THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
COURSE NUMBER:
COURSE TITLE:
SEMESTER:
DAY/TIME:
INSTRUCTOR:
OFFICE HOURS:
SOWO 882 (SECTION 957)
Citizen Participation and Volunteer Involvement
Fall 2010
Fridays 9:00 – 11:50 am
Laurie Selz Campbell, MS
Tate Turner Kuralt Bldg. Room 355
(919) 843-6394
lauriesc@unc.edu
Tuesdays 12:30 – 1:30 and by appointment, phone, or email as
needed.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Examines the role of grassroots organization in advocacy, self help and social
development; involvement of citizens in public and nonprofit planning; and
development of volunteer programs.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: At the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Describe philosophical perspectives, value orientations (including the NASW Code
of Ethics and the International Federation of Social Work Code), and theoretical
understandings regarding citizen involvement in public and voluntary community
development activities.
2. Identify and analyze the degree to which local public and voluntary programs
currently involve citizens in their plans and policy-making.
3. Identify, practice, and evaluate methods and techniques for involving diverse
populations in community planning and change.
4. Describe the role of voluntarism in citizen participation, and examine the effective
integration of volunteers in service organizations.
5. Describe their personal philosophy, including ethical principles, for effectively
facilitating citizen involvement in social planning and economic development.
6. Demonstrate personal skills as facilitators of citizen participation and volunteer
involvement with a focus on supporting diversity and enabling members from all
sectors of the community to participate in its positive development.
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION:
We will focus on current methods for involving citizens in public and voluntary
organizations and the philosophies and values that guide those methods. Students
will analyze and practice strategies for developing the capacity of people to be
involved in decisions that affect their lives, especially for people most often excluded
from such involvement. The course also examines volunteerism in nonprofit and
public organizations, emphasizing motivations for volunteering and how volunteers
may be incorporated into the work of the organization.
1
TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER READINGS:
VeneKlasen, L. & Miller, V. (2007). A new weave of power, people, and politics: The
action guide for advocacy and citizen participation. Oklahoma City, OK: World
Neighbors; San Francisco, CA: The Asia Foundation.
Links to additional assigned readings will be placed on the course Blackboard site under
“Assignments”.
TEACHING METHODS AND EXPECTATIONS:
My hope is that our class will function as a learning laboratory for citizen participation
and involvement. As such, peer learning and inquiry will be crucial components of the
class. The class format will include readings, lectures, videos, discussions, exercises,
outside speakers, and field experiences. Full participation in these activities will be
essential to your learning process, and will allow you to successfully apply the course
material in a way that is personally and professionally meaningful. Students are
expected to come prepared for class having completed the required readings, and to
participate in discussions by sharing information from their reading and/or field
experiences.
I ask that you contact me, in advance, if you will miss a class. Any student with
significant difficulty with class participation requirements should speak with me at
the beginning of the semester so that alternative forms of contribution can be
identified.
POLICIES ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM:
I expect that we will all be invested in creating a learning environment of respect and
engagement. During class, cell phones and other devices should be turned off or
transferred to voice mail.
I welcome and encourage the use of laptops in class for taking notes or completing
small group tasks. However, I ask that you use them only for relevant activities – not
for checking email or surfing the Web. Your attention is an important sign of respect
to your colleagues, and an important part of your learning.
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS:
The subject of this course is participation. By its very nature, therefore, you will
function as both learner and teacher over the course of the semester. The following is
a summary of assignments:
Assignment 1: In-Class Facilitations. In teams of two, you will facilitate a
participatory activity in one class for 30-45 minutes (including processing and
discussion time). The focus of your facilitation should emerge from the week’s
readings. You are free to be creative with format – role plays, brief debates, examples
from the field, multimedia (these are just a few examples). You are not responsible for
covering all of the readings. You can choose one or any combination of readings on
which to focus.
2
Assignment 2: Speak Out On Injustice. This assignment will allow you to
articulate a position on a current community or social issue that embodies some form
of social injustice, discrimination, or oppression. You will develop two versions of
your position (each about 1 page long) – one focused on legislators, county
commissioners, and other professionals, and one focused on engagement of citizens in
an agenda for change. In addition, you will write a brief (1-2 page) reflection that
discusses how and why you developed your speak-outs as you did, and challenges that
you might anticipate in engaging either professionals or grassroots citizens in your
agenda.
Your speak-outs will be evaluated based on your articulation of a social injustice,
incorporation of appropriate data and evidence, persuasiveness of your argument(s),
and effective targeting of your message.
Assignment 3: Facilitation and Analysis of a Participatory Exercise. This
assignment will allow you to implement a strategy for facilitating citizen participation,
and to reflect on the ways in which social workers can support citizen groups to build
capacity and achieve the change they desire.
You will choose an exercise from the textbook, the Hidden Treasures website, or other
source of your choosing, and then will implement the exercise with an organization or
group with whom you are involved in any capacity (participant, volunteer, employee
or intern). Choose an exercise that is relevant to a need the group may have, or that
can help them learn new ways of working together.
After facilitating the exercise, write a short paper (4-6 pages), reflecting on your
rationale for choosing the particular exercise, issues of power, difference, and diversity
that emerged during your facilitation, and the effectiveness of the activity in
stimulating inclusive group participation.
Assignment 4: Case Study or Engagement Plan. This is the culminating
assignment for the course and will allow you to apply concepts and theories discussed
in class to either (a) an analysis of the workings of a currently-existing citizen
participation initiative, or (b) the design of a strategy for engaging and mobilizing a
group of citizens who have not yet come together.
For the “currently-existing initiative” option, you will have 2 choices for completing
the assignment, with varying degrees of coordination with other students:
Option A: Group Project: You will work in teams of 2-4 students, based on
geographic proximity and/or shared interests, and will study one community
group or organization.
3
Option B: Collaborative Project: You will still work in teams of 2-4 students.
However, you will select your own group or organization to study. Then, you will
work with your team to pull together the class presentation.
For the “not-yet-existing initiative” option, you will also have the choice of working
individually or as a group. We will work together to flesh out the details of this.
Each team or individual will present the results of their findings during the final
classes. You may invite representatives from the community to join us during the
presentations. Plan to use visual materials to quickly and graphically convey your
understandings and perspectives. In addition, you will submit an Executive Summary
(2-3 pages) that synthesizes your findings.
SUMMARY OF COURSE EVALUATION COMPONENTS AND GRADING SCALE:
The following summarizes the point breakdown and grading scale for the class:
Meaningful Participation
In-class Facilitation
Speak Out on Injustice
Community Facilitation
Case Study
H:
P:
L:
F:
10 points
15 points
15 points
25 points
35 points
94 and above
93-80
79-70
69 and below
POLICY ON INCOMPLETES AND LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day noted. You must notify me
at least 3 days before a due date if you would like to be granted an extension. If this
does not happen, you will lose 10% of the assignment’s points per day (including
weekends, and including the date on which the assignment was due, if you submit it
after the beginning of class).
Incompletes may be granted if (a) there are extreme and unforeseeable circumstances
that affect your ability to complete the semester’s work, and (b) you meet with me in
advance to develop a plan and timeline for completing your work.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
I assume that all students follow the UNC Honor Code. Please ensure that the Honor
Code statement “I have neither given nor received any unauthorized assistance in
completing this assignment”, with your signature, is on all assignments. In keeping
with the Honor Code, if reason exists to believe that academic dishonesty has
occurred, a referral will be made to the Office of the Student Attorney General for
investigation and further action as required.
4
Please refer to the APA Style Guide, the SSW Manual, and the SSW Writing Guide for
information on attribution of quotes, plagiarism, and the appropriate use of assistance
in preparing assignments.
WRITING GUIDELINES:
All written assignments must be typed and follow APA format for citations, quotes,
and the like. Students should refer to the Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (5th Ed.). You can also find a self-paced tutorial for APA
style at http://www.lib.unc.edu/instruct/citations/apa/index.html
The following web sites provide additional information:
• http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html (APA Style for material in electronic
formats, 5th Ed.)
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html (general
information about documentation using APA style, 5th Ed.)
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you have a disability that affects your participation in the course and you wish to
receive accommodations, you should contact the University’s Disabilities Services.
They will then notify me of the documented disability, and we can meet to design the
appropriate accommodations to support your learning.
5
COURSE OUTLINE AND READINGS
Date
Topics
Readings
8/24
Overview &
Introductions
None
8/31
• Levels, Forms of
Citizen
Participation
• Barriers &
Facilitators
• ABCD
TEXT: Introduction
Chapter 1: Politics & Advocacy
Chapter 2: Democracy & Citizenship
Due
Arnstein, S. (1971). Eight Rungs on the ladder of citizen
participation. As excerpted in Dale, D. (1978).
How to make citizen involvement work. (pp. 11-13).
Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts.
Bowen, G. A. (2008). An analysis of citizen participation
in anti-poverty programmes. Community
Development Journal, 43(1), 65-65.
McKnight, J. (1995). The Careless Society: Community
and its Counterfeits. New York: Basic Books.
Redefining community (pp. 115-123).
Supplementary Reading:
Callahan, K. (2007). Citizen participation: Models and
methods. International Journal of Public
Administration, 30(11), 1179-1196.
Gamble, D. N. and Weil, M. O. (1995). Citizen
Participation. In R. L. Edwards, (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Social Work, 19th Edition (pp.
483-494). Washington D. C.: National
Association of Social Workers.
Weil, M. O. & Gamble, D.N. (1995). Community
practice models. In R. L. Edwards, (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Social Work, 19th Edition, (pp.
577-594).Washington D. C.: NASW.
9/7
The Paradoxical
Role of
Professionals
Bergdall, T. (2003). Reflections on the catalytic role of
an outsider. Evanston, IL: Asset Based
Community Development Institute,
Northwestern University.
http://www.abcdinstitute.org/docs/ABCDoutside-catalyst.pdf
Homan, M.S. (2008). Relating community change to
professional practice (Chapter 3). In Promoting
community change: Making it happen in the real
6
Date
Topics
Readings
Due
world (4th edition (pp. 59-77). Belmont, CA:
Thomson Brooks/Cole.
McKnight, J. (1995). The Careless Society: Community
and its Counterfeits. New York: Basic Books. The
professional problem (pp. 16-25)
McKnight, J. (1995). The Careless Society: Community
and its Counterfeits. New York: Basic Books. A
nation of clients (pp. 91-100)
Supplementary Reading:
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (n.d.). Walking our talk in
the neighborhoods. Partnerships between
professionals and natural helpers. Building
Community Partnerships in Child Welfare, Part 3.
(read pp. 5-26)
Finn, J.L. & Jacobson, M. (2003). Chapter 3: Values,
Ethics, and Visions, in Just practice: A social
justice approach to social work, (pp. 93-134).
Peosta, Iowa: Eddie Bowers Publishing Co. Inc.
9/14
Participatory
Education
TEXT: Chapter 4
Castelloe, P. & Gamble, D.N. (2005). Participatory
methods in community practice: Popular
education and participatory rural appraisal. In M.
Weil, (Ed.), The handbook of community practice,
pp. 261-275. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
Castelloe, P. & Watson, T. (1999). Participatory
education as a community practice method: A
case example from a comprehensive Headstart
program. Journal of Community Practice, 6(1),
pp. 71-89.
Castelloe, P., Watson, T., & White, C. (2002).
Participatory change: an integrative approach to
community practice. Journal of Community
Practice, 10(4), 7-31.
University of Wisconsin-Extension. (2002). Quick tips:
Collecting group data: Nominal group technique.
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/resources/pdf
/Tipsheet3.pdf
7
Date
Topics
Readings
Due
Supplementary Reading:
McKnight, J. (1995). The Careless Society: Community
and its Counterfeits. New York: Basic Books.
Community organizing in the 80s (pp. 153-160)
9/21
Engaging Citizens
for Participation 1
Bishop, B. J., Vicary, D. A., Browne, A. L., & Guard, N.
(2009). Public policy, participation and the third
position: The implication of engaging
communities on their own terms. American
Journal of Community Psychology, 43(1/2), 111-121.
Castelloe, P., & Prokopy, J. (2001). Recruiting
participants for community practice
interventions: merging community practice
theory and social movement theory. Journal of
Community Practice, 9(2), 31-48.
Foster-Fishman, P. G., Pierce, S. J., & Van Egeren, L. A.
(2009). Who participates and why: Building a
process model of citizen participation. Health
Education & Behavior, 36(3), 550-569.
Head, B. W. (2007). Community engagement:
Participation on whose terms? Australian Journal
of Political Science, 42(3), 441-454.
9/28
Engaging Citizens
for Participation 2
Note: There are many -- and lengthy -- readings
listed for this week. All are valuable, so take a look
and feel free to focus on those that address
populations of interest to you.
TEXT: Annex 2
Blanchet-Cohen, N., & Salazar, J. (2009). Empowering
practices for working with marginalized youth.
[Article]. Relational Child & Youth Care Practice,
22(4), 5-15.
Rans, S. & Green, M. (2005). Hidden treasures: Building
community connections by engaging the gifts of
people on welfare, people with disabilities, people
with mental illness, older adults, and young
people. Evanston, IL: ABCD Institute.
http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/docs/abcd/hi
ddentreasures.pdf
8
Date
Topics
Readings
Due
Kretzman & Green, 1998: Building the bridge from client
to citizen: A community toolbox for welfare
reform.
http://www.abcdinstitute.org/docs/ClienttoCitiz
en.pdf
Mizrahi, T., Humphreys, M. L., & Torres, D. (2009). The
social construction of client participation: The
evolution and transformation of the role of
service recipients in child welfare and mental
disabilities. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare,
36(2), 35-61.
10/5
• Setting Priorities
• Making Decisions
• Reaching
Consensus
TEXT: Chapters 5, 6, and 8
Bobo, K. Kendall, J. & Max, S. (2001). Organizing for
social change. Read: Choosing an issue (Chapter
3, pp. 22-29) and Developing a strategy (Chapter
4, pp. 30-47). Santa Ana, CA: Seven Locks Press.
Speak Out
Against
Injustice
Supplementary Reading:
Nelson, G.M. (2000). Creating a framework for selfgovernance (Chapter 1). In Self-governance in
communities and families. San Francisco: BerrettKoehler Publishers.
Nelson, G.M. (2000). Designing self-governance
dialogues (Chapter 4). In Self-governance in
communities and families. San Francisco: BerrettKoehler Publishers.
10/12
10/19
10/26
TEXT: Chapters 9, 10, and 12
• Mapping
Capacity
• Advocacy
Strategies
• Participatory
Evaluation
Bullard, R.D. (1997). Dismantling environmental racism
in the policy arena: The role of collaborative
social research. In Nyden, P. et. al. (Eds.),
Building community: Social science in action (pp.
67-73). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Team Meetings for Case Study Presentations
The Role of
Nonprofit Agencies
in Promoting
Citizen Engagement
LeRoux, K. (2007). Nonprofits as Civic Intermediaries.
Urban Affairs Review, 42(3), 410-422.
Roberts, D., Denomme, M., & Perlmutter, F. D. (2000).
Creating nonprofit organizations within
9
Date
Topics
Readings
Due
disenfranchised communities. Administration in
Social Work, 24(3), 17.
Smith, S. R. (2010). Nonprofits and public
administration: Reconciling performance
management and citizen engagement. American
Review of Public Administration, 40(2), 129-152.
11/2
AND
11/9
• Power &
Empowerment
• Grassroots
organizing
• Conflict
resolution
• Multiculturalism
TEXT: Chapter 4, 16, and 17
Gutierrez, L., Lewis, E.A., Nagda, B.R.A., Wernick, L. &
Shore, N. (2005). Multicultural community
practice strategies and intergroup empowerment.
In M. Weil, The handbook of community practice,
pp. 341-359. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
Stout, L. (1996). Bridging the class divide and other
lessons for grassroots organizing, (Invisible walls,
pp. 117-140). Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
11/16
International Work
Healy, K. (1991). Animating grassroots development:
Women’s popular education in Bolivia. Grassroots
Development, 15(1), pp.26-34.
Facilitation
Analysis
Russell, C. (2009). From Needs to Assets: Charting a
Sustainable Path towards Development in SubSaharan African Countries. ABCD Institute.
http://www.abcdinstitute.org/docs/From%20Nee
ds%20to%20Assets%20Charting%20a%20Sustainable%20path%20toward
s%20Development%20in%20SubSaharan%20African%20Countries.pdf
11/23
Volunteerism
Sherr, M.E. (2008). Why people volunteer (Chapter 2).
In Social work with volunteers. Chicago: Lyceum.
Skoglund, A. (2006). Do not forget about your
volunteers: A qualitative analysis of factors
influencing volunteer turnover. Health and Social
Work, 31(3): 217-220.
Warburton, J., & McDonald, C. (2009). The challenges
of the new institutional environment: An
Australian case study of older volunteers in the
contemporary non-profit sector. Ageing & Society,
29(5), 823-840.
10
Date
Topics
Readings
Due
Reading on consumer volunteers TBA
Supplementary Reading:
Bell, M. (1999). Volunteering: Underpinning social
action in civil society for the new millennium. In,
E. Mbogori (Ed.), Civil society at the millennium
(pp.27-41). West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press in
cooperation with CIVICUS.
11/30
Case Study Presentations
12/7
Case Study Presentations
11