WU Advocacy and Credibility Discussion

The role of advocacy is often difficult and can be conflictual due to the struggles for power and resources. To emphasize the significance of the needed change and to garner support from stakeholders in the community, social workers often provide data to support proposed intervention or strategies. The data should be current and relevant to the population or system with which the social worker is seeking to intervene.

It is vital that social workers utilize credible resources to promote change within the community; to do otherwise is unethical and a risk to your reputation and the reputations of those you represent. Credible resources can be found in government-funded research databases, such as the Census Bureau. When social workers choose to conduct research themselves, strict research protocol helps ensure against any biases. This week’s Discussion explores credible resources that might assist you in your advocacy role.