How Our Work Gets Done:
SWAC’s programs are carried out through active board-led committees made up of social workers from across the state. These committees provide leadership, oversight, and hands-on work to ensure that SWAC’s education, leadership development, advocacy, and outreach efforts remain strong, responsive, and mission-driven.
Continuing Education & Profession Development
SWAC provides high-quality, accessible continuing education designed by and for social workers, with our annual statewide conference serving as the cornerstone of this work. Each year, the conference brings together social workers from across Arkansas for in-depth learning, connection, and shared professional growth.
In addition to the annual conference, SWAC offers specialized trainings and continuing education events throughout the year. Our education programming is grounded in real-world practice, ethical standards, and emerging issues affecting the profession.
We are committed to creating learning experiences that are relevant, practical, and forward-looking whether a social worker is just entering the field or has decades of experience. Our goal is not only to meet continuing education requirements, but to strengthen practice, leadership, and professional confidence across the state.
SWAC Programs
Social Work Leadership Academy
The Social Work Leadership Academy is a year-long leadership development program created by SWAC’s founding board in response to a clear need for intentional leadership development within the social work profession. It was built on the belief that leadership is not defined by title or position — and that all social workers are leaders in their practice, their organizations, and their communities.
Drawing on years of experience in advocacy, professional education, and organizational leadership, this program was intentionally designed to expand participants’ leadership skills, confidence, and systems-level perspective. The Academy focuses on ethical leadership, advocacy, organizational change, communication, and strategic thinking, while also providing space for reflection, mentorship, and applied learning.
The Social Work Leadership Academy is currently the only year-long leadership development program in Arkansas designed specifically for social workers. It reflects SWAC’s long-term commitment to building a strong, prepared, and courageous leadership pipeline for the profession.
Advocacy & Policy Engagement
Advocacy is central to SWAC’s mission and to the role of social workers in creating systems-level change. This program is designed to ensure that social workers across Arkansas are informed, prepared, and present in the policy process.
SWAC’s founding board brings a proven track record of effective, ethical advocacy. This leadership group played a central role in the successful passage of the Social Work Licensure Compact in Arkansas and in advocacy efforts that protected the independence of the social work licensing board. These efforts reflect a long-standing commitment to both the profession and the people social workers serve.
SWAC’s advocacy work includes legislative education, organized advocacy days, and sustained engagement at the Capitol throughout the legislative session. We monitor and respond to legislation that affects social workers, the social work workforce, vulnerable populations, and the clients and communities who rely on our services. Our advocacy priorities include protecting ethical practice, strengthening the workforce, safeguarding vulnerable populations, and advancing policies that improve access to services and outcomes for Arkansans.
This program is grounded in the belief that social workers belong at decision-making tables. By building advocacy skills and creating clear pathways for engagement, SWAC works to strengthen the profession’s collective voice and influence in Arkansas.
Outreach & Professional Connection
SWAC’s outreach work is focused on building a strong, connected, and engaged community of social workers across Arkansas. We believe that a healthy profession is built not only through education and advocacy, but through relationships, shared identity, and mutual support.
This program includes regional branch networking events that bring social workers together in their local communities, as well as Social Worker Spotlights that highlight and celebrate the incredible work being done across the state. Through these and other initiatives, SWAC creates spaces for connection, collaboration, and collective problem-solving among social workers in diverse practice settings.
Outreach and connection are also about visibility and belonging. By strengthening relationships across regions, practice areas, and career stages, SWAC works to build a more unified, resilient, and empowered professional community.
