Voting as a Social Work Intervention:

Resources for Schools & Organizations

Supporting the political power and participation of clients and communities directly aligns with our profession’s mission, Code of Ethics, and our impact. Fixing structural barriers and inequities built into public policy requires political action and shifting power to those most affected. Supporting people to vote helps shift that power.

Politics can feel overwhelming and many social workers feel unprepared to fulfil our profession’s ethical responsibilities to support public participation and political action.

Below are resources for schools of social work, faculty and organizations that connect voter engagement to social work’s mission and impact.

Two women wearing face masks and holding up signs

Resources for Schools and Faculty 

Nonpartisan voter engagement spans both micro and macro practice and can fit into many of the courses taught in schools of social work.  Research shows that when students and agencies learn the connection of voter turnout to social work’s mission, ethical mandate, and outcomes, they are more likely to plan to include it in their practice with individuals and agencies.  Voting is also complex.  Giving students assignments to register voters and connect what they learn to their field practicums increases their political efficacy and can promote student-driven innovation in service delivery.  

Faculty

Faculty can play a powerful role in supporting students to be informed and engaged voters. Scholars Strategy Network's Faculty Guild to Student Voting in Your Classroom suggests ways to bring nonpartisan voter registration, education, and voter participation to your classroom.  It can also be daunting to sift through all of what's available, so we have compiled a list of ideas and resources that you can use to support and engage social work students, staff and faculty in all elections:

  • Use our PowerPoint slide and encourage students to check their voter registration.  They can also use our nonpartisan resource to register, request an absentee ballot, find information, and request reminders to vote before every election.
  • Include content in your class using the resources on this site, including:
    • Why Voting Matters: The benefits of voting to social work's mission, code of ethics and impact.
    • Barriers to voting and efforts to suppress the vote
    • Why social workers and agencies are perfectly positioned to support clients and communities to vote
    • Voting rules in your state  (partner with civic organization).
  • Build civic skills and political efficacy
  • Encourage students to add voter activities, which tie to all 9 CSWE Core competencies, to their educational contracts
  • Invite guest speakers who engage voters as part of their mission and impact (e.g., Planned Parenthood, AARP, and others)

Practicum/Field Education

  • Give students field credit for election-related activities such as serving as a poll worker or running a voter registration drive.
  • Encourage students and field supervisors to add voter activities to their education contracts, which tie to all 9 CSWE Core Competencies.
  • Share NASW's Article on the Role of Clinical Social Workers on Voter Engagement, our Voter Engagement Guide for Organizations and other resources on our Help Others to Vote page with field instructors.
  • Share training opportunities around voter engagement and offer CEs to field instructors who participate.

Students

  • Speak with your field supervisor about adding voter activities to your education contract, which tie to all 9 CSWE Core Competencies.
  • Host voter registration drives and promote voter participation in your classes and events.
  • Make sure you are ready to vote!  Students can register and vote at their school address or request an absentee ballot application to vote by mail using your home address.
  • Join and promote the Power of Three Campaign!  Engage at least three friends, family and others to vote this election!

 

Schools of Social Work

In addition to bringing nonpartisan voter engagement to social work curricula and practicum education, schools of social work have an important role to play in supporting civic knowledge and engagement among students and the profession.

  • Hire students to run peer-led voter activities on campus. Learn more about how Federal Work Study (FWS) programs can provide part-time work opportunities in community service and civic engagement for students demonstrating financial need.  
  • Encourage students, faculty and staff to check their voter registration at Convocation, all school meetings, or on the first day of class.  It takes less than 30 seconds.
  • Ask incoming students if they are registered to vote and if they want assistance to do so.
  • Host voter registration drives and promote voter participation at events and school orientation.
  • Educate all students about how to vote by absentee ballot or how to register locally.
    • Provide stamps for ballots!
  • Join and promote the Power of Three Campaign to encourage students, faculty, and staff to engage three voters this election

For more ideas on bringing nonpartisan voter education, registration, and turnout information to your campus and curricula, read Scholars Strategy Network's Faculty Guide for Student Voting.

Social Workers, Agencies, and Nonprofits  

Supporting clients, staff and communities to vote builds their political power to advocate for themselves and their communities and amplifies your impact.  An important first step is to build support in your organization by sharing why voting matters to your mission and your outcomes. You can find resources on our website.

Agencies and Nonprofits

Clinical Social Workers