BRADLEY UNIVERSITY SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM
SW 353 Social Work Practice III
Fall 2001

Instructor:     Wayne C. Evens, MSW, Ph.D.
                124 Bradley Hall
                Telephone: 677-2392
                e-mail: evens@bradley.edu
Office Hours:   MTWTF 10:00-12:00 and by appointment
Class Hours:    Tuesday and Thursday 1:30 - 2:45

Accommodation: Any student with a disability or special need who requires accommodations should inform the instructor at the beginning of this course.

Non-Discrimination Statement: Students will be expected to display respect for fellow students’ and clients’ unique characteristics including race, color, gender, age, socioeconomic status, religion, creed, ethnic or national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, and political orientation. All assignments will use non-discriminatory language. See attached "classroom rules". These will guide class discussion.

Intercollegiate Competition: Any student representing Bradley University in an intercollegiate competition may be excused from class for a scheduled event if they discuss this with the instructor in advance and with the proper documentation. Students will be allowed to make up any work, however, the student has the responsibility to arrange this with the instructor in advance of the absence.

Relationship to other courses in the Curriculum: This course continues to build on the three previous practice courses by examining macro level practice skills, knowledge, and values in the generalist perspective. This course also builds on Intro to Social Welfare and Social Welfare Policy by examining policy advocacy practice skills. This course builds on the macro human behavior theory from HBSE II course with the development of practice skills to intervene at the macro level. This course extends the learning in Research Methods by examining program and community intervention evaluation techniques in the organizational and community settings.

I. Course Description

Generalist practice with focus on organizations, communities and large social systems. Assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation skills for macro practice. Emphasis on issues of diversity, discrimination, and oppression.
 

II. Course Objectives

     Students will be expected to develop learning in the following
     areas:

          Knowledge
 

1. Students will recognize the importance of macro practice in
2. generalist social work practice.
3. Students will understand the historical development of macro practice.
4. Students will gain knowledge regarding advocacy, social action, and legislative advocacy as methods to facilitate a society with socially and economically just policies.
5. Students will gain knowledge of organization theories.
6. Students will gain knowledge of theories for community change.
7. Students will gain knowledge of the problem solving method of intervention at the macro level.

Skills
 

1. Students will gain skills necessary to facilitate and participate in effective advocacy and social action methods to bring about social systems change.
2. Students will gain skills in effecting positive changes and developments in policy through legislative advocacy skills.
3. Students will gain skills in effective organizational management such as fiscal resource development and management (grant writing, budgeting) and human resource development and management (recruiting, hiring, managing, supervising, professionals and volunteers).
4. Students will acquire skills in program development.
5. Students will acquire skills in intervening with communities to effect positive changes in the environment and person-environment fit.
6. Students will acquire skills in evaluating program community intervention outcomes.

Values

1. Students will internalize the value of promoting social and economic justice for all, but especially for those considered populations-at-risk.
2. Students will demonstrate respect and dignity for all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, veteran status, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, or political orientation.
3. Students will value the NASW Code of Ethics and understand their responsibility to uphold the code in behavior and values.
4. Students will embrace the right of self-determination in all work with client systems.

III. Generalist Practice Principles

     The following eight generalist practice principles support all
     courses in the social work curriculum:

1. A systems approach provides the basic framework for understanding the generalist practice perspective and planning interventions with multiple systems.
2. Problems in living are presented from a person-in-environment perspective, with focus on the transactions between individuals and the environment.
3. Assessments and interventions must address both intrapsychic and environmental strengths and stressors.
4. Generalist practice involves assessments and interventions at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
5. Practice is based on the problem solving process and knowledge, skills, and values that are applicable across settings with diverse populations and in a variety of problem areas.
6. Critical analysis of social problems is inherent and results in both practice and policy responses.
7. Empirical research provides a solid foundation for both education and practice and generalist practitioners are expected to participate in practice evaluation activities.
8. Generalist practice often requires the social worker to function in multiple roles depending on the needs of the client system.

IV. Resources

Kirst-Ashman, K.K. and Hull, G. H. (1997). Generalist Practice with Organizations and Communities. Chicago: Nelson-Hall Publishers.

Kretzman, J. P. & McKnight, J. L. (1993). Building communities from inside out: A path toward finding and mobilizing a community's assets. Chicago:ACTA.

Materials will be posted to the Blackboard website throughout the semester. Posting will be announced in class and in the announcements section of Blackboard.

V. Learning Evaluation

There will be a total of 300 points in the class distributed in the following assignments and evaluations. Since this is a practice class, learning will require experiential opportunities as well as academic opportunities. Instuctions for written assignments are attached to this syllabus. The distribution for grades will be as follows:

     C. Class Project 40 points
          As a class you will implement a project that requires you to
          use mezzo level skills of running effective meetings, planning
          skills, working as a team, identifying goals, and implementing
          a plan.

     D. Attendance and observation at an organizational formal business
      meeting 40 points

     E. Grant writing assignment: 100 points

Aug. 30 & Sept. 4:  Introduction: "What is Macro Practice and Why do We Care?"

This section gives an introduction of how intervention at the macro level of organizations, communities, and within political systems can intervene in peoples’ lives to enhance well-being, alleviate poverty and discrimination, empower groups at risk and promote social and economic justice. This section discusses the need for macro practice skills to facilitate a more just and need satisfying environment context in the person-in-environment matrix. A brief historical examination of the development of and need for macro practice skills provides a foundation for skills necessary in contemporary society. This section promotes the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth generalist practice principles.

     Readings:

Sept. 6 - 20: Advocacy, Social Action, Political Advocacy and Empowerment Methods for Social Change

This section examines how methods of social and legal advocacy and social action empower vulnerable populations to effect a society that promotes, restores, maintains, and enhances the functioning and well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

This section looks at change methods to facilitate a socially and economically just society for all people. This section supports the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth generalist practice principle.

Sept. 25 - Oct. 4: Macro Practice in Organizations

This section examines macro practice skills through organizational practices and policies. Organizational practice content includes the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to enhance the well-being of people and to ameliorate the environmental conditions that affect people adversely through agency practices, services, and programs.
This section supports the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth generalist practice principle.

     Readings: Kirst-Ashman and Hull,  Chaps. 3, 4, 7, 14 & pps. 71 - 78

Oct. 9: no class, fall recess

Oct. 11 - 23: Macro Practice with Communities

This section examines macro practice methods of alleviating poverty and injustice and enhancing human functioning and well-being by organizing communities to provide a need fulfilling environment. This section takes a strength and empowerment perspective by discussing how social workers are facilitators or organizers of the community’s own change efforts. This section supports the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth generalist practice principles.

Readings:  Kirst-Ashman & Hull, Chaps. 8 & 9
           Kretzman & McKnight, Chaps. 1 & 2.

Oct. 25 - Nov. 6: Community development

This section examines the ideas of community development. It will examine the development of both physical and social capital. All of the generalist practice principles are relevant.

Nov. 8 - 20: Evaluating Macro Practice

This section reviews various program and community evaluation techniques to monitor effectiveness and efficiency in order to employ best practice methods. Evaluation of programs is inherently respectful of recipients of service and an ethical obligation to assure that clients receive the most effective service possible. This section supports the seventh generalist practice principle.

Nov. 27 - Dec. 11: Ethics and Macro Practice

This section ties the whole course together by examining the ethics of macro practice. It will examine the mandate for organizational and community change and the ethics of practicing at the macro level.  It will focus on advocacy and the risks involved in advocacy.

Legislative Letter

You will be expected to find your home town state or federal legislator and write a letter asking for their support on an issue of importance to social work and social work constituents. You will be provided with an appropriate issue that NASW is backing or may use an issue of your own that you are interested in. The letter will be evaluated on substance as well as form. Content for the advocacy stance can be supported by data from the empirical literature or from appropriate websites. Due Sept. 17.

Attendance and observation at a formal organizational business meeting

Students will be expected to attend one formal business meeting and write a 1-2 page report on how the formal method of conducting business (usually a variation of Robert’s Rules of Order) facilitates the group’s process. Students may choose from a variety of acceptable organizational business meetings including but not limited to the following:

Peoria City Council Meetings every Tuesday evening at 6:30 in City Hall. These meetings are open to the public and are often quite interesting to observe the process and handling of conflict among varying agendas

Because this is a class research project, it is your responsibility to let whoever is chairing the meeting know that you are there observing for a class project.

DUE: Oct. 25

Group Organization Project
 

As a class you will work on a project to develop and implement during the semester. This project will be to work with the Smith Career Center to develop placement services for social work students. As a class, you will work together to develop and implement this project. Rick  Smith from the Career Center will be in class on Sept. 4.

This project will involve community intervention skills by facilitating community empowerment and involvement. This project will involve learning organizational skills, because your class will be the executive committee to oversee the project. This exercise will call upon you to use your organizational skills such as program planning, holding effective meetings, delegating responsibility, recruiting participants, managing conflict, and many other organizational skills. Each student will then write your own paper describing the project using the IMAGINE method described in our primary text.
Paper due Dec. 4.

   2.Grant writing paper

         I. Cover page
        II. Table of contents
       III. Abstract or summary
            This section should be half to one page long
        IV. Narrative section

V. Evaluation section

VI.    Budget

format this as a line item budget
Include costs for personnel (don’t forget secretary),indirect costs, space, employee travel, public awareness material, printing, postage, operating costs such as telephone, supplies, and any other specifics needed to do job.
This section can cover where there may be matching funds or in-kind or soft matches.

VII. Credentials of staff or credibility statement:

VIII.Certification of compliance

This section describes if your agency is accredited by any bodies or is in compliance with certain mandating requirements.
This section will be brief, a page or less.

IX. Agency endorsements or signatures.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

          Overview:

          This Request for Proposal (RFP) is distributed by the Peoria
          Area Charity and invites proposals for projects that improve
          the lives of school-age children and adolescents through
          prevention. School age children and adolescents encounter many
          difficult issues such as pregnancy, violence, drugs and
          alcohol, gangs, and dropping out of schools. This RFP invites
          proposals that develop prevention programs that address any
          prevention issue of school-age children and adolescents.

          Amount of funding:

          Grants will be available for amounts up to $100,000 to be spent
          over no more than a 2 year period.

          Format of grant proposal:

          Grant proposals should follow the attached outline for the
          fullest consideration of funding.

          Deadlines:

          One copy of the proposal will be due by noon on Dec. 13 in the
          office of Dr. Evens, chair of the Peoria Area Charity.
          Questions regarding this grant may be directed to Dr. Evens at BU
          ext. 2392.

(Adapted from: Cannon, L. W. (1990). Fostering positive race, class and gender dynamics in the classroom. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 18, 126-134.