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Why Join NASW?

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Founded in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.

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Explore all the benefits of membership below! 

 

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What are the top reasons to join NASW?

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  1. You’ll get 2-for-1 membership: all the benefits of both national membership and Virginia membership.

  2. You’ll receive personal support from experts – on practice questions, legal issues, regulatory questions, ethical concerns, and more – giving you the information you need and saving you time.

  3. You’ll have opportunities to connect and network with others in our field – in person and online.

  4. You’ll gain access to extensive resources to help you grow and thrive in your career.

  5. You’ll benefit from the association’s advocacy efforts, which focus on protecting both social workers and those we serve.

  6. You’ll save money – on training, on our Annual Conference, on insurance, and with a variety of discounts for your professional and personal life.

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Get Training that Works

 

NASW has many training resources available to members for free or at a discounted rate. NASWVA provides continuing education programs and has been designated by the VA Board of Social Work, as well as the Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, as a pre-approved provider of professional continuing education programs for social workers and other mental health professionals.

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  • You can earn all of your needed continuing education through NASW and/or NASWVA, and members receive a discount on virtually every course.

  • NASWVA offers courses year-round throughout the state. Offerings include Licensure Exam Preparation, various Supervision courses, workshops, and more. Members save 20% or more!

  • NASWVA offers a Trauma-Informed Care Certification program which offers a 42 hour certificate training program developed for master’s level behavioral science practitioners interested in a Virginia NASW Trauma Specialist Certification credential. Members save over 20% off the total cost.

  • NASWVA’s Annual Conference offers 20 CE hours or more each year. Each year, members save significantly (over $100 last year for the full three-day conference).

  • NASW has hundreds of CE courses in a variety of formats—webinars, webcasts, podcasts, presentations, and more. All courses offered through this program are accredited by either the NASW National Office or one of NASW Chapters and NASW members receive discounted prices (save 50% to 100% - many are free!). 

  • Members who join a Specialty Practice Section get access to additional webinars for FREE (save up to $75)!

  • NASWVA offers a Virtual Book Club for members, which gives you the opportunity to earn up to 18 CEUs per year through reading social work-related books and taking a quiz. NASWVA members save $20 off the full price of $69.

  • Members can save $15 per year on the CE Tracker, NASW’s tool to keep track of everything related to training.

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Receive Career Support for Every Stage

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An important benefit of becoming an NASW member is the support you can receive related to your practice as a social worker. NASW and NASWVA offer many resources to support you at all stages of your career, from the time you’re a student until you retire!

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For All Social Workers…

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  • The MyNASW forum is a virtual community where members can connect, learn, and share. It includes a member directory, a place to post questions, and shareable resources.

  • NASWVA staff can help answer member questions on licensing, ethics, career options, practice issues, and more. Executive Director Debra Riggs is available for personal consultations on issues that affect your practice – legal questions, issues related to licensing and regulations, ethical concerns, and more. Also, NASW has ethical and legal support for members.

  • NASW maintains the NASW Code of Ethics, a set of standards for the professional conduct of social workers.

  • NASW offers “Leadership Ladders,” a resource for information about improving your skills and thriving as you look to advance your career.

  • NASW’s CE Tracker helps you keep track of CE hours, requirements, deadlines, and more.

 

For Students…

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  • Student members can become a NASWVA Student Ambassador and take on a leadership role within the chapter, network with peers and professionals, and form long-term connections in the field.

  • NASW’s Career Center offers tips for interviewing and writing your resume and cover letters.

  • NASWVA regularly promotes scholarship and other opportunities to members.

  • NASWVA recognizes member students with the BSW Student of the Year and MSW Student of the Year Awards.

  • Students pay a rate of just $60 per year (effective July 1, 2019).

 

For Young Professionals…

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  • Career search support includes NASW JobLink, a national job board with around 1,000 job listings at any time. Members get unlimited access to all features of the tool.

  • NASWVA also offers Virginia job listings exclusively to members in our communications.

  • NASWVA maintains a Qualified Supervisor List…if you are looking to find a supervisor, you have access to the list for free (a savings of $30).

  • You can find employment data, salary estimates, and outlook by specialty in the Career Center.

  • Members can explore Social Work Credentials and Certifications. Many options are available, but two, the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) and the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW), are available only to NASW members.

  • NASW recognizes young leaders with the Emerging Social Work Leader Award.

  • Networking opportunities at the local level.

  • Transitional Membership offers a reduced rate (for two years for BSW graduates - $116 per year, and 3 years for MSW graduates - $116 for years 1 and 2, and $179 for year 3).

 

For Seasoned Professionals…

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  • NASW’s Specialty Practice Sections offer a way for you to stay in-the-know in your specific practice area. Connect with your peers, get exclusive information from webinars and newsletters, and gain access to continuing education only available to the Section. Eleven Practice Sections offer support for many key areas. 

  • NASW offers opportunities for members to take on leadership roles – within the Virginia Chapter as a Board Member or committee member, and at the national level as Board Member, member of one of over thirty committees, or as a regional representative.

  • Interested in becoming a supervisor? Members can get listed in NASWVA’s Supervisor Directory for free, a savings of $48.

  • NASW can help with your private practice, with free resources, access to monthly private-practice focused sessions, and more.

  • NASW and NASWVA recognize social workers with awards for Social Worker of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and more.

 

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Connect with Colleagues

 

Becoming a member gives you so many opportunities to connect with other social workers!

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  • MyNASW is an online community where members can connect, learn, and share. Available only to members, the site includes a member directory, a place to post questions, and shareable resources.

  • NASW social media accounts offer timely information to over 150,000 followers nationally, and NASWVA accounts highlight information specific to Virginia.

  • NASWVA’s Annual Conference is an opportunity to meet and mix with almost 400 social workers from around the Commonwealth.

  • NASWVA hosts a Student Conference day and a Legislative Day geared toward our student members. Students can learn, network with professionals, and make long-term connections.

  • Specialty Practice Sections connect you with other social workers in your practice area from around the country.

  • NASWVA’s Virtual Book Club connects you to other social workers looking to engage with and learn from other social workers through reading assigned books and discussing them in a private online forum.

 

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​Find Resources to Assist

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NASW members have access to so many helpful resources.

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  • An annual subscription of Social Work is available to members. Social Work is the premier journal of the social work profession. Widely read by practitioners, faculty, and students, it is the official journal of NASW and is provided to all members as a membership benefit. Social Work is dedicated to improving practice and advancing knowledge in social work and social welfare. 

  • Social Work Advocates is NASW’s bimonthly magazine, sent to members and full of useful and timely information.

  • The NASW Research Library offers members unlimited access to more than 25 international databases with thousands of documents from leading research institutions, think tanks, and advocacy groups.

  • Affiliated online resources include Socialworkblog.org and helpstartshere.org – both offering timely and relevant information.

  • The NASW Press is NASW’s publishing arm, and a leading scholarly press in the social sciences. Members enjoy a discount of up to 10% on materials.

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Benefit from Advocacy

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The social work profession was founded in social change. Throughout the profession’s history, social workers have sought to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources and opportunities that allow them to meet their basic needs. On the federal level, NASW upholds this challenge by advocating for the Association to members of Congress and regulatory agencies that so often hold the authority to influence policy. NASW has developed a policy agenda, which asserts the association’s advocacy priorities for the legislative cycle.

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On the state level, NASWVA is also highly engaged in legislative advocacy programs that promote sound public policies aimed at meeting human needs and improving the quality of life for social workers and social work clients in Virginia. NASW advocates for you and for your clients with the state licensing board, General Assembly members, and other governmental bodies.

As a member, you benefit from the work done at the state and national level.

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Virginia PACE (Political Action for Candidate Election) is the Political Action Committee of NASWVA. The purpose is to help elect candidates to public office who support the goals and objectives of the social work profession and its clients in Virginia.

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Gain Career Protection

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NASW can help when you need it!

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  • NASW Assurance Services offers professional liability insurance at a discount to NASW members. NASWASI is endorsed by NASW as the best option for social workers. Members with policies through NASWASI can call the NASW Risk Management Hotline to access resources on insurance and legal questions.

  • Do you have a question about the legality of something or are you facing a legal issue? NASW can help. Many courses are available through the CE Institute, members have access to the “Legal Issue of the Month,” and the Legal Defense Fund offers grants of financial assistance to defray legal expenses of NASW members engaged in litigation related to the NASW Code of Ethics, social work principles, and/or standards of social work practice advocated by the association. 

  • Do you need feedback on an ethical dilemma? NASW and NASWVA offer ethical consultations as a benefit to members. The NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review provides individual consultations via phone, and NASWVA’s Executive Director can address ethical issues particular to the state.

  • Questions about HIPAA? NASW can help with our HIPAA toolkit, training courses, and more. All of these tools are accessible to members.

 

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Take Advantage of Members-Only Discounts

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As a member, you can take advantage of discounts that will save you time and money in both your professional and personal life.

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Discounts on training…

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  • Members receive a discount on all Professional Development courses offered by NASWVA – up to 25%!

  • Members receive discounts through NASW’s Online CE Institute, which offers hundreds of webinars, self-study courses, and more for FREE or a reduced fee – save 50% or more.

  • Members save on the CE Tracker, NASW’s tool to help you keep track of your CEs, know what is needed, deadlines, etc.  – the tool is available to members for just $25 per year.

  • Members save on NASWVA’s Annual Conference, which offers over 20 CE credits each year – you can save up to 25% on the cost of the conference.

 

Professional discounts…

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  • Current discounts (as of June 2019) which can help you in your practice include offers for an NASW Visa Rewards credit card, Taxbot, TherapyNotes, Office Depot/Office Max, Lenovo, Constant Contact and more.

  • Members can save on professional liability insurance through NASW Assurance Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NASW.

 

Discounts for your personal life…

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  • Discounts that can be helpful personally include LifeLock, TicketMonster, car rental and hotel offers, and vacation savings offers.

  • NASWVA has a special agreement with invitation-only hotel booking platform, Hotel Engine, allowing members to save an average of 26% at more than 100,000 hotels across North America, South America, and Europe.

  • NASW Assurance Services also offers other types of insurance, including auto and home, life and disability, and wellness. Various savings apply for members.

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Membership in NASW and NASWVA offers you benefits that help you grow your career, learn more, connect with peers, protect your practice, and save money.

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Top Reasons
Training
Career Support
Connect
Resources
Advocacy
Protection
Discounts
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