Instructor:     Diane Zosky, Ph.D., ACSW, LCSW
                124 Bradley Hall
                ph: 677-2392
                e-mail: zosky@bradley.edu
Office Hours:   MWF 10:00- 11:00 1:00-2:00 or by appointment
Class Hours:    MWF 11:00-11:50

Accommodation: Any student with a disability or special need who requires accommodation 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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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 which 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.

A. Required Texts:

1. Kirst-Ashman, K.K. and Hull, G. H. (1997). Generalist Practice with Organizations and Communities. Chicago: Nelson-Hall Publishers.
2. Haynes, K.S. and Mickelson, J.S. (2000). Affecting Change: Social Workers in the Political Arena. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.


B. Supplemental Readings on Reserve from:

1. Sheafor, B.W., Horejsi, C.R., and Horejsi, G.A. (2000). Techniques And Guidelines for Social Work Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

(you may likely still have this book since you were strongly encouraged to keep until you have long since graduated from BU)
2. Kretzman, J.P. and McKnight, J. L. (1993). Building Communities From the Inside Out. Chicago: ACTA Publications.
3. Guiterrez, L; Alvarez, A.R.; Nemon, H.; and Lewis, E.A. (1996). Multicultural Community Organizing: A Strategy for Change. Social Work, 41,5, 501-508.
4. Weil, M.O. (1996). Community Building: Building Community Practice. Social Work, 41,5, 481-499.

C. Lobby Day 20 points
Students will be expected to participate in the Social Work Lobby Day on March 6^th. A 1-2 page paper will be due on March 9.

G. Grant writing assignment: 100 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 7

1. Kirst-Ashman and Hull text Chapter 1 Introduction to Generalist Practice with Communities and Organizations.
2. Kirst-Ashman and Hull text pages 355-360 a definition of populations at risk and diverse populations that have historically experienced social and economic injustice
3. Haynes and Mickelson text Chapter 1 The Emergence of a Social Work Polity
4. Haynes and Mickelson text Chapter 3 Social Work Values versus Politics
     Dates: January 24, 26, 29

III. Macro Practice in Organizations

B. Mezzo Level Skills for Macro Practice Kirst-Ashman and Hull Chapter 3

1. Conflict resolution skills         Kirst-Ashman and Hull pages 71-78
2. Building Teams
    Sheafor, Horejsi and Horejsi 14.42 on pgs 526-528
3. Conducting Meetings
    SHH 14.41 pgs 525-526
4. Leading small group meetings
   SHH 14.44 pgs 531-534
     5. Chairing a Committee
         SHH 14.47 pgs 537-541
     6. Nominal groups
        SHH 14.46 pgs 536-537
     7. Brainstorming
        SHH 14.49 pgs 542-543 Dates: Feb. 23, 26, 28

Kirst-Ashman and Hull Chapter 14
1. Marketing Sheafor, Horejsi, and Horejsi 14.53 pgs 552-555 2. Media SHH 14.54 pgs 555-558 3. Fundraising SHH 14.55 pgs 558-561 4. Grantwriting SHH 14.56 pgs 561-566 5. Budgeting SHH 14.52 pgs 549-552 Dates: March 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16
 
D. Managing Agency Resources- People 1. Staff recruitment and selection SHH 11.12 pgs 291-293 2. volunteer recruitment SHH 11.13 pgs 293-296 3. supervising staff and volunteers SHH 14.43 pgs 528-531 4. peer review SHH 15.7 pgs 595-596 5. worker performance evaluation SHH 15.8 pgs 596-600 Video: Constructive Criticism
Dates: March 26, 28, 30
 
E. Agency and Program Development Kirst-Ashman and Hull Chapter 7 1. Agency Planning SHH 13.10 pgs. 421- 424 2. Project Planning and Evaluation SHH 13.11 pgs 424-428 3. Protocol Statements SHH 13.14 pgs 435- 436 Dates: April 2

IV. Macro Practice with Communities

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.
 
Kirst-Ashman and Hull pgs 328-350
Dates: April 23, 25, 27

This section reviews ethical mandates for macro practice including the NASW Code of Ethics and methods for ethical decision making.   Kirst-Ashman and Hull Chapter 12
Dates: April 30, May 2, 4

1. 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 Feb 16^th.
 
 

2. Lobby Day

Lobby Day is March 6, 2001 in Springfield. The social work program will cancel any social work classes for that day to strongly encourage student attendance. Your attendance at this event will be required, so you need to speak with any other professors from other non-social work classes early. If another professor needs verification, the may call the instructor for this course.
If there is some legitimate reason why you can not attend, see the course instructor early and an alternative assignment will be arranged. A one-two page paper on what you learned from Lobby Day will be required by March 9^th. The social work program will arrange for transportation with Bradley vans. There is a nominal $7 charge for attendance. If this is prohibitive, speak with the course instructor about a scholarship. Also if students are simply unable to attend due to other class or work commitments, speak early to the instructor about an alternative assignment (alternative assignments are usually not as fun).
 
3. Organizational Analysis Assignment

Students will attend the BUSS Agency Fair on March 14 and interview one agency representative about organizational characteristics of the agency including the following:
• Are they a public or private organization
• Who is the final auspice of authority (legislature, governor, board of directors, Bishop or religious council)
• Is the agency bureaucratically structured or function from a more de-centralized style of management?
• What is the funding base? Do they do any fundraising and if so what?
• Are they overseen by any accrediting body?
• Are decisions made autocratically or is there a form of shared governance?
• Are there any team building forums for staff such as retreat days, etc?

• 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. This will be due by Feb. 28th. 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

• Peoria County Board Meetings
• Any other organization with formal business meetings with prior approval from the class instructor

1. Group Organization Project

 

 

As a class you will work on a project to develop and implement during the semester. This project will be assisting with the BUSS Agency Fair. As a class, you will work together to develop and implement this project.

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. The paper will be due on April 2.
 

2. Grant writing paper

1. Cover page
2. Table of contents
3. Abstract or summary

This section should be half to one page long
4. Narrative section

1. 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
2. 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)
3. 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 job.
This section can cover where there may be matching funds 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.