Q 1 Community Analysis and Intervention Assignment: Part 1 – Community Analysis Course # 6302 Overview of Assignment This assignment has 4 smaller pieces that are built upon each other for the larger project. You will choose a topic or issue that you want to explore, assess the community and/or target population that is impacted by the concern, identify, and analyze some organizations that serve the community/target population and research interventions. You will determine partners and assets as you develop an intervention, program, or policy reformation. You will discuss how you will implement, monitor, evaluate and disseminate results of your change action. Finally, you will craft a presentation and share it with your classmates. This will be a wonderful opportunity to see how we use our social work skills to be agents of change in a macro role. We will have specific course work that will assist you in each step of this project. For this portion of the assignment, you will choose a topic to research and begin the community analysis. When choosing your topic for this four-part assignment consider the guidelines provided below to select this topic: Topic selection should be guided by: • Practical problems in social welfare • Strengths and needs of the target population • Decisions that confront social service agencies/community • Information needs related to policy, planning, and practice Directions: Part 1 – Community Analysis The following instructions are general guidelines for the assignment. Please cover each topic area listed below and use the bullet points as a guideline to craft your analysis. I. Introduction Provide a general introduction about your project and the paper. This section should cover the material directly related to the problem being studied. This is more of a guiding theme of the project that outlines the area being studied, the importance of this area, and the objectives of the paper. II. Analysis of the problem Use the following information below to help guide you in answering this portion of the paper. 2 • What is known or not known about the history and causes of the condition/problem? • What is known about communities that have the condition or that never have the condition/problem? That is, what risk and protective factors are associated with the condition? • The politics of the condition/problem. Assessing politics involves examining power, money, and authority related to the condition. • Who typically has the problem, extent of the problem • What national incidence and prevalence data, rates, and norms exist, e.g., one in 10,000 will be a victim? • Is the problem increasing or decreasing? III. Analysis of the Population Provide information about the population or community impacted by the problem, concern, or condition. This could be a geographical community or a community of similar needs, strengths, or interests. Consider: • How is the community, or population defined? How is the community perceived by its members. Do they define themselves as a community? • Are certain groups impacted differently that others? Are there cultures and ethnic groups represented and are/or gender issues represented? o Provide any data or information on perspectives of persons affected by the problem. Consider strengths of the community and barriers they may face. o How is the problem or need perceived by various groups within the community? • Description of the community experiencing the condition in terms of geography, demographic and cultural (age, gender, ethnicity, income, values, beliefs, stories, myths.) IV. Identification and Assessment of the Organizations that Serve Think about organizations that have the purpose to serve populations impacted by the concern you have chosen. Look at the organization from as a general service provider and use Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as an organization assessment method to determine an organization that serves to address barriers or strength development regarding populations impacted by your topic. Considerations for discussion are provided in the following component descriptions: • General Description of Organization: Describe the agency being assessed. Identify the agency’s mission, goals, services provided, and persons served. • Include some demographic information to describe the service populations. • Discussion of services should identify and describe any evidenced-based social work practices that are incorporated into the agency’s programs. 3 • Organizational Policies that support service to the population. For example, are there geographic service areas, limits to populations served, inclusive driven language? • Provide literature to support a practice as being evidence based. The reader should get a sense of the purpose of the organization and how it goes about fulfilling that purpose in the community. • Identify and value the best of “what is” within the organization. In the first step is to tap into the key themes and forces important to the organization. Think about the 5 D Model in our week 2 coursework. How would the organization define the concern? How would the organization discover addressing the concern? You may not be able to find this information about a specific organization, so use your critical thinking to discuss your recommendations for how the organization could do this. Ideas to gather this information may be to examine the mission statement, talk with staff, read leadership biographies or background statements, look at how services are provided and to whom. Consider funding sources and how they involve the community. How do they display their accomplishments? V. Paper Requirements • 6–7-page paper • Title & Reference page (not included in 6–7-page count) • A total of at least 3 references included • Double-spaced, 12-point font • Citations and Reference Page using APA format Rubric: 30 points possible Exemplary 3 Good 2 Marginal 1 Unacceptable Quality of writing 3 points Very informative and well organized. No spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Somewhat informative and organized. Few spelling and punctuation errors, minor grammatical errors. Gives some new information but poorly organized. A number of spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Gives no new information and very poorly organized. So many spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors it interferes with the meaning. APA citations & formatting 3 points All in-text citations were in the correct APA citation style and the reference page was also correct. At least 3 Few minor errors in either the in-text citations and/or references page. 3 references are used. Paper requirement Major errors in either the in-text citations and/or references page. Less than 3 references are used. Paper Many errors in the in-text citations and/or references page. No references used. Paper 4 references are cited. Paper requirement guidelines were followed. guidelines for each section were followed. requirement guidelines were not followed guidelines were not followed. Exemplary 6 Good 4 Marginal 2 Introduction 6 points General introduction about your project and the paper is clear and complete. Discussion is directly related to the problem being studied and includes area being studied, the importance of this area, and the objectives of the paper. General information is included, and information is clear and complete. Some discussion is given to the area studied, importance of this area and objectives of the paper. Minimal information is included, and information is not clear nor complete. Little discussion is given to the area studied, importance of this area and objectives of the paper. Introduction is very brief or not included. Exemplary 6 Good 4 Marginal 2 Analysis of the Problem 6 points A complete and comprehensive analysis of the problem is provided with demonstration of critical thinking. Examples are provided and components are explored with depth and detail A mostly complete and comprehensive analysis of the problem is provided with some demonstration of critical thinking. Examples are provided and some components are detailed. Analysis of the problem is incomplete and is provided with demonstration of little critical thinking. Few examples are provided and only a couple components are addressed or include minimal depth or detail. Analysis is very brief of not included. Exemplary 6 Good 4 Marginal 2 Analysis of the Population 6 points A complete and comprehensive analysis of the population is provided with demonstration of critical thinking. A mostly complete and comprehensive analysis of the population is provided with some demonstration of critical thinking. Examples are provided Analysis of the population is incomplete and is provided with little demonstration of critical thinking. Analysis is very brief of not included. 5 Examples are provided and each component is addressed. You have provided robust information about the target population or community and provided supportive literature. and most components are addressed. You have provided some details of the target population/community but lack much supportive literature Few examples are provided and only a couple components are addressed. You have provided little information about the target population/ community and provided no supportive literature Exemplary 6 Good 4 Marginal 2 Analysis of the Organization 6 points A complete and comprehensive analysis of the organization is provided with demonstration of critical thinking. Examples are provided and components that apply to your topic are addressed. You have included information on how the organization provides services, address your concern, with an AI lens and provided supportive A mostly complete and comprehensive analysis of the organization is provided with some demonstration of critical thinking. Examples are provided and most components are addressed. AI is shared but includes minimal depth. Analysis of the organization is incomplete and is provided with little demonstration of critical thinking. Few examples are provided and only a couple components are addressed. You have included no information how AI is applied in your analysis. Analysis is very brief of not included.