The Institute for Multicultural Research and Social Work Practice

Abstract

This article addresses the significant role multicultural social work institutes can play in the development of social work practice. Such an institute can be a powerful source for researching, evaluating, and expanding social work knowledge and practice, educating and training human service professionals, analyzing and disseminating information critical to policy and professional development, and initiating and participating in change processes that reflect heightened awareness of and appreciation for diversity. The case of San Francisco State University's Institute for Multicultural Research and Social Work Practice is used to illustrate how each of the above-mentioned points were achieved. This article traces the three major phases the institute went through during its first 7 years of history: initiation and establishment, development, and maintenance and growth. It reveals that to be successful, institutes must engage in strategic planning and continuously evolve and change to meet new challenges and developments.