The Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work provides leadership and assistance to social work educational programs and professionals in order to advocate for the integration of gerontological content in undergraduate and graduate social work education, to promote the teaching of gerontology to all social workers, and to develop short and long-term perspectives in relevant curricular developments. Founded in 1981, AGE SW maintains a national membership of educators who teach, research, and promote gerontology at all levels of programs of social work education. With a membership nearing 300, AGE SW members represent a wide array of geographic areas and interests that serve to strengthen the organization. The benefits of membership in AGE SW include:

Advocacy - Leadership in gerontological social work issues and promotion of aging content in university curricula.

Newsletters - AGEnda is a semi-annual publication that contains extensive interviews with gerontology experts, calendar of events, feature articles, internet resources, member publications, and research opportunities. A monthly AGE SW E-Letter includes current events and opportunities for members.

Web Site - Located at www.agesocialwork.org, the AGE SW web site is linked to gerontological resources for faculty and students, research prospects, federal and state agencies, "breaking news," and much more.

Collaboration - AGE SW has longstanding collaborative partnerships with state and national associations in the areas of research, advocacy, and educational projects. Past and current partners include: CSWE, John A. Hartford Foundation, and BPD. Since 2003, AGE SW has been collaborating with the National Conference on Gerontological Social Work to co-sponsor roundtable discussions at the APM and plans are underway to partner with the BPD Gerontology Committee to host a joint event at the 2004 BPD Conference in Detroit.

Affiliation - Mutual support from other social workers interested in gerontology through e-mail linkages, annual gatherings, and a national network.

Research Opportunities - AGE SW members possess vast expertise and experience in gerontological research and can serve as a support system for members.

National Awards - Annual awards are made by AGE SW members to their AGE SW colleagues who have excelled in the areas of Faculty Achievement, Leadership and Career Achievement. Beginning in 2005, AGE SW will join with BPD's Gerontology Committee to award the Mit Joyner Award for excellence in promoting gerontological issues within the baccalaureate social work community.

Membership Directory - A full listing of all AGE SW members is updated semi-annually and distributed to the membership. The listing includes affiliation, contact information and areas of interest and expertise. Plans are underway to make the directory available on the AGE SW website using password protection.
Mentoring - Experienced faculty members volunteer to work with new faculty and doctoral students in developing teaching skills and research.

Doctoral Student Activities - The AGE SW Board of Directors recently approved the addition of doctoral student representation on the Board with the goal of strengthening the linkages to doctoral students interested in aging issues and provide a resource for research and employment opportunities.

Gerontology Symposium - AGE SW sponsors a symposium each year at the CSWE APM that includes presentations on contemporary aging issues in social work and presentations by recipients of the three AGE SW awards.

Haworth Publishing Discount - AGE SW Members save 30% on an individual print subscription to the Journal of Gerontological Social Work.

We invite all BPD members to join AGE SW and become a part of growing network of social workers committed to enhancing and strengthening the profession's commitment to aging issues. Membership is
$30/one-year membership or $50/two-year membership. Student memberships are $15/year. Institutional memberships are $100/year and include membership for four persons from the institution. Membership information is located on our website.

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