Your Assignment for this unit gives you the opportunity to explore a human service setting and write a paper on your experience. You will apply the knowledge and strategies that you have acquired during this term to examine the responsibilities of a human service professional and the skills and education required for the position.
You have two options for completing this assignment.
Option 1: On-site visit to a human service agency
The ideal way to learn about future career possibilities and the work that is done in human services agencies is to visit a facility. If you decide to complete Option 1 of this Assignment, you should arrange to visit a human service agency in your area. Many human service agencies will allow students to prearrange times for just such visits and observations. If you choose this option, it is imperative that you arrange for your visit days, even weeks, ahead. You can use this script to help you set up your visit. You will want to spend a minimum of one hour observing and taking notes. Be sure to bring a copy of the questions listed below, so you can jot down answers during your visit.
For your Unit 9 Assignment, you will write a two to three page paper that examines the following concepts, which will have been addressed throughout this course.
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First, describe the needs of various populations served in the human services profession. Throughout this course you have discussed various populations: children and families, adolescents, the aging, the mentally ill, the homeless, the medically ill and substance abusers. Select at least three of these populations and describe some of the needs that they have. Then discuss the role of the human services professional in meeting those needs. This part of your Assignment should be at least one page.
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Next, describe the environment of the site you visited and answer the following questions:
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What does a typical work day look like for a human service worker working in this agency?
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What are the job qualifications or requirements for human service workers in this agency?
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What is the client population?
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What is the main source of funding for this agency?
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What is your conclusion regarding the quality of this facility?
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How does this particular agency compare to other similar agencies found online and discussed in this course? What are the similarities? How is it different?
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[Please scroll to the end to see your Paper Guidelines and Submission Information.]
Option 2: Describing a human service position in detail
If you are unable or prefer not to visit a human service agency in your area, you can complete the second option for this assignment. You will write a two to three page paper that describes a human service position in detail.
Begin your paper with an introduction, and describe the needs of various populations served in the human services profession. Throughout this course you have discussed various populations: children and families, adolescents, the aging, the mentally ill, the homeless, the medically ill, and substance abusers. Select at least three of these populations and describe, in detail, some of the needs that they have. Then discuss the role of the human services professional in meeting those needs. This part of your assignment should be at least one page.
Then view at least three of the videos (including all questions and answers) found at the following link:
http://abavtooldev.pearsoncmg.com/release_myhelpinglab/helpinglab.php
Next, state the three videos you chose to view. Then, summarizeone of the positions viewed in the videos. In your summary, be sure to give the background of the agency, some of the daily responsibilities of the chosen position, and whether or not you would be interested in working in this position and why. If these details were not given in full in the video, you must follow up with research on similar agencies found online.
In addition to your summaries, discuss additional career opportunities with the same population and what some of main issues are with the populations served in the chosen position.
Finally, focus on this position in a bit more detail in order to examine the following concepts, which will have been addressed throughout this course.
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What do you believe a typical day might look like in this position?
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What funding supports most agencies serving this population? What resources are available to clients as well as those serving this population?
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What is your conclusion regarding job satisfaction for human service professionals choosing similar career paths?
Paper Guidelines
Your paper should be two to three pages, double-spaced, using 12 pt. Arial font and Standard American English. Because you have not completed College Composition I yet, you are not required to use APA format in writing your paper. Your paper will be based on your thoughts and, therefore, will not require outside citations. However, if you do cite outside references, you will have to provide the source information. You should also carefully proofread your Assignment before turning it in so that it is free of grammatical and spelling errors. In addition, your paper should include a cover page, introductory paragraph, and concluding paragraph.
Keep in mind that college students are expected to have strong writing skills, and you should put forth your best writing effort for this Assignment. You may not be at a point where you have strong writing skills, but you will have every opportunity to develop them as you continue through your program of study. Be sure to use the resources available to you through the Kaplan University Writing Center for help on this or any other assignment in your studies. The Writing Center can be found by clicking “My Studies,” and then “Academic Support Center” from your KU Campus home page or under the Academic Tools tab on this page. In addition to live tutoring, the Writing Center has ongoing student workshops, a Writing Reference Library and more.
