FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
SOW 4343-001 Seq. 14206
Social Work Practice III:
Generalist Practice with Communities and Organizations

Course Description:

This course will familiarize students with the knowledge, values and skills needed to pursue macro level interventions directed toward social change. Social work has a long history of intervening at the level of neighborhood, community, state and nation. This course will enable the beginning-level, generalist social worker to affect projects, programs and policies that will benefit clients in the aggregate. Included in this exploration will be information on systems theory, populations at risk, social and economic justice, and multi-level interventions. Students will also analyze the NASW code of ethics as it applies to macro-level practice. A major thrust of this course is a “call to action” which asks new social workers to consider their role in society to be not only that of counselors or clinical social workers but also to be a social-change agent or social activist. Issues of poverty and various oppressions will be highlighted to illustrate the current state of America as a nation of unequal opportunity.

Relevance to Educational Program:

This course is the last one in the practice sequence, which fully enables the student to function as a generalist practitioner. It is devoted to the practice of macro level social work and as such it is directly related to HBSE I, which provides students with and understanding of macro theory, and HBSE II, which stresses biopsychosocial development. This course links Social Welfare Policy and Provision by linking individual, group and community functioning with social, economic, cultural, and political forces. It relates to the Profession of Social Work by focusing the social worker as agency employee and change agent in the macro social environment. It prepares the student for Social Work Research by emphasizing macro interventions that are amenable to evaluation. Finally, this course prepares students to think in macro terms and intervene on behalf of large groups of clients in the Field Placement.

Educational Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.      Adhere to the basic and historic values of the profession of social work and the                   ethical standards contained in the Code of Ethics of the National Association                   of Social Workers essential to macro practice settings. (Social Movement Assignment, Midterm and Final Exam, class discussion)

2.      Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for brokerage and advocacy in the macro setting on behalf of client systems of all sizes and with diverse populations, including populations at risk, groups that have experienced social and economic injustice, including the women and children, new immigrant groups, migrant farm workers, gay, lesbian, Haitian, Latino, African and Caribbean American, and aging populations in south Florida. (Social Movement Assignment, Term Project, Class discussion)

3.      Identify and demonstrate knowledge of strategies in the macro setting to reduce discrimination, oppression, and economic deprivation and to promote social and economic justice with populations-at-risk. (Social Movement Assignment, Term Project, Midterm and Final)

4.      Understand and apply theories and knowledge concerning the reciprocal relationships between human behavior and social environment, in order to promote health and social well-being in the macro setting. (Term Project, Midterm and Final)

5.      Demonstrate an understanding of social welfare from a policy and program                   perspective, essential for beginning agency social work macro practice. (Term Project, Midterm and Final Exam)

6.      Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for beginning professional generalist practice with communities and organizations. (Social Movement Assignment, Midterm and Final Exams, Term Project)

7.      Demonstrate beginning skills necessary for scientific evaluation of macro practice and critical appraisal of the findings of social work research. (Social Movement Assignment, Midterm and Final Exams, Term Project)

8.      Demonstrate macro practice competence within an ecological framework, integrating knowledge, skills, values and social work theories/models of social justice, empowerment, strengths and systems theory. (Social Movement Assignment, Midterm and Final Exams, Term Project)

Teaching Methodologies:

The teaching methods utilized in this course may include lectures, discussions, assigned readings, films, multi-media presentations, group exercises, and/or guest speakers.

Course Assignments and Grading:

1)      Social Movement Assignment: Each student will select a particular social movement and an organization that promoted this cause. I have posted a list of organizations and their causes on Blackboard, under Assignments. During class, students will select their social movements and organizations, so that we ensure everyone has a different topic. Students will go to the website for their chosen organizations in order to gather and write up the following information: a) Primary Purpose(s) of the Organizations (1 to 3 sentences), b) Brief History of the Organization and Social Movement (1 to 3 paragraphs), c) Methods Used by the Organization to Promote Social Change (1 to 2 paragraphs), and d) Critique of the Organizations Successes and Failures (2 to 4 paragraphs). Your paper should be 2 to 3 pages in total and you will be asked to report your findings in class (talk about your findings; do not simply read your written report, though you may use talking notes or cards; presentations will be 2 to 4 minutes each). Evaluation will be based upon: Comprehensive coverage of the topics listed above, clarity of the written information, clarity of the information provided orally, level of analysis in the critique of the organization. You only have to gather research from one website. If that website does not have sufficient information, you may need to change to a different social movement and organization (you should be able to complete the research for this assignment quickly and easily – it does not require a full literature review).

2)      Term Projects: For this assignment you may choose to work individually or in groups of two or three persons. You will be required to develop a simulated social change project based on a community of your choice. The macro project consists of two parts:

a)      Community Assessment

This is a written assignment (7 to 10 pages, plus any appendices you may wish to add, using APA format). Your assessment will use the PREPARE model from the text. At a minimum, your data-gathering techniques must include the following:

·        Windshield Survey (visual scan by driving through the neighborhood – or walking, if that is more appropriate; periodically, stop to take notes on paper or record them on audiotape).

·        Web and, or Library Research in order to gather:

o       Pertinent Demographics (e.g., US census, state or local reports)

o       Information on how current social welfare policy might affect (positively or negatively) your ability to fill a gap in local services identified by your initial community assessment

·        Key Person Interviews in order to conduct a Community Power Analysis (At least two people from the community – in your write-up, list at least 4 other people in the community that you would have liked to interview)

Your write-up of your Community Assessment should include the following information (you can use the main headings below as headings for your write-up or develop your own – see Blackboard-Assignments for a sample and a template that can help you with this assignment):

I.           Introduction (1 to 2 pages)

Statement of the purpose of this report. Define the community and the problems which will be addressed, including the target population. Provide an executive summary or overview of the report. If a person only reads one or two pages of this report, what would you want this person to know? Try to use language that will spark the reader's interest.

II.        Methods of Data Collection (1 paragraph)

Describe how you gathered data and what sources of data you used in order to write this report.

III.      Community Assessment (3-6 pages)

A.     Location

1)      Physical setting

2)      Boundaries

3)      Relationship to other communities

B.     Population Characteristics / Demographics

1)      Size

2)      Age Distribution

3)      Gender Distribution

4)      Racial/Ethnic Distribution

5)      Religious Distribution

6)      Other diversity (sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, etc.)

C.     Income / Socioeconomic Status

1)      Poverty rate

2)      Subgroups (women, minorities, etc.)

3)      Income levels, education levels

D.     Community Attractiveness

1)      Climate

2)      Cost of living

3)      Amenities

4)      Slums/ghettos

E.        Housing

1)      Types

2)      Condition

3)      Availability

4)      Cost

F.      History

1)      When/Why did people settle here?

2)      Where did they come from?

3)      How has the area changed over time (population, attitudes, beliefs, values)

4)      Important political, social, economic events

G.     Geography

1)      What has helped/hurt the community (ocean, canals, Everglades, etc.)

H.     Education

1)      Gender

2)      Drop-outs

3)      Financing

4)      Buildings

5)      Student-teacher ratios

6)      Programs for special needs

7)      Extra-curricular activities

8)      After school programming

9)      Availability and Access

10)   Quality

I.        Recreational and Cultural Systems

1)      Parks

2)      Cultural resources

3)      Recreational activities

4)      Social clubs

5)      Civic organizations

J.       Commerce and Industry

1)      Major employers and industries

2)      Unemployment rates (by gender, race/ethnicity, age, etc.)

3)      Local or absentee control

4)      Role of unions

5)      Future prospects

6)      Stability

7)      Illegal trades, underground

K.     Religion/Churches/Synagogues/Mosques/Temples/Other spiritual institutions

1)      Role and influence in community

L.      Government Type

1)      City manager

2)      Mayor

3)      City council

4)      Party in power

M.    Political Factors

1)      Voting patterns

2)      Major issues

3)      Financial stability

N.     Social and Health Systems

1)      Number and types of hospitals

2)      Primary social service agencies

3)      Problems/limitations of each

4)      Responsiveness of services

5)      Informal helping systems

6)      Planning bodies

O.     Sources of Information

1)      Radio/TV/Newspapers/Publications/Web

2)      Prominent people

P.      Power Distribution

1)      Reputational

2)      Positional

3)      Issues

Q.     Community Strengths

1)      Neighborhood Resources

R.     Community Needs

IV.  Conclusion

Based on your community assessment, identify what sort of program would best meet a "specific need" within that community. This will be the simulated program that your team will develop in the second half of the semester using the PREPARE and IMAGINE models.

IV.              References (APA format)

V.                 Appendices (optional) – could include maps, charts, photographs, etc.

b)      Program Proposal: Assessment of Community Change Potential and Program Implementation

For this assignment, you will use the PREPARE and IMAGINE models from Kirst-Ashman & Hull (2005) to develop and present a proposal for a new social program. You will present your proposal to the class as if they were key people in the community that you are trying to persuade to support your project (financially, politically, morally, professionally, and personally). In order to enhance your presentation, please use PowerPoint or other audiovisual aids (e.g., handouts, photos, presentations on poster boards).

This assignment builds on the Community Assessment, so you can use information from this assignment for the PREPARE analysis. You will also need to conduct a literature review concerning the problem(s) you are intending to address in your simulated program. This review should clearly point the way toward the structure and content of your simulated program.

You can organize your presentation by following the PREPARE and IMAGINE steps (page 31 of the text) or you can develop your own structure for the presentation, so long as it includes the main points of the PREPARE and IMAGINE models.

Your handouts to the class should include a "Grant Proposal" in the format posted on Blackboard under Assignments.

Your presentation should also include a sample "Media Message" that you could use as part of a social marketing strategy used for the project you are proposing. Each group will have 30 to 45 minutes to present.

Evaluation will be based upon: effective use of communication and presentation skills; comprehensiveness of the assessment using PREPARE; originality of the social program proposal; persuasiveness of arguments (to focus on the particular problem and to support the proposed program); accurate assessment of costs and benefits of proposed program; clarity of goals, objectives, and action steps; accurate interpretation of power; justification of the budget; use of multi-systemic approach (empowerment, social marketing, community organization, media); fit with social work values and ethics, and relevance and creativity of the sample social marketing strategy.

3)      Midterm Exam and Final Exam

Both the Midterm Exam and Final Exam will consist of a combination of multiple-choice and short-essay questions posted on Blackboard. See the dates in the Week-by-Week schedule for when these exams will be available online. We will have a Blackboard orientation during our first class and you will be able to take two practice tests to help ensure you understand how to use Blackboard and answer the types of questions that will be posed on these two exams. The Midterm Exam will cover all readings, films, and class discussions up until the Midterm Exam. The Final Exam will cover the entire course with a focus on the material covered from after the Midterm to the end of the term.

Grading for Assignments and Exams
(see week-by-week outline below for due dates and presentation times)

Social Movement Assignment                           10%

Midterm Exam                                                  20%

Final Exam                                                                   20%

Term Projects (2 parts):                                   

   1. Community Assessment (written)               25%

   2. PREPARE & IMAGINE (live presentation)           25%

            TOTAL                                                            100%

Grading Scale:

The grading scale for this course is as follows:

Professional Expectations:

• The social work program at FAU has a responsibility to the public and to the profession to graduate professional social workers that are, at a minimum, competent to practice at a beginning level. The School of Social Work is also mandated by CSWE to foster and evaluate student professional development. To that end, instructors must provide clear expectations concerning what is professional and unprofessional behavior, as well as provide feedback to students throughout the course. The three most common problem areas that this instructor has seen are in the areas of class tardiness, disrespect to instructor and fellow students, and unsatisfactory writing skills.

• It is rude and disruptive to be late to class or to return late after the break. The class time is posted and published well in advance of the first day of class. It is entirely the student’s responsibility to arrange their lives in such a manner that allows them to be on time to class every session. It is understandable that there are occasional emergencies or unavoidable life events, but it is a mark of lack of professionalism to be late to class more than very occasionally. It is never acceptable to be late on a regular basis (e.g., because one’s work schedule conflicts with class). Call or email the instructor if you know that you are going to be late to make sure that you will not be too disruptive to that class’s planned events.

• It is disrespectful to engage in conversation during class. One should not interrupt the flow of the instructor’s lecture. Likewise, one should listen respectfully to fellow students without making disparaging comments. It is important that everyone feel safe enough to express his or her views. It is a hallmark of professional social work that we embrace diversity in our clients and our peers.

• The BSW program expects each student to exhibit a certain level of mastery as concerns written communications. It also expects each student to constantly seek to improve his or her skills in the interest of professionalism. Accordingly, all written assignments should be turned in with an absolute minimum of errors in spelling, grammar, syntax, etc. While this is not an English class, the overall readability of a paper affects how that paper will be understood and graded. For those who need help with writing skills, the university does offer assistance (for the Boca Campus, call (561) 297-3498 or see http://www.fau.edu/UCEW/us.htm; for the Davie Campus, go to the Multicultural Affairs office at Module 38G, room 112; also, see http://www.library.fau.edu/npb/respaper.htm for writing and research tips).

• All written work should be typed or word-processed to maximize readability. Use a dictionary or “spell check” to ensure against error. As social work practice involves the extensive use of writing skills, this strictness on the instructor’s part is another way to ensure students will be able to present their views in a professional manner.

• It is expected that all assignments will be turned in on time as outlined in the class schedule below. Late assignments will not be accepted except in very extenuating circumstances (e.g., a documented family emergency or a serious medical illness documented with a physician’s note).

Academic Irregularities, Academic Policies, and Regulations:

According to FAU policies, the following constitute Academic Irregularities:

1. The use of materials and devices such as notes, books, calculators, etc., while taking an examination, unless specifically authorized by the instructor; or assistance from or to other persons while taking an examination unless specifically authorized by the instructor acts defined as “cheating”.

2. The presentation of words or ideas from any other source as one’s own is an act defined as plagiarism. All papers may be checked for plagiarism through FAU's electronic scanning program. For information regarding what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it, please consult http://www.lib.usm.edu/research/plag/plagiarismtutorial.php

3. The unauthorized obtaining, distributing, or receiving of materials which is, or is purported to be an examination, or part of an examination, without the expressed consent of the instructor.

4. Taking an examination for another person or having another person take an examination, and presenting, or having same presented as one’s own exam.

5. Other activities that interfere with the academic mission of the classroom.

6. Submission of the same, or essentially the same, paper, project, assignment, or finished project to an instructor, which has been submitted to another instructor, unless specifically authorized by both instructors to do so.

For the Academic Policies and Regulations in the Undergraduate Catalog see http://www.fau.edu/ug-cat/welcome.htm. This web site contains information on grading, incomplete grades, plagiarism, expectations of student behavior, and communications devices (e.g., cell phones to be disabled during class sessions).

Textbook:

The textbook required for this course is:

Kirst-Ashman, K. & Hull, G. (2005). Generalist practice with organizations and communities (3^rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole (www.wadsworth.com).

This book is available at the campus bookstore. If you choose to purchase the second edition, please compare your text to a third edition so that you will be aware of the differences between the second and third editions.

In addition to text readings, handouts and articles will be distributed in class or posted on Blackboard, as required reading. Films shown in class are used as an adjunct to lecture. Students should take notes during films and in the discussions following.

Week-by-Week Course Outline, Readings, and Due Dates:

The following outline and readings may change as the course progresses, given student interests and needs. Please read the required readings prior to the class when we will be discussing them. Readings from Kirst-Ashman & Hull will be listed below as KAH

Bibliography:

Addams, Jane (1916). Twenty years at Hull House. New York: MacMillan.

Alinsky, S. (1971). Rules for radicals. New York: Vintage Press.

ACOSA, the Association for Community Organization & Social Administration, www.acosa.org

Carniol, B. (2005). Case critical: Social services and social justice in Canada (5^th ed.). Toronto: Between the Lines

Cnaan, R.A. & Rothman, J. (1995). In J. Rothman, J. Erlich, and J. Tropman (Eds.), Strategies of community intervention (5^th ed.), pp. 241-257. Itasca IL: F.E. Peacock.

Freire, P. (1989). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.

Fuchs, J.A. (1995). Planning for community health promotion: A rural example. In J. Rothman, J. Erlich, and J. Tropman (Eds.), Strategies of community intervention (5^th ed.), pp. 308-315. Itasca IL: F.E. Peacock.

Greene, H. & Simons-Morton, B. (1984). Introduction to health education. New York: Macmillan.

Haggstrom, W.E. (1995). The tactics of organization building. In J. Rothman, J. Erlich, and J. Tropman (Eds.), Strategies of community intervention (5^th ed.), pp. 341-356. Itasca IL: F.E. Peacock.

Lundy, C. (2004). Social work and social justice: A structural approach to practice. Peterborough, Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press.

Meenaghan, T. & Gibbons, E. (2000). Generalist practice in larger settings: Knowledge and skills concepts. Chicago: Lyceum Books.

Payne, M. (1997). Modern social work theory. Chicago: Lyceum Books.

Reisch, M., & Andrews, J. (2001). The road not taken: A history of radical social work in America. New York: Routledge.

Rothman, J. (1995). Approaches to community intervention. In J. Rothman, J. Erlich, and J. Tropman (Eds.), Strategies of community intervention (5^th ed.), pp. 26-63. Itasca IL: F.E. Peacock.

Ryan, E. & Hawkins, M. (2002). Social marketing: Implications for social work. Unpublished manuscript.

Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2001).  Community organizing and development (3^rd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.