SW
353 Social Work Practice III
Spring 2006
Instructor: Wayne C. Evens, MSW,
Ph.D.,
107 BR
phone:
677-2392
e-mail:
evens@bradley.edu
Class: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 4:00-4:50,
Bradley 210
Office Hours: M W 1:00 -
3:30; T
TH 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and by
appointment
Electronic Office Hours (on BlackBoard) W T
3:00-4:00
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
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 generalist social work
practice.
2.
Students
will understand the historical development of macro practice.
3.
Students
will gain knowledge regarding advocacy, social action, and legislative advocacy
as methods to facilitate a society with socially and economically just policies.
4.
Students
will gain knowledge of organization theories.
5.
Students
will gain knowledge of theories for community change.
6.
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
Kretzman, J. P. & McKnight, J.
L. (1993). Building communities from inside out: A path toward finding and
mobilizing a community's assets.
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. Instructions for written assignments are attached to
this syllabus. The distribution for grades will be as follows:
A = 270-300 C =
210-239
B = 240-269 D =
180-209
A. reflection papers
There will be five reflection papers due
throughout the semester, each worth 20 points. Students will use material from
the texts and lectures to reflect upon current social issues and how the
theories and strategies being discussed might address the issues. You must
demonstrate that you have read and mastered the materials.
The due dates are Jan. 31, Feb.14, Mar. 7, APR.11 & Apr.
25.
B. Dictionary assignment 10 points
Students will look up “community” and
“organizing” in at least 3 different dictionaries; then write a definition of
“community organizing”. Due Jan. 29.
C. Class Project 100 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. Friday classes will be devoted to
this project. The class will organize itself into a “project team” and will
conduct meetings using Robert’s Rules of Order (see pgs. 108-113 in your
text). Students will write a report on their experiences and learning based upon
their experiences in the project.
D. Attendance and observation at an organizational formal business
meeting 40 points
Students will attend a formal business
meeting of an organization to observe how Robert’s Rules of Order are
implemented and facilitate the orderly conduct of business. A 1-2 page paper
will describe the flow of business. Due Mar. 14.
E. Grant writing assignment: 50 points
The major class assignment will be a grant
writing paper. Students will write a mock grant to meet a need of interest to
them. Students will need to research the extent of the need, identify and
develop a proposed program to meet the need, identify goals, identify an
evaluation plan, and develop a budget. Due May. 10.
All assignments are to be turned in on
Blackboard.
Course Schedule
Jan. 24, 26 and 29: 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 improve peoples’ lives, 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.
Kirst-Ashman & Hull
Dictionary assignment due
1/29
Jan. 29 – Feb. 9: 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 affect a
society that promotes, restores, maintains, and enhances the functioning and
well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
This section also 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.
First reflection
paper due Jan. 31
Feb. 12 - 23: 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.
Second reflection
paper due Feb.14
Feb. 26 – Mar. 9: 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.
Kretzman & McKnight, Chaps.
1 & 2.
Third reflection
paper due Mar. 7
Mar. 12 – 16
Grant writing and
developing funding sources
This section will
examine how to develop funding for projects. It will explore the issues in grant
writing and how to find funding sources.
NO CLASS Mar.
19-23 Spring break
Mar. 26 - Apr. 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.
Fourth reflection
paper due 4/11.
Apr. 9 - 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.
Fifth Reflection paper due
4/25.
Apr. 26 - May 3: 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.
Dictionary Assignment
Students should go to the library and use
unabridged and unusual dictionaries to find definitions of “community” and
“organizing”, use second and third definitions; then write your definition of
“community organizing”. Try to develop an unusual definition. Due Jan.25.
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:
Your very own Student Senate meetings, every Monday PM at the Garrett Center Student
attendance is always open and welcome.
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
Any other organization with formal business
meetings with prior approval from the class instructor.
Due Mar.22
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.
Group Organization Project
The class will organize itself to raise money
to support social work students in
Paper due May. 3.
Grant writing paper Due May
5.
An RFP is attached and each member in class
will develop a grant to provide a service that fits the requirements of the RFP.
You can elect to do your own project or we can decide to do some of this as a
class project in which case the class would work together on some sections. The
grant will follow the following outline:
I.
Cover page
Imitable of contents
III.
Abstract or summary
This section should be half to one page long
IV.
Narrative section
A. Statement of the problem: document how big of problem this is, who is
affected by it such as demographic data, what impact that has on the potential
clients, identify causative factors
This section may take 1-2 pages
B. Goals, Objectives of program: what do you hope to accomplish in
quantifiable, behavioral terms.
This section will be brief, listed as
numbered items, you should identify 2-3 goals with
specific objectives under them
Goals can be process or outcome (usually should be some of both)
C. Methods: proposed program activities, what does your proposed program
actually consist of. Who will do what. What kind of staff with what credentials will be needed. A timeline for implementation will be necessary.
This is the section that you want to be very
specific and complete so that the funders understand
how their money will be spent
This section should be 2-3 pages.
V. Evaluation section
How will you know that your program is
successful? How will you determine that you achieved your goals and objectives?
How will you measure them?
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 the job or in-kind or soft
matches.
VII. Credentials of staff or credibility
statement:
This section
describes the experience your agency has with this problem or related programs,
the training and expertise of staff. Tells grantor why they want to give their
money to you to spend. This section can be brief, a page or
less.
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 May 5, 2005 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.
CLASSROOM RULES
1.
Acknowledge that oppression exists. People
experience life differently because of race, class, gender, age, sexual
orientation and disabilities.
2.
Acknowledge that oppression derives in part
from misinformation.
3.
Do not
blame yourself or others for having misinformation.
4.
Do not
blame the victims and survivors of oppressive social conditions.
5.
Assume
people are always doing their best.
6.
Actively
seek and share information about culture and its effects with the goals of
understanding other cultures and eliminating false information about
cultures.
7.
Accept
others’ experiences as valid.
8.
Create a
safe and confidential environment where discussion of cultural issues can be
conducted. Allow others to teach you about their experiences.
(Adapted from: Cannon, L.
W. (1990). Fostering positive race, class and gender dynamics in the
classroom. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 18,
126-134.