Advocating for the Social Service Workforce Nicole Brown Deputy Director

1. Advocating for the Social Service Workforce Nicole Brown Deputy Director Global Social Service Workforce Alliance March 20, 2019

2. Agenda • Definition of the social service workforce • Role of the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance • What is advocacy? • Why do we need to advocate for the social service workforce? And why now? • Existing tools and resources • Successes from advocacy • World Social Work Day • Ways to you can get involved

3. The social service workforce The social service workforce is defined as paid and unpaid, governmental and nongovernmental professionals and paraprofessionals working to ensure the healthy development and well-being of children and families. The social service workforce focuses on preventative, responsive and promotive programs that support families and children in our communities by alleviating poverty, reducing discrimination, facilitating access to needed services, promoting social justice and preventing and responding to violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect and family separation.

4. ABOUT THE Alliance • Launched in June 2013 as a network; recommendation of participants from 18 countries at June 2010 conference in Cape Town • Acts as a multi-sectoral convener to share good practices, advance knowledge and advocate for workforce improvements that will lead to better outcomes for children, families, communities and vulnerable groups • Funded by GHR Foundation & UNICEF, prior funding from USAID • Tides Center acts as fiscal sponsor and host • 5 Staff based in four locations and a globally representative Steering Committee

5. Role of the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance

6. Alliance Membership Alliance Membership (update of this slide) ABOUT THE Alliance Since launch in June 2013: • 2200 members from 134 countries

7. Planning the Workforce • Adopt a strategic approach to planning the social welfare workforce • Collect and share HR data and promote data-driven decision making • Improve recruitment, hiring, and deployment practices and systems • Build alliances to strengthen leadership and advocacy among stakeholders Framework for Strengthening the Social Service Workforce • Developing the Workforce • Align education and training for the social welfare workforce with effective workforce planning efforts • Ensure curricula incorporate both local/indigenous knowledge as well as international best practices for improving the well-being of children and families • Strengthen faculty and teaching methods • Provide broad range of professional development opportunities for workers • Supporting the Workforce • Develop or strengthen systems to improve and sustain social welfare workforce performance • Develop tools, resources and initiatives to improve job satisfaction and retention • Support professional associations in their efforts to enhance the professional growth and development of the social welfare workforce Country specific context, including social welfare, justice and child protection systems, cultural, local legislation, labor market, economy Source: Global Social Service Workforce Alliance

8. Mapping and analysis • Mapping and analysis in more than 30 countries • Regions include: East Asia and Pacific, South Asia and Middle East and North Africa • Survey responses from workers on their perceptions of supervision, training and education, role and title • Formation of government-led country-level task groups to develop national strengthening strategies • Building evidence-base to determine gaps and needs for better planning, development and support to the SSW • Next step is for stakeholders to use this data to advocate for more resources (human, financial, etc.)

9. What is Advocacy? • Advocacy aims at changing the pattern of decision-making, thus attempting to increase the probability of a specific decision being reached. • Advocacy efforts go beyond basic policy change - protect rights, educate the public and encourage civil or political participation, can seek fundamental institutional change and immediate gains for an organization or seek to address issues that need greater focus to create policy change. • Good advocacy is not a ‘one size fits all’ proposition. Advocacy for the social service workforce needs to be targeted and context-specific to resonate and move decision and policymakers to take specific actions in a wide range of contexts. • Doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming if we know what the main criteria for effective engagement are.

10. top challenges facing the social service workforce Source: Global Social Service workforce. The State of the Social Service Workforce. 2016 Report

11. The time is now The Sustainable Development Goals offer an unprecedented opportunity to attract the proper political and financial support. First time clear child protection-related targets are part of the global development agenda. A recent report by The European Social Network suggested that 65% of the 169 targets underlying the 17 SDGs will not be reached without proper engagement of and coordination with local and regional authorities that usually have a responsibility for social services. 

12. tools for Advocacy Global Advocacy Toolkit • Provides advocates with a common set of tools to bring about greater political and programmatic priority for strengthening the social service workforce • Includes infographics, case studies, fact sheets, worksheets

13. Tools for Advocacy • Call to Action • Advocacy document intended for government and decision-makers • Country level and global level recommended actions for strengthening the social service workforce • 35 organizations have signed on to show their support

14. Tools for advocacy Interest Group on Advocacy and Outreach • Comprised of 45 Alliance members • Purpose is to advance knowledge, discussion, tools and information exchange related to a thematic area of concern • Gathering existing tools into a compendium (audio visual, gray literature, press releases, presentations, case studies, worker profiles) • Will then assess gaps and needs toward developing new tools Media and Advocacy Training • Developing a facilitator’s guide • Pilot training to be held in June in Uganda Ambassador Program • Leadership and advocacy skills development • Second cohort 11 individuals in 11 countries working collaboratively to support each other in national advocacy efforts

15. Successes of advocacy– global examples South Korea • 6,000 social workers successfully advocated to the government for increased funding for children's centres, salaries and program costs Uganda • Development of national para-social worker training curriculum • Incorporation of workforce language within new National Child Policy • Discussion on creation of Social Work Council to regulate planning and development of social service workforce • Creation of a government-led country task force for developing an national SSW strengthening strategy • Use of VAC studies to advocate for greater funding and policy support

16. Successes of advocacy– global examples Save the Children • Establishment of the Child Protection Systems Task Group • Development of the Common Approach for Case Management that includes social service workforce training • Drafting of guidance on Para Social Workers drawing from existing resources • Standardization of job descriptions Kenya • Increase in budget allocations by the Department of Children’s Services by 20% from $800M to $1.2B, resulting in employment of an additional 250 children officers and 120 social protection officers due to sharing common advocacy messages • Strengthening collaboration between three different professional associations East Africa • SSW strategy and incorporation within the policy Minimum Standards for Comprehensive Services for Children and Young People in the EAC

17. Successes of advocacy– global examples Haiti • Database with the government child protection office is also in development and efforts remain underway to obtain funding to remunerate new and existing staff • In process of establishing a national association • Held viewing parties with following group discussions toward professionalization Georgia • Georgian Association of Social Workers advocated for the development of the Law on social work and ensured that the recently adopted legislation provides for extending numbers, strengthening and registration of SW, etc. • GASW organized activism and drafted several petitions to request better working conditions for the state social workers South Africa • Government bill to support establishment the SA Council on Social Service Professions, bring together social work and child and youth care work for professionalization, accreditation and registration • Multi-disciplinary and integrated approach for case management across worker cadres

18. Successes of advocacy– global examples India • Increasing support from the government toward recognition of the role of social workers and para professionals in mental health service provision • Initiating steps for mapping the social service workforce in India • Bringing together 6 associations to form a national association Indonesia • Development of a certification test for social welfare workers. • Bill before Parliament that students must be certified and pass test United States • Participation in marches over last 2 years to take a stand on human rights and social justice issues • NASW has drafted proclamations & issued statements opposing government policies

19. Role of social work associations – global examples Philippines • Work with the Continuing Professional Development Council and other state agencies to support: • registration • regulation • mandatory continuing professional development • implementation of ethical standards Malaysia and Indonesia • Advocate for legal recognition of professional social workers and establishing a licensing system Kenya • Engage members in recommending language on SW in the new Children’s Act • Provide a forum where social workers can grow professionally • Update members on new trends in the profession

20. World social work day • Tuesday, March 19, 2019 • Poster translated and available from IFSW • Events being planned in Sierra Leone, Uganda, Cambodia, Georgia and many more! • Social Work month – materials from NASW on theme “Elevate Social Work”

21. SW Day at the UN • Event held on March 19 at UN in Geneva • Organized by OHCHR, IFSW and Avenirsocial • Topic: Social workers standing up for human rights • SW Day at the UN in NY to be held on April 1 • 36th annual event • Theme: Strengthening Human Relationships, Policies and Programs to Protect Children • Organized by IFSW, IASSW and ICSW • Student event on international social work day prior

22. Get involved • Submit existing resources for advocacy compendium • Share how you’re using advocacy tools and outcomes • Send us World Social Day event details and photos • Join the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance and the advocacy interest group • Contribute expertise – blogs,resources and webinars • Attend or view SSW Strengthening Symposium on May 7 on topic of Evidence for Action

23. Alliance Membership Registration To become a member please visit www.socialserviceworkforce.org/membership

24. For more information, please visit:www.socialserviceworkforce.org E-mail me: nbrown@socialserviceworkforce.org Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Thank you!