Exercising Our Power: From Hard Conversations to Policy Change (Live In-Person)
Credit Available - See CEs/Contact Hours tab below.
Total Credits: 5 NYSED LMSW & LCSW CEs/Contact Hours, 5 NYSED LMHC CEs/Contact Hours, 5 NYSED LMFT CEs/Contact Hours, 5 NYSED LCAT CEs/Contact Hours, 5 NYSED PSY CEs/Contact Hours, 5 ASWB ACE approved continuing education, 5 UBSW - NYS OASAS
- Average Rating:
- Not yet rated
- Categories:
- Macro SW
- Trainer:
- Josal Diebold, LMSW, PhD
- Course Levels:
- Beginning and Intermediate
- Duration:
- 5 hours
- Location:
- University at Buffalo, SOUTH Campus, 214 Parker Hall - Buffalo, New York
Description
In-person workshop.
The goal of this workshop is to equip participants with tools, strategies, and critical awareness to take meaningful action toward justice—both interpersonally and at the systems level. The session will begin by exploring different forms of power to provide a shared framework for the day. From there, participants will learn approaches for navigating difficult conversations—such as those related to systemic oppression, politics, or interpersonal harm—and reflect on the contexts in which they hold influence and can engage others in dialogue. These skills will be applied through a practical scenario involving a workplace or family setting. In the second half of the workshop, the focus will shift to understanding power in the context of policy and systems change. Participants will be introduced to the key elements of designing a campaign to influence decision-makers and advance a desired policy outcome. They will then apply this knowledge to a case study centered on a potential social work policy initiative. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with a concrete action plan for exercising their power—from the personal to policy level.
Learning Objectives:
• Demonstrate skills for engaging in difficult conversations across differences in opinion and experience.
• Identify and assess areas in which participants can exercise power in both interpersonal and policy contexts.
• Analyze the key components of an effective campaign to influence policy decision-makers.
• Develop an action plan for exercising power from personal dialogue to policy change.
Research:
- Bhargava, D., & Luce, S. (2025). Practical radicals: Seven strategies to change the world. The New Press.
- Christian, K. (2022). How to have difficult conversations about race: Practical tools for necessary change in the workplace and beyond. BenBella Books.
- Community Toolbox Toolkits: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/toolkits
- Ganz, M. (n.d.). Marshall Ganz’ framework: People, power, change. https://wcl.nwf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Marshall-Ganz-People-Power-and-Change.pdf
- Krings, A., Fusaro, V., Nicoll, K. L., & Lee, N. Y. (2019). Social work, politics, and social policy education: Applying a multidimensional framework of power. Journal of Social Work Education, 55(2), 224-237.
Target Audience: Social workers, mental health practitioners, creative arts therapists, marriage and facility therapists, psychologists, addiction professionals, case managers, psychiatric nurse practitioners and other interested individuals.
Customer ServiceWe are happy to respond to any concerns or questions you may have. Please contact us at by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
ADA Accommodations: If you require any support for your ADA needs in the United States, please contact us by email at least 3 weeks prior to the event by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
Registration
Registration open until: 10/2/25
CEs/Contact Hours
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0001. Continuing education contact hours: 5 Live In-Person
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0008. Continuing education contact hours: 5 Live In-Person
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0007. Continuing education contact hours: 5 Live In-Person
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists #CAT-0003. Continuing education contact hours: 5 Live In-Person
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0062. Continuing education contact hours: 5 Live In-Person
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education, #1773, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 02/23/2022 - 02/23/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 5 continuing education credits.
NYS OASAS Provider #0045: 5 hours for pending
Trainer
Josal Diebold, LMSW, PhD Related Seminars and Products
Josal (Josie) Diebold, LMSW, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Sociocultural and Justice Sciences Department (Social Work) at SUNY Fredonia. With over eight years of experience organizing with Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), they have contributed to moving white people into movements for racial and economic justice. In their role with SURJ, Josie has facilitated leadership teams, planned reflective and action spaces, and coached emerging leaders. They have also conducted research with SURJ, focusing on mutual interest as both a value and an organizing tool. Josie has published several academic articles on white antiracism and the concept of white people's mutual interest in the struggle for racial justice. As an educator, Josie focuses on topics such as social work theory, history, oppression, and macro practice, bringing a commitment to social justice and critical inquiry into the classroom.
Completion Requirements
No partial credit is given for partial attendance.
In-Person Completion Requirements
In order to receive a certificate of completion for this course participants must complete the following.
Please note all requirements can be found in your UBCE21 portal.
- Sign in, stay for the entire training, and sign out. Participation in small group activities is required.
- After the training, complete the evaluation by clicking on the "Evaluation and Certificate" button for this course.
The certificate of completion will be immediately generated in your account upon completion of all course requirements. Certificates may be downloaded, printed, or left in your account.
Agenda
Coming soon!
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Cancellation Policy:
Live (In-Person, Online, and Hybrid) Trainings
The cancellation and refund policy below applies to individual courses. If you purchased multiple courses at one time they may be subject to individual processing fees. Participants can make payment or refund inquiries by contacting the Office of Continuing Education by phone 716-829-5844 or by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu. Standard business hours for the Office of Continuing Education are Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm. Any requests made outside of these days and times will default to the next business day.
Up to 3 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $15 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $15 processing fee OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $25 processing fee
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
3.25 - 5.75 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $25 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refunds will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $25 processing fee OR (2) a refund of 50% to original method of payment
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
6-11.75 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $50 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refunds will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $50 processing fee OR (2) a refund of 50% to original method of payment
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
12 or more CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 60 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $50 processing fee
- 59 to 6 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $50 processing fee OR (2) a refund of 50% to original method of payment
- 5 days or less prior to the training No gift cards or refunds will be issued
- Visit ubswce.ce21.com and refer to the "CEs/Contact Hours" tab on the respective training page to confirm the number of approved CEs/Contact Hours. There may be instances where a special workshop has additional cancellation rules that will be stated in the workshop description.
Cancellation of Group Purchases
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Cancellations of more than 5 staff members will incur the following additional fees:
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More than 30 days in advance will incur an additional 5% fee.
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Less than 30 days but more than 15 days in advance will incur an additional 10% fee.
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Less than 15 days will incur an additional 20% fee.
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Online Self-Study Training
- Participants have up to 72 hours from purchase to contact the Office of Continuing Education by phone or email and request a refund for an online course.
Gift Cards
Gift cards can be used as payment toward future trainings. Gift cards never expire.
Loyalty Reward Points
- Participants who request a refund will forfeit any Loyalty Reward Points they may have received from that purchase.
- Participants who request a refund on a purchase paid for with Loyalty Reward Points will have those rewards credited back to their account within 5 business days of the refund being processed.
Substitute Attendance
If a registered participant is unable to attend a training and would like another individual to attend in their place the Office of Continuing Education must be called or emailed at least one full business day before the training. Substitution decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Check Refund
Any refund requests for a check payment may take up to 4 weeks to process.
UB Cancelled Trainings
- If the Office of Continuing Education cancels a training, participants will be notified via email and refunds will be paid in full.
- Please be aware that if the University at Buffalo is closed trainings and workshops may still be taking place.
- Please contact the Office of Continuing Education at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or 716-829-5841 if you have any questions or concerns regarding whether or not a training is still being held.
Additional questions and support?
Please email sw-ce@buffalo.edu or call 716-829-5841.
Location
University at Buffalo, SOUTH Campus, 214 Parker Hall
