The Social Work Advocate in Politics

Social Work Advocate in Politics
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Lobbying involves processes that impact public policies and entails forming and executing strategies for the purpose of convincing those in power. Social workers participate in lobbying campaigns to encourage social justice and improve their client’s welfare, although the federal law regulates these activities. Lobbyists influence legislation through a mixture of public relation skills, persuasion, and keeping political contact (Hill n.d).
Having elected social worker officials would have a positive impact in the society especially in enabling easier facilitation of proposed changes. In particular, these officials would utilize their office and power to influence relevant government bodies into adopting suggested changes, a process that would otherwise consume time and other resources if social workers are not represented in the government. Furthermore, these officials are better equipped in understanding areas of weakness within legislatures that affect societies and hence can mobilize social workers to amend these areas.
Social work is diverse involving not only various areas of interests affecting the public and corporation but also diverse personnel comprising of all genders, different age, ethnic, and racial groups. Some colleagues have experienced patriarchy and prejudice in one way or another which influences their perspectives on different issues and have also changed my opinion. For example, a colleague’s close relative got separated from their child following the recent immigration crackdown on undocumented immigrants which initially as appropriate for me until the ordeal was explained in detail.

My opinion changed completely from supporting deportation of undocumented immigrants to seeking alternatives that did not necessarily involve separating children from their parents and giving them to social workers. I now support campaigns lobbying against this vice.
Reference
Hall, S. (n.d.). The Role of a Lobbyist as a Social Advocate. Work – Chron.com. Retrieved from
http://work.chron.com/role-lobbyist-social-advocate-17892.html