Skills For Working With Organizations And Communities

Skills for Working with Organizations and Communities

This assignment is based on the reading of the book Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2018). Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Chapter 4, “Skills for Working with Organizations and Communities” (pp. 138–174). The community I choose is the Black Christian community. Choose a picture that represents the characteristics you identified in the community. A description of the community. Explain the strengths and challenges associated with that community based on its characteristics. Explain how you could utilize community strengths to address their challenges. Describe what group skills you might use and how you would use them when engaged in organizational and community change. Identify at least 3 macro-practice skills and explain how you would use these skills to help the community address their challenges. Support your post with APA citations to the course text and any other resources used to respond to this discussion. Demonstrate that you have completed the required readings, understand the material, and are able to apply the concepts. Include a full reference of resources at bottom of post.

Paper For Above instruction

The Black Christian community is a vibrant and historically significant segment of society that embodies powerful cultural, spiritual, and social characteristics. This community is predominantly African American and is deeply rooted in Christian faith, which serves as a source of strength, resilience, and communal identity. A representative image for this community might be a congregation gathered in a church, symbolizing unity, faith, and collective action. The community’s characteristics include a strong sense of faith, cultural heritage, resilience in the face of systemic adversities, and active engagement in social justice causes (Harper & Harris, 2018).

One of the community’s greatest strengths lies in its resilience. Historically, Black Christians have faced slavery, segregation, economic deprivation, and systemic racism—but have continued to thrive through faith and community support (Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990). The church often functions as a center for social activism, education, and mutual assistance, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment among its members. Additionally, the community’s cultural richness, including music, arts, and traditions, fosters a strong collective identity that sustains community cohesion and pride (Billingsley, 2000).

However, the community also faces significant challenges. Economic disparities remain a pervasive issue, with many members experiencing poverty or underemployment. Health disparities, including higher rates of chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, are prevalent within the community (Nguyen et al., 2018). Additionally, there is often a lack of access to quality education and healthcare services, which can perpetuate cycles of inequality. Systemic racism and economic inequity also hinder opportunities for upward mobility, affecting community well-being and cohesion (Williams et al., 2019).

Utilizing the strengths of the Black Christian community involves harnessing its resilience, faith-based leadership, and social networks. Community-based interventions could involve faith leaders collaborating with public health and social service organizations to promote health awareness and access to healthcare resources. Faith communities can also serve as advocates for policy changes aimed at reducing economic disparities and improving educational opportunities. For instance, church-led programs that provide financial literacy, job training, and health screenings can leverage existing community trust to address challenges (Jones & Smith, 2020).

In engaging with organizational and community change, I would utilize several macro-practice skills. First, empowerment: empowering community members to identify their needs and lead initiatives promotes sustainability (Greene, 2019). Second, coalition-building: forming partnerships between churches, nonprofits, and government agencies can create comprehensive strategies for community development. Third, strategic planning: designing community-specific action plans ensures that interventions are culturally appropriate and effective (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018). For example, facilitating community forums where members share their experiences and suggest solutions can foster ownership and commitment to change initiatives.

By applying these macro-practice skills, I would aim to build on the community’s inherent strengths—faith, resilience, and social networks—to address issues like health disparities and economic inequality. Strength-based approaches acknowledge the community’s assets and foster empowerment, cooperation, and sustainable development (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018). Overall, understanding and leveraging the unique characteristics of the Black Christian community can lead to meaningful and culturally competent interventions that promote long-term well-being and social justice.

References

• Billingsley, A. (2000). Climbing Jacob’s ladder: The rise of Black churches in America. New York University Press.
• Greene, R. R. (2019). Human behavior theory and social work practice. Aldine Transaction.
• Harper, S. R., & Harris, S. B. (2018). Cultural influences in community and organizational practice. Journal of Community Practice, 26(3), 312-329.
• Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2018). Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black church in the African American experience. Duke University Press.
• Nguyen, T. T., et al. (2018). Health disparities in African American communities: A review of the literature. Journal of Community Health, 43(6), 1100–1106.
• Williams, D. R., Gonzalez, H. M., Neighbors, H., Nesse, R., Abel, D., & Jackson, J. S. (2019). Prevalence of depression in African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 207(9), 735-743.