Students from Howard Payne University’s Social Work Program visited Brownwood City Hall on Wednesday, March 31st, in honor of Social Work Awareness Month. HPU Professor Rachel Derrington arranged the class visit in order to allow the students to learn more about local government as part of the program’s focus on training students to engage with their community to better serve at-risk, disadvantaged, and diverse populations in rural Texas. Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes and City Manager Emily Crawford spoke with students during their tour of City Hall.
“We appreciate having students who are interested in learning more about local government,” Mayor Haynes said. “We hope the information provided will help them better understand how to serve their community and make better lives for those in need of assistance.”
National Social Work Month is recognized in March and is considered a time to celebrate social workers and their contributions to communities across the United States. The official theme for Social Work Month 2021 is “Social Workers are Essential”. A statement from the National Association of Social Workers reads “As practitioners, social workers are trained to help people address personal and systemic barriers to optimal living. They are employed to effect positive change with individuals, families, groups, and entire communities.” Communities are encouraged to learn more about the positive contributions of the profession during Social Work Month.
“Every day in a social worker’s life is about helping someone thrive and comforting someone who is suffering,” Professor Harrington said. “Social workers can accomplish these tasks on a broader scale by working with or for the local government. What a great opportunity to celebrate Social Work Awareness Month with Mayor Haynes and Mrs. Crawford by learning from their expertise!”
The mission statement of HPU’s Social Work Program is to “prepare students in a Christian context as generalist practitioners for service at baccalaureate entry-level positions.” The program seeks to instill traditional social work values and ethics, including the need to provide services to the poor and oppressed, and to alleviate poverty, oppression, and discrimination. To learn more about Howard Payne University’s Social Work Program, visit: www.hputx.edu/socialwork
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