Some words just don’t seem to fit into the vocabulary of social workers. Competition is one of them. Our profession is built upon the mission of helping the less fortunate and advocating for those who are losing in the battle for resources, education, health care and human rights. What place is there in our profession for this strange word, “competition?” Today, I am advocating that we adopt this somewhat foreign concept into our common language.
Competition is the simultaneous demand by two or more entities for limited environmental resources. Here’s our current reality. The state of Missouri is spending nearly $600 million on corrections, $3 billion on education, and over $22.8 billion on health care. Yet, we still have one of the highest dropout rates in the country, 20% of families in St. Louis City are living below the poverty line and a growing number of families cannot afford health insurance.
There is a battle for resources happening right here in front of us. Unfortunately, those who need those resources the most are least prepared to fight for themselves. That is our responsibility as social workers and advocates. We must compete on the behalf of the people we serve. We are the voice for silenced, the strength for the weak, and flag barer for the unseen.
As we compete for our service populations, we must stay connected and support eachother’s efforts. Let us know how you are competing for your clients and what we can do to help.
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