Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW-564 Program Development and Community Practice

Credits - 3

Description

Program Development and Community Practice (SSW 564) is designed to prepare students to engage in advanced social work practice in organizational, community, and other system environments through the development of knowledge and skills which are congruent with the School of Social Work vision, mission, and values. The course will address the development of sustainable, equitable, and diverse programs, organizations, and communities that promote social inclusion. Students will develop evidence-based macro-level practices that promote social inclusion to create change in a variety of settings. Students will also explore self-reflective skills to employ in professional social work practice as community practitioners, administrators, and policy advocates.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of SSW 522 Field Integrating Seminar/Practicum II

WCHP Core Values:  Collaboration, Leadership, Critical Thinking

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:

1. Practice social inclusion to enable people, populations, and communities to fully participate in society, enhance human bonds in the context of cultural diversity and ensure improved quality of life and equitable resource distribution. EPAS Competencies 2 & 3
2. Engage in culturally-informed relationship building, being respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competencies 3 & 6
3. Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competency 8
4. Promote ethical reflection, critical consciousness and shared decision-making based in social work values and with consideration of the broader contexts of the world in which we live. EPAS Competency 1
5. Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 2, 5, & 6
6. Engage as critical consumers and producers of research as it relates to assessment, intervention and evaluation of clinical and community practices. EPAS Competencies 4, 7, 8 & 9
7. Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 6

Course Objectives:

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

1. Demonstrate an understanding of how to engage in effective program development and community practice utilizing community assets and participatory approaches that create change in a variety of settings and promote social inclusion. Program Outcomes #1 and #7 (All Assignments)
2. Develop a deeper understanding of the dynamic nature of community practice in collaboration with clients, systems and community partners the importance of possessing a diverse range of interpersonal skills as part of that process. 
Program Outcome  #7 (Assignment Two)
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the intrinsic value of critical self-reflection in social work practice and develop skills in the reflective use of self. Program Outcome #4 (All Assignments & Discussion)
4. Apply a social work macro practice perspective to working within communities, organizations and its connection to micro and mezzo social work practice. Program Outcome #7 (class activities & discussions)
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the critical role policy development plays in program development and community practice and its implementation at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels through professional and persuasive oral and written communication, networking, organizing stakeholder collaboration, and other forms of activism. Program Outcome #7 (Assignment Four)
6. Demonstrate the ability to engage in participatory community based assessments, evaluate current community efforts, identify gaps, and develop a methodology for evaluating program goals, objectives, and interventions as a way to identify and sustain efforts that promote social inclusion. Program Outcome #6 (Assignments Three & Four)

Accreditation Standards Addressed: Council on Social Work Education Educational and Practice Standards (EPAS)

• Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior (EPAS 1)
• Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities (EPAS 6)
• Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities ( EPAS 7)
• Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities (EPAS 8)
• Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities (EPAS 9)

Assignments

A variety of learning activities support the course objectives, facilitate different learning styles, and build a community of learners.  Learning activities for each module include the following:

• Readings and Multimedia: Online courses require different types of materials to enhance student understanding and knowledge of the course content. This includes lectures, websites, films, video clips, case studies, podcasts, and reading assignments.
• Discussions: The discussion forums require students to demonstrate a critical understanding and integration of the material covered.

Written Assignments:

You will identify a current social issue from which you will develop a program over the course of the semester. You will have an opportunity to discuss several pieces of program development in your assigned group leading up to the final assignment where the final program will be presented. You will also exchange peer feedback on the drafts of parts of the final assignment in a group forum.

 

Final Paper and Video

This paper is a culmination of the previous assignments, online discussions, and course activities. You will submit a paper that clearly states (1) the community need the program seeks to address; (2) the vision and mission, goals, objectives, and outcomes; (3) the theoretical framework from the literature that support the rationale for the methods and strategies being proposed for this program; and (4) how the program will be evaluated. In addition to the written assignments you will give a formal presentation of their program.

This paper is a culmination of the online discussions, and course activities. You will submit a paper at the end of Week 7 that clearly states (1) the community need the program seeks to address; (2) the vision and mission, goals, objectives, and outcomes; (3) the theoretical framework from the literature that support the rationale for the methods and strategies being proposed for this program; and (4) how the program will be evaluated.

The paper should be 6-8 pages in length. The final paper requires you to provide a full description of the program as well as all of the following: 

1. Clearly state the community need that this program proposes to address, the methods you would use to assess this need, and the key stakeholders.
2. Briefly and clearly describe your envisioned program – the purpose of the program and what will be accomplished through the program.
3. Clearly state the vision, mission of your program and the goals and three clearly stated objectives.
4. Cite the evidence or theoretical framework from the literature that supports the “rationale” for the methods and strategies you propose to employ in your program. This should flow from what you learned in the “what you would never do” exercise.
5. Provide and how this program will be evaluated including measurable outcomes. Be sure to include criteria used to measure performance on each outcome. 

You will give a formal video presentation of your program in Week 8. In the video, you must give an overview of the issue your program seeks to address, the key stakeholders and the proposed intervention and strategies based upon the assessment. You should be prepared to answer questions as if you were presenting to a Board of Directors, community coalition, or legislative body. The presentations will take place during the last class meeting. Your grade is partially based upon the organization and concise presentation of relevant data and analysis.

Grading Policy

The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignments	Point Value	Percent of Final Grade
Final Paper: Your Envisioned Program	300 points	30%
Video Presentation of Your Envisioned Program	100 points	10%
Whole Class Discussions	200 points	20%
Group Discussions	400 points	40%
Total	1,000 points	100%

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00