According to Chambers and Bonk (2013), social policies and programs are meant to serve categories or groups of people rather than individuals. Social workers must keep in mind the needs of the client or consumer while also considering the community context or the social environment. Public policies and programs may serve groups of individuals or communities, but it is inevitable that some individuals’ needs cannot be met on occasion. Given this reality, social workers may need to seek solutions for their clients outside of the existing program or policy structure. This requires knowledge of the current program or policy status, the ability to assess the programs’ and policies’ effectiveness, and inspire resourcefulness to steer clients in the right direction (Chambers & Bonk, 2013).

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following competencies and behaviors:

• Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior.
  • C1.GP.B: Use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations.
    • Related Assignment Criteria:
      • 1. Describe personal experience with policy and program planning and evaluation.
• Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice.
  • C3.GP.A: Apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels.
    • Related Assignment Criteria:
      • 3. Explain specific discriminatory issues in a given policy or program.
• Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice.
  • C5.GP.C: Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
    • Related Assignment Criteria:
      • 4. Address identified discriminatory issues to advocate for policies that advance social well-being.

Assignment Description

This assignment involves the application of Chambers and Bonk’s (2013) contention that all social programs and policies are created to meet three criteria: adequacy, equity, and efficiency (p. 2). As a social worker, you will spend a great deal of time working within the social program or policy context. In other words, you will work in the agencies created by policies, implement the programs offered by the agencies, and have direct contact with those who are served by the programs and policies. Social workers must be concerned about these policies and programs, both their weaknesses and strengths, if social workers are to uphold our professional ethical standards.

Assignment Instructions

For the first assignment for this course, compose a written document that contains the following:

• A description and assessment of your past experiences with policy and program planning, either your experience making policy or experience with a policy that someone else made.
  • Reflect on your past professional involvement with policy or program planning and evaluation either in the human services field or elsewhere. If you do have some knowledge and experience in this regard, please describe it. What kind of policy or program were you concerned with? What was the degree of your involvement and the level of knowledge you had at that time regarding social policy and program planning?
• The selection and explanation of a program or policy that oppresses, alienates, or discriminates, informed by personal experience or information found via the Internet or the Capella Library.
• Strategies for policy or program changes that aim to empower or create privilege.

Reference

Chambers, D. E., & Bonk, J. F. (2013). Social policy and social programs: A method for the practical public policy analyst (6th ed.). Pearson.