Assignment task:
The Advanced Human Services Professional Practitioner
In pursuing an advanced degree in human services, you are preparing yourself to be a leader in the field. As a leader, you will have an opportunity to effect change on a broader level than you would as an entry-level professional. Think for a moment about the problems that affect your community. How could you address the root causes of these problems? How could you improve the policies that are in place to mitigate these problems? Part of being a leader in the field of human services is "thinking outside of the box" and collaborating with others inside and outside of your organization to effect change.
In this Discussion, you reflect on your passion for pursuing a degree and career in human services. You also examine how you see yourself leading systemic change in your community and society as an advanced human services professional practitioner.
To Prepare
- Review your Course Announcements for possible information related to this week's Discussion and Quiz.
- Review the Learning Resources on the human services profession and the advanced human services professional practitioner. Reflect on why you are passionate about human services.
- Read the Learning Resources on leading systemic change in human services. Consider how advanced human services professional practitioners can lead systemic change in their communities and society. Also, think about the role of advanced human services professional practitioners in furthering social movements.
- Identify a current issue or problem that affects your community and/or society as a whole. Consider how you would lead systemic change to address this problem or issue as an advanced human services professional practitioner.
Post an explanation of why you are passionate about human services. Then, describe a current issue or problem that affects your community and/or society as a whole. Explain how you see yourself leading systemic change to address this issue or problem as an advanced human services professional practitioner. Be specific. Need Online Tutoring?
Resources:
- Schram, B., Mandell, B.R., Dann, P.L., & Peterson, L. (2020). An introduction to human services: Policy and practice (9th ed.). Pearson.
o Chapter 1, "What Are Human Services? What Do Human Service Workers Do?" (pp. 1-21)
o Chapter 3, "Strategies, Activities, and Tasks of Human Service Work" (pp. 56-76)
o Chapter 4, "Attitudes/Values, Skills, and Knowledge of the Human Service Worker" (pp. 77-99)
- National Organization for Human Services. (n.d.). What is human services?
- Walden University, LLC. (2020c). [Video]. The human services profession and the advanced human services professional practitioner Walden University Canvas.
- Borden, N. J., Belcher, T., Rivas, F., & Ricks, S. A. (2018). Bringing social justice into the human services classroom: Broaching the topic of current social movements
- Oftelie, A. M., Booth, J., & Wareing, T. (2012). The art of the possible: Leading change in human services
- Shier, M. L., & Handy, F. (2014). From advocacy to social innovation: A typology of social change efforts by nonprofits. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 26(6), 2581-2603. doi:10.1007/s11266-014-9535-1