Advocacy Day

North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day

March 5, 2025

SESSIONS CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

After two years of planning the 2025 North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day, we are sad to have to cancel the Advocacy Day Sessions for March 5, 2025.

We have been watching the weather for well over a week and the weather continues to be upgraded to enhanced storms, high winds and possible tornadoes for tomorrow morning, exactly when we are asking attendees to walk 3 blocks from the Church on Morgan Street to the Legislative Buildings. Safety of all, especially those who are traveling long distances, is a top priority.

WE WILL BE AT THE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING: We are only cancelling the sessions at the Church on Morgan Street and the NASW-NC staff and speakers plan to be at Quadrant 1100 in the Legislative Building by 8:30am to welcome any attendees who still want to attend and meet with their legislators. Please be safe!

Resources to Prepare You for the 2025 North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day

Please review the 2025 NASW-NC Legislative Agenda and Advocacy 101: Advocating for Social Work webinar and slides to assist you in preparing for Advocacy Day.

Click here to access the recording of 2025 NASW-NC Legislative Agenda and Advocacy 101: Advocating for Social Work webinar

What is Social Work Advocacy Day?

Every other year (in odd numbered years: 2021, 2023, 2025.), the National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter (NASW-NC) invites hundreds of social workers and social work students to the North Carolina General Assembly to participate in the North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day. Advocacy Day is only offered every other year due to the North Carolina General Assembly's legislative session schedule. The goal of this event is to further social workers’ knowledge about policy issues in substantive areas of social work practice, teach participants about legislative advocacy, and provide an opportunity for social workers to educate their legislators about the social work profession and important client issues.

The most important part of Advocacy Day is your meetings with your Representative and Senator! We know that meeting with your legislators can feel scary if you have never met with them before! We recommend building a relationship with your legislator before you come to Advocacy Day to help ease your nerves!

Step 1: Email your legislator
Step 2: Call your legislator
Step 3: Visit them in person and plan for that visit (or invite them to your agency!)
More helpful advice about meeting your legislators in person!
Step 4: Follow Up!

Watch our video to learn step by step how to find the information you need to contact your legislators!

Helpful tips for scheduling a meeting with your legislator

Meetings with your North Carolina Senator and North Carolina House of Representative Members are KEY to making Social Work Advocacy Week successful. Here are some quick tips to scheduling those meetings:

Visit www.ncleg.gov and look for “Find your legislators” in the top right corner. Once redirected, it will have you type in your address on the map. Make sure you mark NC House or NC Senate.
After typing in your address, names will appear on the left-hand side of the page. You can click on the NC House member or NC Senate member to find their email address and phone number.
Email both the legislator and the Legislative Assistant to request a meeting.
If you are meeting in a group with other students, let the legislators know how many students will be in the meeting.
If you have not heard back about scheduling a meeting, try calling their office before emailing them again. Continue to respectfully follow up until a meeting is scheduled.

Why is Advocacy Day Important?

Through the help and support of advocates just like you, we are able to advance the interests of the social work profession and issues of social and economic justice in the North Carolina General Assembly. Advocacy Day helps you fully understand how that process works.

Letter to social work internship supervisors.