WELCOME TO OUR VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM 2026

For decades, NASW-MA Symposia has offered unique opportunities for professional development and networking, becoming the largest gathering of social workers, mental health professionals, and community leaders across the New England region. This year’s Virtual Symposium, in partnership with the NASW-RI Chapter, features over 75 workshops and speakers, covering anti-racism in practice, trauma-informed care, ethics, clinical supervision, youth mental health, communication skills, and innovative approaches to community healing. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with experts in the field, be inspired by highly regarded speakers, and gain new skills at innovative workshops.

 Participate in our live and on-demand workshops and earn 27+ continuing education credits for social workers. Live workshops are the scheduled workshops on Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17. Though most live workshops will be recorded, these recordings will not be uploaded to this website, but to the NASW Social Work CE Institute. On-demand workshops are a list of pre-recorded webinars that will be available on this website until Friday, May 1.

MaMHCA has approved Symposium CEUs for LMHC’s, please contact us at chapter.naswma@socialworkers.org to request the necessary forms. 

Not a member yet? Join NASW today and receive discounted registration, access to continuing education, and year-round professional support. Become part of a community dedicated to advancing social work.

Virtual Symposium 2025 Program Book:

Explore our Program Book for valuable social work resources, continuing education programs, career development opportunities, discounted services, and sponsor contact information. Don’t miss out on these essential tools to support your professional growth!

View our Symposium 2026 Program Book Here

JOIN OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER TIZIANA C. DEARING:

Thursday, April 16 (12:30 - 2:30pm)
Finding Common Ground in a Time of Conflict Through Empathy and Ethics, with Tiziana C. Dearing, Host of WBUR’s Morning Edition. Social workers, as with many professions, may be feeling under siege... loss of funding, changes in policy, and emerging social norms that challenge shared values. While many corners of society are fighting, or at least struggling, on their own and with each other, this conversation will explore how embracing the social work calling and seeking out stories that build understanding and social connection can build a shared path forward that supports the people social workers serve.

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  • Participants will receive an overview of key changes and how they relate to social work practice.
  • Participants will review core tenants of the social work code of ethics and challenge themselves to think broadly about their application today.
  • Participants will hear and learn how to find and draw out stories that can help build connection and communication skills across differences.

Tiziana C. Dearing came to journalism after a career that spanned academia, nonprofits and for-profit management consulting. She taught graduate students at the Boston College School of Social Work and chaired its program in Social Innovation and Leadership. Tiziana ran a start-up foundation focused on breaking generational cycles of poverty in Boston neighborhoods and was the first woman president of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Boston. Earlier in her work life, she ran a research center at the Harvard Kennedy School and worked in management consulting. Tiziana has won a number of awards in the city, including a Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.

LIVE WORKSHOPS AGENDA

Thursday, April 16

  • 7:00 - 7:30am | Conference Begins: Morning Info Session
  • 7:30 - 8:00am | Breakfast Networking Room with Platinum Sponsor: Vinfen Corporation (Q&A Session)
  • 8:00 - 9:30am | Session 1 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 9:30 - 10:00am | Visit our Virtual Exhibit Hall
  • 10:00 - 11:30am | Session 2 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 11:30 - 12:30pm | Lunch Networking Room with Gold Sponsors: Riverside Community Care & McLean Hospital (Q&A Session) & Visit our Virtual Exhibit Hall
  • 12:30 - 2:30pm | Keynote Address | 2 CEUs
  • 2:30 - 3:00pm | Visit our Virtual Exhibit Hall 
  • 3:00 - 4:30pm | Session 3 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 4:30 - 5:00pm | Visit our Virtual Exhibit Hall 
  • 5:00 -  6:30pm | Evening Workshop | 1.5 CEUs
  • 6:30pm | Conference Ends

Friday, April 17

  • 7:30am | Conference begins
  • 7:30 - 8:30am | Breakfast Networking Room with Gold Sponsors: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & VitalCore Health Strategies (Q&A Session)
  • 8:30 - 10:00am | Session 4 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 10:00 - 10:30am | Virtual Exhibit Hall Visits
  • 10:30 - 12:00pm | Session 5 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 12:00 - 1:00pm | Lunch Networking Room: Advocacy 101 with NASW-MA
  • 1:00 - 2:30pm | Session 6 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 2:30 - 3:00pm | Virtual Exhibit Hall Visits
  • 3:00 - 4:30pm | Session 7 Workshops | 1.5 CEUs
  • 4:30pm | Conference ends

CEUS CERTIFICATES & COURSE EVALUATION SURVEYS

For Live Workshops:

Attendees are required to complete a course evaluation survey after each workshop. There will be a code shared during all workshops. Enter these codes in the surveys to receive CE credit. Write down and save each given code, as the survey links may take a few minutes to reflect in the workshop listing. Click on the Agenda page (day 1 or day 2), find the workshop title, fill out the survey (with the code), and download your certificate.

For On-demand Workshops:

Attendees must watch each recording in full, in one sitting. Recordings cannot be paused or resumed at a later time. CE certificates will be available after completing each video. Click on the Agenda page (on-demand), find the workshop title, and download your certificate. Each recording is worth 1.5 CEUs. 

VISIT THE VIRTUAL EXHIBIT HALL

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Engage with our sponsors at our Virtual Exhibit Hall on both conference days. Explore career opportunities, valuable resources, and exclusive discounts. Attendees can access sponsor contact details, helpful links, and Drop-In Contact forms to stay connected. Don’t miss this chance to engage with leading organizations in the field!

Booth Schedule:

  • Thursday, April 16: 9:30 - 10:00am, 11:30 - 12:30pm, 2:30 - 3:00pm, 4:30 - 5:00pm
  • Friday, April 17: 10:00 - 10:30am, 12:00 - 1:00pm, 2:30 - 3:00pm

How to Enter the Conference's Raffle:

  • Participate in each sponsor booth, using the chat live feature and completing the drop-in contact forms.
  • Attend our breakfast and lunch networking rooms with our sponsors.
    • April 16 - Breakfast Networking Room (7:30-8am): Platinum Sponsor: Vinfen Corporation
    • April 16 - Lunch Networking Room (11:30-12:30pm): Gold Sponsors: Riverside Community Care & McLean Hospital
    • April 17 - Breakfast Networking Room (7:30-8:30am): Gold Sponsors: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & VitalCore Health Strategies
    • April 17 - Lunch Networking Room (12:00 - 1:00pm): Advocacy 101 with NASW-MA

Raffle Prizes Available:
The NASW-MA and NASW-RI Chapters are very excited to offer our attendees with raffle prizes this year, as a thank you for all you do for social work, clients and communities you serve! After the conference, we will notify eligible participants and you can rank your top prize choices. We’ll do our best to offer you a prize of your choice, although no prizes are guaranteed. You may decline participating or accepting a prize.

Experiences & Attractions

Gift Cards & Merchandise

  • $50 Gift Cards – Amazon (2) and Visa (2) (1 per winner)
  • NASW ASI Branded Bluetooth Speaker
  • NASW-MA Shirts (10 available in multiple sizes)

Memberships & Professional Resources

Conference & Learning Opportunities

  • Advocating for Older Adults & People with Disabilities Conference 2026 (June 11) – 2 tickets (member + non-member)
  • School Social Work Conference 2026 (October 24) – 2 tickets (member + non-member) Fall 2026 Chapter Webinars – 5 tickets 
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NEED TECHNICAL SUPPORT?

Chat with us! Email our tech support at NASWtechsupport@meetingachievements.com and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon. You may experience a delay in response if you send an email outside of tech support hours.

Tech Support Hours:
Thursday, April 16, 6:30am - 6:30pm EST
Friday, April 17, 7:00am - 4:30pm EST

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