Doing community research: Involving the community

This reflection is on Chapter 23, "Asset Building in Rural Communities through Participatory Research" from our textbook Rural Social Work: Building and Sustaining Community Assets by Scales and Streeter (2004).

I choose to write about this chapter because it spoke to me regarding the work I am doing with Former Foster Students on campus at Humboldt State University.

According to Scales and Streeter (2004), participatory research "places a community's greatest asset, its people, in control of the knowledge building work" (p. 290). What a novel idea!

I have been getting to know a small portion of students on campus who came through the Foster Care system. I helped to resurrect the Former Foster Youth Club which we recently renamed E.L.I.T.E. (Excelling & Living Independently Through Education). I have been spending time with them doing various activities and traveling to conferences which has helped us to build a relationship built on trust. Our common goal is to be part of the process of building support on campus to address this particular populations needs.

Back to this chapter: The classic model (positivist) of community development is contrasted with participatory research. The positivist model separates the experts from the community and the relationship is vertical or top-down. This is not only based on dominance and colonialism thinking; it isn't very effective for several reasons. The needs are defined by the experts and not by the people affected. Interviewers are placed from outside the community, so trust issues interfere with any feedback. And, this kind of research process fails to include the very people who the research was being conducted on. Doesn't sound very effective does it?

First and foremost in contrast, the participatory model views dialogue as important between experts and the community. This requires a horizontal relationship. This takes time to build, especially in rural communities. According to Scales and Streeter (2004), The relationship is based on "love" "humility" "mutual trust" and "faith" (p. 291-Freirr, 2000). Essential is the understanding that community needs to design it's own future and is capable. It is the job of the expert to build trust over time and empower the people in what ever way is needed. Sometimes experts will include training, promotion of the shared overarching purpose, aim and objectives. In a focus group, "sessions [are] conducted in a semi structured and open-ended manner intended to elicit the greatest degree of input form the focus group participants" (p. 298). Sounds empowering right?!

"Participatory research was designed to invest ordinary people with the power to create knowledge by using their own assets and participating as researchers" (p. 300-301). Anyone who is reading this and conducting research about a community--I challenge you to look closely at your process and make sure that you are working from a participatory model!

Reflections on Chapter 11: Using Networks and Networking by Hardcastle & Powers (2004)

This chapter offers an important focus and useful tools of assessment! It's about the role of a social-worker and the need to assist clients in the assessment, development, and management of social networks. The authors make the claim that the above listed is "the crux of social work practice" (p. 293). And they mention that networking is the "holism of social work's person-in environment (P-I-E) perspective" (p. 293). The chapter also reviews the social network theory.

When working in agencies it is necessary to understand that "power in networks is an ability to get resources, influence, and get things done in the network" (p. 296). One of the reasons why social work is so important is that often individuals have little power in isolation and the need for organizations and coalitions to assist in the development of balancing power and access to resources.

"Coser(1964) has asserted that, as the world becomes more interdependent and closer, there will be a greater need for rules of conflict and for conflict resolution" (p. 302). Hardcastle and Powers provide strategies and insights to how responses to conflicts can create positive exchanges and negative exchanges. "A win-win strategy involves using collaboration and cooperation, where focusing on similar contestant needs and sharing of resources becomes a means of conflict resolution" (p.303). In discussion of strategies the authors posit that "bargaining and negotiation skills are crucial to social work advocacy and practice"(p. 304). And further explain that bargaining "requires clarity of communication between the parties, a willingness to compromise and see areas of agreement and middle ground, and a mutual recognition of legitimacy of the parties to bargain" (p. 304). Hardcastle and Powers continue to provide detailed strategies on the next few pages. One aspect that really spoke to me is to take the time to not rush into premature solutions and to not be premature with offering too much in the beginning as a way to maintain bargaining power. Worth mentioning also is that "conflict is critically necessary for the socially marginalized in changing the status quo" (p. 302). And lastly,

"social supports are positively associated with mental health and mental health gains"(p. 308).

Types of social supports are listed as "emotional aid, material aid, information, and companionship" (p. 310). "Social mapping techniques are commonly used to assess social support networks" (p. 312).

Most of this personally seems like common sense--but maybe I take this for granted? Yet the chapter does provide tools for assessment and important aspects of assessment, development and management of social networks. In addition, negative relationships of the marginalized to the welfare state and resources, is dependant in nature, therefore the need to use empowering practices when working with clients is warranted.

Reflections on Chapter 10-Using Work Groups:Committees, Teams, and Boards from my textbook: Community Practice by Hardcastle & Powers (2004)

I first give credit to my Professor Dr. Itin. He taught me not to fear conflict in a group process and further helped me to understand that conflict is just part of the process and if handled well can help groups to be effective. I never tire learning how to handle various conflicts and in my text they provide case examples our how to deal with various situations or roles that are common in a group process.

I have had my fair share of conflicts gone bad and I have always tried to avoid conflict. I don't lean towards working alone when provided the choice and to me there is nothing better than a team that works well together. One reason is because I value the opportunities to learn from others and see the possibilities of bringing together different perspectives and ideas. Often others have thought of something I would never have thought of and this is what I really value. Yet, this whole process of needing structure, buy-in, respect, shared collaboration sometimes is just quite a challenge within a group. It takes a lot of courage to bring up issues that are tense in a group, for fear that the group will turn on the person who is trying to mediate.

So as dorky as this sounds I love this stuff--I would love to learn how to gain skills so that I could help in any group I am in so that cooperation and consensus flows well.

Hardcastle and powers write "How many times have you gone to a meeting and left with the feeling that it was a waste of time? Nothing was accomplished. When this happens, frequently it is because whoever was responsible for running the meeting did not think through the specific decisions to be made at the meeting or could not facilitate the decision-making process effectively." So all of you out there in the leadership roles--which will be many of my co-horts after we graduate from the MSW program at HSU--We need to get our act together! This statement hit home for me. And I hate to say this I have been in that leadership role and made mistakes. The good news is that I can learn skills to be effective in this role. Another point that Hardcastle and Powers bring up is that all members in a group process are responsible for helping the process to be effective. So even if you are not in the leadership role--you potentially have the power to help group process or harm group process.

It's good to understand the stages of group development. A good reference is from Tuckman 1965--who describes the stages as Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, & Adjournment. I learned this from my Professor Itin as well--These stages of development continue to be taught today. By learning about the stages it helps to see what is important to accomplish at each stage and can help with understanding why a group process is not working well--Maybe something was not accomplished at a particular stage.

On pages 286, Hardcastle & Powers (2004) three common group problems are discussed with a scenario--then they offer a study which evaluates whats happening and the assessment which identifies underlying issues. Then they offer several interventions and discuss the possible outcomes of each decision. I found this to be very helpful and I would recommend this section highly to all of my co-horts as well as to anyone interested in learning how to be an effective leader and strategies for intervention--even if you are not in a leadership role!

Here's to groups that work, here's to effective leadership, and may we never have to work in groups that we end up walking away with a feeling of wasting our time. If you do--ask yourself what you could have done differently.

Update: Supporting Former Foster Youth Students

Hi all,

I promised that I would keep you updated on my Internship working towards the creation of a Guardian or Renaissance type program on campus at Humboldt State University. For those of you who don't know what these programs are: basically they are specific programs designed to support retention of Former Foster Youth students by helping them with barriers specific to this population.

I just got back from a conference in Los Angeles titled : Creating a Blue Print: Supporting Former Foster Youth in Higher Education. I heard about this late September--quickly went after grants on campus so that I could take Former Foster Youth (FFY) students with me--And we (two students and I) just got back. It was phenomenal--empowering--and gave us a lot of useful information and inspired a collective vision for the future.

I began my internship as sort of a ship sailing with one sail out there in the big silo world on campus. I did not know what existed on campus in the way of support for former foster youth students. I was placed at the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Humboldt State University, with the understanding that this was a very busy time for them so I would need to keep myself busy.

In the beginning I spent my time researching programs on other campuses, trying to establish a FFY club through outreach efforts, creating letters to mail out to students, going after grants to attend this conference, and making myself available to FFY students in the EOP program. Several students were referred to me for various issues and I diligently connected them to resources or found answers to their questions. Working with students with needs has become a passion of mine. It is completely rewarding and humbling to be in a position to respond to people by developing relationships with them. I have found all the students I have ever worked with to be inspiring, bright, and amazing people who are working towards a goal of completing their education as a way to brighten their future.

Many people on campus do not understand that students who are from the Foster Care system were placed due to their parents issues not because of any fault of their own. Many people don't know the common issues that foster care children face. It's common for foster kids to be moved from placement to placement and from school to school. This in itself is very demoralizing and creates a lack of trust and lack of self-esteem. When you can't trust your own parents who can you trust? From past abuse and trauma from being removed from a family home; and then passed around from foster home to foster home, often without anyone ever really understanding or caring like a parent does --- foster youth often develop mental health and deep trust issues. Then to top of this whole experience, the system historically has not provided necessary life skills and the kids are cut off the system at age 18. Many are not prepared and become homeless and enter into the criminal system out of no fault of their own except for making understandable mistakes. The good news is that current legislation is mandating systems to work with foster kids at a young age to prepare them for higher education, and provide independent living skills. In addition newer legislation is mandating liaisons on campus at community colleges, we still need to also carry this over to Universities. Our local Judge, Chris Wilson, just helped with these processes by allowing appropriate sharing of information to ensure foster kids are getting access to higher education.

Back in 1965 an educational act (Higher Education Act of 1965) was declared in order to attend to disadvantaged students. This is when EOP, Talent Search, Upward Bound and TRIO type programs were developed. The population that was forgotten were the kids from the foster care system. At my internship, through connecting with many people I uncovered the efforts of many working towards the development of support on campus for this population. Yet, I also uncovered a clear understanding of the need mixed with unsuccessful efforts to really get a program off the ground. A lot of hard work has been done to lay the groundwork by directors on campus through relationship building and networking off campus--but time and funds have been major barriers as well as the a clear understanding of support from those in power.

As you may guess these barriers are complicated with the silo structures. Not all players on campus are working together as is necessary. My role is interesting because I am not in a position of power, yet I have put out a lot of effort and passion for this need.

The outcome of a meeting I had-- developed into another meeting and it was decided to bring all the key players together with a social worker who has been working with other college campuses across the nation on similar projects with little funding available. At this meeting the missing key players were identified and the clear need from all present to have the endorsement from upper power positions. It was agreed to move forward and begin the process of identifying a key person on campus as the FFY liaison, find a space, and involve all key players at on-going meetings.

My efforts have now shifted. My main focus at this time is to continue empowering practices with the club members (FFY students currently at Humboldt State University in their efforts, goals and voice in this whole process and to ensure sustainability of these efforts so all does not fall flat as it has over the past five years. To be continued...

Human Service Organizations (HSO's)

These are some reflections and pieces that spoke to me from Chapter Nine, Community Practice, by Hardcastle and Powers, (2004).

One implication for Social Workers to ponder is the future direction of human service agencies and also funding sources. According to Hardcastle and Powers (2004), the current trend is towards privatization. "The for-profit sector has an almost 36% share of the social services market, with a 50% growth projected over the next few years (p. 247). (THIS IS A BIG CHANGE) On the upside, "faith-based agencies in the not-for-profit sector also are expanding and serve as an exception to the commercialization trend"(p. 247). I don't know all of the implications of this--I suspect the focus on profit may shift focus on quality of service. In addition, the very rich are giving less since the 1980's because they are not getting the same tax breaks. Already social work is stressful, but the added changes point in the direction of additional hardships from a loss of resources and a loss of focus on service and reform.

An important reminder is that, "most of our important social reform came about through nonprofit activities--child welfare, civil rights, environmental protection, women's rights, workplace safety"(p. 248--originally from Salamon, 1992).

I couldn't help thinking back to a time I worked at a non-profit which served the needs of the community, yet ran at a high cost to the employees and ultimately-- due to this fact at the cost of the community. The board worked with the CEO as a team, much like it should --yet the CEO was misrepresenting and mismanaging and failed to keep the board properly informed. Unfortunately this went on for years, with several crisis's and upheavals until the board finally took control and fired the CEO--but it took many years and a persistent director to make this change. This can happen-- especially when the CEO is not qualified to be in such a position.

Hardcastle and Powers (2004) point out that "human service work is often stressful, not only because of inadequate resources, but also because it is both "moral work" and "gendered work" (p. 246). Social work holds it's own ethics and values--which play into decisions and particular jobs that require us to make decisions that may go against our own values and that require moral judgments about the worth of individuals and families. Hardcastle and Powers reference gendered work because women make up the majority of the direct service workers while men are more often in managerial positions. In addition to this fact, Hardcastle and Powers claim that feminine values of "altruism, caring and nurturing" and the need to be flexible conflict with a more structured masculine value orientation centered on efficiency. "This conflict, coupled with the lower pay attached to female-dominated occupations and industries and the fact that many of the clients of human serviced agencies are poor women and other "undeserving" poor, devalues human service work and demeans all human service workers" (p. 246). Again the funding is directly tied to this value and as such "might change the pattern of allocations significantly in the future"(p. 246). I appreciate the focus on how power is distributed in social work and how this distribution plays out in funding, and where value is placed. It's very important not to loose site of power inequities when working towards reform or change within agencies.

What I found most helpful are the tips provided for service workers when facing the need to work towards reform within agencies. It's important to understand formal and informal structures and lines of power. Hardcastle and Powers point to the importance of developing what they term "social capital" which is described as establishing positive relationships with co-workers and establishing "personal legitimacy" (p. 262). The reference to personal legitimacy has to do with developing personal expertise in an area of value. All decisions should be made with caution and taking time to lower personal and unnecessary risks. Refer to page 263 for a complete list of "rules of thumb for working the system" (p. 263).

Personally I align myself with organizational development strategies which are"cooperative, collaborative, and consensus building in nature"(p. 265). (when at all possible!!!)

"Yes We Can": What we can accomplish!

What we can accomplish: It all starts with the belief that you can accomplish anything if you don’t give up and you can think critically and creatively. Most importantly if you don’t see stop-signs (metaphorically speaking), and don’t accept statements or answers as if they are the gospel—even when and especially when-- negative beliefs have been supported for a very long time.
As a social worker, stories can be a source of inspiration and as a reminder that not only can I accomplish a lot, it is my responsibility. I am currently doing community work. Along the way I have stumbled upon barriers that I was able to re-frame. What looked like an obstacle to one person-I reframed it to be something else, and was able to accomplish a task which had been a major barrier over years of time. It was that simple. Chapter eight of Community Practice (Hardcastle and Powers, 2004) covers this use of self in relation to community work. They remind us to be careful about what we reveal, and to be mindful in all situations of what we say. Basically, they are pointing out the importance as a community leader or change agent not to alienate anyone, and you never know, even in the elevator, who might be listening. Then, they discuss beliefs that shape our behavior and the persistence that allows a person to solve long standing problems with creative solutions combined with a positive belief. I recently learned in my AOD class that when people are working through ambivalence they need three ingredients to be successful when working towards a change. They need to be willing, ready and able. When you can shift a belief from being helpless and hopeless to a belief that change is possible then you open your mind to consider next actions (the able part).

The following is a true story. When I was 11 years old, all I could think about were horses. I asked my parents if I could have a horse. We lived in a summer home on Puget Sound which had been weatherized by my father. To get to our house, you had to walk down a very steep trail through tall trees, maiden-hair ferns, and trilliums. We had no flat land. From the balcony, I could throw a rock into the water. Sometimes I would sleep on the balcony/porch and wake up to the sound of water lapping on the dock, and birds singing. I can’t think of a more peaceful setting, yet this beautiful surrounding did not support the needs of a horse. Yet, when I was eleven I asked my mom if I could have a horse. She said, first off we have no place for a horse, and second off we can’t afford a horse. This is when my wheels (my mind) began to churn. I found a pasture close by with a barn, whose owner agreed to my use free of charge. I baby-sat on a weekly basis and saved my money. Eventually, I saved enough for a horse, I found one through the local papers, enlisted my friends’ parents to trailer it home, and continued with my baby-sitting job to afford hay and grain. I learned how to build a corral with a peer and learned to care for his hoofs with help from a local Ferrier. What this story is about is a little girl who did not let one persons response be her destiny. With hard work, persistence, and the belief that she could find a way—she accomplished a lot.
As I read chapter eight of community practice—and look back to chapter seven which told a similar story about Erin Brokcovich—I see how these characteristics can make a difference. President Obama understood this with his slogan “Yes We Can”. Our Professor Michael Yellow Bird has been pressing us to consider our minds as one of the most important resources available to ourselves and to our community. It starts with our beliefs about being able, and then we can choose not to accept status quo or even what the majority says. How often do we hear people say they are hopeless and feel helpless? This kind of thinking stops us in our tracks! Our community can accomplish a lot, and we are not helpless or hopeless—even when things seem overwhelming at times.

What I would like to ask our class( –taking all of this chapter into consideration—which basically surrounds particular ways of developing particular characteristics AND—Tapping into what Yellow Bird has been drilling into us as our most powerful resource, developing the way we see the world, how we believe that we can respond, learning how to be persistent, to think critically, to move beyond an unconscious reactions of our reptilian brain based on fear and realities that don’t serve us well- to expand our brain to create a new way of being as effective positive change agents of our communities reaching across nations)-- is can we as a class take time to consider more concretely how we will develop our awareness about ourselves so that we can develop these characteristics mentioned in chapter eight of CO?
For instance: How does one develop persistence?
How does one develop the belief in ourselves, and lend this belief out to others? I used to think that some of these characteristics were either inherent or not. For instance I am one of those people who see the cup as half full—My husband on the other hand is much more cautious and see’s the cup as half empty—He brings some strength to the table for me because he considers details –when I might just be jumping forward without making important considerations—Now that I’ve made this statement---I see that with some critical thinking we could both gain from our limited vantage points—but my concern is that I have developed these trenches in my brain or pathways so now I need to take deliberate actions to develop these new pathways—which is not necessarily clear to me at this time. I also need to develop my awareness. Is Yellow Bird suggesting that through meditation and focus this is what we can accomplish??

Our President: Taking a stand!

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/ID/213658

President Obama delivered the keynote address at the 13th annual Human Rights Campaign national dinner. He praised the work of the campaingn on behalf of civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgerder (LBGT) Americans and thanked them for thir support during his presidential campaign. He aslo acknowledged frustrations with the pace of government action, but urged persistance in the fight for recognition of LBGT families, passage of hate crimes legislation, ending discrimination in the workplace and military, as well as extending the benefits of marriage through repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.