SSWR Strategic Plan 2024-2028

SSWR Strategic Plan 2024-2028: Learn about our new strategic plan set to inform how we address complex issues.

Building Capacity to Advancing Social Work Science that Informs Solutions to Complex Societal Challenges

SSWR Strategic Directions

Effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028 (Board approved April 2, 2023)

Mission

The Society for Social Work and Research was incorporated in 1994 as a freestanding organization dedicated to the advancement of social work research.  SSWR works collaboratively with a number of other organizations that are committed to improving support for research among social workers.  Our members include faculty in schools of social work and other professional schools, research staff in public and private agencies, and masters/doctoral students.

Vision

The Society for Social Work and Research advances, disseminates, and translates research that addresses issues of social work practice and policy and promotes a diverse, just, and equitable society.

Values

The Society for Social Work and Research fully endorses the core values of the social work profession as ensconced in the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics[1]: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence.

Shared values:

  • Rigorous Research for Social Justice
    • High-quality, rigorous research is essential for promoting a just and equitable society.
  • Ethical Research
    • Social work researchers should be held to the highest ethical standards.
  • Evidence-Based Practice
    • Social work practice must be based on the best available evidence.
  • Interdisciplinary Research
    • Collaboration of researchers across disciplines improves the quality and impact of research.
  • Capacity Building
    • Research training and mentoring are necessary throughout a social work researcher’s career.
  • Collaboration
    • Collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders (e.g., communities, policymakers, clients, and other stakeholders.) improves the quality of both research and practice.

Goal 1: Improve SSWR Operational Excellence

SSWR has the administrative capacity to ensure improvements in its administrative functions, governance processes, and finances.

Objective 1: Improve administrative structure and capacity of SSWR
Objective 2: Offer additional leadership and engagement opportunities for doctoral students, early career scholars, and international scholars by 2025.
Objective 3: Grow SSWR business model and financial health by 2028 by increasing SSWR’s net assets.

Goal 2: Strengthen & Diversify SSWR membership composition, benefits, engagement, & conference experience.

Strengthen & Diversity SSWR membership composition, benefits, engagement, & conference experience to engage with and through SSWR.

Objective 1: Modernize Annual Conference
Objective 2: Maximize opportunities for membership professional development and increase member engagement
Objective 3: Explore possibilities of increasing SSWR Global presence
Objective 4: Re-imagine Fellows & Awards

Goal 3: Advance individual and School members research capacity and skills to inform solutions to complex social problems

Advance individual and School members research capacity, antiracist methodological skills, and the increase use of social work science in policy and others solutions to complex social problems.

Objective 1: Support professional development of social work researchers throughout career levels
Objective 2: Strengthen institutional research infrastructure to promote social work research and impact
Objective 3: SSWR is contacted as a scientific solutions resource by policy and service decision makers use of scholarship
Objective 4: Build Antiracist & Anti-oppressive (ARA)) research capacity in social work
Objective 5: Formulate & Implement SSWR action plan to advance Grand Solutions to Complex Problems

Goal 4: Enhance SSWR communications and publications

Improve SSWR’s publications, communications, & social media infrastructure

Objective 1: Increase the media presence of SSWR and JSSWR by 100% by 2028
Objective 2: Transform SSWR’s website into a more interactive visitor and member platform by 2024
Objective 3: JSSWR is the premier scholarly publication for social work research nationally and internationally by 2028

[1] National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics. https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/default.asp

Download Strategic Directions PDF

Scroll to Top