Motivation to Teach Social Action:
I incorporate social justice action assignments in my Foundation of Social Welfare course because social work is fundamentally about advocacy and creating positive change in communities. By engaging students in real-world social action projects, they develop critical skills in policy analysis, community organizing, and advocacy while understanding how historical and contemporary power structures shape social welfare systems.
This experiential approach helps students connect abstract policy concepts to lived experiences and current social issues. When students engage directly with pressing concerns—whether healthcare disparities during COVID-19, racial justice through Black Lives Matter, or food security through SNAP policy—they develop deeper critical consciousness and learn to apply social work values in practice.
The social action component transforms students from passive learners into active participants in the democratic process, preparing them for their future roles as social workers who must navigate and challenge systems that perpetuate inequality.
Course Description:
This course focuses on the ways that history, ideology, values, and power influence social welfare policies and services. The course also introduces students to policy advocacy as a key role of social workers.
Taught By:
Othelia Lee
Professor
School of Social Work
UNC Charlotte
Read profile here.