Introduction to Human Services

Outline of Instruction

Madison Area Technical College

 

Course Information

 

 Title -  Introduction to Human Services

 Number -  520-105

 Developers -  Lori Mettel and Harold Gates

 Development Date -  11/25/2000

 Organization -  Madison Area Technical College

 Division -  Health, Human and Protective Services

 Department -  Human Services

 Instructional Area -  Human Services

 Instructional Level -  Associate Degree

 

 Potential Hours of Instruction -  54

 Total Credits -  3

 

Instructional Type

Periods

Outside Hours

Credits

Classroom Presentation

54

 

3

 

Course Description

 

This course introduces students to human service work by examining the ethics, values and principles of the human service profession.  Students are introduced to the typical roles and duties of human service workers. Class members have the opportunity to assess their own motivations, attitudes and values through a required volunteer experience. In addition to the regular classroom hours, 45 hours of unpaid, volunteer work in a community human service agency is required.

 

Target Population

 

Entry-level students enrolled in or considering enrollment in the Human Services Associate Program.

 

Textbooks

 

An introduction to human services.

Author: Woodside, M. & McClam, T.

Publisher:     Brooks/Cole

Copyright:           1998

Edition:                   3

Price:                  45.00

Pages:                  357

ISBN:          0-534-34783-5

Required:             Yes

 

Cultural competence: An introduction for human service agencies.

Author:              Nash, K.

Publisher: Child Welfare League of America

Copyright:           1999

Edition:                  1st

Price:                  12.95

Pages:                  100

ISBN:           0-87868-753-x

Required:             Yes

 

Goals

 

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1.           explore different perspectives of defining human services

2.     identify current trends in human service delivery

3.     describe and discuss recipients of human services

4.     to understand the preparation and functions of human service professionals

5.     begin the process of learning the skills and knowledge needed for the practice of human services

6.     examine the role of systems as a means of understanding the client's environment and the delivery of human services

7.     become acquainted with the ethical dilemmas surrounding human service practice

8.     become acquainted with the implementation of cultural competence in human service agencies

 

 

Course Competencies

 

A.     Analyze volunteer opportunities

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner discusses typical human services agencies

b.     learner contacts agency of their choice

c.     learner arranges his/her experience with a representative of the agency

d.     learner submits completed Volunteer Placement Summary Form

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by completing the Volunteer Placement Summary Form

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop self-awareness

 

B.     Summarizes human services

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner discusses purposes of human services

b.     learner analyzes the role of human services professionals

c.     learner summarizes history of human services

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

 

C.     Analyze current trends in human service delivery

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner discusses current trends in human service delivery

b.     learner discusses how human services are delivered

c.     Paper includes human service professional's job title

d.     Paper includes human service professional's job description

e.     Paper describes the agency

f.      Paper describes the agency’s clients

g.     Paper describes the services provided by the human service professional

h.     Paper describes the needs that cannot be met by the human service professional

i.      Paper explains why these needs cannot be met by the human service professional

j.       Paper describes the formal degree of the human service professional

k.     Paper describes additional training that the human service professional has received

l.       Paper describes additional training that the human service professional would find helpful

m.    Paper describes what kind of work is available in this agency for someone with an associate degree in human services

n.     Paper describes what training beyond the associate degree would be needed to qualify for a job with this agency if work is not available

o.     Paper describes a personal preference for this job

p.     Paper describes a personal opinion of why this job is not the student's preference

q.     Paper describes suggestions for improving the delivery of services to this client population

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

c.     by interviewing a human service professional

d.     by completing a paper describing the interview

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

 

D.     Analyze models of human service delivery

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner summarizes the public health model in human service delivery

b.     learner summarizes the human service model in human service delivery

c.     learner summarizes the medical model in human service delivery

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

 

E.     Analyze recipients of human services

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner summarizes why people use human services

b.     learner analyzes who uses human services

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

Develop global awareness

 

F.     Analyze the function of human service professionals

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     Career Opportunities Assignment final draft is typed and should not exceed seven pages

b.     Career Opportunities Assignment final draft should not exceed seven pages

c.     Career Opportunities Assignment includes at least three current ( i.e., 1990 or more recent) references (At least one of the references must be a properly cited online reference)

d.     Career Opportunities Assignment includes profiles of two different human service professionals

e.     Career Opportunities Assignment includes typical job duties for an Associate degree level human service worker

f.      Career Opportunities Assignment includes typical job duties for one other human service professional

g.     Career Opportunities Assignment includes a description of the employment outlook for an Associate degree level human service worker

h.     Career Opportunities Assignment includes a description of the employment outlook for one other human service professional

i.      Career Opportunities Assignment includes a description of the positives/advantages of the job for an Associate degree level human service worker

j.       Career Opportunities Assignment includes a description of the positives/advantages of the job for one other human service professional

k.     Career Opportunities Assignment includes a description of the negatives/disadvantages of the job  for an Associate degree level human service worker

l.       Career Opportunities Assignment includes a description of the negatives/disadvantages of the job  for one other human service professional

m.    Oral Presentation includes interesting/significant findings or personal opinion regarding the position profiled Associate degree level human service worker

n.     Oral Presentation includes interesting/significant findings or personal opinion regarding the position profiled for one other human service professional

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

c.     by completing the Career Opportunities Assignment

d.     by orally presenting their Career Opportunities Assignment to the class

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

 

G.     Examine the role of systems in the delivery of human services

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner discusses systems theory

b.     learner analyzes how to apply systems theory to local human services delivery

c.     learner analyzes a client's environment utilizing the systems theory

d.     learner summarizes how human services are organized

e.     learner develops referral skills

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

Develop global awareness

 

H.     Analyze the ethical dilemmas surrounding human service practice

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner analyzes codes of ethics and ethical standards

b.     learner analyzes codes of ethics and ethical standards' implications for human service practice

c.     learner explores ethical dilemmas encountered in human service delivery

d.     learner examines the pitfalls for the beginning professional

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned chapter preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

Develop self-awareness

Develop global awareness

 

I.       Analyze the implementation of cultural competence in a human service agency

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner analyzes what is cultural competence

b.     learner summarizes why cultural competence is important

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by reading the text and responding to questions on the assigned preparation sheets.

b.     on a written test

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

Develop self-awareness

Develop global awareness

 

J.     Perform volunteer work

 

Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when:

a.     learner performs 45 hours of volunteer work in a community agency of his/her choice

b.     summary includes the Volunteer Experience Summary Assignment describing the events at the volunteer site

c.     summary includes a Verification of Community Agency Volunteer Work signed by the agency supervisor

 

Competence will be demonstrated:

a.     by performing 45 hours of volunteer work in a community agency

b.     by writing a summary of their volunteer work

 

Linked Core Abilities

Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

Develop self-awareness

Develop global awareness

 

 

Core Abilities

 

A.     Develop a sense of personal, social, professional, and work ethics

a.     learner accepts responsibility for their own actions

b.     learner demonstrates respect for the rights, views, and work of others

c.     learner exhibits personal, professional, and academic honesty

d.     learner recognizes their responsibility to personal, social, professional, educational, and natural environments and makes informed decisions based on that responsibility

e.     learner displays behavior consistent with the ethical standards within a discipline or profession

B.     Develop self-awareness

a.     learner recognizes their own self-worth, strengths and weaknesses, and potential for growth

b.     learner recognizes their biases and values

c.     learner demonstrates the ability to give and receive constructive feedback

d.     learner develops time and stress management skills

e.     learner sets goals and devises strategies for educational, personal, and professional development in a changing world, consistent with their abilities and circumstances

C.     Develop global awareness

a.     learner expresses an understanding of the interconnections and interactions among people and systems (political, economic, social, and natural) and the necessity of balancing human needs with the limitations of world resources

b.     learner accumulates knowledge of and experience with people in their own and other cultures, past and present, and how they live, think, and view the world

c.     learner describes the impact of the global economy on life, work, and opportunities

d.     learner recognizes the commonality of human experiences across cultures

e.     learner recognizes the influence of diverse cultural perspectives on human thought and behavior