Welcome to HN 430 Advocacy for Families and Youth

As we get started… Read the syllabus Familiarize yourself with the course layout Read all of the posted announcements  Make sure you do this regularly! Review Project requirements  Units 2, 5, and 9

Other things to know and review… Grading Rubrics Facebook Page Human Services Club Twitter Writing Center 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. 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 ). Please remember that technical difficulties are not an acceptable excuse for late work – have a backup plan Late work should be an EXCEPTION and not the NORM

Seminar for this class is required and is worth 20 points for each unit (except unit 10). Statistics show that students who attend seminars ultimately earn higher grades in the course Opportunity for you to ask questions and get clarification on assignments, projects, etc. If you can’t attend – must do the Option 2 assignment and submit by midnight Tuesday Strongly suggest listening to recorded archive if you miss the live seminar Seminar – Thurs. 9 PM EST

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. One question for each unit – with multiple parts to address The point of the these activities are to foster discussion about the material we are covering in the current unit. 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. Respond to at least two classmates for each discussion. Discussion

Required textbook: At Risk Youth: A Comprehensive Response for Counselors, Teachers, Psychologists, and Human Service Professionals, 5 th Edition by J. Jeffries McWhirter Textbook companion website: wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn= &token=79F9624E390183C54208F9B3BED81961C97 C560C5E49B523747BF3847BAB8A080F4196AA CDAF B78E09B9Fhttp:// wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn= &token=79F9624E390183C54208F9B3BED81961C97 C560C5E49B523747BF3847BAB8A080F4196AA CDAF B78E09B9F In addition to the textbook readings for each unit, there are also additional materials posted under the Readings tab that you are required to review. These materials may include PowerPoint presentations, websites, articles, videos, or other resources. Remember to make a direct reference to course materials or other academic resource in all initial discussion posts Readings

For Units 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 you will be required to complete a quiz based on the assigned readings for that unit or any unit we have covered up to that point. Each quiz consists of 20 questions that will be a combination of multiple choice and true/false questions. You have 60 minutes to complete each quiz and once you begin the quiz you must complete it. Only one attempt is allowed. Quizzes are worth 20 points each and must be completed by midnight on Tuesdays of each unit. Late quizzes will not be accepted for any reason. Please plan accordingly. I have posted a Quiz Study Guide in the Doc Sharing section for your use throughout the course. Quizzes

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 me about it. Grade comments: Before you 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 or AIM me. Grades

If you have ANY technical issues, before you do this PLEASE contact tech support and make sure you get a ticket number (Toll Free) 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 Aim: camooreKU Phone: (513) (cell); (513) (office) "

What is Advocacy?  Advocacy not only includes the actions of professional counselors on behalf of clients, but also includes professional counselors intervening with systems and organizations relevant to clients.  Professionals take on the role of advocate when employing social action to confront barriers on behalf of clients, which may result in social justice to confront injustice and inequality in society and at-risk behaviors.

 We use the term at-risk to denote a set of presumed cause/effect dynamics that place the individual child or adolescent in danger of negative future events. At-risk designates a situation that is not necessarily current (although it is often used in this sense too) but that can be anticipated in the absence of intervention.  McWhirter, J.J., McWhirter, B.T., McWhirter, E.H., & McWhirter, R.J. (2004) At-Risk Youth: A Comprehensive Response (3 rd. Ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

 A theory of human development  Posits that individual human development does not occur in isolation, but within multiple, embedded ecological systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1989).

 In addition to the individual…  Microsystem  Mesosystem  Exosystem  Macrosystem  Chronosystem

 The person without social context  i.e. genetics, temperment, etc

 The people and communities with whom an individual comes into direct contact.  i.e. family, classroom, little league team

 Interconnections between the different microsystems  i.e. communication between a teacher and a parent

 Settings that do not directly involve the person, but which exert influence on the person  i.e. the media, public policy, access to services

 Social blueprint  i.e.: Cultural values, belief systems, societal norms, gender-role socialization, race relations, etc.

 The development of interconnections among individuals and their environments over time.

Successful Advocacy  Essential elements required for successful advocacy include: ◦ Leadership ◦ Perseverance ◦ Maintaining a holistic focus at all times (ecological model) ◦ Education and training ◦ Good communication and relationship-building skills ◦ Focus on EMPOWERMENT

 …the process by which people, organizations, or groups who are powerless or marginalized: (a) become aware of the power dynamics at work in their life context, (b) develop the skills and capacity for gaining some reasonable control over their lives, (c) which they exercise, (d) without infringing upon the rights of others, and (e) which coincides with supporting the empowerment of others in their community (McWhirter, 1994, p. 12).

 Introduce Yourself on the Introduce Yourself Thread  Become familiar with the course layout  Read all of the posted announcements  Read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2  Read/review other materials under the Readings tab  Respond to the Discussion Board  Complete the Quiz

 How will the study of advocacy benefit you both professionally and personally? Please talk about your major at Kaplan University and the role that understanding advocacy related to family and youth will play in it.