Welcome to HN 499 Bachelors Capstone for Human Services

Familiarize yourself with the course layout As we get started… Read the syllabus Familiarize yourself with the course layout Read all of the posted announcements Review Project requirements Units 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9 Gather your notes, textbooks, etc. from previous courses

Other things to know and review… Grading Rubrics There is a grading rubric for the discussion board and the projects posted in the syllabus. Be sure to note things like total replies to your peers, expectations for participation during seminars, and even the little things like total word count. Facebook Page Human Services Club Writing Center Notes about readings for each week Check Doc Sharing frequently APA Quick Reference Guide

Important Information to Note Kaplan’s week begins on Wednesday and ends Tuesday at midnight. ALL assignments must be turned in by Tuesday at midnight. I completely understand that “life” happens so if an emergency comes up and you need more time to finish a project or can’t attend seminar, please let me know as soon as possible (via email) and we will work it out. You will see that I am very flexible and I have no problem working with students as long as you are doing your part. Late work should be an EXCEPTION and not the NORM

Kaplan does a GREAT job of clearly spelling out for you what you need to do in each unit. If you read ALL of the material in each unit and follow the instructions you should do just fine in this class. There is an assignment “To Do” list posted for each unit. You can find it in the tabs at the top of each unit homepage. Have you been able to look at the classroom yet? If not, please do so as soon as you can. Become familiar with the layout and the resources for each unit. If you have questions, please ask so that we can make sure that you get off to a good start.

Seminar Mondays at 10 PM EST Seminar for this class is not required but is strongly encouraged. It is a great opportunity to reinforce the information for each unit, ask questions, get clarifications, and engage with classmates. I usually show up for seminar about 30 minutes before it starts (about 9:30) so we can use that time to chat about questions, concerns, etc. Transcripts are usually available about 24 hours after the actual Seminar. I recommend you review them if you are unable to attend the “live” seminar as we discuss important information that will help you with projects and assignments.

Seminar Please try to attend seminars or listen to the archives! Statistics show that students who attend seminars ultimately earn higher grades in the course Very important project guidance provided in seminars Opportunity for you to ask questions and get clarification on assignments, projects, etc.

Discussion THE DISCUSSION QUESTION POSTS ARE DUE BY TUESDAY AT MIDNIGHT. I’m very strict with discussion board deadlines. As a general rule – late discussion board posts will NOT be accepted. If you have an emergency (rare and unique circumstances) and do not think you’ll be able to post, please contact me ASAP. However, please note you have a FULL week to complete the DQ and if I accept late discussions posts, I will always deduct points.) The point of the these activities are to foster discussion about the material we are covering in the current unit. Please always keep in mind that these are graded. Be sure to answer the questions completely and be sure to use spelling and grammar check. Make sure you are also making frequent and direct references to the course materials or other resources or you will lose points.

Grades: Typically, I am able to grade assignments within a few days of when they are submitted. However, it may take up to 5 days so please be patient. If after 5 days from the day you submitted the assignment you still don’t have a grade please feel free to email me about it.

Grade comments: Before you email me to ask why you earned a certain grade please make sure you read the COMMENTS section of the grade book as I will post an explanation there. If after reading my explanation you still have questions, please feel free to email or AIM me.

If you have ANY technical issues, before you do this PLEASE contact tech support and make sure you get a ticket number. 866-522-7747 (Toll Free) TechSupport@Kaplan.edu Please remember that I have little to no technical savvy so please go to technical support if you have technical questions. They are extremely efficient and helpful.

How To Contact Prof Moore! Email: cmoore2@kaplan.edu Aim: camooreKU Phone: (513) 461-4241 (cell); (513) 529-3241 (office) "Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire." - W B Yeats

Getting to know each other Please share via the chat box the following information: Name you prefer to go by City, State of current residence Concentration you chose (child and family services, gerontology, or management) Favorite class at Kaplan and why

What Is Human Services? Human services is a broad term covering a number of careers: Caseworker, Program Coordinator, Outreach Counselor, Crisis Counselor, Victim Advocate, Homeless Shelter Counselor, School Counselor/Social Worker Common thread among all: Helping people meet their basic physical and emotional needs that for whatever reason cannot be met without outside assistance. Focus on Social Justice, Advocacy, Marginalized Populations, Social Issues

Why Is Human Services Needed? Human service agencies come into the picture when people find themselves confronting barriers to getting their needs met and their own resources for assisting them in overcoming these obstacles are insufficient. For what types of obstacles or barriers do people seek assistance from Human Service agencies?

Some of these barriers include: Oppression (e.g., racial, gender, age) Trauma Natural disasters Lack of education Lack of employment skills Unemployment Physical and/or intellectual disability Lack of family (or supportive family) Lack of friends Mental illness Poverty Social Exclusion (due to racial discrimination for instance) Racism

Goals of Human Services Support individuals and communities: Obtain necessary resources to get their basic needs met Develop the necessary skills to become self- sufficient and function at their optimal level within society. Navigate barriers in society that affect: Individuals , such as: mental illness, substance abuse disorders, a lack of education or vocational skills, health problems, poverty Small and/or large groups of people dealing with prejudice, racism and discrimination, oppression, poverty and social exclusion.

To Do This Week… Introduce Yourself on the Introduce Yourself Thread Become familiar with the course layout Read the syllabus and all of the posted announcements Read the articles posted in Doc Sharing: Respond to the Discussion Board