2026-11-03, Introducing Social Work Core Values - An Experience of Heritage's Program for REHS Expo

Slide 1
A teal circle labeled Social Work Core Values sits at the center of a slide, ringed by a dotted orange circle and six colored boxes: Competence, Service, Social Justice, Dignity and Worth of the Person, Importance of Human Relationships, and Integrity. On the right, a beige background shows the title Introducing Social Work Core Values, An Experience of Heritage's Program for Rivers Edge High School Expo, and a green panel lists Heritage University @ REHS Expo 2026 presenters Dr. Jacob Campbell, Liz Benitez, and Charlie Farias.

Introducing Social Work Core Values: An Experience of Heritage’s Program for Rivers Edge High School Expo

This session works with students at Rivers Edge High School to demonstrate what social work education looks like at Heritage University, using a sample lesson focused on introducing students to social work’s core values. The session agenda includes:

  • Information about Heritage University
  • What is social work
  • Social work values
  • How values get applied in practice

The learning objectives for the session include:

  • Identify and reflect on their personal values and compare them to the NASW Code of Ethics.
  • Describe the six core social work values and related ethical principles outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics.
  • Engage in collaborative discussion to analyze how social work values inform responses to common school-based problems.
Slide 2
Presentation slide titled 'Meet Your Facilitators' introducing three people, each with a name, title, and photo or figure. Liz Benitez, MSW, is an Assistant Professor in the Social Work Department. Charlie Farias is an Admissions Counselor, Tri Cities Site. Jacob Campbell, Ph.D. LICSW, is an Associate Professor in the Social Work Department, shown beside a 'Dr. Jacob, Social Work Teacher' figurine card. The beige background has a Heritage University logo in the bottom right.

Introductions

I want to get started with having us introduce ourselves.

Dr. Jacob Campbell

  • Associate professor
  • Teaching since 2013
  • 2 Years at Richland HS, 2nd two years at Rivers Edge and ended up graduating high school from Jubilee
  • View my role as getting support, helpers go into the community to create change.

Liz Benitez, MSW (Assistant Professor, Social Work Department)

Charlie Farias (Admissions Counselor, Tri-Cities Site)

Slide 3
A presentation slide titled 'Session Plan' split into two panels: a cream left panel with a four-item agenda (Information about Heritage University, What is social work, Social work values, How values get applied in practice) and a dark gray right panel listing three learning objectives on identifying personal values, describing the six core social work values, and collaborative discussion of school-based problems. Its title and agenda sit in the left panel, and the learning objectives in the dark right panel.

Session Plan

Agenda

  • Information about Heritage University
  • What is social work
  • Social work values
  • How values get applied in practice

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Identify and reflect on their personal values and compare them to the NASW Code of Ethics.
  • Describe the six core social work values and related ethical principles outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics.
  • Engage in collaborative discussion to analyze how social work values inform responses to common school-based problems.
Slide 4
The Heritage University logo, a white circular emblem beside the wordmark, sits centered on a solid royal-blue slide. Below it, the large white text reads 'Tri-Cities,' with yellow italic text beneath: 'Hispanic Serving (HSI) & Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution.' A dark blue geometric pattern runs down the right edge.

HU Tri-Cities

Charlie Farias

Slide 5
Aerial view of a campus of low brick buildings with teal metal roofs, surrounded by lawns, trees, parking lots, and flat farmland under mountains. The overlaid title reads 'Introduction to HERITAGE UNVIERSITY' [sic]. Caption: 'Founded in 1982, on the ancestral lands of the Yakama Nation in Toppenish, WA. Mission: Heritage University empowers a multi-cultural and inclusive student body to overcome the social, cultural, economic and geographic barriers that limit access to higher education. Rooted in the homeland of the Yakama Nation, we embrace transformational student-centered education that cultivates leadership and a commitment to the promotion of a more just society.'

HU Tri-Cities Introduction

Charlie Farias

Slide 6
A two-story tan and stone office building with a curved glass entrance tower and a flagpole stands under a clear blue sky, flanked by autumn-colored trees and a parked white van. Overlaid in large blue letters with yellow outlines is the text 'NEW LOCATION,' with 'Downtown, Kennewick' in white beneath it. A wide, empty street and parking lot lead toward the building.

HU Tri-Cities Downtown Kennewick

Charlie Farias

Slide 7
Blue slide titled 'Facts About Heritage University Tri-Cities' presents enrollment and program statistics in gold and white text. The left column lists '20+ Program (Toppenish)' with Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Psychology, and Social Work, plus a '90% First-Generation' badge. The center covers 'Fall of 2026 Application Open,' '($0 fee),' high school transcript, optional personal statement, and FAFSA. Stat panels show '850 Students in Toppenish,' '130 Students in Tri-Cities,' '84% Work Part-Time,' and '97% Get Aid to pay for school,' alongside 'Small Class Sizes, 11:1 Student-Faculty Ratio' with person icons, student photos, and a piggy bank.

Facts about HU Tri-Cities

Charlie Farias

Slide 8
A title slide on a solid blue background with thin white horizontal rules near the top and bottom. Large white text reads 'When you hear, SOCIAL WORK what do you think?' with 'SOCIAL WORK' centered in capitals and the question line right-aligned below it.

What is social work

I want to start off by hearing what you think of when you hear social work.

[Whole Group Activity] Brainstorm what students think of as social work or social workers.

Slide 9
A slide titled 'Prioritize Your Values' with the subheading 'What things go first for you?' shows a large orange down-arrow beside five dotted-outline value cards stacked in descending length. An orange box reads 'Sort value cards based on what is most important for you,' and below it, 'Share your order and your why for the order with some people around you.' On the right, two columns list values: Acceptance, Family, Friends, Health, Honesty, Love, Money, Respect, Spirituality, What you want. Cream background.

Prioritize Your Values

We are going to be talking about values. I feel like a good place for people to start is by considering what some of your own values are.

[Small Group Activity] Ranking Values

Give students value cards along with tape or glue sticks and have them rank their values from most important to least important on the Prioritize Your Values worksheet.

Value cards include the following:

  • Acceptance
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Health
  • Honesty
  • Love
  • Money
  • Respect
  • Spirituality
  • What you want

[Small Group Activity] Sharing Values with Peers Share your order and your why for the order with some people around you.

Slide 10
Slide titled 'NASW Core Values' on a beige background with six labeled images: 'Service' (dirty jeans on a washing machine), 'Dignity & Worth' (a man resting in a doorway), 'Competence' (a spiraling ladder against a sky), 'Integrity' (a compass in a case), 'Social Justice' (a red raised fist), and 'Relationships' (two figures joining electrical plugs).

NASW Core Values (1 of 2) - My Connection to Ethical Principles

In the preamble section, the NASW Code of Ethics gives six different values.

[Whole Class Activity] Go through each of the six values and discuss how they connect with my life and how I understand them personally.

  1. Service: Talk I once heard about service. I think about this we as social workers have to get our jeans a little bit dirty. (The provision of help, resources, and benefits so that people may achieve their maximum potential.)
  2. Social Justice: I think about social justice seeing people in a food line. We have the two fold responsibility to say lets make sure you get some food and are ok… but lets also look at the systems that made it possible for you to be here in the first place and tear them down. I haven’t been as active as I would like, but somewhat active in local protests and organizing. ==Story about the baby floating down the river==. (The idea that in a perfect world, all citizens would have “the same basic rights, protection, and opportunities, obligations, and social benefits.”)
  3. Dignity and worth of the person: I’m reminded of reading Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Mike Yankoski… and his discussion of just even looking at people who are homeless. (Holding people in high esteem and appreciating individual value)
  4. Importance of human relationships: Building rapport with our clients, colleagues, and for me… people all around the world. (Valuing the “mutual emotional exchange; dynamic interaction ; and affective, cognitive and behavioral connections… which creates atmosphere”)
  5. Integrity: After graduating from the Master’s Commission, my pastor gave me a compass that I keep on my desk as a reminder to follow what’s right (trustworthiness and sound adherence to moral ideals)
  6. Competence: Constantly growing, improving… think Dreyfus model of skill acquisition. (Necessary skills and abilities)
Slide 11
A green circle labeled Social Work, Core Values sits inside a dotted orange ring, surrounded by six colored boxes naming values: Competence, Service, Social Justice, Dignity and Worth of the Person, Importance of Human Relationships, and Integrity. Each box has a short description beside it, on a beige background, with the citation (National Association of Social Workers, 2021) at bottom left.

NASW Core Values (2 of 2) - Student Connection with Ethical Principles

I want you to think about how you might connect with social workers’ core values.

[Individual Activity] Reflect on Connection with Values Use the Core Social Work Values to jot down how you might connect with some of the core values of social workers

The core values also have identified ethical principles we consider there are as follows:

  • Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.
  • Social workers challenge social injustice.
  • Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
  • Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
  • Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner
  • Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

I want you to go through and share with a partner about how you connect with the social work core values:

[Small Group Activity] How I Relate to NASW’s Ethical Principles

With a partner, spend about five minutes discussing these ethical principles and how they relate to your life or how you connect with them.

Reference - Full Text of Ethical Principles

The following broad ethical principles are based on social work’s core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.

Value:Service
Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems

Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).

Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle:** Social workers challenge social injustice.

Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person
Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients’ socially responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients’ capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients’ interests and the broader society’s interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.

Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.

Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social workers seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities.

Value: Integrity
Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.

Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers should take measures to care for themselves professionally and personally. Social workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are affiliated.

Value: Competence
Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession. (National Association of Social Workers, 2021, “Ethical Principles” para. 1)

Reference

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). NASW code of ethics. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

Slide 12
A presentation slide titled 'Potential Problems in a School' lists five bullets: student stress, anxiety, or depression; absenteeism and disengagement; discipline policies that affect some groups more harshly; funding cuts reducing meals, materials, and after-school programs; and families disconnected from staff. Its subtitle asks, 'How might social work values be applied to addressing various challenges in a school?' A green box at the bottom, labeled 'Discuss in Small Groups,' poses three questions, on a beige background framed by blue rules.

Potential Problems in a School

There are many ways that social workers might address or think about problems that are different from other school employees and or workers. The following are some scenarios that might impact some of our schools.

[Small Group Activity] Potential Problems in a School Discussion How might social work values be applied to addressing various challenges in a school

  • Students are experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression and need emotional support within the school environment
  • Some students are often absent or disengaged from classes, and staff are unsure how to re-engage them
  • There are concerns that the school’s discipline policies affect some groups of students more harshly than others
  • The school community faces funding cuts, leading to reduced access to meals, materials, and after-school programs
  • Families who feel disconnected from school staff or are uncertain about how to access support for their children

Discuss the following:

  • What social work values might guide a response to this situation?
  • What could a social worker do in this situation to uphold those values?
  • How might students or staff also act on these values?