Dedication The authors dedicate this curriculum to low-income people who struggle daily to address their families most basic economic needs. We also acknowledge the commitment of the many human service professionals and allies who advocate tirelessly for social and economic justice. We hope that readers will find this curriculum to be informative and that it will support your efforts to help strengthen the economic security of low-income individuals, families and communities.
Table of Contents Dedication The Advancing Economic Capability Curriculum Editors and Contributors Deans Acknowledgements New York Community Trust About Curriculum Unit 1: Me, Myself & Money Unit 2: Transforming Traditional Human Services Roles Unit 3: Social Work and Economic Literacy Unit 4: Practice Considerations Unit 5: Why Now? The Loss of Economic Security Unit 6: The Economy Unit 7: The Policy Tools Unit 8: The Labor Market Unit 9: The Wage Picture Unit 10: Controlling Prices
Unit 11: Deficit & the Debt Unit 12: Unemployment Unit 13: Poverty Unit 14: Inequality Unit 15: Economic Growth Unit 16: Public Benefits Unit 17: Tax Credits Unit 18: Savings, Credit & Debt Unit 19: Investments Unit 20: Assessment Individuals & Families Unit 20A: Supplemental Resources for Unit 20 Unit 21: Interventions Money Management & Protection Unit 22: Economics & the Human Services Organization Unit 22A: Supplemental Resources for Unit 22 Unit 23: Local Neighborhoods Unit 24: Advocacy Tools & Research Glossary
The Advancing Economic Capability Curriculum The Advancing Economic Capability Curriculum was imagined and created by the New York City Deans Consortium, a partnership between seven schools of social work. Advocating for social and economic justice has long been a cornerstone of social work. Social workers find themselves on the frontlines organizing and working with low-income and vulnerable populations. The most recent economic downturn has heightened the need to build greater economic capability knowledge and skills into social work education as inequality and poverty rates increase, opportunities for the middle class decline, and the overall economy remains sluggish. The Consortium believes that social workers are ideally suited to work with clients and communities on these pressing issues. Understanding the environmental context and economic policies will help shape the interventions and strategies with individuals, families, and communities at risk for financial instability and poverty. In New York State, the Advancing Economic Capability Curriculum is currently being offered to students at The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College; Fordham Graduate School of Social Service; Lehman College School of Social Work; Long Island University, Department of Social Work; New York University, The Silver School of Social Work; Touro College Graduate School of Social Work and Yeshiva University, The Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Other schools of social work throughout the country are also using the curriculum. This website provides all social workers and students the opportunity to download and utilize the Ecolit Social Work content. Additionally, other workers in human services are encouraged to use the curriculum to help their clients.
Editors & Contributers Editors Mimi Abramovitz: Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College Shelley Horwitz: Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College Michael Lewis: Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College Jessica Rosenberg: Long Island University, Department of Social Work Contributers Richard Holody*: Lehman College School of Social Work Roberta Herche: Yeshiva University,Wurzweiler School of Social Work Joanna Mellor*: Yeshiva University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work Rose Perez: Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service Donna Wang: Touro College Graduate School of Social Work * In memoriam.
The Deans of the New York City Deans Consortium The New York City Region of Schools of Social Work Economic Literacy Consortium was formed under the leadership of Dr. Jacqueline B. Mondros, The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. The participating Deans are: Dr. Peter Vaughn* and Dr. Debra McPhee, Fordham University s School of Social Service Dr. Norma Phillips, Lehman College at the City University of New York Dr. Lynn Videka, New York University, The Silver School of Social Work Dr. Ilene Nathanson, Long Island University-CW Post Department of Social Work* Dr. Steven Huberman, Touro College Graduate School of Social Work Dr. Carmen Ortiz-Hendricks and Dr. Sheldon Gelman*, The Wurzweiler School of Social Work * Retired
Acknowledgements Supported by a grant from The New York Community Trust (NYCT), faculty from seven New York City area social work schools collaborated on the design, writing, and testing of this curriculum into order to bring economic literacy into social work education and practice. A second NYCT grant allowed us to expand this university-based collaboration to include representatives from community-based agencies. This extends the use of the curriculum from the classroom to the field, and serves to further strengthen university-community relationships. Pat White, NYCT Senior Program Officer, provided the encouragement that ensured the creation and implementation of this unique curriculum. The Trust s commitment to moving people out of poverty and concern over the devastating and wide spread impact of the current recession provided the impetus for this initiative. Practitioners are often unaware of concrete resources that may be available to assist clients. The authors also want to acknowledge the invaluable support and guidance of the New York City Dean s Council. Under the leadership of Dean Jacqueline B. Mondros from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, the New York City Region of Schools of Social Work Economic Literacy Consortium was formed. The participating Deans, Dr. Peter Vaughn, Fordham University s School of Social Service* and Dr. Debra McPhee; Dr. Norma Phillips, Lehman College at the City University of New York, Dr. Lynn Videka, New York University s Silver School of Social Work, Dr. Ilene Nathanson, Long Island University-CW Post Department of Social Work*; Dr. Steven Huberman, Touro College; Dr. Carmen Ortiz-Hendricks and Dr. Sheldon Gelman, Yeshiva University s Wurzweiler School of Social Work*, all served as advisors and harnessed faculty and staff resources to support this initiative. We are deeply appreciative of the invaluable technical, editorial and research contributions of Melissa Appel, Dean Freedman, Laurie Pine, Shelley Buchbinder, Sha Sha Feng and Collin Kather. The authors also thank the many colleagues from agencies and universities throughout the country, active in economic capability efforts that helped us to better understand the current landscape. The Community Service Society generously agreed to share its well-known Benefits Plus manual, a comprehensive guide to over 70 benefit programs and services available to low income populations.
New York Community Trust Since 2010, The New York Community Trust has provided funding and guidance of our work to advance economic literacy through social work. With more than 2000 funds, The Trust, New York City s community foundation, addresses issues of social justice and education, among several other funding areas. With their support, we are giving social workers tools to help people take charge of their finances, get the benefits they need, and live more independent and productive lives. Since 1924, The New York Community Trust has been the home of charitable New Yorkers who share a passion for the City and its suburbs and who are committed to improving them. The Trust supports an array of effective nonprofits that help make the City, Westchester, and Long Island vital and secure places to live and work, while building permanent resources for the future. The New York Community Trust ended 2013 with assets of $2.4 billion in more than 2,000 charitable funds, and made grants totaling $141 million. The Trust welcomes new donors. Information at nycommunitytrust.org.
About Curriculum Human services professionals are increasingly called upon to assist individuals, families, and communities who are experiencing even greater uncertainties and complex challenges as a result of the global financial crisis. Our field has always been on the front line in supporting and advocating for those in need. This course, Advancing Economic Literacy in Human Services, will provide the necessary competency-based training, skill sets, and tools to enable today s human services professionals to help clients access needed entitlements and asset-building strategies. This comprehensive approach includes the big picture economic factors that contribute to the economic well- being or economic stress experienced by clients. The methodology takes into account real world events and allows professionals and clients to more effectively engage in a dialogue to address economic problems, identify potential resources and solutions, access benefits, become knowledgeable around economic asset-building strategies, and make informed decisions that will help strengthen stability and provide hope and opportunity. Note: This curriculum was developed by social workers to enhance economic capacity-building competencies of both social work students and professionals, as they interact with clients in a wide variety of roles and kinds of human service agencies. Although it references social work roles, values, and professional standards, the authors and editors recognize that the content areas are applicable to human service practitioners in a wide range of organizational settings. It is deliberately designed for broad utilization and adaptation. All four sections should be color-coded appropriately to match the curriculum. Economic Literacy and the Professional Self increases self-awareness and understanding of the ways in which our personal beliefs about money, social work roles, values, and competencies influence professional practice.
The ABC s of the Economy links economics and social work practice by connecting the workings of the economy to the daily lives of individuals/ families, agencies, and communities. It makes often unfamiliar economic information more accessible and less intimidating by describing the workings of the economy; defines basic economic concepts and terms; indicates how the government manages economic ups and downs; examines who benefits and who loses from different economic policies; and shows how the government measures poverty, unemployment, the Consumer Price Index, and other ordinary indicators discussed daily in the media. By detailing major economic problems and current economic policy debates, it helps students and practitioners gain a better handle on important public policy topics. Most people associate asset building with affluent people. Yet low-income people regularly struggle to develop and accumulate assets. These units provide information that will increase understanding of mainstream financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, checking and savings accounts, as well as available tax credits that benefit low income people. They also cover public benefits and the informal banking systems utilized in many low-income and/or immigrant communities. Exposure to economic issues and financial education result in greater awareness and better money management skills. This is true both for practitioners, as well as for their clients. Assessment and Intervention provides an economic lens for practice at micro, mezzo, and macro levels. These units include assessment and interventions for direct practice, an overview of agency and fiscal management, tools for better understanding community socioeconomic and health indicators, and community development. Advocacy, whether for individuals, families or communities, is a cross cutting theme in all these practice arenas