Dudley Street Initiative

  
       The Holding Ground Video documents the initiatives of the Dorchester and Roxbury communities and their attempts to regain power back within these communities in order to provide quality neighborhood living conditions as well as afordable housing.  The main issues within these communities were poverty and illegal dumping of trash in vacant lots.  This all started when people began to move out of the city and into the suburbs.  Due to racial inequality among Irish American politicians and bank representatives, only whites were being offered bank loans and housing programs in order to get out of the city.  The black community was left with no other option but to stay in the city.  Soon after that many houses were intentionally burned down to the ground.  This then left tons of vacant lots around the neighborhood. The slippery slope doesn't end there.  People outside of this community began using these vacant lots illegally for garbage transfer stations and illegal dumping.  Garbage piled the streets and the stench became so rancid people could not go outside without becoming nauseated.  It got to the point that something needed to be done.  Initially the government wanted to buy out the property within the community and basically knock down all the buildings and rebuild their own ideas of a "good" community.  This was known as the Urban Renewel Attempts.  The community was outraged at the idea that the government thought they knew what was best for them.  So after many community meetings a new idea emerged. This idea was Urban Planners.  These urban planners provided areas for growth and education.  It allowed for community ideas to be put into action. The community was able to renovate the parks and even get the police more involved in cutting down crime.  These attempts went on for many years and finally the community received a 4 million dollar grant.  This money allowed the community to clean of their neighborhoods and provide affordable housing for everyone.  

       I think this video showed the concept of macro practice very well.  I'm able to see how a community joinged together from the ground up and all work towards a common goal to better everyone apart of the Dudley Street area.  I was amazed at the outcome of their efforts.  It really makes me think that when people band together a difference can be achieved.  

       The Fraser and Kick article (2005) describes the Neighbordooh Maintenance Approach.  This approach focuses on communities actively protecting their own neighborhoods from perceived and actual threats.  The Dudley Street Initiative is a perfect example of this approach.  The Netting chapter describes the variabilities of what community is.  Netting states that communities can exist within communities.  The Dudley Street Initiative is another perfect example of this concept.  The Roxbury community as a whole was not exactly the target of the project.  Instead, the triangular area surrounding Dudley Street was the main area where people joined together to build a smaller community of people who were directly affected by the poverty and dumping issue.  I feel as though this Holding Ground video was a great example of macro practice.    

3 Problems in Macro Practice

      Engaging in macro practice is a concrete way to promote change within a community or other large system. With this said, macro practice usually entails far more challenges and obstacles than micro practice does. I have been able to identify three common problems that one may come across as a macro practice social worker.  One issue that may arise is the lack of community participation. Another issue is the inability to provide enough funding in order to keep the newly established program up and running. Lastly, there may be a lack of communication and direction within the group which can hinder the functioning of the programs.

   When there is a lack of community participation within provided programs and organizations, one must question why. It would make sense that the lack of participation is related to the needs of the community. If a program is created that does not meet the needs of the comunity then it would seem obvious that the program will not be beneficial to anyone, therefore no one is going to partake in it's activities. The key here is to understand the needs of the people within the community in order to provide the best services. It may be difficult to determine these needs if for exampler there is a community that has many needs and one is not sure which need to tackle first. Some types of needs are physical, informational, personal, and root or causal needs. A good way to sort these needs out and decipher which needs attention first and formost is to receive feedback from the community. A macro practice leader should not just start attempting change within a community without first talking to the members of that community in order to see their perception of what the problems are. A leader could administer surveys and hold community meetings to get feedback from others.

   The issue of a program not being able to sustain itself is a terrifying one to any program coordinator or director. Usually programs along with everyone's hard work in building the program is jeopordized by funding cuts and low participation numbers. This goes back to community participation. If people are not utilizing a program then it's going to be seen as a waste of money by goverment funders along with other various donors, who will most likely choose to stop providing money to the program. Some strategies for sustaining financial provisions are marketing the organization or program, sharing positions and resources, and incorporating other programs that share a similar mission. Marketing is not only about acquiring funds, but it includes image-building, friend-raising, membership development, community relations, political activities, and education. All of these concepts are important in getting the image of the program or organization out to the public. Another key strategy to help gain financial stability is to collaborate with other well established organizations and programs who share a similar mission. These collaborations could help open up various doors for the new program and pave the way towards a successful community organization.

   The last identified issue among macro practice is the unfortunate circumstance of putting together a poor group. If members of a group all do not have specific roles and share the same drive towards the mission of the group then the group will not work together efficiently which can be detrimental to the outcome of the intended program. It is important to establish organizational structure within a group very early on. Organizational structure can give members clear guidelines in how to proceed in their activities and it also binds members together. Structure within an organization is also inevitable. After a period of time people will naturally fall into a role within the group, so it's just better to get this accomplished at the start of the creation of the group so everything can run smoothly from the beginning. If members of a group cannot establish some sort of organization then the program itself can fail because the group cannot work together cohesively. 

  Macro practice can be a tough area for social workers to make a difference in, but when done correctly, it can bring great changes to a vast amount of people. Many issues can arise throughout macro practice, but there are various strategies that one can develop to avoid those problems. It is important for a social worker to be aware of these issues as well as the possible solutions in order to be a good leader.  

References:

http://ctb.ku.edu/en/solveproblem/index.aspx

Change Agent Paper

Change Agents!

          There are many great change agents within the social work profession in a historical as well as in a contemporary context.  Stemming from the ideas and fundamental works of Jane Addams arose many social workers striving for equality among the nation.  In particular, racial inequality has been a social issue that many civil rights activists have fought for and still continue to do so today.  In the early 1950’s Whitney Moore Young Jr., became actively involved in the civil rights movement.  Currently, Tim Wise continues Young’s, as well as other civil rights activists’ efforts towards reaching racial equality for all.

            Whitney Young Jr. was born into a time in the United States where social issues of racism and segregation were still prevalent.  Fortunately, Young was the son of a respectable African American family whom upheld some prestige within their community.  In Lincoln Ridge, Kentucky during 1921, Whitney Young Jr. was born to Mr. Whitney Young and his wife Laura.  Both parents maintained influential educated backgrounds.  Young’s father was the president of Lincoln Institute which was a black boarding school in the south and his wife was a teacher there.  Being the son of such well rounded parents, Young was expected to become a reputable member for the black community.  (Blair, 2003)

            Whitney Young immersed himself in education with dreams of becoming a doctor.  After graduating valedictorian at the Lincoln Institute, he continued on to Kentucky State Industrial College.  Within a year he took a break from college in order to join the army which is where he found his calling for social work.  This occurred while Young was stationed in an all black regiment with a white captain in charge.  This dynamic caused many racial issues to arise. Young found himself constantly mediating between the captain and the rest of the troop members.  This is where Young realized he had the skills needed to make a difference in the field of race relations.  After the war, Whitney Young set forth on a mission to obtain a graduate degree in social work at the University of Minnesota which he succeeded in.  (Foundation, 2004)

Whitney Young Jr. actually began to leave his mark in the world of social work in the 1950’s.  During this time the civil rights movement began to go into effect.  People started to seek massive changes for the United States when it came to striving towards discarding racial segregation and discrimination.  Among these people was Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and of course Whitney Young Jr.  Every civil rights activist was just as important as the next.  Each sought for change and felt that it could happen and that the people of the United States could indeed become one equal nation. 

            Young made many important contributions to society and to the social work profession.  After he received his master’s degree in social work, in the early 1950’s, Young was elected as the director of the National Urban League.  This organization played a crucial role in advocating for civil rights.  It gave minority groups an opportunity to receive college scholarships as well as job training to increase homeownerships and entrepreneurship.  During 1954, at age 33, Whitney Young Jr. was named Dean of the School of Social Work at Atlanta University.  Young became extremely active in the Atlanta National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  In 1960, Young was then elected president of the Georgia NAACP.  In 1965, Young was also named president of the National Conference of Social Welfare. (Okocha, 2007)

            Although Whitney Young was involved in many organizations, he had the greatest impact on the National Urban League after he was promoted to President of the organization in 1961.  He was the one who transformed it into a major national civil rights organization.  He created a program known as the “Domestic Marshall Plan” which was aimed at ridding poverty and deprivation among African Americans and the poor.  Not only did he institute that program but he also developed the Urban League’s “Street Academy”.  This was an education program that Young introduced to society, designed for high school dropouts who wanted to prepare for college.  Whitney Young’s programs focused on integrating African Americans back into a society where there was still discrimination.  Along with creating new programs for the NUL, Young also increased the organizations budget which formed thousands of new jobs for African American’s.  Under his great leadership the organization received many governmental grants as well as funding from private sources.  This added money allowed for even more projects which funded job training, open housing, and minority executive recruitment.  Whitney Young believed that if enough programs and opportunities for African Americans and the poor were established then that could make a positive difference when it came to assimilating into society.  It gave the people a chance to survive in a racially divided country and at the same time it provided hope for change and for civil rights amongst all people. (Okocha, 2007)

            Tim Wise was born in Nashville, Tennessee on October 4, 1968.  From a very young age he sought for change.  Wise attended college at Tulane University in New Orleans while striving for a Political Science degree.  During this time in college, Wise became a natural leader in an anti-apartheid movement.  Apartheid is racial segregation that is systematically enforced by the government in Africa.  Wise was successful in his attempts to stop Tulane in doing business with companies that supported the African government.  This was just the start to Wise becoming a change agent.  (Cooper, 2011)

            After graduating, Tim Wise began his work as an anti-racist activist which he still currently is involved in.  In the 1980’s, Wise became a director and coordinator for various organizations whose primary mission was to defeat political candidate David Duke who ran for governer of Louisiana and is associated with the Ku Klux Klan.  Through vaious other organization of successful programs Tim Wise has reached a notoriety within the public’s eye as a prominent anti-rascist writer, educator, and activist.  During the early 90’s, Wise was the Youth Coordinator and Associate Director of the Louisiana Coalition against Racism and Nazism and during 1999-2003, Wise was an advisor to the Fisk University Race Relations Institute in Nashville.  All these programs had the same goal which is to raise awareness of racial inequalities and change them institutionally.  Wise has been actively providing anti-racism training to teachers, physicians, and other professionals for a number of reasons.  Wise seeks to contest racial inequalities within our nation’s healthcare system.  He also implements training to larger institutions such as military officials, law enforcement, and other various government parties in order to end racism within their field of work.  Tim Wise, through 5 books, hundreds of published essays, radio broadcasts, campus speaking, and media exposure, has been able to fight this mission on a worldly level.  He strives to educate the world on white privilege and the disempowering results of structural racism.  His mission, Wise says, is “to express to those of us who are white the damage that racism does to not just people of color but the rest of us” (Cooper, 2011).  Tim Wise, like Whitney Moore Young Jr., is a powerful change agent and is making great strides in changing the world.  (Speak Out Now , 2012)

            I admire both of these great advocates for their efforts towards eliminating racism and educating individuals on racial bias.  My own personal leadership qualities are nowhere near the level of these two great activists, however, I’d like to think that if I really put my mind to it that I to could make significant changes for my community.  I possess the ability to take charge when I deem it necessary to do so.  I like to think that when I am in charge of a task or project I look at thinks from different viewpoints in order to make the best decision.  I treat people fairly and equally and I try to always remember to stay in positive spirits.  Another important quality which I possess, that I believe is pertinent to being a leader, is following through in the goals of the group and to always put forth my best effort in meeting expectations. 

            I live in an inner city with a very diverse population that sees a lot of high crime rates and gang violence.  Like in any gang, kids are groomed for membership at a young age.  Gang members tend to turn to gang life for a variety of reasons such as wanting to fit in, wanting to have the feeling of a protective family, and money.  I feel that by getting at risk children off the streets after school and into creative, structured activities could decrease gang involvement for these kids as well as violence.  I’m imagining a step program in which children at an elementary age become involved in after school every day and continue throughout their entire educational career.  This after school program could be geared towards various educational, athletic, and creative standards.  Anything is better for these kids then just going home after school and doing nothing.  I think a program like this could be extremely beneficial to my community.  Therefore I would have to say that my lasting contributions as a change agent would be to create programs for young kids to get them excited about education and to develop a drive for success within themselves.  If I’ve learned anything from Whitney Moore Young Jr. and Tim Wise, it would be that perseverance and hard work can bring success and many changes.  These two advocates have shown me it’s possible to make a difference in my community even though the changes that I would like to see happen may seem out of reach at this given point in time.  Whitney Young was able to take a public stand against racism during a time when the civil rights movement was only beginning.  I hope one day I am able to leave even the slightest mark on the social work profession as a change agent and hopefully make a difference within the community.    

Works Cited

Blair, T. (2003). Notable American Unitarians. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from Harvard Square Library: http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/young.html

Cooper, K. J. (2011). Tim Wise: White Crusader Against Racism in America. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from America's Wire : http://americaswire.org/drupal7/?q=content/tim-wise-white-crusader-against-racism-america

Foundation, N. (2004). NASW Foundation National Programs. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from NASW Foundation: http://www.naswfoundation.org/pioneers/y/WYoung.htm

Okocha, V. (2007). Young, Whitney M., Jr. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from Black Past: http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/young-jr-whitney-m-1921-1971

Speak Out Now . (2012). Tim Wise: Biography and Bookings. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from Speak Out Now: http://www.speakoutnow.org/index.php



Interviews with 3 social workers

I sat down and interviewed 3 very different social workers to quickly ask them about macro practice. The social workers encluded a domestic violence caseworker, a probation officer, and an in-home family therapy clinician. Below are the four questions each were asked:

1)  What is your definition of macro social work practice?

2)  Can you give me an example of an activity that you preform which involves macro practice?

3)  What percentage of your work week is devoted to macro practice activities?

4)  What leadership skills do you think are required to be a successful macro practice social worker?



     My first interview was with my current internship supervisor in juvenile probation.  He is a probation officer for Taunton Juvenile Court.  He defined macro practice as connecting and working with large systems who have a broader vision.  It includes creating policy and working with similar systems who share similar missions.  Some activities he does on a consistent basis which he feels is marco practice is going to schools weekly in order to support the schools with the troubled youth and to make sure probationers are adhering to school rules. He also meets with CCBC (social work agency) once a month to strategize systems and programs that could help high risk families.  He also attends crimewatch meetings to support the community as members voice their concerns.  With probationers he encourages and refers participation to various programs.  This probation officer stated that about 60% of his work week is devoted to marco practice and that it has actually grown over the last 5-6 years.  Some leadership qualities he recognized was being a good listener, having "thick skin", and be willing to say that you're wrong. His reasoning behind this was that as a leader in the macro practice field one will most likely bumo heads with directors, CEO's, etc who may not have the social workers goals or the system in their best interest and one needs to overcome that. 

    My second interview was with a domestic violence caseworker.  Her definition of macro practice would be any social services that are focused on problem solving on a small scale in order to fix it on a larger level. The most important aspect of this kind of work is identifying the root of a problem in order to solve it in a way that would impact the greater good.  In her job, as a Case Manager for women and children who are victims of domestic violence; she assists them with getting their lives back on track, learning the dynamics of domestic violence, advocating for them when dealing with other service providers, and re-gain their independence and self worth which ultimately impacts the community in many ways. By helping one family overcome domestic abuse, she makes a positive change in society. Their knowledge will most likely assist someone else in the near future; especially considering domestic violence is very prevalent in our world.  She states that about 50% of her work week is devoted to macro practice.  In order to be successful in this kind of work, this social workers felt it is extremely important to be non-judgmental, open-minded and understand diversity. She also feels that a social worker who is open minded to different beliefs, opinions, practices, and cultures will inevitably be successful in macro practice. In order to lead and make a difference on a macro level, a social worker is expected to be able to understand what it is like to be “in their shoes”. To begin to solve a problem, you must see the bigger picture. For example, it is easier to assume a woman is being naïve for staying with an abuser than it is to learn about the many factors that are keeping her hostage in the relationship. This is the reason people ask victims” Why don’t you leave?” rather than “What is he doing to her to make her stay?” As a DV advocate, getting people to ask the latter question is one of the most difficult challenges (on a macro level).

     My third interview was with a clinician who works with children and families.  Her understanding of macro practice stems from her contribution and focus on changing larger systems, such as her work within the community with children and families. The activities she engages in that she feels are on a macro level include: trying to build strength and empower the families to accomplish goals set within the community.  She also educates females on birth control, domestic partnership, and independence.  About 70% of her work week is devoted to macro practice.  Lastly the qualities she felt a macro social worker will need good people skills, patience because the change process does not happen over night, a sense of humor, and strength.

    I found it interesting to interview such different social workers and listen to how they respond to the same questions.  As we can see, each of their answers are very different and the term "macro practice" entails a different meaning for each of them.  Among their answers I have found a common goal which is empowerment of certain populations.  Hardina (2003) explains members of oppressed groups will feels confidence, control, decision authority influence, autonomy, and self trust.  These three social workers strive to empower people so that they can in fact experience these feelings and move forward in life.  I respect each of these social workers and admire their contributions to society.

Sources:

Hardina, D. (2003). Link Citizen Participation to Empowerment Practice: A Historical Overview. Journal of Community Practice, 11-38.

Saul Slinsky Video

The Democratic Promise

      Saul Alinsky was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1990.  He was able to attend college and graduated with a degree in criminology in the 1930's. Saul became a researcher and got personally involved in Al Capones gang in order to study gang violence.  He was also determined to find the causes of juvenile delinquincy. During this time, the Great Depression was in full effect and Saul Alinsky began to see how much poverty there was which was being caused by poor working conditions and poor pay wages that were continually decreasing for hardworking laborers.  So Saul began to help form an organization that consisted of the union, thousands of laborers, as well as the Catholic Church.  Together they formed the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council.  Saul theorized that social justice could be achieved through an american democracy.  He wanted all sectors of the community to come together to work out social issues against those who were unjust.  Saul taught memers of the community that by coming together and organizing themselves to work towards a common goal that they could stand and win against government corruption as well as large companies.  With the formation of this council, they began to rally against various packaging companies, form protests and strikes in order to win fair wages and working hours and other various common goals. This council created other community services such as the Welfare Station in order to provide families with enough food.  Saul Alinsky also wrote a book called the Reville for Radicals which brought him and his efforts national recognition.  He was also able to create the Industrial Areas Foundation which allowed Alinsky to spread his community organization efforts across the nation.  Saul Alinsky's has long passed on but his efforts still remain in effect today.    

"Change means movement, movement means friction, friction means heat, and heat means controversy"

I liked this quote because what he is basically saying is with change will come controversy.  There's no escaping that and therefore we as social workers need to be prepared to meet that controversy and move though it in order to reach our goals.  Overall, I really did enjoy this video.  I think Alinsky had a passion for justice and he used tactful methods to reach social justice for members of society.  I admire his efforts and the work that he did.  This documentary has taught me that there is definitely power in numbers.  Organizing a community of oppressed members to fight for social justice is an effective strategy when standing up to large corporations and the government.  It is no wonder why Saul Alinsky is known as the prophet of power to the people. 

History of Macro Social Work

    When I think of macro practice in a historical context, immediately settlement houses and Jane Addams pop into my mind. During the 1880's in London, social settlements began to develop in areas that were affected by urbanization, industrialization, and immigration. The concept of these settlement houses, also known as reform institutions, was to be able to provide immediate services to people in poor neighborhoods in an effort to eliminate poverty. Settlement houses were probably one of the first attempts to make a social change. Soon after settlement houses began in Europe the idea spread to other countries like the United States. The settlement idea appealed to young American's who desired to understand the causes of poverty in order to eliminate it and help the poor all while implementing Christianity. Of these young Americans is Jane Addams. Jane Addams was one of the founders of the most well known settlement house in Chicago, United States; the Hull-House. This is where Jane Addams, along with other prominent residents, began a reform movement that would have great outcomes. The Immigrants Protective League and the Juvenile Protective Association are just a couple of projects they took on. Jane Addams also fought to create federal policies in which she succeded. In 1912, the Federal Children's Bureau was created and in 1916 child labor laws were enacted. The efforts of these activists reached a national level. 

Below are some pictures of Jane Addams, Hull-House, and her efforts toward change:

Jane Addams (1860-1935) 

    

Hull House, Chicago, IL

     The Hardina article talks about empowerment and how the primary purpose of community organization practice is to acquire power for memebers of oppressed groups. This is what the beginning of macro practice was attempting to do. By empowering oppressed people, they could hope that members of the oppressed group could gain some confidence, control in decision making, and a better life. (Hardina, 2003)

          

Sources:

Arts, U. C. (2009). UIC. Retrieved February 2012, from Jane Addams Hull House Museum : http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/_learn/_aboutjane/aboutjane.html

Foundation, T. N. (2012). Nobel Peace Prize . Retrieved February 2012, from Nobel Prize : http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1931/addams-bio.html

Hardina, D. (2003).  Linking citizen participation to empowerment practice: A historical overview. Journal of Community Practice, 11 (4), 11-38.

Huff, D. (n.d.). Settlements . Retrieved February 2012, from Social Work History : http://www.boisestate.edu/socwork/dhuff/history/chapts/2-1.htm

Work, H. o. (2009). Jane Addams . Retrieved February 2012, from History of Social Work : http://www.historyofsocialwork.org/eng/details.php?cps=5&canon_id=137

(Pre) Video Assignment