Indirect Services
Indirect services make direct services possible; they are the background components that make any organization, agency or institution work efficiently. Examples of Indirect Services skills are; grant writing, fundraising, program development and evaluation, event planning, volunteer management, filing, staff meetings, and budget development. During my time in the Human Services Program, I have learned some skills that allow me to understand the importance of Indirect Services.
Standard 15 states, “The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skill development in systematic analysis of service's needs; planning appropriate strategies, services, and implementation; and evaluation of outcomes.” (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p.8).The course HSP 435 Human Services and Management introduced me to the process of creating an organization and producing critical information for colleagues and possible funding partners within the community. Working in a small group, we voted on the population the organization we would serve. Together, we all agreed that the focus would be on single males experiencing homelessness within Snohomish County. My The group would address the development of the organization and create a portfolio detailing every function within Opportunities, our organization. The group created the mission and vision for the organization, making it descriptive and short. The mission and vision encompass our plans for the future and our philosophy of helping as described in the document Opportunities, Description of Organization (Appendix Q). The goals for the individuals we would serve have to be realistic as well as accomplished in a timely manner to produce the best results. Opportunities would provide men in Snohomish County with shelter as well as a job-training program and work towards securing long-term, low-cost housing through the Housing Authority of Snohomish County. I have gained an interesting perspective into the early steps of the design of a program. It is imperative always to consider the goals we wanted to accomplish as well as the creation of a plan of action that is effective and achievable.
CSHSE Standard 14 states, “The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skills in information management.” (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p. 7). Documentation is a crucial part of Human Services, and it is essential in Indirect Services. Creating documents describing a project requires attention to detail, creativity, and conciseness. I was very fortunate to integrate real life into my assignments for the HSP 485 Program Planning and Evaluation course. I decided to incorporate my internship at the Alzheimer's Association and my personal interest in Alzheimer's disease into my Needs Assessment project (Appendix E). From personal experience, I had searched for support programs in Spanish within Snohomish County for caregivers, family members, and individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or any other type of dementia without success. The next step was to evaluate the Hispanic population, are there people diagnosed with dementia living in Everett? Are there active unpaid caregivers in the community? Do people know about dementia and or Alzheimer's disease? Are people interested in learning more about dementia and mental health? I could only answer these questions by conducting a survey with community members. Developing a questionnaire that addressed the key points I wanted to learn about implied making the questions easy to understand for people with all levels of education. It is imperative to respect the cultural beliefs of community members and to reassure them of confidentiality since dementia and mental health issues carry a lot of stigma within the Hispanic population. I had to set up a network of professionals, friends, people leading or belonging to different types of groups, from students to parents of students, to church members, and they answered my survey. Afterwards, I had the task of tallying and categorizing the information as well as creating graphs that I could present to my field supervisor at the Association and Cheryn Weiser, my professor.
Standard 13: "The curriculum shall address the scope of conditions that promote or inhibit human functioning." (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p. 7). The needs assessment assignment (Appendix E) I created for HSP 485 Program Planning and Evaluation provides evidence of the lack of Spanish speaking programs for Hispanic caregivers or individuals with dementia in Snohomish County. I provided a thorough overview of the population this needs assessment would address. The document analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the data collection methodology. I also looked at the ethical issues that may arise because of the unique traits of the Hispanic culture, the wide range of ages of the participants, and their different levels of literacy. There are also specific goals that that a possible program could cover. I hope that by gathering this information and bringing it to light to the Alzheimer's Association as well as Senior Services of Snohomish County these organizations can see the importance of educating and supporting the Hispanic community. Individuals need to be provided with case management, respite care, and seminars that emphasize the importance of stress management and health screenings for the caregivers of persons with dementia. I believe this method of gathering information and presenting it to people who can make a difference is efficient to call attention to the pressing issue of dementia. Perhaps these findings will prompt a change in policies and the creation of new programs to serve the ever-changing population in Snohomish.
CSHSE Standard 18 states, “The curriculum shall provide knowledge; theory, and skills in the administrative aspects of the delivery system.” (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p. 9). I was glad to understand the way an organization is created and managed. I immersed myself in the creation of documents with full support and feedback from my professor in HSP 435 Human Services and Management. The skills acquired throughout the Human Services Program have given me a broader understanding of the inner workings of an organization. The assignment that encompasses my understanding and application of the theory acquired within the course is the Fee for Service paper, (Appendix O) because it describes many essential aspects that make an efficient organization. This document for my organization Opportunities details the Job skill courses offered not only for the men within the shelter but are also open to the public. The courses are beneficial in many ways because they provide a link to the community, which in return can bring in donations and sponsorships from local businesses. The revenue from the courses may not be much, but once a year for graduation, the local newspaper runs a story on the graduates from the program. The news coverage brings attention to the skills of the participants, recognizes the volunteers that made the courses possible, provides publicity, and highlights the benefits that Opportunities brings to the County. The fee for service document also evaluates the effectiveness of the funding opportunity and provides a transparent break down of the income and expenses generated by the fee for service. Transparency builds trust between the organization and sponsors or donors; the financial information becomes a part of the strategic plan and is included in the budget.
The skills acquired regarding indirect services were challenging to comprehend but rewarding in the end. These aspects of Human Services might not be my particular area of interest, but they make the organization work and because of them, I have the ability to provide direct services to the public. I am very satisfied with the results I obtained through the assignments, and I feel more prepared for a job in the field, with a better understanding of the inner workings of an organization.
References Council for Standards in Human Services Education (2013). National standards: Baccalaureate degree in human services. Retrieved from http://www.cshse.org
Indirect services make direct services possible; they are the background components that make any organization, agency or institution work efficiently. Examples of Indirect Services skills are; grant writing, fundraising, program development and evaluation, event planning, volunteer management, filing, staff meetings, and budget development. During my time in the Human Services Program, I have learned some skills that allow me to understand the importance of Indirect Services.
Standard 15 states, “The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skill development in systematic analysis of service's needs; planning appropriate strategies, services, and implementation; and evaluation of outcomes.” (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p.8).The course HSP 435 Human Services and Management introduced me to the process of creating an organization and producing critical information for colleagues and possible funding partners within the community. Working in a small group, we voted on the population the organization we would serve. Together, we all agreed that the focus would be on single males experiencing homelessness within Snohomish County. My The group would address the development of the organization and create a portfolio detailing every function within Opportunities, our organization. The group created the mission and vision for the organization, making it descriptive and short. The mission and vision encompass our plans for the future and our philosophy of helping as described in the document Opportunities, Description of Organization (Appendix Q). The goals for the individuals we would serve have to be realistic as well as accomplished in a timely manner to produce the best results. Opportunities would provide men in Snohomish County with shelter as well as a job-training program and work towards securing long-term, low-cost housing through the Housing Authority of Snohomish County. I have gained an interesting perspective into the early steps of the design of a program. It is imperative always to consider the goals we wanted to accomplish as well as the creation of a plan of action that is effective and achievable.
CSHSE Standard 14 states, “The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skills in information management.” (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p. 7). Documentation is a crucial part of Human Services, and it is essential in Indirect Services. Creating documents describing a project requires attention to detail, creativity, and conciseness. I was very fortunate to integrate real life into my assignments for the HSP 485 Program Planning and Evaluation course. I decided to incorporate my internship at the Alzheimer's Association and my personal interest in Alzheimer's disease into my Needs Assessment project (Appendix E). From personal experience, I had searched for support programs in Spanish within Snohomish County for caregivers, family members, and individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or any other type of dementia without success. The next step was to evaluate the Hispanic population, are there people diagnosed with dementia living in Everett? Are there active unpaid caregivers in the community? Do people know about dementia and or Alzheimer's disease? Are people interested in learning more about dementia and mental health? I could only answer these questions by conducting a survey with community members. Developing a questionnaire that addressed the key points I wanted to learn about implied making the questions easy to understand for people with all levels of education. It is imperative to respect the cultural beliefs of community members and to reassure them of confidentiality since dementia and mental health issues carry a lot of stigma within the Hispanic population. I had to set up a network of professionals, friends, people leading or belonging to different types of groups, from students to parents of students, to church members, and they answered my survey. Afterwards, I had the task of tallying and categorizing the information as well as creating graphs that I could present to my field supervisor at the Association and Cheryn Weiser, my professor.
Standard 13: "The curriculum shall address the scope of conditions that promote or inhibit human functioning." (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p. 7). The needs assessment assignment (Appendix E) I created for HSP 485 Program Planning and Evaluation provides evidence of the lack of Spanish speaking programs for Hispanic caregivers or individuals with dementia in Snohomish County. I provided a thorough overview of the population this needs assessment would address. The document analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the data collection methodology. I also looked at the ethical issues that may arise because of the unique traits of the Hispanic culture, the wide range of ages of the participants, and their different levels of literacy. There are also specific goals that that a possible program could cover. I hope that by gathering this information and bringing it to light to the Alzheimer's Association as well as Senior Services of Snohomish County these organizations can see the importance of educating and supporting the Hispanic community. Individuals need to be provided with case management, respite care, and seminars that emphasize the importance of stress management and health screenings for the caregivers of persons with dementia. I believe this method of gathering information and presenting it to people who can make a difference is efficient to call attention to the pressing issue of dementia. Perhaps these findings will prompt a change in policies and the creation of new programs to serve the ever-changing population in Snohomish.
CSHSE Standard 18 states, “The curriculum shall provide knowledge; theory, and skills in the administrative aspects of the delivery system.” (Council for Standards in Human Services Education, 2013, p. 9). I was glad to understand the way an organization is created and managed. I immersed myself in the creation of documents with full support and feedback from my professor in HSP 435 Human Services and Management. The skills acquired throughout the Human Services Program have given me a broader understanding of the inner workings of an organization. The assignment that encompasses my understanding and application of the theory acquired within the course is the Fee for Service paper, (Appendix O) because it describes many essential aspects that make an efficient organization. This document for my organization Opportunities details the Job skill courses offered not only for the men within the shelter but are also open to the public. The courses are beneficial in many ways because they provide a link to the community, which in return can bring in donations and sponsorships from local businesses. The revenue from the courses may not be much, but once a year for graduation, the local newspaper runs a story on the graduates from the program. The news coverage brings attention to the skills of the participants, recognizes the volunteers that made the courses possible, provides publicity, and highlights the benefits that Opportunities brings to the County. The fee for service document also evaluates the effectiveness of the funding opportunity and provides a transparent break down of the income and expenses generated by the fee for service. Transparency builds trust between the organization and sponsors or donors; the financial information becomes a part of the strategic plan and is included in the budget.
The skills acquired regarding indirect services were challenging to comprehend but rewarding in the end. These aspects of Human Services might not be my particular area of interest, but they make the organization work and because of them, I have the ability to provide direct services to the public. I am very satisfied with the results I obtained through the assignments, and I feel more prepared for a job in the field, with a better understanding of the inner workings of an organization.
References Council for Standards in Human Services Education (2013). National standards: Baccalaureate degree in human services. Retrieved from http://www.cshse.org