 2014 Online Program Priority panels convened – May‐Jun 2014 Program Priorities finalized – Aug 2 2014 DA votes on program priorities – July 2015 Program priorities go into effect

How You Can Prepare

• Review the policy statements, volunteer to

serve on a panel to revise them

• Identify policy experts for the policy

statements, enlist their participation to comment on the statements

• Attend in person and online NASW events to

“spread the word” on the Delegate Assembly purpose: policy, priorities, org change

Live Online Meeting Logistics August 2014

• Assembly occurs via computer
• Option to participate in the live online

meeting in regional location or from home

• Need a computer with speakers and

microphone

• Reimbursement of expenses by Chapter for

travel, hotel and meals if attending a meeting

References & Resources

• 2011 DA website at

http://socialworkers.org/da/da2011/default.asp

– Includes the 2014 policy statements for review

– http://socialworkers.org/da/da2011/policies/policies2014.asp

• Chapter Staff:

– Janlee Wong, naswca@naswca.org, (800) 538‐2565 x11

• National staff:

– Sue Jashinsky, sjashinsky@naswdc.org, (800) 638‐8799 x266

• Former Delegates

Version January 25, 2013