6101 WK 5 DISCUSSION
Candyy31
RTESPONSE1.docxRTESPONSE 1
WednesdayLocal: Dec 28 at 12:17am<br>Course: Dec 28 at 1:17am
Include a picture you took that represents the characteristics you identified in the community.
Provide a description of the community.
My community is a military community. One-third of Guam's land is owned by the United States armed forces. Guam's economy depends on tourism and military build-up. It consists of a large population who are in some way connected to the military. My husband, myself, and a few of our family members served or currently serve in the military.
Explain the strengths and challenges associated with that community based on its characteristics.
The strengths associated with the military community are socialization and social participation. As described by Kirst-Ashman and Hull (2018), socialization is where members of the community are taught values, beliefs, and actions. Members of the military and their families learn specific norms and values when transitioning to the military lifestyle. This could either be through basic training, other military training, or orientations. Social participation, as described by Kirst-Ashman and Hull (2018), is the involvement of community members in social activities that help people feel more like a part of their society. The military community promotes resiliency and reintegration by offering resources through community participation such as family days, workshops, and other community programs.
The challenges associated with the military community are stressors related to military life, combat exposures, and family separations. Military families are often affected by the challenges related to separations, deployments, and frequent relocations. Military spouses who are away from their service members commonly experience solitude and isolation.
Explain how you could utilize community strengths to address their challenges.
Utilizing the military community’s strength in socialization and social participation can help alleviate military families' challenges. Providing them with the resources to help improve adaptation, resiliency, and a sense of belonging can help them handle their challenges as they continue to support their service member. For example, Family Readiness Groups could provide family members with information about resources available to children and families before, during, and after a service member’s deployment.
Identify at least three (3) macro-practice skills, and explain how you would use these skills to help the community address their challenges.
Needs assessment – I could use this skill to determine the scope of the problem or situation, the available resources, and potential barriers to and solutions to solve it (Kirst-Ashman and Hull, 2018). This will allow me to figure out the problem exactly and know what resources I have available to help address the issue.
Planning – Using the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) will help me identify the tasks that are needed to be completed and prioritize those tasks based on their importance and urgency (Kirst-Ashman and Hull, 2018). This will also allow me to identify the timelines needed to complete pending tasks.
Working with a coalition - In most circumstances, partnering with other organizations or initiatives with similar goals could be helpful (Kirst-Ashman and Hull, 2018). Working with the confederation could assist the community we serve in accessing more support, resources, and networks. For instance, collaborating with a state coalition can assist communities in getting involved and connecting with local resources to find work, navigate relationships, or address other issues.
Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2018). Empowerment series: Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). CENGAGE Learning
RESPONSE 2
DENISE
Community Social Work
Description of the Identified Community
My identified community is Vancouver, Washington. This state has increased amenities and well-maintained infrastructure. It has excellent schools, entertainment, and cultural centers, world-class healthcare, and good infrastructure. Among the acceptable assets of Vancouver, Washington are its clean environment and beautiful scenery that the community leaders strive to maintain using various programs and sustainable building projects.
Strengths and Challenges associated with the community based on its characteristics
Vancouver, Washington strengths lie in the community members' increased involvement in activities aimed at improving the city. The community members are also united with the help of their leaders, who encourage the city dwellers to join social groups and participate in community gatherings to discuss what should be done to enrich the community further. Nonetheless, Vancouver, Washington, like any other community, is lacking, and this is evident by looking at the homeless who frequent downtown street corners. Vancouver Washington’s high number of homeless people indicates a lack of safe and affordable housing.
How to Utilize the Community Strengths to Address the Challenges
Homelessness in Vancouver, Washington can be addressed by the strengths of its community members, including their increased involvement in community activities and unwavering unity. These strengths can be used as the foundation for social change, which is in line with Austin et al. (2016), who note that the key interest of social advocacy is to create a long-lasting impact aimed at advancing social conditions. As a social worker, I will mobilize the community members in their specific social clubs and community gatherings to work with community leaders and help individuals and families at immediate risk of homelessness achieve housing. Community members can achieve this by contributing to the cause financially or linking with the available housing programs to reduce the number of homeless individuals.
Identify at least three (3) macro-practice skills and explain how you would use these skills to help the community address their challenges.
To help the homeless in the community, the first macro-practice skill will be educating the public to help them understand how working as a community can help address the issue and their specific roles. The other macro-practice skill that will help assist the community will be influencing the decision-makers to ensure addressing homelessness is prioritized. The role of a social worker is to influence those making final decisions in the community to ensure the final decisions are tailored to improving the lives of the affected individuals (Austin et al. 2016). The final macro-practice skill will be advocating for the homeless. Social workers act as advocates for disadvantaged populations to push for social change at the policy level.
References
Austin, M. J., Anthony, E. K., Knee, R. T., & Mathias, J. (2016). Revisiting the relationship between micro and macro social work practice. Links to an external site. Links to an external site. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 97(4), 270–277. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.2016.97.33
