how do we build a better world for more than a century the Social Work profession has focused on this question creating and implementing large-scale social innovations that have transformed lives and strengthen communities by helping people grow up and grow old in homes not institutions creating innovative mental health services leading the way toward healthy productive aging and fighting for racial justice and civil rights we celebrate social works proud history but there is more to do to achieve adjust and cohesive society we must create social change that can be measured scaled and sustained social progress powered by science science is the foundation for positive social change we must employ tested methods built on robust data to achieve lasting impact on a scale that makes a profound difference in people's lives this is the bold agenda of the Grand Challenges for Social Work identified by the American Academy of Social Work and social welfare the grand challenge is to find a movement to focus great minds build and share new knowledge and foster wider collaborations with its deep scientific knowledge base Social Work is highly qualified to analyze and intervene to help our society to make substantial measurable progress in the next decade on conquering these grand challenges there are 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work in all ensure healthy development for all youth close the health gap stop family violence advance long and productive lives eradicate social isolation and homelessness create social responses to a changing environment harness technology for social good promote smart D car serration build financial capability for all reduce extreme economic inequality achieve equal opportunity and justice we have to make sure that people get the same opportunities and when I see the challenges that is what I see finally I have a recipe that I can look up to and I say this is what we are going to strive for that is what I see the Grand Challenges for Social Work will employ tools and evidence we already have that are ready to scale and inspire new research innovation and partnerships I say the Grand Challenges as being a structure to actually create some innovative approaches to work not only multidisciplinary but potentially also across sectors to really connect the science with policies and programs by connecting social work research directly to practice and by attracting key partners to our common cause we can and will drive transformative social change together the Grand Challenges for social work define our highest goals individual and family well-being a stronger social fabric and a just society it could be our way of communicating about the profession to a new generation to really to be able to draw new students who are passionate about big issues social justice kinds of issues to let them see that social work is a profession that they could make that kind of an impact the Grand Challenges are for you about you and need you to succeed please visit Grand Challenges for social work org to learn more and find your Grand Challenge together we can meet these grand challenges and together we will build a better world you