Syllabus

Barsky, A. E. (2007). Conflict resolution for the helping professions (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Brooks/Cole. Leviton, S. C., & Greenstone, J. L. (1997). Elements of mediation. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. All electronic materials are available on the student website. |Week One: Advocacy in Modern Culture | |The Role of the Advocate | |Community Services | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives |List specific populations of target groups in need of social services, mediation, and | | | | |advocacy assistance. | | | | |Discuss emerging social issues that may affect the timely and resourceful delivery of | | | | |advocacy services. | | | | |Describe the evolution of advocacy in the human services field. | | | | |Explore services on a local and national level. | | | | |Discuss traditional service delivery. | | | | |Identify barriers to service delivery. | | | |Readings |Read Ch. 1 & 6 of Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions. | | | | |Read Ch. 1–5 of Elements of Mediation. | | | |Participation |Participate in class discussion in the Main Forum. |4 out of 7 days|2 | |Discussion Questions |Respond to weekly discussion questions. |Day 4 |1 | |Week One LT Deliverables |Each team member will fill out his/her portion of the Learning Team Charter. The Learning |Day 7 |1 | | |Team Charter will be submitted by one team member using the Assignment Link. | | | |Individual |Write a 1,200-1,400 word paper that addresses the issue of advocacy in the human services |Day 7 |10 | |Specific Population and the |field. | | | |Advocate Role Paper | | | | | |Choose a specific population, such as those who are homeless, persons with disabilities, | | | | |persons with AIDS, and so on. | | | | | | | | | |Include a personal perspective on how you as an advocate may assist with problems such as | | | | |housing, treatment, short- and long-term medical care, education, probation, and domestic | | | | |violence. Please include at least 3 outside references to substantiate your thoughts and | | | | |ideas.  | | | | | | | | | |Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. | | | |Week Two: Overview of Dispute Resolution Models | |The Role of the Mediator in the Helping Professions | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Describe the various ADR processes available, including arbitration, mediation, negotiation, | | | | |and med-arb, as they pertain to the helping professions. | | | | |Assess various client situations and determine the most appropriate ADR processes and the | | | | |role of an advocate in each. | | | | |Explain the function and limitations of a third party neutral. | | | | |Discuss mediator neutrality, perceived bias, confidentiality, and outcome expectations. | | | |Readings |Read Ch. 2 & 3 of Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions. | | | |Participation |Participate in class discussion in the Main Forum |4 out of 7 days|2 | |Discussion Questions |Respond to weekly discussion questions. |Day 4 |1 | |Week Two LT Deliverables |Submit a list of whom each team member will be interviewing for the Week Two Learning Team |Day 7 |1 | | |Assignment. This list will need to be posted in the Assignment Link so that credit can be | | | | |given. | | | |Learning Team Instructions |Interview of a Social Service Agency Using Advocates and Development of Report |Due Week 4 Day | | | |Each team member will conduct an interview with an individual from a social service agency |7 | | | |that uses advocates within their agency. Interview an individual who works either as an | | | | |advocate or as a representative who can discuss the role of advocacy within the agency. The | | | | |team will summarize the interviews and will include the following information: | | | | | | | | | |Agency or organization and the title of the interviewee | | | | | | | | | |The advocacy role this individual plays within the agency | | | | | | | | | |The populations served by this agency | | | | | | | | | |An advocacy model or template used with each population: Is the advocate speaking on behalf | | | | |of the client or assisting the client in speaking for him or herself' | | | | | | | | | |How this individual became involved in the role of advocate | | | | | | | | | |Ask the interviewee to describe what is most rewarding about his or her work. | | | | | | | | | |Ask what he or she would change about the job if it were possible to do so. | | | | | | | | | |Ask this person to identify the reason he or she became an advocate. | | | | | | | | | |Ask how his or her personal values affect the performance of the duties required. | | | | | | | | | |Ask how different this responsibility is from what he or she expected when starting the | | | | |position. | | | |Individual Mediation and |Research at least three articles that address the topic of mediation and/or advocacy. Address|Day 7 |10 | |Advocacy Literature Review |how your thoughts were influenced by these articles and what information will help you in | | | | |this field. | | | | | | | | | |Refer to the University of Phoenix Library | | | | | | | | | |Submit a summary of your review. The paper should be 1,000-1,400 words. Post using the | | | | |Assignment Link. | | | |Week Three: Developing Negotiation Skills | |Interest-Based Negotiation and Transformative Mediation | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Discuss the principles of win-win negotiations. | | | | |Explore the concept of BATNA. | | | | |Analyze the elements of interest-based negotiation. | | | | |Discuss the importance of client transformation and self-reliance. | | | | |Identify and discuss the difference between positions and interests. | | | |Readings |Read Ch. 6–10 of Elements of Mediation. | | | | |Read Ch. 5 of Conflict Resolution in the Helping Professions. | | | |Participation |Participate in class discussion. |4 out of 7 days|2 | |Discussion Questions |Respond to weekly discussion questions. |Day 4 |1 | |Week Three LT Deliverables |Discuss with your team Question #10 from Week Three Quiz. Submit a summary of the team’s |Day 7 |1 | | |response using the Assignment Link. | | | |Learning Team Instructions |Interview with a Social Services Lobbyist |Due Week Four | | | | |Day 7 | | | |Conduct an interview with a social services lobbyist within your state legislature. Use the | | | | |same format of interview questions as in previous group interview but include the following: | | | | | | | | | |Discuss the role of the lobbyist as a social advocate. | | | | |How do his or her positions as a lobbyist affect social policy changes' | | | | |How are dollars for human services acquired' What role do they play' | | | | |Does the interviewee see his or her role as a policy changer or as a funding advocate' Why' | | | | |What does he or she envision as the future for human services' Will we as a society fund more| | | | |or less to those in need' | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Record your remarks and conclusions in a 1- to 2-page paper to be submitted to the instructor| | | | |in Week Four, along with the summary paper described above. | | | |Individual |Write a 1200- to1400 word paper in which you explore the ethical, moral, and legal challenges|Day 7 |10 | |Challenges of Being an |of potential dual relationships as an advocate or mediator. | | | |Advocate and Neutral | | | | |Facilitator (Mediator) Paper |Present your opinion on the integration of advocacy and mediation within the human services | | | | |field. Identify your personal philosophy and individual approach to advocating and mediating | | | | |within a specific agency setting, such as Planned Parenthood, Adult Probation, the Department| | | | |of Behavioral Health Services, or Advocates for the Seriously Mentally Ill. | | | | | | | | | |Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Post using the Assignment Link. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Individual |Prepare to take a quiz on concepts and terms. Submit your responses to the quiz using the |Day 7 |10 | |Concepts and Terms Quiz |Assignment Link. | | | |Week Four: Basic Components of a Mediation Model | |Developing Negotiation Skills | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Identify the basic stages of a mediation model. | | | | |Discuss the issues of proximity, physical setting, safety, and power imbalances. | | | | |Explore the use of mediation and advocacy to initiate or change social policy. | | | | |Practice using negotiation skills. | | | |Readings |Read Ch. 4 of Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions. | | | |Participation |Participate in class discussion. |4 out of 7 days|2 | |Discussion Questions |Respond to weekly discussion questions. |Day 4 |1 | |Week Four LT Deliverables |Determine with your assigned competitor team (see syllabus) what topic each of you will be |Day 2 |1 | | |mediating. Please post a note using the Assignment Link indicating the topic and what side | | | | |your team will be representing. This will be due Wednesday Day 2 | | | |Learning Team |Learning Teams in Mediation |Day 7 |10 | |Instructions |As a team chose an issue that is a current. (something that can be found in the newspaper, on| | | | |the news, etc. | | | | |Learning Team A will enter into mediation with Learning Team B. Learning Team C will enter | | | | |into mediation with Learning Team D. | | | | |Each team will prepare a document stating their position, a proposal to resolve the issue, | | | | |etc. (This needs to be a 2-3 page paper, APA format) | | | | |Each team will post the paper in the Main Forum and comment on each team’s response. | | | | |The two teams will write a combined paper stating their position and their solution to the | | | | |conflict. The paper will need to be submitted by each team using the Assignment Link. | | | |Learning Team |Submit your summaries to the instructor for review and comments using the Assignment Link. |Day 7 |10 | |Summary of Interviews |(The summary should include the interviews from Week(s) 2, 3. | | | |Week Five: The Future of Mediation and Advocacy in Human Services: Promoting Community Change | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Demonstrate the ability to promote advocacy and mediation in human services. | | | | |Explore the future promise of conflict resolution, through advocacy and mediation in the | | | | |human services field, in promoting social change. | | | |Participation |Participate in class discussion. |4 out of 7 days|2 | |Discussion Questions |Respond to weekly discussion questions. |Day 4 |1 | |Week Five LT Deliverables |As a team discuss what you have learned about what constitutes good teamwork and what |Day 7 |1 | | |constitutes bad teamwork. Submit a 1-2 page summary using the Assignment Link. | | | |Learning Team |Create a 10-15 slide presentation on the use of mediation in an agency setting. |Day 7 |15 | |Use of Mediation Within an | It will work best if the team will decide on an agency to discuss. The team can either use | | | |Agency Setting Presentation |one that already exists, i.e. Planned Parenthood or make one up. Discuss this aspects of this| | | | |agency i.e. who does it serve, how is funded, how is it accessed, etc. Any graphics need to | | | | |be referenced.  | | | | | | | | | |Include your Internet search findings and interview with a social agency representative and | | | | |lobbyist and summarize with a brief lecture on the future of mediation and advocacy in this | | | | |country and the role of the human services worker in these processes. | | | | | | | | | |Submit using the Assignment Link. | | | Copyright University of Phoenix® is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft®, Windows®, and Windows NT® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. 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