Assignment 1: Planning a Needs Assessment II

Assignment 1: Planning a Needs Assessment II

One of the many reasons social workers conduct needs assessment is to provide support for new programs. Social workers have many methods available to collect necessary data for a needs assessment.

Social workers can use existing data from a wide range of sources, including local and national reports by government and nonprofit agencies, as well as computerized mapping resources. Social workers can gather new data through interviews and surveys with individuals and focus groups. This data can provide the evidence that supports the need for the program.

To prepare for this Assignment, review the needs assessment plans that you and your classmates generated for this week’s Discussion. Also, review the logic models that you created in Week 7 and any literature on needs of caregivers that you used to generate them.

Consider the following to stimulate your thinking:

· Getting information about the needs of the target population:

• Who would informants be?
• What is your purpose for        interacting with them?
• What questions would you ask?
• What method would you use        (interview, focus group, questionnaire)?

· Finding potential clients:

• Who would informants be?
• What is your purpose for        interacting with them?
• What questions would you ask?
• What method would you use?

· Interacting with the target population:

• Who would informants be?
• What is your purpose for        interacting with them?
• What questions would you ask?
• What method would you use?

Submit a 2-page paper outlining a hypothetical needs assessment related to the support group program for caregivers. Include the following:

· The resources needed to operate this service

· The program activities

· The desired outcomes

· A plan for gathering information about the population served

· Justifications for your plans and decisions

· A one-paragraph conclusion describing how you might conduct a follow-up to the needs assessment at the implementation stage of the program evaluation

References (use 2 or more)

Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.

· (For review) Chapter 6, “Needs Assessment” (pp. 107–142)

· Chapter 7, “Crafting Goals and Objectives” (pp. 144–164)

Document: Tutty, L. M., & Rothery, M. A. (2010). Needs assessments. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed.,pp. 149–162). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)

Assignment:
Journal: Supervising Others

Take a minute and think about the supervisors you have had in the workplace. What were characteristics of effective supervisors? As you reflect on these experiences, consider how supervision affected your ability to complete the tasks associated with your job. Also, think about how leadership styles can influence the relationship between social workers and their supervisors.

For this Assignment, review the Petrakis case study in this week’s video and note how supervisory and leadership skills are portrayed.

Assignment (4–5 paragraphs)

Complete the following Journal entry:

· Identify attributes of leadership styles and approaches that facilitate quality supervision.

· Evaluate the supervisory and leadership skills demonstrated in the Petrakis case study by identifying which supervisory and leadership skills the supervisor demonstrated.

· Explain whether the supervisor in the video demonstrated quality supervision, and why. Provide specific examples to support your evaluation.

References (use 3 or more)

Kadushin, G., Berger, C., Gilbert, C., & de St. Aubin, M. (2009). Models and methods in hospital social work supervision. Clinical Supervisor, 28(2), 180–199.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014d). Sessions: Petrakis (Episode 4 of 42) [Video file].

McTighe, J. (2011). Teaching the use of self through the process of clinical supervision. Clinical Social Work Journal, 39(3), 301–307.

National Association of Social Workers. (2013). Best practice standards in social work supervision. Association of Social Work Boards. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/naswstandards/supervisionstandards2013.pdf