MSSW 660 - Consultation to Community Based Organizations

Community based services is a method that has been successful in reaching and improving the lives of children, youth, families and communities mired in poverty.  Social workers need to respond to the needs of low income communities by engaging them utilizing a generalist practice model including administrative supports, technical assistance, training and consultation.  Social workers can mobilize their formidable training to effect sustainable and replicable change at a community based level.

The social worker can multiply their impact and expand their mission to a broader audience by providing training, technical assistance and one to one consultation services to those community based organizations.  Developing the leadership skills of among the active community based efforts can be a primary goal (including how to run meetings, building consensus, and how to facilitate organizational and informational meetings).

Student social workers will not only be involved in the classroom educational experience; they will also realize meaningful understanding of macro level interventions.  The course is designed to show a connection between what they might do in the community and what they learn at school.  More specifically, students will learn about the approaches to community intervention, arenas of intervention, core elements of integrated practice and improving agency functioning. 

Credits: 3