COURSE TITLE DIVISION NUMBER CLASSROOM NUMBER COURSE NUMBER CREDIT HOURS PREREQUISITES LOCATION INSTRUCTOR CONTACT DETAILS OFFICE HOURS Policies and Services for Social Participation and Community Well Being 790 B780 SSWB 647 002 Winter 2012 3 SW530 Community and Social Systems SWPS Course Janet Ray LMSW LEO Intermittent Lecture SSWB Rm 2766 e mail jlray umich edu phone 313 320 4850 Tuesday 12 30 1 30pm or by appointment This syllabus reflects the collaborative efforts of sw647 instructors Larry Gant and Janet Ray Table of Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 COURSE DESCRIPTION 2 COURSE CONTENT 2 COURSE OBJECTIVES 3 COURSE DESIGN 3 RELATIONSHIP OF THIS COURSE TO THE SSW S FOUR CURRICULAR THEMES 3 RELATIONSHIP OF THE COURSE TO SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES 4 INTENSIVE FOCUS ON PRIVILEGE OPPRESSION DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE 5 LEARNING PHILOSOPHY AND ENVIRONMENT 5 CREATING A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 5 INDIVIDUAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES 6 SMALL GROUP WORK 6 SPECIALSUPPORTS 7 COURSE MATERIALS 7 ASSIGNMENTS 7 GRADING AND SUBMISSION CALENDAR 11 INSTRUCTOR S EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL ASSIGNMENTS 13 CLASS SESSIONS LEARNING OBJECTIVES READINGS 14 ooOOOoo SW 647 Policies Services for Social Participation Community Well Being Ray Win 12 Page 1 1 Course Description This course will survey the policies and services that promote a civil society and enhance human rights in the framework of American democracy Emphasis will be placed on those policies and services which serve to enhance social participation economic security respect for diversity voluntary action and community and corporate responsibility Students will learn to describe and analyze how complex and emerging social problems arise within society and how social problems impact individuals groups organizations and communities Programs within various units of government nonprofit and social service organizations and corporations will be reviewed Various partnerships and collaborations among funders and service providers will be examined 2 Course Content SW 647 Students will learn that community well being is enhanced when social problems are managed human needs are met and social opportunities and human rights are optimized Students will learn to utilize social work values methods and skills to challenge individual group organizational and community differences in power privilege and oppression and to promote social justice These interactions will be examined with special attention given to those leading to policies and programs that enhance opportunities for social participation economic security respect for diversity voluntary action and community and corporate responsibility Selected public laws programs and structures that enhance citizen participation rights and responsibilities will be described and compared within diverse populations e g the diversity dimensions including ability age class color culture ethnicity family structure gender including gender identity and gender expression marital status national origin race religion or spirituality sex and sexual orientation Emphasis will be placed on those that address participation of diverse and socially excluded populations and on the social worker s responsibility for facilitating such social and political participation and engagement Examples will include the use of mediating structures such as citizen boards advisory groups commissions and the involvement of citizens and other in promoting and guiding positive social change In many of these structures participation is intended to enhance citizen capacity to initiate and oversee action However participatory structures are also intended to assure the responsiveness of programs of a promotional service or preventive nature These programs are designed to 1 diminish poverty and economic insecurity 2 address personal crises and community emergencies such as those brought about by violence against persons and property natural and environmental disasters or economic dislocation 3 resettle and integrate refugees and other immigrant and migrant populations and 4 respond to the needs of social identity groups seeking social justice e g feminist faithbased ethnic gay lesbian bisexual transgender and other discriminated against groups Students will also gain and apply knowledge about social group memberships and identities their histories and meanings how they intersect with each other in people s lives and the larger society and how they are affected by particular social contexts In addition the participatory opportunities provided via self help grass roots associations and informal networks and congregationally based service providers will be considered SW 647 Policies Services for Social Participation Community Well Being Ray Win 12 Page 2 3 Course Objectives Upon completion of the course students will be able to 1 Develop the skills in critical consciousness and reflective professional practice 2 Access and use traditional and non traditional sectors that engage strengthen and build well being and social justice at all levels of social systems 3 Demonstrate knowledge of social policies that social workers use to effectively interface with individuals families communities and other social systems 4 Recognize key aspects of the structures legal standing and roles of the nonprofit sector in providing human services advocating for human rights and promoting well being 5 Identify and apply commonly used indicators of social economic and other measures of community well being 6 Compare the levels and types of participation for members or representatives of groups experiencing discrimination in mediating structures that are intended to promote wellbeing 7 Gain skills for engagement with relevant systems and communities needed to work together for desired goals in both traditional and nontraditional settings for social work 8 Develop skills for interaction collaboration and communication between different types of social care systems including government voluntary and nonprofit organizations and private pay systems 9 Identify the factors that lead to or detract from such participation from the perspectives of socially excluded groups and the social work practitioners who bear some responsibility for promoting participation 4 Course Design In class activities readings and course assignments will be coordinated so as to enhance course objectives For example simulations of real work processes films and videos presented in the classroom will