Week 5: News Article - Hayley

Alternative Spring Break Aims to Connect Students to Healing Efforts in Ferguson
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2015/02/alternative_spring_break_aims_to_connect_students_to_healing_efforts_in_ferguson.php

The following article from the Riverfront Times provides information regarding a volunteer opportunity in Ferguson for college students during their spring break.  Many students, unless they have taken time off coursework have been unable to join protests and efforts in Ferguson.  To provide students with that opportunity, while they have time off of school, activists have created the "alternative spring break" opportunity to provide students from all over the country with that opportunity.  The "alternative spring break" plans to bring 50 to 100 students each week for three weeks to provide aid in rebuilding and healing in Ferguson.

Charles Wade, of Operation Help or Hush, has helped in arranging the program and spoke of some of the specific intentions behind it.  He implies that the program is meant to promote effective volunteerism, extend a helping hand, provide tools for advocacy, provide voter education and registration, and ultimately to focus on aiding the Ferguson community.  The program is not necessarily meant to teach students how to protest, but to help students understand the issues protestors have faced and how to effectively mediate them as legal observers. 

I think the idea is a great initiative.  The program offers opportunities to students who want more out of their spring break and are interested in community change.  This seems like a productive way to not only aid rebuilding efforts in Ferguson, but also to provide an effective, community-based learning experience for students across the country.

At this point, it is questionable whether the people of Ferguson really want this outside help, but the idea behind the program is meaningful in regards to community change.   The civic aspect of the program seems fantastic, I just hope that it is done the right way and both the college students and the Ferguson residents can find fulfillment from the experience. 

What are your thoughts?  Do you think this initiative can be fulfilling for both the college students AND the people of Ferguson?  Or is this just going to further exhaust Ferguson residents  with outside efforts?

Week 5: Class Reading - Karla

CH. 4: Understanding Populations

The main concepts from chapter four discuss how to select and study a population. There are five tasks to analyze a population as efficiently and effectively as possible. The five tasks are to: Develop Cultural Humility, Seek Diverse Perspectives, Search the Professional Knowledge Base on the Target Population, Select Factors that Help in Understanding the Target Population, and Develop a Working Hypothesis of Etiology About the Problem.

A brief summary of these concepts from this chapter add to chapter three about using qualitative and quantitative data to help address issues and problems in communities, chapter four adds layers and dimensions to data collection. Chapter four expresses the need to understand a community and its diverse population as well as its diverse needs. The first task is to Develop Cultural Humility. A social worker has to realize that their life experience can be, and many times will be different than their client’s experiences. The social worker has to have cultural competence to be effective in their treatment and to be sensitive to differences in other cultures.

The second task is Seek Diverse Perspectives. A social worker needs listen to members of the community, and be inclusive of all its members. If a social worker is creating a solution for a community it should be done with the community members and not to the community. Social workers must also be aware of the frameworks, or how a minority self-identifies and how they interact with the majority culture. Additionally, a social worker should consult with allies and advocacy groups of the target populations to gain more information. An example would be working with a LGBT alliance to get a better understanding of the LGBT community.

The next task is Search the Professional Knowledge Base on the Target Population. This task discusses the use of professional and academic resources to gain more knowledge of the target population in a community. It also explains what issues should be explored. Some issues that should be explored are growth and development, diversity considerations, and external factors that affect the community. Some examples of these concepts can include a person having trouble developing into adulthood, having troubles with embodying roles society puts on them, or being discriminated or oppressed.

The fourth task is Selecting Factors that Help in Understanding the Target Population. Using the previous tasks, patterns should start emerging. Being able to find patterns we can start looking into the cause and effect of possible problem areas that a community may have, leading into the final task.

The final task is Develop a Working Hypothesis of Etiology About the Problem. The social worker should look into the cause and effect (etiology), then form a hypothesis using the information found in the population analysis and problem analysis. A social worker can then use this data and information to direct possible interventions.

Using these tasks as basic guidelines, we as social workers can be better prepared to work with diverse communities. We need to be immersed in these diverse communities to better understand the needs and wants of a community, while gathering data, in order to give them our best and unbiased help.

Week 4: Class Reading - Nici

CH. 3: Understanding Community and Organizational Problems

Keeping account of quality data is essential for any human service organization that wants to ensure longevity and success. As the government lessens the priority of assisting the disadvantaged, funding becomes more scarce and the burden to aid the oppressed and in need falls to the private sector. Funders as well members of the public are increasingly demanding evidence that organizations are accountable and that their services are producing the desired results. Data offers donors security in knowing that their money is being utilized effectively.

The Chapter highlights three essential categories to consider when undertaking a macro-level project (problem/need/opportunity, population, and arena). These three categories include defining the problem and those affected by it, identifying the population and various perspectives, and compiling data that increases your professional knowledge base and understanding of the need and potential change agents.

Current systems and processes of evaluation and research in the field of social work lack the methodological rigor of other professional fields. Chapter 3 stresses the importance of utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data when addressing conditions and problems. These two methods compliment one another and provide a more complete ‘at a glance’ view of the is issue.

Undertaking the task of gathering data from numerous sources can seem extremely overwhelming. It is rare that current data and research are found compiled in a ready for use format. Often times one must seek information from numerous resources on national, regional, and global levels. This is time consuming and some critics state that it fails to recognize the need within the appropriate moment. In an ideal scenario, comparative data will be gathered in a timely manner from various reliable sources such as those that are government based. Interpretation of data is nearly as essential as the collection. Transforming numbers and facts into relevant, understandable reports guide’s readers to understand why the problem exists and what has enabled it to persist over time. As greater understanding is achieved, a systematic intervention can be developed that addresses most if not all of the root causes of the issue at hand.

Week 4: News Article - Trisha

"United Way Looking to Assist Displaced Employees Affected by Ferguson, Dellwood Unrest"

St. Louis Public Radio, February 4, 2014

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/united-way-looking-assist-displaced-employees-affected-ferguson-dellwood-unrest

The United Way would like to provide basic assistance for employees who lost their job or had their hours decreased due to the events that followed the shooting death of Michael Brown. The funding is coming from the $1 million contract the United Way of Greater St. Louis received from St. Louis County after numerous businesses were destroyed from looting, rioting, and fires.

The group is hoping the assistance will help those employees by providing funding for basic needs, such as rent and utilities, to avoid eviction or homelessness.

Despite the available funding, the United Way told St. Louis Public Radio they were having a difficult time locating qualified individuals.

The United Way has put out a public call, casting a wider net. They are attempting to work with businesses to identify former residents who have been scattered throughout the area by the loss of employment. They are holding a Career Center Day to connect unemployed residents with career counselors to identify job openings in the community.

Reading this article, I was reminded of last week's class reading "Mapping Community Capacity" by McKnight & Kretzmann. The United Way's efforts to assist the unemployed in the Ferguson community acknowledges the asset they are to their community. By giving that financial assistance, they are working to keep people in their homes and in their community. By helping employees and businesses, they are helping to reinforce the "capacities" within that community.

Do you have suggestions or strategies as to how to make sure available financial assistance reaches those in need? How have you seen, whether in Ferguson or other communities, financial assistance help? And where have you seen it be less helpful/less productive/harmful?

Week 4: Class Reading - Arriana

“Old North St. Louis”
http://www.risestl.org/results/success-stories-case-studies/old-north-st-louis/

This article discusses Old North’s efforts to rebuild their community. With the help of RISE, Old North had the opportunity to invest and revitalize areas within their community. Adding single family homes at market value Old North’s goal was to attract middle-income residents that would in-turn fill vacant lots near historic buildings, enhance economic diversity, income property value to finance redevelopment efforts, and integrate the neighborhood.The Launch of the redevelopment project gave both parties the opportunity to share and gain knowledge as well as bring about change within the community. 

The development project lead them to rebuild twenty new homes where vacant plots of land once stood from years of decline and demolition within the community. Out of the twenty homes built eight of those homes became affordable for lower income families which was made possible by the city’s Affordable Housing Commission. (North Market Place Homes development project) To increase revenue and to make these new homes marketable the vacant lots were not only filled but historical buildings such as the National Register Historic District were rehabilitated. (North Market Place Apartments) 

RISE and Old North partnered together to buy property within Old North’s once thriving “14th street Mall”. With plans to build lofts, apartments, and business’s vital to the community and its efforts to gain “critical mass” the redevelopment of “14th Street Mall” in to “Crown Square” was created. In addition to the newly developed center square, efforts to redevelop streets surrounding the area were put in place to strengthen the mall and bring about community integration. 

The three development projects accounted for the rehabilitation of 36 historical buildings, 20 newly built homes, and the creation of 80 residential and commercial sites available with the completion of Crown Square.

Week 4: News Article - Karla

“Advocates vow diversity battle over city bill”

St. Louis American, January 29, 2015

http://www.stlamerican.com/business/local_business/article_145a5ba0-a730-11e4-ae6a-df13478a6faa.html

This article discusses a proposed bill restricting contractors from bidding on contracts if they do not have a Department of Labor approved apprentice program. What this means for the community of Saint Louis City, is that only union contractors would be able to bid on city contracts. One repercussion of this bill may cause minority owned contracting companies to be excluded from bidding on city contracts because the companies are small and privately owned. Also, minority advocacy groups were not given sufficient time to attend the first meetings for the proposal of this bill to voice their concerns. This bill shows the need for social advocacy and how advocacy groups can help protect minorities. This bill, which may look good on paper to some, may be a lot more harmful than the politicians supporting it realize.

I think that the intent of the policy was not to discriminate women and minority owned contracting companies, but to its intent was to enhance and support unionized companies. The unintended consequences were that minority groups would be discriminated against. Pulling lessons from Policy class, I think some of the value standards related to policy that are missing from this bill are Equity, Equality, Inclusion, and Collaboration. The minority groups in St. Louis City are not being fairly considered in the decision making process or within the bill itself. Many social justice advocates in the community feel that there is not an alternative version of this bill that they could approve.

Do you feel this is an issue of diversity or a labor market competition issue?

Do you think there is an alternative version of this bill that could be proposed that minority advocates would approve?

How do you think approval of this bill would affect communities that have high minority demographics?

Week 3: Class Reading - Kerry

“Mapping Community Capacity” 

by McKnight & Kretzmann

The authors of this article have an interesting approach to thinking about low-income neighborhoods and those who live there: look for the uplifting assets instead of the draining deficiencies. They call these assets “capacities” and insist they are the key to rejuvenating those areas. The first step they recommend is a psychological one: don’t think of a neighborhood in terms of being blighted, think of it as teeming with untapped resources and possibilities. McKnight and Kretzmann see the problem as form-follows-function: residents of these areas are thought of by others as being dependent and needy, so they in turn come to believe it of themselves, and thereby continue dependent behavior patterns. This is a hallmark of what the authors call a “needs-oriented” strategy: public and private agencies provide services to fulfill the individual’s needs and solve their problems (for now). The person will thus become a “client” and continually seek out these services rather than providing a solution for themselves (aka free riders). The biggest culprits of this needs-oriented line of thinking are the various providers of services (federal housing programs, state food stamp programs, local aid providers) that fulfill the immediate needs of low-income individuals but do so in such a way as to deprive these persons of an incentive to seek a self-based solution to their problems.

McKnight and Kretzmann believe that within each low-income community exists resources (capacities) that can allow residents to become productive and self-providing, thereby breaking the circle of dependency on the “system”. They think of this strategy of helping the poor as the “capacity focused alternative” to the needs system. Drawing inspiration from the long-used deficiency maps of low-income areas (that usually show the problems of an area), the authors instead offer an alternative: a capacity map showing the latent resources in the area. They then provide a template of three groups of “building blocks” which a neighborhood can draw from to help its residents plan to become self-sufficient. They are:

Primary Building Blocks. These are assets that are located and controlled by the neighborhood. These building blocks consist of individual residents and their talents, abilities, and income, local and home-based businesses, and local neighborhood organizations (including citizen, business, financial, cultural and religious).

Secondary Building Blocks are those assets located within the community but controlled from elsewhere. They include: private and non-profit organizations like colleges and social service agencies; public institutions like public schools, police and fire departments, libraries and parks.

The third group is Potential Building Blocks, which are assets from outside the area being served that are also controlled by outsiders. These building blocks include state welfare agencies, publicly funded capital improvement projects and public databases (the statistical information about an area, such as percentage of inhabitable vs. uninhabitable buildings).

McKnight and Kretzmann believe that by developing a capacities map, a neighborhood has a chance of taking control of it’s own destiny without being tied to a circle of dependency. They see community-based organizations as falling into two groups: grass-roots community organizers and the more formal community action agency (as in the now-defunct Human Development Corporation). McKnight and Kretzmann declare that these two groups can strive to become “asset developers” in the community by creating capacities maps and utilizing them to create a plan of action to help the community build itself into a self-sustaining area. Finally, they believe the asset developers should seek to interact with other areas of society and the economic activity found there. This in turn would help to de-isolate the area and make it more attractive to further development.

Duhigg, C., & Bradsher, K. (2012, January 21). How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work. New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-america-and-a-squeezed-middle-class.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0