Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Social work practice is associated with policy practice and the pursuit of transforming the social system. Direct practice, as much as it is extremely vital in the care of people and families, is not enough without involvement in policy practice that includes advocating for equitable systems, campaigning for legislation amendments, and working to monitor policies uphold human dignity, justice, and fairness.
My reflections are based on my experiences as a social work student at George Mason University (GMU) and an intern at the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) and New Hope Housing of VA. In this paper, I will explain how policies affect the day-to-day lives of affected communities and how Competency 5: Engaging in Policy Practice has guided my fieldwork, which involved providing services and contesting policies that oppress marginalized groups.
My policy practice with ECNV and New Hope Housing, and how my practice aligned with the 2022 EPAS standards of the Council for Social Work Education, the NASW Code of Ethics, and general principles of social work advocacy.
Describing the Effects of Policy on Clients in the ECNV Organization
In ECNV, I had the privilege of working with persons with disabilities who were experiencing diverse challenges in obtaining employment, accommodation, and transportation as a result of discriminatory policy and practice. One of the cases that made an impact on me was when I was helping a client who had a mobility impairment to get suitable transport to work.
But even with the legal protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), my clients waited for a long time for paratransit, rode from inaccessible bus stops, and encountered policies that prioritized efficiency over accessibility. She was unable to go to her last doctor's appointments because she could not work within the limits of the public transportation system, which was not able to serve her as a wheelchair user.
First, I helped her fill out the complaint forms and seek other ways of transport. But dealing with more than fifty clients who had the same problem, it became apparent that this was not a single instance but a problem of policy of general application that required a policy solution.
• Research disability transportation policy in Virginia in comparison with best practice nationally in the US.
• Helped in drafting a formal letter to the local transport authority requesting them to alter their policies that are non-ADA compliant. It entailed [specific actions taken, such as research of transport authority policies, drafting the letter, and mobilizing other stakeholders].
• Worked with ECNV's advocacy department to ensure disability transportation issues are presented in legislative hearings. This included [steps taken, e.g., developing testimony, interacting with other advocacy organizations, and follow-up with legislators.
This demonstrated that social workers need to go beyond singular service provision and engage in policy change for lasting impact.
How I advocated for Housing Justice at New Hope Housing
At New Hope Housing, I helped individuals and families in crisis, individuals and families at risk of homelessness, eviction, and housing instability. The worst case was a female who was not approved for rental assistance due to having an eviction on her history.
Despite her efforts at working two jobs, she couldn't get a stable place of residence because the policies of the landlords permit lawful discrimination on eviction history. This eye-opener revealed policy inadequacies of housing legislation and economic justice to a greater extent.
Instead of just referring her to a temporary shelter, I used a policy-oriented approach and:
• Discussed with Virginia's tenant law and eviction policies and how they impact low-income communities and communities of color.
• Discussed with fair housing agencies for advice and learned about best practices worldwide.
• Served on the policy team at New Hope Housing and fought to advocate for tenant rights in the form of right-to-counsel, expungement from eviction, and additional funding for rental assistance.
This experience was an excellent learning experience: Policies are never innocent—either they benefit or disadvantage vulnerable populations. Social workers must practice policy advocacy and confront unjust systems. My experience will close with a presentation of how the study applies to ethical practice and policy. The authors' experiences at ECNV and New Hope Housing were on par with the CSWE 2022 EPAS standards:
• Policy Practice Requires Research – Evidence had to be established in order to develop effective and compelling policy advocacy campaigns.
• Ethical Social Work Demands Systemic Change – The NASW Code of Ethics requires that social workers must work towards eliminating oppression in all its forms, not only in practice with clients.
• Intersectionality Needs to Inform Policy Engagement – Disability justice and housing rights both need understanding of how race, socioeconomic status, and oppression intersect to produce client experiences.
Data, ethics, and advocacy are therefore the necessary ingredients of successful change-making processes based on policy and research.
My Evolution as a Policy Advocate and Plans for the Future
Prior to commencing fieldwork, I considered policy as something developed and implemented by politicians and governments. My encounters at ECNV and New Hope Housing instilled in me the realization that social workers become policy advocates de facto.
We are the ones who:
Who identify systematic oppression in our own everyday lives. We can compare and contrast policies. We are the advocates of the voices of the marginalized communities.
My fieldwork experiences transformed my perspective on social work. We should not only help people cope with the effects of systemic breakdowns but also attempt to prevent these breakdowns from happening in the first place.
In my future practice, I will:
• To continue to be engaged in the legislative process at both the national and state levels.
• To be part of the struggle to eliminate ill-conceived or discriminatory policies based on research.
• My practice will always be informed by values of social justice and human rights.
