Michael Mallory, Chicago District Chair
Hello everyone!
I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the warming up and sunshine! These past few days were much needed to challenge the COVID slump as we were all couped up inside due to the cold and snow. It sure felt refreshing to feel some of the freedom of being outside.
Also, Happy Social Work Month! I encourage all of you to check out the Facebook page called “The Social Worker Lounge” as the page operator works toward creating a community based on inspiration and mentorship. Their recent post was helpful as they encouraged folx to reflect on their work and to remember one of their “absolute favorite” memories about their work in the field. This easy exercise helped me remember why I continue the work I do. That said, I hope all of you can do this mindfully so that it can help remember the important work you all do.
I hope some of you had the change to attend our district’s training last week, “Burnout During the Pandemic.” It was a very informative training which brought forward interesting data about how the pandemic has impacted us as professionals. I found the self-assessments to be helpful in gaining insight into where I am at in the spectrum of burnout and where I am lacking in self-care. It’s encouraged me to make some changes so that I can better weather the current climate.
I know that there is still the desire for CEU opportunities given this being our renewal year for licensed folx. I encourage all of you to look into our CEU library online which will allow you the ability to access different trainings that we hosted across districts at an affordable price. [*NASW - IL CEU Library*] Additionally, I want to share that I am unable to share external CEU opportunities in this forum due to our policies. I encourage all of you to reach out to your colleagues to learn more about what they might be finding as well as looking at local educational institutions to see what they may be offering. As a reminder, please make sure to confirm that their CEU provider is recognized by our licensing board.
While we venture off into our work weeks, I suggest taking a moment to watch the video series on the NASW’s YouTube channel that has folx sharing their stories about being essential. [*NASW YouTube*] This is a helpful video series to continue to inspire us to continue the good work we do.
Until next time,
—Michael
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