ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (ADEI)
Charter Oak State College BSW Program
NASW Ethical Guidelines require that social workers demonstrate cultural competence in their micro, mezzo, and macro-level practice, which includes “the integration and transformation of knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services, thereby producing better outcomes (NASW, 2020).”
Additionally, effective social work practice goes beyond maintaining the minimal ethical requirements of cultural competence. Social workers must engage in anti-racist practice behaviors that actively confront and seek to dismantle systems of oppression that have negatively affected the clients we serve, and contributed to the ongoing inequity manifest in every social institution in the U.S.
Moreover, anti-racism is intimately tied to the social work profession’s commitment to social justice, which seeks to ameliorate the causes and consequences of culturally entrenched discrimination with a more equitable distribution of social and political resources for those who have suffered as a result.
To this end, the COSC Social Work Program is committed to creating a learning environment that encourages the relentless, vocal unequivocal pursuit of social justice and practice of anti-racism among students and faculty alike.
The BSW Program hosts several programs and events demonstrating our commitment to ADEI. Guest Speaker Series & Workshop Trainings include:
- NASW Webinar: Disability Inclusion in Practicum Education
- The Expert Series: International Social Work in Practice
- Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Lecture
The COSC Social Work Program is dedicated to promoting anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in compliance with CSWE ADEI standards. In coursework, practicum education, as well as co-curricular activities, the Program is committed to the ongoing work of integrating and teaching anti-racist/anti-oppressive practices. Faculty, staff, and students are expected to model these practices and uphold the values of inclusion, equity, and justice as per the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, CSWE Competencies, and COSC Standards.
Social Work Student Advisory Board (SWSAB)
The Social Work Student Advisory Board (SWSAB) formalizes social work baccalaureate students’ engagement and brings student voice to curricular activities. The 3–7-member advisory board is comprised of social work pre-majors and social work majors. The SWSAB advances the social work program’s mission by collecting and sharing student feedback and suggestions around course experiences, faculty/instructor evaluations, student engagement, co-curricular program development, practicum education, and developing initiatives that are responsive to student academic interests and curricular concerns.
Social Work Student Association (SWSA)
The Social Work Student Association fosters partnership, outreach, and engagement among pre-social work and social work majors. The SWSA seeks to connect social work students across the online learning environment and within local and regional communities. SWSA seeks to provide peer social supports to social work students through interactive activities and share opportunities to become involved in campus and community activities that promote social work values and leadership. SWSA is a student-run undergraduate club that focuses on issues of importance to BSW students its members with activities designed to inform them of the many opportunities in social work practice, to enhance the students' personal and professional lives, to provide opportunities for association with social work professionals and community providers, and to participate actively in community service. Members commit themselves to the organization by attendance at meetings and involvement in activities that build a sense of community. Membership in the SWSA organization is open to all Charter Oak undergraduate social work students.
Professional Practice Community (PPC) Advisory Committee
The Professional Practice Community (PPC) advisory committee is comprised of seven practice community professionals from across social work practice areas, including civil rights and urban advocacy, child welfare, social welfare services, racialized disparities, residential treatment, and health and mental health practitioners. The advisory committee meets twice per year to solicit feedback on curriculum and instruction and ensure alignment with the social work practice profession and competency attainment.
Community Collaborations
The BSW program faculty and leadership are active members and participants in local, state, national, and global associations, task forces, subcommittees, advisory boards, and councils. Current memberships include but are not limited to:
- The National Association of Social Workers - Connecticut Chapter
- The Connecticut Association of School-Based Health Centers (CASBHC)
- The Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance
- CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
- Council on Social Work Education-Commission on Field Education (COFE)
- North America Network of Field Educators and Directors (NANFED)
News
Upcoming Events
- “State of Social Work” Roundtable Discussion - March 21, 2025| 12pm – 1pm EST| Free| RSVP Link