Describe another way the identified problem can be defined. What policy advocacy skills do you think should be used to address the identified problem?

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Discussion: Analyses of Social Problems in Case Studies

As a social worker, often you need to use your policy advocacy skills to ensure that your clients are receiving the services that they need. Although you may tend to think of policy advocacy skills as separate from your clinical social work skills, they are very similar. Think of the skills that you would use in working with a client such as Jake Levy. How could you apply these skills to policy advocacy? How will you use these skills to identify the policy and social problems that are impacting these families? In this week’s Discussion, you will continue to follow the Levy, Bradley, Petrakis, and Cortez families to start the process of policy advocacy.

In this Discussion, select one of the four integrated videos and identify the problems experienced by the client(s).

Post by Day 3 your responses to the following:

  • Who is defining the problem?
  • What values are reflected in this definition of the problem?
  • What is being omitted in this definition?
  • What other problems do you see that are not being acknowledged?

Be sure to support your post with specific references to this week’s resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references.

Respond by Day 5 to a colleague who chose a case different from yours by addressing the following:

  • Describe another way the identified problem can be defined.
  • What policy advocacy skills do you think should be used to address the identified problem?
  • What makes a social problem a social work problem?
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Listed below is a situation that may or may not violate codes of ethics when working with families. Study the scenario carefully and then go to the codes of ethics for AAMFT, IAMFC, AACC, and ACA to find the ethical answers to the dilemmas presented. Be sure to record the code location on each ethical code where the violation or permission is given for the counselor to do what had been done (ex: AAMFT 2.2 or ACA B.7.2).

You are a young, single, male counselor with your own private agency. You saw a family for a year in 2011. During the counseling sessions, you realized there was an attraction between you and the oldest daughter. Since you did not want to hinder the therapeutic relationship you had built with the family, you did not pursue a romantic relationship nor did you say anything about your feelings. After one of the family sessions, the daughter mentions this attraction to you and admits her romantic feelings. You and she talk honestly about this and agree not to pursue this attraction. Later, the family seems to improve and the counseling is terminated. It has been 24 months since your last counseling session, and you see the daughter of your former client at the gym. In a brief conversation, the two of you decide to have dinner together next week. Have you, as a professional counselor, conducted yourself in an ethical manner?

All work is to be original done in APA with references and citation. This is a Masters course therefore all writing must reflect Masters writing.

Post by Day 3 2 to 3 paragraphs analyzing the effects of the revision process on writing a suitable ending to your story. Include the answer to the following question:

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Discussion – Week 4COLLAPSE

Wrapping Up Your Short Story

Having learned how to incorporate different techniques of development and elements of creative writing into your short story during the first three weeks, it is now time to think about adding the finishing touches and polishing it. How will you conclude your story and what should you consider as you revise the story with help from your peers? In this Discussion, you will reflect on the conversation that takes place among the different components of a short story and the impact rewriting can have.

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review the assigned portions of Chapters 8, 11, and 12 in Shaping the Story.
  • Review “Not Even Angels Are Immortal,” by Jeremy Blodgett, and “The Traveler,” by Wallace Stegner, in Shaping the Story.&νβσπ;
  • Reflect on the ways that writers create smooth connections among the elements of the story.
  • How might you use the same strategies for your story?
  • How might you identify these patterns in your peers’ stories?

Consider how the authors begin and end their stories.

  • What kinds of introductions and conclusions have you seen demonstrated so far?
  • Think about how each author uses language to bring her short story to life.
  • Consider the questions in Shaping the Story, Chapter 12, that may help you identify areas to revise in your short story.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 2 to 3 paragraphs analyzing the effects of the revision process on writing a suitable ending to your story. Include the answer to the following question:

  • How does the process of revising affect creativity and why?
  • What techniques did your observe in the stories this week that you could use in your own story?
  • Be sure to cite at least two examples from your readings.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to the week’s Learning Resources, or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 5 to at least one of your colleague’s postings in one or more of the following ways:

  • Ask a probing question.
  • Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
  • Offer and support an opinion.
  • Validate an idea with your own experience.
  • Make a suggestion.
  • Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

What are the weaknesses or threats to the validity of the evaluation results in the case study? 

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RESPONSE 

Respond to a colleague who suggested an alternative way the social worker might have evaluated the program.

Colleague : Lorraine 

Your description of the partnership between SPG and stakeholders in the community.

The partnership between SPG and the stakeholders is one that should be viewed from many sides.  SPG is in a state of transition and they are replacing individuals who have been in the SPG for years with new employees. SPG is trying to restructure the organization in an attempt to create a more efficient agency.  The stakeholders in the community see the fact that the transition was thrust upon them without transparency as a sign of an underlying agenda by the new leadership that will only benefit them (Plummer, Makris & Brocksen, 2014).

Describe alternative ways, if any, that the social worker might have evaluated the program.

An alternative way the social worker might have evaluated the program was to utilize the Systematic Multiple Level Observation of Groups (SYMLOG).  Utilizing this tool would allow the social worker to gain a clearer understanding of how the leadership and stakeholders interact, thereby allowing for a more accurate evaluation.  According to Toseland and Rivas (2017) “…SYMLOG is a method for analyzing the overt and covert behaviors of group members. With SYMLOG, a three-dimensional graphic presentation or field diagram of the interaction of group members is made. Through the field diagram, group members can analyze the way they interact with one another to improve the ability of the group to accomplish its tasks.

What are the weaknesses or threats to the validity of the evaluation results in the case study? 

The weakness or thereat to the validity of the evaluation results in the case study comes from the fact that the social worker relied on only one method of to evaluate the organization as opposed to multiple methods in order to validate her findings further.

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader]. “Working With Organizations: The Southeast Planning Group” (pp. 51–52)

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Chapter 13, “Ending the Group’s Work” (pp. 395-416). Chapter 14, “Evaluation” (pp. 417-443)