On Thursday, March 23rd, students, faculty, and staff from the University of Southern Maine School of Social Work attended the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) sponsored Social Work Day at the State House.
The Maine State House, located in Augusta, was busy with students and social work professionals from throughout Maine. The day commenced with a session on Lobbying 101 – providing attendees with insight into the inner workings of the government and the complexities of policy-making.
One of the most exciting aspects of the trip was the official Social Work Month Proclamation – an acknowledgement of the celebration that occurs throughout the month of March which recognizes the many positive contributions of the profession. Attendees then made their way to the House and Senate Gallery for observations followed by meet-and-greets with local legislators.
The visit to the Maine State House proved to be an empowering experience for all who attended, and further served to reinforce the opportunities that Social Workers have to enact change at the policy level.