The Willenborg Social Work Leadership for the Common Good Grant Program

Willenborg Social Work Leadership for the Common Good stipends provide stipends for students whose field placements will build their experience and skills engaging in justice advocacy, leadership development, community organizing, and policy practice. The goal is to provide support for graduate students in field placements that offer substantial experience in advancing human rights and social, economic and environmental justice (Social Work Education Core Competency 3) and / or engage in policy practice (Core Competency 5). The grant will provide three (3) $3,000 stipends ($1500 per term) to Master of Social Work (MSW) candidates assigned to field placements.

In order to receive the stipend, applicants must describe what components of the program will allow them to develop Core Competencies 3 and / or 5 and discuss how they wish to engage as a leader in community organizing, policy advocacy, and policy practice after completing their MSW program.

Eligibility Requirements

Minimum of 3.0 GPA

First Name

Preferred Name

Last Name

Email Address

Cell Phone

Date of Birth is collected to prevent the creation of duplicate records.
Date of Birth

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Social workers understand that every person, regardless of position in society, has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations. They are knowledgeable about theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights. Social workers understand systems designed to eliminate oppressive structural barriers to ensure that social goods, rights, and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected.

Behaviors:

Apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human right at the individual and system levels
Engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice

With conversations with your agency field instructor, give a detailed description of the activities that you will engage in during your internship related to this competency. (50-100 words)

In your own words, please describe your aspirations for putting this competency to use as a social work leader for the public good after you receive your MSW. (50-100 words)

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

Advanced generalist social workers engage in identifying, comparing, and analyzing international, federal, state, and local policies. Advanced generalist social workers engage in understanding, assessing, and critiquing the history and current structure, development, and implementation of social policies and services. Advanced generalist social workers engage in advocating for social policies and services that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.

Behaviors:

Demonstrate an understanding of how the effects of local and global institutional and economic power and policies reinforce systemic oppression
Assess and identify strengths and challenges that support policy development across the micro, mezzo and macro systems
Advocate and promote policies that support the social and economic equity and inclusion of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Social workers understand that human rights and social justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated by oplicy and its implementation at the federal, state, and local levels. Social workers understand the history and current structures of social policies and services, the role of policy in service delivery, and the role of practice in policy development. Social workers understand their role in policy development and implementation within their practice settings at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels and they actively engage in policy practice to effect change within those settings. Social workers recognize and understand the historical, social, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences that affect social policy. They are also knowledgeable about policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation.

Behaviors:

Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well-being, service delivery, and access to social services
Assess how social warfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to social services
Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice

With conversations with your agency field instructor, give a detailed description of the activities that you will engage in during your internship related to this competency. (50-100 words)

In your own words, please describe your aspirations for putting this competency to use as a social work leader for the public good after you receive your MSW. (50-100 words)

We are eager to have our field placement grant recipients share their experiences and growth as a social work student with the broader university community. Would you be willing to share your experience through a short talk, panel or poster presentation in the April 2024 Scholarship & Ideas Expo?

Yes

No