NASW
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), founded October 1, 1955, is the largest and most recognized membership organization of Professional social workers in the world. Representing members from 55 chapters in the United States and abroad, the Association promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. The NASW Montana Chapter is a state chapter of the NASW. As of early 2023, the Montana Chapter had approximately 600 members.
NASW Montana Mission Statement
- NASW Montana unites social workers to protect, empower, and advocate for the well-being of all Montanans.
NASW Montana Vision Statement
- Thriving communities, people, and social work professionals across Montana.
NASW Montana Values
- Connection: Fostering healthy relationships to create strong communities.
- Professionalism: Commitment to ethical competence, integrity, and best practices.
- Social Justice: Montanans deserve equitable economic and social opportunities.
- Hope: The possibility of a better future for Montanans.
Strategic Planning Process
In October 2022 and February 2023 the NASW Montana Board of Directors along with the executive director gathered for two strategic planning retreats. The purpose of these retreats were to twofold:
- Revisit and renew our Chapter mission, vision and values to ensure the association is meeting our community's current needs and the visions of our varied stakeholders.
- To create a roadmap for a three-year strategic plan.
With feedback from a member survey in early 2023 that received a nearly 20% response, our updated mission, vision and core values were adopted (seen above) by the board in March 2023. In addition, NASW Montana has adopted three strategic planning priorities which are the core of our three-year strategic plan road map. They are:
- To develop robust educational opportunities for professionals.
- To increase accessibility of services through policy advocacy.
- To increase representation of social work across sectors.
In alignment with these priorities, our volunteer-based working committees have developed short term goals with measurable outcomes and tasks. While it is our hope in the coming years to have a web-based platform to share committee progress, currently our work is reported out at our board meetings.
We welcome your feedback, your time on a committee to help us reach out goals, and any insight you have. Please reach out to Nathan Stahley, Executive Director of NASW Montana at 406-449-6208 or nstahley.naswmt@socialworkers.org.