Preparing Social Work Students for Leadership in Human Service Organizations Through Student Philanthropy

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe lack of macro content in social work curricula, particularly for undergraduate students, prepares them poorly for future leadership roles in human service organizations and contributes to the dearth of social workers serving as executives in human service organizations. The innovative experiential philanthropy model described here gives undergraduate social work students the opportunity to engage in macro practice through philanthropy. The model has resulted in students disbursing $60,000 to address urgent social problems in their community. Skills developed by these students in philanthropy, budgeting, and resource management will inform their future social work practice as leaders within human service organizations.