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This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the film favorite The Wizard of Oz. Last fall, I noticed that the fab four of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion made appearances at many Halloween celebrations. Let’s face it, we’re in love with this story and it’s no wonder. It has so many elements that often characterize an enduring classic: love of family, faithful friendships, overcoming adversity, and a life-altering journey.
This month’s E-News Exclusive uses the tale of The Wizard of Oz as a paradigm of how social workers encounter people on their life journeys and serve as allies much the way Dorothy met those who helped her face the Wicked Witch of the West and the flying monkeys she met along the Yellow Brick Road.
March is National Social Work Month and always a great time to remember why you entered the profession: to assist and support those who are vulnerable on a tough journey filled with challenges more daunting than Dorothy’s because they are barriers not to reaching a wannabe wizard with dubious wish-granting powers but to real-life goals. Goals such as mental and physical health and well-being, a living wage, and affordable health care, are ingredients necessary for a culture of compassion, healing, social justice, and equity and are the ones that social workers help clients reach as allies on the rocky road of real-life adversity.
Thanks to all social workers, and celebrate your profession this month and every month you help someone find their way!
We welcome your comments at SWTeditor@gvpub.com. Visit our website at www.SocialWorkToday.com, join our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.
— Marianne Mallon, editor |
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| We're proud to announce that Social Work Today has been nominated in the "Best Trade Magazine" category for the national NASW Media Awards. Voting for the winners is being held throughout March (National Social Work Month) on the NASW's voting page. Winners will be announced at the NASW national conference in Washington, DC in July, so please cast your vote for us! |
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We're Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto — Social Workers as Allies
When the Going Gets Tough
By J. Scott Janssen, MSW, LCSW
When I was a boy, watching The Wizard of Oz was a yearly event anticipated with as much enthusiasm as a birthday party or the Fourth of July. There was something magical about the strange cast of characters—a singing scarecrow, a mysterious wizard, talking trees, and flying monkeys—and something comforting about the way everything worked out in the end.
I especially loved the way Dorothy was assisted along the way by unexpected allies she never could have imagined while traveling the dusty roads and cornfields of Kansas, each one appearing at just the right time. People of my generation will instantly remember the Munchkins, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, Glenda the Good Witch of the East and, of course, the great and powerful Oz. But there were other allies, like Dorothy’s faithful dog, Toto; the doorman who took pity on her and let her into the Emerald City; the palace guards who, once their trance was broken, lowered their weapons and gave Dorothy what she was seeking and the charlatan masquerading as a wizard.
Full Story » |
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Ethics of Genetics Testing —
A Social Work Perspective
Read about the challenges confronting social workers and their clients who choose testing for genetic diseases that often have no treatment or cure. Read more »
Adult Day Centers — Options
for Elder Home Care Support
Caregivers of elders at home may resist considering adult day centers for their loved ones, but these facilities can offer respite, social stimulation for loved ones, and/or management of some medical conditions. Read more »
A Supporting Role in Elder Care
Just one of the many missions of The Actors Fund, a human services organization dedicated to providing programs to entertainment professionals in crisis, The Lillian Booth Actors Home provides affordable residential care on a 6-acre site in Englewood, NJ. Read more » |
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| Social workers care about their clients, but rarely do they have time to care about themselves. Show yourself a little appreciation with field-inspired gear from our Gift Shop. We've got the perfect item for every situation from busy days in the office to at home visits. Check out our secure online shop today or call toll-free 877-809-1659 for easy and fast ordering. |
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