HN531-1: Describe theories that human service organizations may have used in their design and implementation of a human service program.
People are generally familiar with the range of human service organizations that form their community’s “safety net”. Some organizations in the community network provide assistance to families and children, others may help people who are homeless or who have disabilities of some kind. People also have a general notion of how these organizations are organized, e.g., staffing, services, funding.
This first assignment asks you to use management theories reviewed in the readings as a “lens” with which to describe a human service organization in your community.
Select an HSO in your community you are familiar with either as an employed staff member or as a client of the organization or simply a member of the community. Conduct an online search of the organization and describe the organization in terms of the community need it seeks to address, the population served, the program services it offers.
Using the text and suggested readings, discuss the various theories the organization would use to design and implement program services. Since every program has multiple dimensions, your response should include theories for those multiple dimensions, e.g., the internal and external dimensions of an organization. For reference, use the competing values framework to outline your discussion.
Describe the leadership theories that might characterize the leadership of the HSO to provide services.
Resources:
Text: Chapter 4: “Applying Organizational Theories”
The Competing Values Framework: This framework developed by Robert Quinn defines the various dimensions and values that form an organization. Each dimension addresses competing organizational values: effectiveness vs. efficiency/flexibility vs. control. The pursuit of those values by management determines the type of managerial role one needs to assume, e.g., management vs. leadership, and the skills needed to be effective in those roles.
Key differences between management/leadership roles The Harvard Business Review
What is a “Theory of Change”?
Supplemental Readings: In addition to the assigned readings for this unit that concern theories used in program development, you may wish to further your learning by reading the following articles:
“A Comprehensive Resiliency Framework: Theoretical Model, Treatment, and Evaluation.”
Resiliency blends learning and ecological theories to provide a coherent framework to discuss adaptation in terms of risk, vulnerability, and capacities for growth and change. In addition to being a helpful tool to design programs, the concept of resiliency is relatively easy for people to understand and provides a familiar language to describe what the program does and how it does it.
Ecological Systems Perspective
The social-ecological perspective describes how environment factors interact to create the unique circumstances that shape who we are and what we do. This ecological systems perspective forms the basis of the resiliency framework.
Vulnerability Index (Vulnerability Service Decision Assistance Tool – VI-SPDAT)
The Vulnerability Index – The Service Prioritization Decision Tool (VI-SPDAT) is a triage tool used to determine “client need” through a measurement of risk and vulnerability factors so that appropriate levels of support can be provided. The index is also used to measure client need at the point of an initial assessment and the point of termination of services.
“Children of Kuai” Emily Werner
