Ramapo College of New Jersey
School of Social Science and Human Services
Course Information
SWRK 327: Theory and Practice of Social Work III: Macro Practice- 8 Credits
Prerequisites: SWRK 325 & 326.
Fall 2012
Monday and Thursday, 11:30 AM- 1:00 PM, Rooms D215 and B223
Instructor Information
Professor Mitchell Kahn
G-229, (201) 684-7649; mkahn@ramapo.edu
Professor Rodney Fuller
rfuller@ramapo.edu
College Web Address: www.ramapo.edu
College Closing Information- (201) 236-2902
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is the third practice course in the social work professional foundation sequence. This course
will focus on the dimensions of macro social work practice. Macro practice encompasses agency
administration, program planning, policy analysis, community organization, community
development, and focuses on planned change in organizations and communities. Case histories of
community organization efforts and community organization methods will be analyzed for the
purpose of integrating theoretical and practice material with actual cases. In addition students will
be involved in a simulated community planning project which incorporates various aspects of
agency administration and planning. Students enrolled in the course will be placed in a two-day-aweek field practicum in a macro social work setting where they are expected to gain a working
knowledge of community organization/macro practice methods. This course reinforces the
foundation of the college's General Education program and the core of the School of Social
Science and Human Services. Prerequisites: Theory and Practice of Social Work I & II.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/ MEASURABLE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the completion of the course students are expected to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the ecological systems framework and the problem solving
model in its application to macro practice. (EPAS 2.1.1a, 2.1.3a-d, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5d)
2. Demonstrate an understanding of community typologies and community change. (EPAS
2.1.7a, 2.1.9a)
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the history of community organization practice in the United
States. (EPAS 2.1.1g)
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4. Demonstrate an understanding of the power structures within the arenas of workplace,
community, and government. (EPAS 2.1.5a, 2.1.8a-b, 2.1.10a)
5. Demonstrate knowledge of community organization methods and macro practice skills in
conjunction with the problem solving model. (EPAS 2.1.8a-b, 2.1.10a-m)
6. Demonstrate an understanding of social work ethics and values with macro practice.
(EPAS 2.1.2a-d)
7. Demonstrate an ability to apply community organization skills in diverse social, cultural, and
political settings. (EPAS 2.1.4a-d, 2.1.10a, 2.1.10g)
8. Demonstrate an ability to advocate for social change and social justice on behalf of oppressed
groups and populations at risk. (EPAS 1.1, 4.1-4.4, 10.1, 10.5-10.10)
9. Demonstrate an understanding of how macro practice can address problems in the physical
environment that impact negatively on individuals and the community. (EPAS 2.1.5a-d,
2.1.10a)
10. Demonstrate the skills of program planning and grant writing. (EPAS 2.1.6a-b,
2.1.10a,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,m)
11. Demonstrate the ability to advocate for changes in organizations and social agencies when
necessary. (EPAS 2,1,1a, 2.1.9a-b, 2.1.10a)
12. Demonstrate an understanding of how electoral politics and the legislative process are used
in macro practice. (EPAS 2.1.8a-b, 2.1.10a)
13. Demonstrate an understanding of social work research in macro practice to inform skills in
the areas of program planning, program evaluation, and grant writing. (EPAS 2.1.3a-b,
2.1.6a-b)
14. Demonstrate effective verbal, written and computer communication skills. (EPAS 2.1.3c-d)
15. Demonstrate critical thinking. (EPAS 2.1.3a-b)
16. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of social justice as evidenced through
participation in activities that promote social justice locally, nationally, or globally. This
objective furthers the experiential pillar of Ramapo College's mission (EPAS 2.1.5a-d).
17. See Fieldwork Evaluation for expected field competencies and practice behaviors.
ELECTRONIC FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
In accordance with College policy we will use your Ramapo College email address to communicate
with you about all course-related matters. In addition you may receive email through Luminus, and
through receiving emails, accessing course information, and group work on Moodle.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS, GRADING, & ATTENDANCE POLICY
The expected educational outcomes for this course will be measured through exams, class
presentations, and written assignments. The three graded written assignments will constitute 90% of
your final grade (see below for the weight of each assignment and the competencies each will
measure). Copies of each assignment are attached to this syllabus. Papers are to be written in APA
style. Class participation will constitute 10% of your grade. Included in your class participation is
the group work related to CLASS SIMULATION (graded by professors and peers). Fieldwork will
be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Exceptional and/or inadequate field work will be determined by
the course instructor and may result in an incremental difference (positive or negative) to the
student's final grade. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the reading
assignments. Students are expected to complete all class and fieldwork assignments in a timely
manner. In no case will a student receive a passing grade if there are outstanding incomplete
assignments. For each unexcused class absence beyond 3 absences there will be an
incremental drop in your final grade.
The following are the assignments for this course and further elaboration of them appear at
the end of this syllabus.
Assignment #1 will require students to write an analysis of a case study that addresses a series of
questions related to course readings and class discussions. The assignment is due on Monday,
October 8th. This will constitute 25% of your final grade. This assignment will measure your
competence in understanding the ecological systems framework and community typologies,
community power structures, community organizational methods, macro practice with culturally
diverse populations, social work values and ethics, writing skills, and critical thinking.
Assignment #2 will require students to write a grant proposal that is due on Monday November
19th. This will constitute 40% of you final grade. This “signature” assignment will measure your
understanding of the problem solving model, needs assessment skills, advocacy on behalf of an
oppressed group or population-at-risk, program planning, program evaluation, the application of
social work research in macro practice, and skills in writing and critical thinking.
Assignment #3 will be an in-class exam based on course readings, organizing theory and
community organization case studies. This exam will be held on Thursday, December 20th. This
will constitute 25 % of your final grade. This assignment will measure your understanding of
community organization history, community organization methods, organizational and decision
making structures, organizational change, the role of elections and the legislative process in macro
practice, social work values and ethics, and how social work macro practice can address problems in
the physical environment.
Assignment #4
Curriculum Enhancement Component (CEC): Ramapo College Social Work Program
Commitment to Social Justice
Ramapo College requires each course include a minimum of five (5) hours of unmonitored,
relevant, and appropriate experience outside of the classroom. All Ramapo College Social
Work courses require that satisfaction of the 5 hour CEC be focused on efforts towards social
justice. As stated in the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers should pursue social change,
particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people.
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These activities should promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and
ethnic diversity. Social workers should strive to ensure access to needed information, services,
and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all
people.
For this particular course, the professors will make available to students appropriate
opportunities throughout the semester. Ramapo College Social Work students will catalog their
Social Justice CEC participation as directed by the faculty.
Class Participation: This will include your individual responses and group presentations related to
the Metro City Simulation which will measure your understanding of community power structures,
advocacy on behalf of oppressed groups, skills needed to administer and foster change in
community organizations and social agencies, social work values and ethics, verbal communication
skills, and critical thinking. This will constitute 10% of your final grade.
No text messaging or instant messaging in class. Phones should be turned off during class.
Laptops are for note taking only.
Class Assignments
Assignment #1
Assignment #2
Assignment #3
Assignment #4- CEC
Class participation
Field Evaluation
Course Objective/
Practice Behaviors
1,2,4,5,7-9,12,14 &15
1, 6-11, 13-15
1-9, 12, 14-15
2, 6-8, 14-16
1-2, 4-8, 11, 13-15
1-44 Evaluation III
% of grade
Due Date
25%
40%
25%
Pass/Fail
10%
Pass-Fail
October 8th
November 19th
December 20th
December 20th
Consistently
December 13th
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
“Students are expected to read and understand Ramapo College’s academic integrity policy, which
can be found in the Ramapo College Catalog. Members of the Ramapo College community are
expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors. Students who violate this policy
will be referred to the Office of Provost.”
Students are expected to maintain a high level of academic integrity. Cheating, plagiarism, or
fabrication of research will yield a grade of “F” and disciplinary action as determined by the Office
of Provost in consultation with the faculty.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If any student needs course adaptation or accommodations because of a documented disability,
please make an appointment with your instructors during his/her office hours.
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REQUIRED TEXTS
Brody, R. & Nair, M. D.. (2011). Macro practice: A generalist approach.
Ninth Edition. Wheaton, IL: Gregory Publishing Company.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Alinsky. S. (1971). Rules for radicals. New York: Vintage.
Fauri, D., Wernert, S.P., & Netting, F.E. (2008). Cases in macro social work practice.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Fisher, R. (1984). Let the people decide . Boston: Twayne.
Netting, F.E., Kettner, P. M. & McMurtry, S. (1998). Social work macro practice.
New York: Longman.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED ARTICLES and BOOK CHAPTERS
Abell, M. (2004) The Guatemalan stove project. In Fauri, Wernet and Netting, Cases in macro
social work practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Ahrens, L. (1990, May-June). Battered women's refuges: Feminists cooperative vs. social
service institutions. Radical America, 14 (3).
Barry, J. and Williams, B. Toxic Legacy. Retrieved from: www.toxiclegacy.com
Berger, R. M., & Kelly, J. J. (1993). Social work in the ecological crisis. Social Work, 38 (5).
Big Online USA; Writing Resources - Guide to Proposal Writing
http://www.bigdatabase.com/index.html
Brooks, F. (2005) Resolving the dilemma between organizing and services: Los Angeles
ACORN’s welfare advocacy. Social Work, 50 (3).
Fisher, R. (1984). Chaps 4-5 in Let the people decide . Boston: Twayne.
Fisher, R. (2003). Book Review of M. Warren’s Dry bones rattling: Community building to
revitalize American democracy. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. In the
Journal of Community Practice, 11 (4).
Fisher, R. & Karger, H. (1997). Chap.6 Macro Practice: Putting social change and public life
back into social work practice. From Social work and community in a private world.
New York: Longman.
5
Fisher, R., & Kling, J. (1995). Community organization and new social movement theory.
Journal of Progressive Human Services, 5 (2).
Foundation Center. (2005). Proposal writing short course. Retrieved from:
http://fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html
Grossman, K. (1991, April). Environmental racism. Crisis.
Hardcastle, D., Wenocur,S., & Powers, P.R. (2011). Force Field Analysis in Community
practice: Theories and skills for social workers, 3rd Ed. N.Y.: Oxford University Press.
Heisey, I. (2004). Building Stronger Communities Through Mediation. Shelterforce,
July/August.
Homan, M.S. (2011). Promoting community change: Making it happen in the real world, 5th Ed.
Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole
Hyde, C. (2004). The Women’s Co-op: The clash of two organizational cultures. In Fauri,
Wernet and Netting, Cases in macro social work practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Kahn, M. (1994). Organizing for structural reform: The case of the New Jersey Tenants
Organization. Journal of Community Practice, 1 (2).
Kahn, M. (2003). Book Review of P. Osterman’s Gathering power: The future of progressive
politics in America. Boston: Beacon Press. In the Journal of Community Practice, 11 (4).
Kaminstein, D. (1995). A resource mobilization analysis of a failed environmental protest.
Journal of Community Practice, 2 (2).
Kauffman, S.E. (1995). Conflict and conflict resolution in citizen participation programs: A case
study of the Lipari Landfill superfund site. Journal of Community Practice, 2 (2).
Klein, N. (2010). A hole in the world. The Nation, July 12, 2010, Retrieved from:
http://www.thenation.com/article/36608/hole-world
Meenaghan, T.M. and Gibbons, W.E. (2000). Chap.4. Working with communities. From
Generalist practice in larger settings. Chicago: Lyceum Books, Inc.
Montague, P. (1998). Sustainable development. Rachel’s Environmental and Health News,
#624-627.
Moyers, B. (2004, May). Our story. The Progressive.
NASW. (1999, March). Environmental Policy Statement. NASW News.
O’Donnell, S.M. (2003). Book Review of M. Gecan’s Going public. Boston: Beacon Press. In
Journal of Community Practice, 11 (4).
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Pincus, A. & Minahan, A. (1973). The four basic systems in social work practice. From Social
work practice: Model and method. Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock.
Pitcoff, W. (1999). Sustaining community power: Interview with Greg Watson. Shelterforce,
Jan.-Feb. 1999.
Presthus, R. (1964). Community power structure. From Men at the top. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Robinson, B. and Hanna, M.G. (1994). Lessons for academics from grassroots community
organizing: A case study-the Industrial Areas Foundation. Journal of Community
Practice, 1 (4).
Scher, S. (2006). Grant writing manual. Ramapo College.
Staples, L. (1984). The 7 D’s of defense. From Roots to power: A manual for grassroots
organizing .New York: Praeger.
INTERNET RESOURCES
Community How-to Guides. The 9 books in this tool kit include: Needs Assessment & Strategic
Planning; Evaluation; Prevention and education; Enforcement; Public Policy; Media Relations;
Self Sufficiency; and Resources.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/alcohol/Community%20Guides%20HTML/Guides_inde
x.html
Collaboration/Coalition Self-Assessment Tool from the guidebook "Strategic Partnerships: How
to Create and Maintain Inter-organizational Collaborations and Coalitions" by Beth Rosenthal
and Terry Mizrahi. http://www.acosa.org/assessment01.pdf
The Community Toolbox is an Internet-based support system for building healthier communities.
The Community Tool Box has over 200 sections of practical and detailed information about how
to do the work of community building, including strategic planning, advocacy, coalition
building, and many others. http://ctb.lsi.ukans.edu/
Complete Toolkit for Boards http://www.managementhelp.org/boards/boards.htm
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative www.dsni.org
Electronic Policy Institute
http://www.movingideas.org/
Environment and Social Work http://web.utk.edu/~merogge
Influencing State Policy
Influencing State Policy (ISP)
Information for Practice
http://www.nyu.edu/socialwork/ip/
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Inter University Consortium for Social Development
New Social Worker Online
http://www.iucisd.org/
http://www.socialworker.com/home/index.php
PRAXIS provides access to a vast array of archival resources on international and comparative
social development. The intellectual commitment of PRAXIS is to the promotion of positive
social change through informed action.
http://caster.ssw.upenn.edu/~restes/praxis.html
Self-Help Resources for Community Groups, including Decision-making Toolkit, Force Field
Analysis, and a Step-by-Step Approach to Facilitating Groups
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/tools.html
Social Activism http://www.eff.org/pub/Activism/
SWAN Social Work Access Network http://cosw.sc.edu/swan/
The Foundation Center www.fdncenter.org
Also, Brody and Nair, Appendix A, pp.388-395, has a listing of useful websites but some of them
may be dated.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
Date
1
9/6
2
9/10
3
9/13
4
9/17
9/20
9/24
9/27
10/1
10/4
10
10/8
Topic
Orientation: What is Macro Practice?
Discussion of course requirements.
JOINT SESSION
Macro Practice: The Many Hats You Wear
GOAL: Center students on the idea that in
macro practice the client is the community.
What is Community? Types and Functions.
Changes in the Traditional Community over
Time. Defining community. Gemeinschaft/
Gesselschaft.
GOAL: Students identify the communities
that they belong to as an individual. Students
identify the communities that exist/are
served by their field placement agency.
Community Power Structure
GOAL: Students show understanding of
community power. Students identify
elitism/pluralism.
Readings
Self-Evaluation of Learning Pre-Test
Brody and Nair, Chap. 3;
Fisher and Karger, Chap.6, “Putting Social Change and
Public Life Back into Social Work Practice”;
Social work roles in macro practice;
Meenaghan & Gibbons, Chap.4, “Working with
Communities.”
Homan, Chapter 5, “Knowing your community”
Presthus, “Community Power Structure”;
Homan, Chapter 6, “Power”
Targeting Community Power: Force Field
Analysis and the Four Systems
Video: Holding Ground
JOINT SESSION: Role assignments prior to
Viewing.
Deconstructing Holding Ground
GOAL: Students will view the concepts of
power, elitism/pluralism, G&G, FF analysis
the Four Systems to their position in DSNI or
Roxbury.
Problem Solving Model
GOAL: Students understand how to identify
community problems by applying model to
Dudley Street/Roxbury
The Agency/Organization as the Locus of
Service Delivery
GOAL: Students see the role that agencies
play in addressing community problems and
needs.
Hardcastle, et.al. “Force Field Analysis”
Pincus and Minahan, “The Four Systems”
Pitcoff, “Sustaining Community Power: Interview with
Greg Watson”;
Affecting Change through
Agencies/Organizations: Setting Goals and
Brody and Nair, Ch. 8
Assignment #1: Case Study Questions Due
DSNI, www.dsni.org
and
Brody and Nair, Chaps. 17 & 18
Hardcastle: Chapter 1
Brody and Nair, Chaps. 1,2, 4, & 10;
Hardcastle: Chapter 8 “Using your Agency”
Netting et al., “Framework for Analyzing Community
Human Service Systems”;
Netting et al., “Framework for Analyzing Human
Service Organizations”
9
11
10/11
12
10/15
13
10/18
14
10/22
Objectives
GOAL: Students connect agency function to
agency outcome through understanding goals
and objectives.
Field Integration Meeting
GOAL: Students report on their work at their
agencies, relating their experiences to
community theory and terms we’ve already
covered.
How Agencies/Organizations Get Things
Done: Task groups
Running Meetings
GOAL: Students understand the importance
of task groups and meetings in furthering
agency action and community change.
SIMULATION EXERCISE: Task Group
Meeting: Setting community priorities.
How Organizations Sustain Themselves:
Funding options
GOAL: Students understand how agencies
sustain themselves through various sources
of funding in order to further their larger
goals of community/individual change.
Putting it all Together: Grant Writing
GOAL: Students understand the basic
components of a grant proposal.
15
10/25
Complete Field Integration Meeting Form
Brody and Nair, Chap.11;
Hardcastle, Chapter 9
Homan: Chapter 9
Brody and Nair, Chap. Brody and Nair, Chaps. 5, 6, 7,
16 & 17
Handouts: C3 or not C3; BCHC Grant Proposal;
Proposal Writing Short Coursehttp://fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html
Big Online USA, Writing Resources - Guide to
Proposal Writing ;
Scher, Grant Writing Manual
Robinson and Hanna, “Lesson for Academics from
Grassroots Community Organizing
16
10/29
Video: The Democratic Promise
JOINT SESSION
17
11/1
Complete Field Integration Meeting Form
18
11/5
Field Integration Meeting
GOAL: Students report on field experiences,
specifically relating agency task groups,
meetings, funding and grant writing
The Theory, Practice, and Legacy of Saul
Alinsky’s Organizing
19
11/8
Contemporary Organizing I: The Evolution
of Alinskyism
Kelly Dollars- In Class Handout
Fisher, Chapter 5;
Kahn, “Organizing for Social Reform”;
Book Review: Kahn of Osterman’s Gathering Power;
O’Donnell of Gecan’s Going Public;
10
JOINT SESSION
Fisher, Chap. 2.-Alinsky and the BYNC;
Alinsky, “Of Means and Ends” from Rules for Radicals
20
11/12
Contemporary Organizing II: Organizational
and Ideological Dilemmas
21
11/15
Contemporary Organizing III: Class or
Affinity-Based Organizing in the Age of
Globalization
Overview of Organizing to Date
11/19
11/22
11/26
12/3
12/6
Fisher- Review of Warren’s Dry Bones Rattling
Hyde, “The Women’s Co-op: The Clash of Two
Organizational Cultures”
Ahrens, “Battered Women’s Refuges”;
Brooks, “Resolving the Dilemma between Organizing
and Services”
Staples, “The Seven D’s of Defense”
Fisher and Kling, “Community Organization and New
Social Movement Theory”;
Klein, “The Vision Thing”;
Abell, “The Guatemalan Stove Project”;
“What is ACT-UP?”
Assignment #2 DUE: FULL GRANT PROPOSAL
Thanksgiving Recess
Environmental Racism
Video: Mann v. Ford
Grossman, “Environmental Racism”;
Barry and Willams, “Toxic Legacy”
Social Work and a Sustainable World
Video: Earthkeeping
Case Study: The Lipari Landfill
Case Study: Gulf Oil Spill
Review for Exam
NASW, “Environmental Policy Statement”;
Berger and Kelly, “Social Work and the Ecological
Crisis”;
Montague, “Sustainable Development”;
Kauffman, “Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Citizen
Participation Programs: Case Study- Lipari”;
Kaminstein, “A Resource Mobilization Analysis of a
Failed Environmental Protest”;
Klein, “A Hole in the World”
12/10
JOINT SESSION
12/13
Last Day of Class
Evaluations
JOINT SESSION
12/20
Final Exam
Self-Evaluation of Learning- Post-Test
BEAP Exit Survey
BEAP Foundation Survey
Course Evaluation
11am-1pm- NOTE START TIME!!!!
11
SWRK 327: Theory and Practice of Social Work III
Assignment # 1
Due Monday Oct.8, 2012
In answering the following questions integrate information/insights gained from
class readings, lectures, and discussions into your answers. Footnote citations from
your readings in APA style. The “Metro City” case study is attached below.
I. Compare and contrast how Metro City’s economy and neighborhoods changed
over time? What impact did these changes have on residents’ lives? What social
and economic problems emerged as a result of these changes? Do you see any
significant forms of oppression and social injustice in the city? What elements
of gemeinschaft, neo-gemeinschaft, and gesellschaft do you see in each of
Metro City’s neighborhoods? Are there significant organizations or institutions
that relate to this discussion? How do the factors of race, ethnicity, social class,
and religion relate to social cohesion or lack of it?
II. How are the concepts of pluralism and elitism manifested in public decisionmaking on issues of conflicts over pollution and economic development in Metro
City? What do you see as the major political and socio-economic dimensions of
these conflicts? How do various interests groups attempt to influence the political
process? How would you rate their relative success in accomplishing their goals?
III. You are an organizer working for the United Citizens Coalition (UCC) of
Metro City. You are working to solve the air pollution problem in the city. You
want to stop the building of the incinerator and place stricter controls on the
polluting industries. Using a “force field” analysis what do you see as the
“driving” and “restraining” forces in terms of the UCC reaching its goals?
IV. List and explain what individuals, groups, institutions, and organizations you
feel represent each of the “four systems”?
Grading Rubric for Assignment #1
Content
Changes over time ( /10)
Comments
Gemeinschaft/Gesellschaft ( /20)
12
Pluralism/Elitism ( /20)
Four Systems Analysis ( /20)
Force Field Analysis ( /20)
Organization and Writing Skills
( /10)
Assignment Grade:
/100
Metro City
Metro City is a medium sized city in the Ohio River Valley. Thirty years ago the population of
Metro City was 223,000. Today it is down to 143,000. The population is 77% white, 10% Black,
and 13% Latino. Average family income in the city is $39,000 a year. The unemployment rate is
almost double the national rate and currently stands at 17% and some 19% of all families live below
the poverty line (U.S. Census, 2010). Many of the iron, coal, light manufacturing, and steel firms
have closed due to changes in the national and world economy. Many of the light manufacturing
companies closed and moved off-shore to Mexico and Asia. The only remaining large industry left
is the Stevens Steel Plant which employs 7,000 workers, half of its total in 1980 (Metro City AFLCIO, 2010). Most areas of the city have experienced a rapid exodus of younger families, and the
overall population is aging, with senior citizens representing 26% of the population. No city in the
state has a larger percentage of senior citizens.
Steelgate
The city’s working class population lives in three sections of the city. About a third lives in the
Steelgate section of the city which is the area around the Stevens Steel Plant. The majority of people
who live in this section have lived there almost all their lives and several generations of family
members have worked in the Stevens mills. A majority of the people there are white Catholics,
mostly Italian, who attend St. Catherine RC Church. Most families own their homes which are
small bungalow type structures. The average price of these homes is $79,000. St. Catherine’s has
been the center of social and family life for most people. It also runs the largest parochial
elementary school in the city and 45% of the neighborhood children attend it. Most children, even
those in the elementary parochial schools, go on to the public Steelgate High School. The Steelgate
“Steelers” are known for their powerhouse boy’s football and wrestling teams, and girl’s volleyball
team.. However, only a small percentage (23%) of Steelgate High School graduates go on to college
(Metro City Board of Education, 2011). Because of the changing economy there is a need for a
more relevant vocational education program. While the overall unemployment rate is 18%, for
youth aged 18-25 it is 28% and a large number who are employed work in low-skilled jobs at low
wages.
There is very little in the way of sex education in the public schools and none in the parochial
schools. In the past decade there has been a sharp rise in teenage pregnancies and sexually
transmitted diseases (STD’s). According to reports submitted by local doctors to the Metro City
13
Health Department (2011), there has been a sharp rise in STD rates from teenagers. In Steelgate,
there were 187 case reported in 1980. In 2010, the number was 516. In the city as a whole the
number of cases went from 306 in 1980 to 1153 in 2010. The Health Department report also
indicated that teen pregnancy rate is now 8 out of every 100. There are no birth control or abortion
services available in the community and religious beliefs discourage girls from seeking them outside
the community. Most of these single, teenage Moms drop out of school and only a few marry their
children’s fathers. Short of education and job skills many of these teen mothers end up on welfare or
in dead-end, low wage jobs. There are 1700 women in Metro City who gave birth as teenagers and
more than 70% live below the poverty line (Metro City Department of Social Services, 2011).
Baptisms, Communions, and funerals are significant community events and the local shopper
newspaper, the Steelgate Leader, runs feature articles on these events and histories of the families
involved. Older men in the community play Bocce in the yard next to the Maximo Social Club. The
club is the site of regular card and board games and a center of local gossip and story telling.
Women tend to congregate around church activities. Bud White’s Rose Sports Bar is a popular
night spot on the Steelgate-Needleville border which attracts people from both neighborhoods.
Steelgate is a tight-knit community where large numbers of people participate in recreational
programs like the Metro City Softball League, and church activities. People know each other well
through all these activities. The Knights of Columbus sponsors an annual Columbus Day Fair which
is the major community event of the year. All revenue raised from the event is used for community
welfare activities. There are scores of rides and other amusements at the Fair. People cook their
special dishes and enter them into the “Famous Pasta-Off.” contest. Maria Centero is the chief judge
and she is known as “the Big Pettegola” (gossip) who knows everybody and everything that goes on
in Steelgate. She has arranged 43 marriages over the past 35 years and claims to have 147 God
children. Monsignor Franco Barone is the honorary chair of the event. He has tremendous prestige
in the community and often is called upon to settle long-standing disputes. Whenever people at city
hall want entry into the community they call “Father Frank.” He is often asked to serve on private
citywide committees and public commissions.
This neighborhood has been hard hit with the loss of jobs in the steel mill. At one time, these were
father to son union jobs, and some families can trace employment at the mill back to 1901 when it
first opened. This is no longer the case. More than 8500 jobs have been lost and there have been no
new hires during the past eight years (Metro City AFL-CIO, 2010). The workers are members of the
Steelworkers Local 95 which had been criticized by some workers for making too many
concessions to management during labor negotiations. Stevens had threatened to layoff another
1500 workers unless the union agreed to a major cutback in health benefits. The union has also been
silent on the air pollution issue in town for the same reason. Rumors about the plant closing are
common and there is a general feeling of pessimism about the growing unemployment and sharp
decline in family income. Some 17% of the Steelgate population suffers from some type of
respiratory problem. It is estimated that more than 30% of the neighborhood families have no health
insurance (Metro City Health Department, 2011), and these families suffer from inadequate care.
The Knights of Columbus has used revenue from the Fair to help needy families when their health
insurance and unemployment insurance payments have run out. However, there are not enough
private resources to meet existing needs and there is a growing reliance on public welfare and state
social service agencies.
14
The recent crash of the housing market and high unemployment has led to an increasing homeless
population in this area of the city. Over 1000 families lost their homes to foreclosure and the Metro
City Savings and Loan bank has been reluctant to restructure endangered mortgages, and another
700 foreclosures are pending in the near future. Most of the displaced are now living in rental
housing or with relatives. However, there are now 225 individuals living in the Homeless Shelter
run by St. Catherine’s Church (Tumbledown County Housing Coalition, 2011).
Senior citizens face mounting problems. Many have seen younger relatives move away and rely on
public social services to meet their basic needs. Some were fortunate enough to have worked in the
steel mill in the good times and have small pensions, social security, and Medicare to get by but a
large number still live below the poverty line. Many rely on the Meals on Wheels Program for their
food. This program is run by the Metro City Community Action Program. This agency also runs the
Federal Food Stamp Program which serves almost 30,000 city residents. The United Community
Coalition runs two adult day care programs in the city, in Steelgate and Needleville.
Needleville
Another major working-class neighborhood in the city is Needleville. Most residents there are
Polish Catholics and Eastern Europeans with a growing Latino population that arrived during the
past 15 years. A number of men work for Stevens but the majority of workers, men and women,
have been victimized by plant closings in the manufacturing sector. Several thousand lost their jobs
when the Singer Sewing Machine Company closed. People in the community once saw it as a badge
of honor to have a missing finger as a result of a work accident there. Following the plant closing
those fortunate enough to have been re-employed have found jobs in the service sector at salaries
much lower than what they made before.
The Latino population, which is now one-third of the area’s population, was attracted to the area by
jobs in the construction sector. Many of the city’s building contractors have fought the creation of
unions and utilize the labor of Latino immigrants, many who are undocumented immigrants, who
will work for lower wages. It is estimated that there are almost 5500 undocumented people in the
city. The older white residents resent the Latino immigrants and see them as a source of competition
for jobs and community problems. Racism has long been endemic in the city, first around the issue
of busing to promote school integration in the 1960’s and 70’s and today around the issue of jobs
and housing. Recently, the City Council has passed an ordinance prohibiting illegal aliens from
gaining access to public social services and the public schools. A second law was passed that allows
police to request proof of citizenship from those who they stop for suspected legal violations.
Leaders from the Latino community have complained of massive intimidation of Latinos by the
police department. A third law was passed that set strict standards on overcrowding of apartments,
and this was aimed at immigrants who can only afford shared housing. All of theses laws are being
challenged in court by the Hispanic Alliance, a coalition of Latino business and community groups.
Needleville was once a thriving neighborhood containing a large number of bakeries and butcher
shops, parks, good schools, and decent housing. But with the loss of several thousand jobs there has
been a large exodus of younger people from the neighborhood. The children of the older residents
are moving away in droves and the population is aging. The vast majority of the white population is
over 55 years of age and getting older. Almost 39% of the areas total population is over 65 years of
15
age, and outside one local adult day care center run by the United Citizens Coalition, there are no
other senior services in the area other than the citywide Meals on Wheels Program.
Most of the housing in the area was built prior to 1950 and is now in marginal to poor condition.
Overcrowded housing is a growing problem, and it is estimated that there are 500 homeless
individuals in Needleville. As in other areas of the city, home foreclosure is a serious problem.
Today, there are more than 100 mortgage foreclosures a month (most at the initiative of the Metro
City Savings and Loan which had marketed hundreds of sub-prime mortgages to low-income
residents in the area (Tumbledown County Housing Coalition, 2011). Most of the Latino population
lives in dilapidated over-crowded rented apartments. Last year tragedy struck when 16 people,
including 11 children were killed, in a fire in a 3 bedroom apartment that was illegally subdivided
by the landlord. The Tumbledown County Housing Coalition (2011) has estimated that 35% of all
dwellings in the city are overcrowded (as defined by the new law). Its report also indicated that 70%
of the city’s renters pay more than 40% of their income in rent. This figure is even higher among the
Latino population and it does not include undocumented immigrants who are not counted in the
census. These people face an even more severe unaffordable housing situation.
The local shopper, the Polish Eagle, has ceased publication because of sharply reduced advertising
revenues. The Eastern Orthodox St. Constantine Church closed three years ago and reopened in the
suburbs. The local Catholic Church, St. Leo’s, is never more than a quarter filled on Sundays, and
its parochial school closed three years ago. Many parishioners who now attend St. Leo’s are Latino
but there is no Spanish-speaking priest there to promote their greater participation in church
activities. There is a new Pentecostal church, the Assembly of the Redeemer, which is growing very
rapidly in the Latino community. Its charismatic minister, Rev. Javier Alonzo is a young, dynamic
preacher who is gaining scores of “born again” converts from St, Leo’s each week. Alonzo has been
reluctant to get involved with politics seeing it as having no relationship to eternal salvation. A
number of small bodegas have opened in the area which carry Spanish foods and serve household
needs, and sidewalk games of dominos are frequent on evenings and weekends during good
weather.
Needleville’s schools are old and need extensive repairs. The school drop-out rate is 55%. Robert
Taft High School which serves this area and Petersburg was built in 1899. It is in a state of total
disrepair and has a high rate of teacher turnover (Metro City Board of Education). The business
district has almost as many vacant stores as occupied ones. Unemployment has doubled in the past
ten years and now stands at 20% (Metro City AFL-CIO, 2010). Almost half of all families live
below the poverty level.
Crime has increased and people are suspicious of each other. The parks are considered unsafe and
are viewed as a refuge for drug dealers. A local teenage gang, The Latin Aces, have been
responsible for a growing amount of crime and drug dealing in the neighborhood. The Latin Aces
have been battling the Petersburg gang, The Black Swans, for citywide control of the drug traffic.
Many kids join the gangs because they see them as source of camaraderie and social solidarity, and
as a way to make money. This part of the city has the highest rate of teenage drug and alcohol
abuse. A recent survey conducted in the schools by the Metro City Council on Alcohol and
Substance Abuse found that 58% of youth age 13-18 drink on a regular basis, 28% smoke
marijuana, and 18% use cocaine. Intravenous drug use has been increasing and the police estimate
that there are 200-300 heroin addicts in the area. (Metro City CASA, 2010). HIV-AIDS has
increased dramatically in the last ten years known cases rising from 900 in 1995 to 1907 last year.
16
Teen pregnancy is higher in this area than anywhere else in the city with 12% of teenage girls
becoming pregnant each year. Female-headed households now constitute 39% of all households in
the area and 75% of these live below the poverty level (Metro City Health Department, 2005).
There are few resources in the neighborhood to deal with these problems, and residents look to the
city’s Police Department, Social Services, and Board of Education for solutions to crime, poverty,
poor housing, health problems, and lousy schools.
The local bowling league is the most popular form of recreation in the area which is famous for a
number of professional bowlers who started in it. While somewhat in decline, the bowling leagues
are still a center of social interaction for the area’s white population. Any politician running for
office must campaign at Dreamland Lanes if he/ she wants to secure votes from this population in
Needleville.
Petersburg
There is a small neighborhood that borders the northwest city limit called Petersburg (named after
the now defunct Peter’s Mine located in that area). Most of the city’s African-American population
lives there. This is one of the oldest parts of the city and blacks have been there since the end the
Civil War when they migrated north to work in the burgeoning mine industry. The area is lowincome but stable. Half of the families live in small bungalow type homes or own two and three
family homes. The rest live in small apartment buildings. Overcrowded housing is a problem in this
area as well. Home foreclosure is a particularly severe problem in Petersburg. Many homeowners
were victimized by sub-prime lenders and misleading and fraudulent practices which made their
mortgages almost impossible to repay.
Students attend two elementary schools in the area. Middle school and high school students are
bussed to schools in Steelgate and Needleville. The two elementary schools are old and in serious
need of repairs. There has been high teacher turnover in these schools and test scores indicate a
majority of students performing below grade level.
A large number of black workers lost their jobs when the Peter’s Mine closed in 1983. Some have
found new employment at lower wages in the service sector or left the area. Several hundred
residents are now working in mostly part-time clerk positions at the Target and Walmart with no
benefits. Workers have been attempting to organize unions there, but they have met strong
resistance from the companies which have threatened to close rather than deal with a unionized
workforce. The last census revealed that 35% of the Petersburg population lived below the poverty
level (U.S. Census, 2010). The area also has the highest percentage of female headed-households in
the city, the vast majority below the poverty level. Contributing to this problem is a teen pregnancy
rate of 17 per 100 female teenagers. The problem of child abuse is severe throughout the City. In
2010 the largest number of cases (575) was reported in Petersburg, and almost two-thirds of the
city’s foster care population is from the area. Gang violence is also a problem in the neighborhood.
The drug war between the Latin Aces and Black Swans has led to more than 20 drive-by shooting
deaths in the past two years. Without schools in the area, there is very little in the way of after
school youth recreation, and the local park has become little more than a department store for illegal
drug dealing.
17
A major health issue has been Black Lung disease among the older male population who worked in
the mines, and respiratory disorders in children due to the high level of air pollution in the city.
There is no hospital in the area and more than half the residents have no health insurance. There is a
public health clinic that is open two days a week but due to insufficient funding, the community is
not adequately served. Seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
have no viable program to turn to. It is estimated by the Metro City Health Department that there are
more than 400 untreated cases of Alzheimer’s in Petersburg and this appears to be a citywide
problem as well.
The AME Zion Church has the largest congregation in the neighborhood and its leaders were
instrumental in the 1960’s civil rights struggles and the current fight over air pollution in the city.
The AME Women’s Club is the center of social life for female church members. The church also
runs a small Hope Homeless Shelter but that has been inadequate in meeting the large need. It
sponsors several community events annually. The Petersburg Mine Museum is a local attraction that
documents the history of mining in the area. The museum sponsors the annual Cool Coal Blues and
BBQ Festival that attracts residents from all parts of the city and beyond.
The Hill
Middle and Upper Class Metro City residents live in the Hill section of the city, upwind from most
of the city’s air pollution. They constitute 19% of the population. Residents are largely Protestant
with small numbers of Catholics, Jews, and Eastern Orthodox. Most are white with a handful of
Black executives living in the area. Most are college educated. The more affluent residents live in
large McMansion type homes and others in mid-size, split-level Colonials and Capes. Many work in
the downtown part of the city in the real estate and financial business sectors. Others work in the
professions. Most of the more successful building contractors live on the Hill. There is swank Mall
with exclusive shops in this area. The Hill has the best schools. Parents are very active in the PTO
and soccer moms buzz around in their SUV’s. Recreation programs are abundant and sporting
events are a venue for residents to get together. Most of the residents social welfare needs are met
through easy access to resources. The wealthiest residents belong to the Dunker Acres Country Club
and send their children to Excel Academy, a private school in nearby Splendor Township. Many of
the towns most influential people live on the Hill including Mayor Charles Spender, Jack Strong
(the CEO of Stevens Steel), Mike Fry (President of POD Electric), and Tim Carnegie (President of
Metro City Savings and Loan). They are a well-known golf foursome at Dunker Acres. The Ohio
Farms Congregational Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church have the largest congregations in
this area. Many of the lay leaders of church activities at St. Paul’s are also active members of
Dunker Acres.
Downtown Redevelopment
In 1998, Strong and Carnegie were partners in a downtown redevelopment project called Triple
Rainbow that displaced 100 low-income families and 11 small business owners, most who lived in
the area. The city provided tax subsidies and infrastructure improvements to the developers. There
was some community opposition but it did not have the power to stop Triple Rainbow. This project
left the downtown area depopulated except for wealthy residents living in three luxury high rise
condominiums on Main Avenue (Tumbledown County Housing Coalition, 2011). Out of this
defeat, a group of community activists and small business owners from Steelgate and Needleville
organized the United Citizens Coalition of Metro City (UCC). The UCC is now a multi-issue
18
community organization that runs a few non-profit, community development projects and social
services for its constituent members. The funding for the organization comes from membership dues
and small foundation grants. It is a 501(c)(3) organization and must be careful about being nonpartisan and limiting its lobbying activities. The Chamber of Commerce has called for the IRS to
revoke its tax-exempt status but no action has been taken in this regard yet.
Air Pollution
Recently, the UCC has been battling with the local utility company (POD Electric) about the
building of an incinerator on vacant land on the Needleville-Steelgate neighborhood border, and it
has had numerous fights with city officials about housing code enforcement, public transportation,
poor educational programs, and inequality in the local tax policies. Particular concern has focused
on pollution coming from the Stevens Steel Corporation plant that is the largest employer in town.
The city's rates for lung cancer and children's respiratory illnesses are the highest in the state. The
company claims it is losing money and strict enforcement of environmental laws will force it to
close. The UCC wants to stop the POD project and wants the city government to force Stevens to
comply with environmental laws. Steelworkers Local 95 has been silent on these issues even though
the air pollution affects many of its members and their families.
Mayor Spender claims that the incinerator is necessary to reduce the city’s garbage land filling
costs, and he has important allies: Construction companies (including Rico, Inc which built the new
financial center); Allen Engineering Co.; Stevens Steel which would provide the steel; and Metro
City Savings and Loan which would do the financing of the project. Spender argues that the city has
no jurisdiction in enforcing state and federal environmental laws and wants the city to stay out of
that issue. The City’s Planning Commission is filled with a number of key members of the Chamber
of Commerce which supports the project. The city’s only daily newspaper, the Metro City Press and
the local radio station, WPUK, are owned by Oliver Jones, President of the Chamber of Commerce.
Jones has been strongly opposed to any government regulations and policies that would "scare away
business."
This past year three young children from Needleville and Steelgate died of a rare form of cancer and
lung diseases have been rampant in both neighborhoods. Paul Santo, editor of the Steelgate Leader,
is the grandfather of one these kids and he wrote a critical article on POD Electric. Father Frank has
spoken out on the need to do something about air pollution and he has been instrumental in building
the UCC by bringing into the coalition the Knights of Columbus, the Maximo Social Club, the Rev.
Oscar Elmore of the AME Zion Church, and champion bowler/Needleville hero Stanilas
Leschinski. Recently, this UCC coalition has been successful in getting the federal EPA and the
federal Center of Disease Control to conduct an investigation of the problem. Both of these agencies
have been somewhat reluctant to get involved because of pressure from the Ohio energy industry
which successfully lobbied the White House and Congress to reduce clean air standards. However,
this coalition was able to get their congressman, Rep. Howard Hopkins, and U.S. Senator Marty
Mintstone to support their efforts after they held a number of demonstrations in front of the EPA
Regional Headquarters in Columbus, at the POD Electric Headquarters, and in front of the Hill
homes of Jack Strong and Tim Carnegie. These activities were covered by a number of local and
statewide newspapers and TV stations. Even the Metro City Press covered them, although it ran a
disparaging editorial claiming that the UCC would bring economic ruin to Metro City. A major
letter writing and phone call campaign was aimed at the Ohio congressional delegation and the two
federal agencies urging them to take action about air pollution in Metro City. But so far, only
19
promises have been made to do something. Many residents and the environmental studies faculty
from Metro City State College have called for a physical screening of every child in the city, but
city officials claim it is too expensive and there are no funds for this.
Locally, the incinerator issue is still undecided. The City Council will have to make a decision after
the Planning Board makes its recommendation to them. The Planning Board has always supported
the steel and energy projects in the past and the City Council has generally followed its lead. Most
council people have yet to take a public position. One city councilman is Bill Bandit (R), a VicePresident at Stevens Steel. The other councilpersons are a Ralph Brown (R), local supermarket
owner, Mary Lowe (R) and Jason Wright (R), an architect and banker from downtown firms, Bud
White (D), the owner of the Rose Sports Bar, and Larry “Too Tall” Larsen (D), a former basketball
star and now college administrator at Metro City State College. The Republicans hold a 4-2
majority and Mayor Spender (R) only votes if there is a tie. The Hill area is a Republican
stronghold where 90% of the residents are registered to vote and voter turnout is generally over
75%. While a majority of the population lives in or near the industrial areas, less than 60% are
registered to vote, and voter turnout is usually less than 35% in local elections (Tumbledown
County Board of Elections, 2010) Voters in these areas tend to vote Democratic but feel that the
party has been ineffective and many vote for Republican candidates who have conservative views
on social issues like race and abortion. Also, many fear that voting for anti-Stevens, anti-POD
candidates will only cost the community more jobs.
Failing Schools
The Metro City Press has run a series of articles documenting the poor performance of the City’s
two public high schools. In terms of standardized statewide test scores only 45% of Steelgate
students achieve a passing score in English and Math. At Taft, the figure is below 30%. The
elementary schools in Needleville and Petersburg are in disrepair, teacher turnover is high, and
student performance is poor. The Chamber of Commerce places blame on the teacher’s union, the
Metro City AFT. The union blames the dilapidated school buildings, under funding of education,
poor teacher morale, massive urban poverty as the principal causes. The Board of Education wants
to begin to fund charter schools as a way to deal with the problem. The union has cited research that
student performance at charter schools is no better than at regular charter schools (Ravitch, 2010).
This has become a hot-button issue with residents in all areas of the city split. The reduction in
property tax revenue as a result of the city’s general economic decline and current recession has
only intensified the issue with the Mayor threatening a 25% reduction in educational funding for the
public schools.
20
Appendices
Table I: Population Characteristics by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity in Metro City 2010
Steelgate
Needleville Petersburg The Hill
Total
Under 18
14,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
50,000
18-64
17,000
12,000
15,000
12,000
56,000
Over 65
10,000
14,000
11,000
2,000
37,000
Sub-Totals 41,000
36,000
38,000
28,000
143,000
Male
19,000
16,000
18,000
14,000
67,000
Female
22,000
20,000
20,000
14,000
76,000
Sub-Totals 41,000
36,000
38,000
28,000
143,000
White-Non- 39,000
21,000
1,000
27,000
88,000
Latino
African500
1,000
35,000
500
37,000
American
Latino
500
12,000
750
50
13,000
Other
1,000
2,000
1,250
450
4,700
Sub-Totals 41,000
36,000
38,000
28,000
143,000
Source: U.S. Census, Population Characteristics, 2010
Table II. Population Under Age 18
Steelgate
Needleville
Petersburg
Under Age 5
M- 1500
M- 1200
M- 1500
F- 2000
F- 1300
F- 1700
Age 5-12
M- 1700
M- 1300
M- 1500
F- 2100
F- 1400
F- 1600
Age 13-18
M- 3000
M- 2000
M- 2700
F- 3700
F- 2800
F- 3000
Total
14,000
10,000
12,000
Source: U.S. Census, Population Characteristics, 2010
The Hill
M- 2100
F- 2200
M- 2300
F- 2500
M- 2400
F- 2500
14,000
Table III: 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines
Persons
48 Contiguous
in Family
States and D.C.
1
$10,890
2
14,710
3
18,530
4
22,350
5
26,170
6
29,990
7
33,810
8
37,630
For each additional
3,820
person, add
Alaska
$13,600
18,380
23,160
27,940
32,720
37,500
42,280
47,060
Hawaii
$12,540
16,930
21,320
25,710
30,100
34,490
38,880
43,270
4,780
4,390
Source: Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 13, January 20, 2011, pp. 3637-3638
21
Table IV: Metro City Incomes as Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
Income Steelgate Needleville Petersburg The
Metro
as % of
Hill
City
FPL
Total
25%
35%
1%
19%
<100% 15%
FPL
20%
22%
2%
20%
100%- 25%
199%
35%
35%
28%
7%
30%
200299%
10%
10%
9%
21%
13%
300399%
10%
8%
5%
34%
11%
400499%
5%
2%
1%
35%
9%
>500%
Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Source: U.S. Census, Population Characteristics, 2010
Table V: Unemployment in Metro City 2010
Section of Town
Total Percentage
Youth 18-25
Steelgate
15%
Needleville
19%
Petersburg
19%
The Hill
2%
Entire City
18%
Source: Ohio Department of Labor, 2010
21%
40%
26%
5%
28%
Female Headed
HH
25%
33%
47%
10%
34%
Table VI: Reported and Documented Incidences of Child Abuse in Metro City 2010.
Section of Town
Total
Total
Reported
Documented
Steelgate
285
187
Needleville
374
225
Petersburg
575
311
The Hill
101
38
Entire City Total
1335
761
Source: Metro City Department of Social Services, 2010
22
Table VII: Number of Children Currently in Foster Care
Section of Town
Total
White- AA
Latino
Non
Latino
Steelgate
88
71
6
3
Needleville
171
81
3
83
Petersburg
497
0
481
8
The Hill
4
4
0
0
Entire City Total
760
156
490
94
Source: Metro City Department of Social Services, 2010
Other
8
4
8
0
20
Table VIII: Home Foreclosures in Metro City
Section of Town
2008Pending
2011
Steelgate
1081
725
Needleville
873
400
Petersburg
903
785
The Hill
39
27
Entire City Total
2896
1937
Source: Tumbledown County Housing Coalition, 2011
Table IX: Homelessness in Metro City 2011
Section of Town
Number
Steelgate
225
Needleville
511
Petersburg
703
The Hill
39
Entire City Total
2596
Source: Tumbledown County Housing Coalition, 2011
Table X: Incidence of Alzheimer’s and Other Forms of Dementia in Metro City
Section of Town
Number Number
Number
Receiving in Need
Services
of
Services
Steelgate
425
350
75
Needleville
533
220
313
Petersburg
456
53
403
The Hill
301
297
4
Entire City Total
1715
920
795
Source: Metro City Health Department, 2011
23
References
Metro City AFL-CIO. (2010). Deindustrialization in Metro City. Metro City, Ohio.
Metro City Board of Education. (2011). The state of our schools. Metro City, Ohio.
Metro City Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (2010). Substance abuse in Metro City.
Metro City, Ohio.
Metro City Department of Social Services (2010). Incidences of Child Abuse in Metro City. Metro
City, Ohio.
Metro City Department of Social Services (2010). Teen pregnancy and poverty. Metro City, Ohio.
Metro City Health Department (2011). Community health statistics. Metro City, Ohio.
Ohio Department of Labor (2010). Unemployment in Ohio, 2010. Columbus, Ohio.
Ravitch, D. (2010) The death and life of the great American school system: How testing and
choice are undermining education (New York: Basic Books, 2010).
Tumbledown County Board of Elections. (2010). Election statistics 1990-2002. Rightville, Ohio.
Tumbledown County Housing Coalition. (2011). The county housing crisis. Rightville, Ohio.
U.S. Census (2010). Population, housing, and income characteristics. Washington, D.C.
24
Assignment #2
Signature Assignment
Due: November 21, 2012
As a concerned member of a specific constituency group in the city of Metro City you have
identified an oppressed group and/or population-at-risk that suffers from a specific problem that
needs to be addressed through a new social service. As a result you have been asked to write a grant
to develop a program to address that need. Much of the supporting data you need can be found in
the following profile of Metro City. It is advisable that you follow the grant writing procedures
outlined in the Foundation Center’s Proposal Writing Short Course. The Praisner Foundation staff
(Professors Rodney Fuller and Mitch Kahn) will evaluate your grant application using the scoring
rubric cited below.
Deadline for submission of complete grant application is 11:30 A.M., Monday, November 19,
2012. No Grants will be accepted after the deadline.
25
Praisner Foundation Grant Review
Approved _______Approved Pending Minor Revisions
Agency: ________________
____ Not Approved _______
Program: ______________________
Contact Person: _________________________
Topic
Section 1
Summary
5 points
Comments
Needs/Rationale Measures EPAS : 2.1.3a, 2.1.3b, 2.1.6b, 2.1.9a (4 pts or more for
for Program
each practice behavior =competence)
20 Points
Goals and
Objectives
20 points
Measures EPAS 2.1.10g (15 pts or more in this section=competence)
Program
20 points
Evaluation
20 pts.
Measures EPAS 2.1.7a (15 pts or more for this section =competence)
Measures EPAS 2.1.10m (15 pts or more in this section=competence)
Capability of
Organization
5 points
Program
Continuation
2 Points
Budget
5 Points
Appendices
3 Points
TOTAL
SCORE:
/ 100
Total score measures EPAS 2.1.1a, 2.1.2a, 2.1.3c, 2.1.3d, 2.1.5b,
2.1.8a, Grade of 75 or higher =competence.
26
Competencies
Grant Rubric of EPAS Achievement
^ (1-Beginner, 2-Competent, 3-High Competence)
Expected Learning Outcomes/Practice Behaviors
2.1.1 Identify as a professional social
a. Advocate for client access to the services of social work.
worker and conduct oneself accordingly
(Entire)
a. Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions.
(Entire)
a. Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge,
including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom. (Needs/Rationale)
b. Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation
(Needs/Rationale).
c. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with
individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues.
(Entire)
b. Advocate for human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
(Entire)
b. Use research evidence to inform practice (Needs/Rationale)
2.1.2 Apply social work ethical
principles to guide professional practice
2.1.3 Apply critical thinking to inform
and communicate professional
judgments
2.1.5 Advance human rights and social,
economic, and environmental justice
2.1.6 Engage in research-informed
practice and practice-informed research
2.1.7 Apply knowledge of human
behavior and the social environment
2.1.8 Engage in policy practice to
advance social and economic well-being
and to deliver effective services
2.1.9 Respond to contexts that shape
practice
2.1.10 Engage, assess, intervene, and
evaluate with individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities
a. Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the process of assessment,
intervention, and evaluation (Program).
a. Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being.
(Entire)
a. Continuously discover, appraise, and attend to changing locales, populations,
scientific and technological developments, and emerging societal trends to
provide relevant services (Needs/Rationale).
g. Select appropriate intervention strategies (Goals/Objectives)
m. Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions (Evaluation).
27
SCORE
^
Assignment #3
December 20, 2012
There will be an in-class final exam based on course readings, lectures, and films from
November 7th to Dec. 12th. Pay attention to the organizations/movements in relation to their
historical context, their underlying organizing philosophy, their goals and objectives, the
methods and tactics employed, their relation to social work values and ethics, and the
organizing lessons that can be drawn from them.
28
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