Awards Descriptions & Criteria

Metro DC Chapter Annual Awards - 2022

Listed below are the categories and criteria by which Metro Chapter members can identify and measure the accomplishments of social workers, public citizens, agencies, and media in our community. Making a nomination is an expression of appreciation for exceptional performance and commitment to social work values by social workers, public citizens, agencies, and the media. Our Annual Awards recognitions endure year after year because they remain a vital source of inspiration, reaffirmation, and gratitude. As you make your nomination, consider the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

This award is to honor a member of the Metro Washington Chapter for his/her accomplishments over a lifetime of work in the field of Social Work. Candidates for this award have contributed to the field in three (3) or more of the following ways:

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated new combinations of skills that impart a positive impact on the profession and/or an agency (give examples);

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated extraordinary personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Creativity demonstrated by nominee in the transformation of programs and/or services;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated superior contributions to the public’s knowledge of Social Work and social programs;

• Represents an exemplary use of professional ethics as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR AWARD

This award will be chosen by the Awards Committee from winners in the following four (4) categories:

1. Social Work Educator of the Year

Candidates for this award must be currently employed or recently employed during the past year in a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral level social work program in the Washington Metropolitan Area and

must have contributed to the field in three or more of the following ways during the past year (give examples):

• Demonstrates a new combination of skills that impart a positive impact on the profession and/or an agency;

• Demonstrates, extraordinary personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Creativity demonstrated by nominee in the transformation of programs and/or services;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Demonstrates superior contributions to the public’s knowledge of Social Work and social programs ;

• Represents an exemplary use of professional ethics as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

2. Social Work Entrepreneur of the Year

This independently employed individual must show creativity and initiative in practice or in expanding the role of social work during the past year in three (3) or more of the following ways (give examples):

• Creates new ways to do more with less;

• Initiates new opportunities for consumer empowerment and choice;

• Demonstrates new skills or uses for technology to improve services and or care;

• Develops new business practices or programs that provide viable services;

• Establishes entrepreneurial services within the public or private sector;

• Creates new employment opportunities for social workers ;

• Represents an exemplary use of professional ethics as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

3. Social Worker of the Year - Private Agency

Candidates for this award must be currently employed or recently employed during the past year in a private for profit or non-profit agency in the Washington metropolitan area and must have contributed to the field in three or more of the following ways during the past year (give examples):

• Demonstrates a new combination of skills that impart a positive impact on the profession and/or an agency;

• Demonstrates, extraordinary personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Creativity demonstrated by nominee in the transformation of programs and/or services;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated superior contributions to the public’s knowledge of Social Work and social programs;

• Represents an exemplary use of professional ethics as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

4. Social Worker of the Year - Public Agency

Candidates for this award must be currently employed or employed during the past year in a public (city, county, state, or federal agency) in the Washington Metropolitan Area and must have contributed

to the field in three or more of the following ways during the past year ( give examples):

• Demonstrates a new combination of skills that impart a positive impact on the profession and/or an agency;

• Demonstrates, extraordinary personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Creativity demonstrated by nominee in the transformation of programs and/or services;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated superior contributions to the public’s knowledge of Social Work and social programs;

• Represents an exemplary use of professional ethics as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

SOCIAL WORK STUDENT OF THE YEAR

Candidates for this award must be currently matriculating or a recent graduate in a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral level social work program in the Washington Metropolitan Area and must have contributed

to the field in three or more of the following ways during the past year (give examples):

• Demonstrated academic excellence;

• Community and/or school activities reflect understanding of social work principles;

• Demonstrates extraordinary personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Represents an exemplary use of professional ethics as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Candidates for this award are agencies in the Metropolitan Washington Area which exemplify social work values through their commitment to activities that impact the social work profession, social policy, and services to clients in three (3) or more of the following ways (give examples):

• Promotes a new combination of skills that impart a positive impact on the profession and/or an agency;

• Provides extraordinary in-service opportunities for social workers to develop personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Creativity demonstrated by agency in the transformation of programs and/or services;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Develops new business practices or programs that provide viable services;

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated superior contributions to the public’s knowledge; of Social Work and social programs;

• Represents exemplary values consistent with NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

MEDIA AWARD

This individual or group of individuals are employed in the print, television, or large screen media. This award may or may not be awarded annually. Candidates for this award should have contributed in three (3) or more of the following ways:

• Brings attention to the social work profession or the specific practice of social workers.

• Brings attention to significant social/environmental/legal/legislative issues that impact the work of social workers and or the consumers they serve.

• Uses their journalistic talents to raise funds and resources for social service or related programs in the metropolitan area.

• Works conjointly with local groups/governments to establish new services for individuals in need to social services.

• Has shown through their work a special understanding of humanitarian needs and has stirred the consciousness of the community.

• Represents exemplary values consistent with NASW Code of Ethics

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month – Strengthening  Connections

PUBLIC CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Candidates for this award are citizens in the Metropolitan Washington Area who do not possess a social work degree but exemplify social work values through their commitment to and activities that impacts social issues and progress in three (3) or more of the following ways (give examples):

• Demonstrates a new combination of skills that impart a positive impact on the profession and/or an agency;

• Demonstrates, extraordinary personal and professional integration of experience and education to help people;

• Creativity demonstrated by nominee in the transformation of programs and/or services;

• Exceptional risk taker for better human services;

• Enlists major public support for improved human services;

• Demonstrates or has demonstrated superior contributions to the public’s knowledge of Social Work and social programs;

• Represents exemplary values consistent with NASW Code of Ethics;

• Reflects the 2022 National Theme for Social Work Month –  Strengthening  Connections

All nominees must be members in good standing in NASW, Metro Washington or Virginia Chapters, except for nominees for the following: Media, Public Citizen, & Agency awards. Nominators should fill out the nomination form here prior to February 18, 2022.