Signature Assignment: Advance Human Rights

This signature assignment is designed to measure the BASW Program Learning Outcome (PLO) 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice. The following behaviors are associated with the demonstration of this learning outcome. 

● apply understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and ● engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice. 

ASSIGNMENT DIRECTIONS:

For this assignment, you are asked to develop a micro and macro advocacy strategy in response to two red flag alerts in one of the eight policy sectors. You will create hypothetical circumstances for each strategy based on the assignment guidelines, identify advocacy activities and goals, and discuss the relationship of your advocacy activities and goals to human rights, social, economic, and environmental justice. 

A grading rubric is attached with the assignment and you should review the rubric before writing your paper. For each part of the assignment, write the heading (ex. Part One: Policy Sector and Red Flag Alerts) followed by your response.

Your responses, in the appropriate sections, should indicate your understanding of the concepts of advocacy, human rights, and types of justice. Therefore, definitions and explanations of these concepts in your response should be stated primarily in your own words. Direct quotations from other sources should be limited to data provided to support your statements. Sources of policies and other sources that are used in your response should be cited according to APA guidelines for in-text citations and references.  

Assignment Overview: There are four parts to this assignment. 

​Part One:  Policy Sector and Red Flag Alerts 

​Part Two: Micro Advocacy Response

​Part Three Macro Advocacy Response

​Part Four: Human Rights & Justice Discussion 

Part One:  Policy Sector and Red Flag Alerts:

For Part One of the assignment, use your textbook to select one policy sector and two red flag alerts associated with the policy sector. Write down your responses to Part One, using the above heading, and include the following information: 

● Identify your selected policy sector.● Write the number of each of your two selected alerts and write out or summarize each of the two alerts. ● Identify which of the above alerts t you will use for your micro advocacy response and which one  you will use as the topic for your macro advocacy response. You must use a different alert for each of the advocacy responses.

Part Two: Micro Advocacy Response:

​ In organizing your response, first write the above heading for this section, followed by the number and content of the red alert statement that you will be using for this response. As you write your paper, identify each of the 4 main headings below, followed by your responses (respond to each prompt in each category). In this part of the assignment, you will develop a micro advocacy policy approach to address the selected red alert by creating circumstances relevant to this alert that impact advocacy and identifying a strategy to respond to the issues associated with the alert. These are the guidelines for your response: 

Guidelines: 

1. Describe the Setting of the Advocacy Practice including all of the following elements: (2-3 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph)● Identify the facility: School, type of agency, etc.● Your role in this setting● Rural, urban, or suburban location● Overview of leadership structure of organization2. Client Situation: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph)● The issue or problem● Client description (age, gender, race, ethnicity, other relevant identifying information)● Client support system: include family, professionals, friends, community, as applicable. 3. Policy Issue Setting: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph)● Identify a type of policy that could address this issue ● Is it an organizational policy or local, state, or federal?● Identify a potential ally or supporter of this policy.● Identify leadership, an interest group, or power structure that influences this policy sector4. Advocacy Strategy & Goals: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph) ● Describe your micro level advocacy approach (at least three activities that you would engage in to advocate for the issue)● What outcome/s do you want to achieve for this client/s and what will the benefits to the client be? (identify at least two benefits)

Part Three: Macro Advocacy Response. 

In organizing your response, first write the above heading for this section, followed by the number and content of the red alert statement that you will be using for this response. As you write your paper, identify each of the 3 main headings below, followed by your responses (respond to each prompt in each category). Describe a specific example of macro policy advocacy that you would engage in to respond to this red alert by creating circumstances relevant to the alert that impact advocacy and identifying a strategy to respond to the issues associated with the alert. These are the guidelines for your response: 

Guidelines: 

1. Identify the setting/focus: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph)● Population, group impacted. Any significant characteristics. ● Educational, healthcare, U.S. gov’t. type of agency, or organization, etc.● Your role/position in this setting● Rural, urban, or suburban location● Administrative or organizational structure of the agency/setting 2. Policy Issue Setting: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph)● Identify a type of policy and that could address this issue ● Is it an organizational policy or local, state, or federal?● Identify potential allies or supporters for this issue● Identify relevant leaders or the power structure that influences this policy sector3. Advocacy Strategy & Goals: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph) ● Describe your macro level advocacy approach (at least three activities that you would engage in to advocate for the issue)● What type of change is being sought and how will this be helpful? 

Part Four: Human Rights & Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice: (3-4 paragraphs, 5-7 sentences per paragraph)

For this part of the assignment, you will select either your micro OR macro policy advocacy approach. In organizing your response, write the heading above, followed by your response to the questions, below. Be sure to respond to each part of the question and include examples from either Part Two (micro advocacy response) or Part Three (macro advocacy response) of this assignment in your response to the questions below, as applicable.  

1. Identify the advocacy response (micro or macro) that you will be discussing in response to this part of the assignment.   a. Explain and discuss how your advocacy practices and goals would advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice. Provide examples from your selected advocacy response descriptions of the issue, client or group, and setting, as applicable, in your discussion and include data and reasoning that supports your response. 

Signature Assignment Rubric:

Course Number and Course Title: SOWK 506 Policy Practice and Advocacy

PLO Number and Title: PLO 3 Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice.

Learning 

Outcome

Criteria

EXEMPLARY

PROFICIENT

DEVELOPING

EMERGING

NOT COMPLETE

CLO 1

Policy Sector and Red Alert

5

Accurate selection of two appropriate red flag alerts, and one policy sector. Included number and content of alert, and written description/summary is complete and accurate.  A topic is chosen for each response type

5

Accurate selection of two appropriate red flag alerts, and one policy sector. Included number and content of alert, and written description/summary is mostly complete and accurate.  A topic is chosen for each response type.

4

Accurate selection of only one appropriate red flag alert, and one policy sector. Included number and content of alert, but written description/summary is incomplete and/or inaccurate.  A topic is chosen for each response type.

3

Accurate selection of one appropriate red flag alert, and one policy sector. Included number and content of alert is missing or incorrect, and written description/summary is incomplete and not accurate.  A topic is chosen for one response type

2

No response or inaccurate or significantly incomplete response. 

0

PLO 3

CLO 1

Micro advocacy

95

Excellent overall  responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation. Thorough and complete detail provided in descriptions. Created complete and realistic scenario, activities, and goals. Advocacy approach is completely appropriate and clearly related to the setting, client and policy issue, and at least 3 activities are described in detail.  Outcome/benefits are realistic and thoroughly described, and at least 2 clear benefits are described.

All information is accurate. Responded to each prompt in detail, and all instructions for format were followed.

95

Good over all responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation. Mostly complete detail provided in descriptions. Created mostly complete and realistic scenario, activities, and goals. Advocacy approach is appropriate and  related to the setting, client and policy issue and at least 3 activities are described.  Outcome/benefits are realistic and mostly thoroughly described, and at least 2 benefits are described.

All information is accurate. Responded to most, but not all, prompts in detail, and all instructions for format were followed.

90

Satisfactory over all responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation. Somewhat complete detail provided in descriptions, but some are vague. Created somewhat realistic scenario, activities, and goals. Advocacy approach is mostly appropriate and related to the setting, client and policy issue, but some sections are not clearly related OR fewer than 3 activities are described in detail.  Outcome/benefits are somewhat realistic but not thoroughly described OR only one benefit is described.

Most information is accurate. Responded to most, but not all, prompts in detail, and some instructions for format were not followed.

85

Mostly unsatisfactory over all responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation. Incomplete detail provided in descriptions, and most are vague. Created somewhat unrealistic scenario, activities, and goals. Advocacy approach is mostly not appropriate OR is unrelated to the setting, client and policy issue.  Outcome/benefits are not completely realistic and/or not thoroughly described, and only one benefit is described.

Some information is inaccurate. Responded to fewer than 75% of the prompts in detail, and most instructions for format were not followed.

80

No response or irrelevant, disorganized, or significant lack of responses, clarity or inaccuracies in more than 5 responses to prompts.

0

PLO 3

CLO 1

Macro Systems Advocacy

95

Excellent overall  responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation. Thorough and complete detail provided in all descriptions. Created complete and realistic scenario, strategy, and goals. Advocacy approach is completely appropriate and clearly related to the setting and policy issue and at least 3 activities are described in detail.  Change being sought is realistic and thoroughly described and how it would be helpful is thoroughly described and clearly related to the change discussed.

All information is accurate. Responded to each prompt in detail, and all instructions for format were followed.

95

Good overall  responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation. Mostly thorough and complete detail provided in all descriptions. Created mostly complete and realistic scenario, strategy, and goals. Advocacy approach is appropriate and related to the setting and policy issue and at least 3 activities are described.  Change being sought is realistic and mostly thoroughly described and how it would be helpful is mostly thoroughly described and clearly related to the change discussed.

All information is accurate. Responded to each prompt and all instructions for format were followed.

90

Satisfactory overall  responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation.  Somewhat complete detail provided in most descriptions, but some are vague. Created somewhat complete and realistic scenario, strategy, and goals. Advocacy approach is somewhat appropriate and related to the setting and policy issue but at least one activity is not, OR only two activities are described.  Change being sought is somewhat realistic but described vaguely and how it would be helpful is not clearly described.

Most information is accurate. Responded to most, but not all, prompts, and some instructions for format were not followed.

85

Mostly unsatisfactory overall responses to the descriptors in advocacy situation.  Mostly incomplete detail provided in most descriptions. Created incomplete and somewhat unrealistic scenario, strategy, and goals. Advocacy approach is not completely appropriate or related to the setting and policy issue.  Change being sought is somewhat unrealistic and only vaguely described, and how it would be helpful is missing or not related to the change.

Most information is inaccurate. Responded to fewer than 75% of  prompts, and most instructions for format were not followed.

80

No response or irrelevant, disorganized, or significant lack of responses, clarity or inaccuracies in more than 5 responses to prompts.

0

PLO 3

CLO2

Human Rights & Justice

95

Response to prompt provides completely accurate application of concepts. Addresses each concept in a thorough and thoughtful way. Thoroughly and completely explains and discusses how advocacy practices and goals would advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.  Includes completely relevant examples from prior sections of the paper, along with completely relevant data and reasoning that supports the response. Clearly identifies which approach is being discussed.

95

Response to prompt provides mostly accurate application of concepts. Addresses each concept in a  thoughtful way. Mostly thoroughly explains how advocacy practices and goals would advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.  Includes  relevant examples from prior sections of the paper along with relevant data and reasoning that supports the response. Clearly identifies which approach is being discussed.

90

Response to prompt provides somewhat accurate application of concepts, but some are not accurate. Some, but not all, concepts are addressed in a  thoughtful way. Somewhat thoroughly explains how advocacy practices and goals would advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice, but some parts are vague.  Includes examples from prior sections of the paper, but not all are relevant, along with data and reasoning that don’t completely support the response. Doesn’t clearly identify which approach is being discussed.

85

Response to prompt provides inaccurate application of concepts. Most concepts are not addressed in a  thoughtful way. Does not thoroughly explains how advocacy practices and goals would advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.  Includes no examples from prior sections of the paper, OR examples are not  relevant. Doesn’t use appropriate data or reasoning to support the response. Doesn’t clearly identify which approach is being discussed.

. 

80

No response or inadequate response to all parts of prompt. Inaccurate definitions or no explanations or examples provided.

0 

CLO

Writing & Organization

10

Included all elements of graduate level writing: sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. Well organized, clearly written. Used headings to organize. APA citation style used to accurately identify any journals, textbook, website, or other sources used. Minimal use of quotations. Primarily original writing. In-text and reference citations appropriate and accurate.

10

Satisfactorily wrote at a graduate level with some errors in either sentence structure, grammatical or punctuation. Used headings to organize. Applied APA citations. Primarily original writing with limited use of quoted material. In-text and reference citations mostly accurate and appropriate.  

8

Some elements of graduate level writing but consistent errors in either sentence structure, grammatical or punctuation, and/or citation. 

5

Did not write clearly with frequent writing errors and missing or inaccurate citations. Disorganized. 

2

No response, no citations or significant inaccuracies in APA citation or didn’t use APA format. Significant structure or content errors throughout writing. 

0