Unit5 SWK5006 DUE 11.08.2022

This assignment is meant to guide you through a process that may prove useful to you in the future, as you continue in the social work profession. This assignment also builds on what you have done previously, providing you an opportunity to dive deeper into the complexity of creating empowering and inclusive programs and policies.

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

· 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:

· Explain a program or policy that oppresses, alienates, or discriminates.

· Analyze a given policy or program for adequacy, equity, and efficiency.

· Explain strategies for addressing identified discriminatory issues in a given policy or program.

· Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice.​

· C5.GP.A: Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well-being, service delivery, and access to social services.

· Related Assignment Criteria:

· Explain a program or policy that oppresses, alienates, or discriminates.

· Present in a persuasive manner targeting policymakers.

· C5.GP.B: Assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to social services.

· Related Assignment Criteria:

· Analyze a given policy or program for adequacy, equity, and efficiency.

· Explain strategies for addressing identified discriminatory issues in a given policy or program.

· 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:

· Explain a program or policy that oppresses, alienates, or discriminates.

· Analyze a given policy or program for adequacy, equity, and efficiency.

· Explain strategies for addressing identified discriminatory issues in a given policy or program.

For this assignment, you will select discriminatory issues within a program or policy, analyze that program or policy, explain strategies to address the issues, and recommend improvements. Keeping in mind that policy change does not happen in a vacuum, you will also format these recommendations as a presentation for policymakers, clearly presenting the case for your chosen improvements.

For this assignment, complete the following:

· Select and explain a program or policy that you believe oppresses, alienates, or discriminates and explain why you think this is the case. Use your current knowledge and skills in regards to program and policy evaluation as well the approach to evaluation that Chambers and Bonk (2013) employ in your text.

· Analyze the program or policy that you have selected by applying the three evaluation criteria, adequacy, equity, and efficiency, from Chambers and Bonk (2013).

· Recommend improvements or enhancements to the program or policy, converting it to a policy or program meant to create privilege and/or power.

Submission Requirements

The assignment you submit is expected to meet the following requirements:

· Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

· APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting standards.

· Length of paper: 3 pages, substantial talking points.

Discussion(1 page)

For this discussion, consider the following:

· A public program requires prior contributions to meet a minimal threshold amount before it distributes benefits. However, the contribution amount is excessively high for many families, especially minorities in your community. Describe how you could attempt to correct this issue without greatly increasing costs.

· Use this unit's readings to inform your post and discussion.

This was unit 1 Discission:

Choose a social problem affecting an oppressed population you are interested in learning about. Research the history of how that issue became a social problem and report your findings. Use this unit's readings to ensure your understanding of defining a social problem. For this discussion, answer the following questions:

· What factors led to the definition of this social problem?

· Who were the key players?

An example of a major social problem in society is gender inequality. In this context, the oppressed population that I am interested in learning about is comprised of African American women. Specifically, the current society is characterized by the underrepresentation of black women employed in professional occupations and a huge gap in pay compared to white men. There are two factors that led to the definition of this social problem: racism and sexism. These two elements have combined to facilitate the black oppression of black women in the country for many years. According to Frye (2019), in 2017, for every dollar that a white man earned, a black woman in the same profession only earned 61 cents. If these two individuals worked over a period of 40 years, the gap in earnings between them would be $946,120. This pay gap is seen in the poor socioeconomic outcomes of many black women across the country.

The key players in this issue include black women, policymakers, and activists. Over the years, there have been many black women who have been on the front-line fighting for race and gender equality. Major examples include Daisy Bates, Hallie Quinn, and Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, among others. Initially, these women were not even allowed to vote. However, the with tenacity and resilience of the Civil Rights Movement over the years, the law now places all American citizens on the same footing with regard to equal access to resources and opportunities. However, systemic racism and sexism have ensured that black women do not fully enjoy economic opportunities compared to white women, black men, and white men. This social problem places the African American women at the bottom of the socioeconomic order in the country, a trend that should be reversed.

Reference

Frye, J. (2019). Racism and sexism combine to shortchange working black women. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/racism-sexism-combine-shortchange-working-black-women/

This was unit 4 Disucssion:

Why should social workers advocate for the use of assistance other than in-kind

benefits? What types of benefits would you advocate for the oppressed group you researched in the first discussion in Unit 1?

Often social workers tend to go the extra mile in the advocacy process to ensure that the needs of every individual in society are adequately addressed and also make sure the voices of the vulnerable population are heard and acted upon. The main role of social workers is to ensure that the various basic needs of vulnerable populations within the community are adequately addressed ("Who gets What:The analysis of types of Benefits and services," n.d.). Thus, the main reason that social workers need to advocate for the utilization of assistance other than in-kind benefits is that it ensures that the economic and social situations of a larger population in society are adequately improved. Moreover, the advocacy for assistance other than in-kind benefits tends to raise awareness regarding the various issues that the vulnerable population in society experience in their everyday life and as a result facilitates a positive relationship between different stakeholders, health professionals, and other social entities which supports people to reach their full potential.

Although the oppressed group that I researched in unit one’s first discussion was that of the inequalities of the American black woman, I chose to evaluate that plight of low-income individuals where a significant percentage of the population is black women. The research offered me significant knowledge of the various challenges that this population experiences such as poor housing, inadequate health services, and poor nutrition. Some types of benefits that I would advocate for in relation to my chosen oppressed group would be the Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The main reason for me to advocate for these benefits is because I would ensure that a larger population of low-income earners are able to achieve nutritious food items and address their nutritious needs through SNAP. Further, through the FPHA I will be in a position to ensure that a larger population of low-income earners are offered assistance in homeownership and rent assistance ("Who gets What: The analysis of types of Benefits and services," n.d.). Advocating for these benefits will ensure that low-income earners can live a better life with reduced economic and social challenges.

References

Who gets What:The analysis of types of Benefits and services. (n.d.).