After looking up two human services professional organizations the
first I found was the American counseling association.
a According to, the ACA website, The American Counseling
Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational
organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the
counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA is the world's largest
association exclusively representing professional counselors in
various practice settings.
(American counseling association, n.d.)
To join this organization as a student cost $105 for an annual
membership. Benefits for membership include professional ethics
consultations, free continuing education credits, access to job boards,
career consultations, annual national awards, discounts for
registrations for any of the Conferences and expos, advocacy training
with continuing education credits, and advocacy toolkit. If the
member has a practice they offer support for them by offering
discounts on books in the bookstore, members can get support by
applying for a grant, discounts on software, rental cars.
I would join this organization if I were to decide to go into the
counseling field. They offer a lot of perks for members. I especially
like the opportunity to continue my education for free and perks for
members who have a practice.
The next organization is the National Association of Social Workers
Georgia Chapter. To join this organization the membership fee
depends on what type of degree program the student is in. If the
student is working on a Bachelor's or Master's in Social Work the
annual fee is $60. For a student working on their Doctorate, the
annual fee is $179. For an Associate Student Membership, the annual
fee is $60. The National Association of Social Workers offers free
ethics consultations. They also offer different types of insurance
coverage, such as “auto and home, life and disability, and wellness
insurance”( “National Association of Social Workers,”n.d.). The
members will have the ability to network and join online groups. If the
member needs legal assistance and support for legal cases the
organization can assist them. Both the local and national chapters are
included with annual fees. Classes are offered to help members
prepare for licensing exams. Lastly, they offer continuing education
classes, and some are free to NASWGA members. I don’t think I
would join this organization simply because they don’t offer enough. I
would have to look into other organizations for social workers and
compare the benefits for both.
References
American counseling association. (n.d.). About ACA. American
Counseling Association | A professional home for counselors.
Retrieved December 13, 2022, from
https://www.counseling.org/about-us/about-aca
American Counseling Association. (n.d.). Join-reinstate today!
American Counseling Association | A professional home for
counselors. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from
https://www.counseling.org/membership
National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Membership types.
NASW Home. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from
https://www.socialworkers.org/Membership/Membership-Types
National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Why join NASW?
NASWGA. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from
https://www.naswga.org/why-join-nasw-georgia
