Week 4 Application Assignment: An Agent Of Social Change

Week 4 Application Assignment As An Agent Of Social Change What Can

Now the next exciting phase of your Capstone Project begins: What will you propose as a response to your challenge? How will you make a difference? This week, you will investigate current responses to your challenge by researching what others in this country—and possibly around the world—are already doing. Use your investigative skills to answer the following: How are others responding to the challenge you have chosen?

What are organizations, people, governments, etc., on a local, national, and/or international level doing about this challenge? Considering all this information, what can you do? What will be your goals? This Application Assignment is designed to help you formulate a response to your challenge and develop goals with regard to what you want to accomplish.

Part 1: Your Statement of Intent: Reread the latest version of your challenge and, if needed, modify it based on any insights and information you gained from your colleagues in this week’s Discussion. Then develop a statement that encapsulates your intent in a sentence or two. (For instance, "I intend to positively impact children who are going hungry in my community.") Your Statement of Intent should not include any specific goals.

Part 2: Current Contexts: Research how other organizations, governments, agencies, and people in your country—and possibly around the world—are currently addressing this challenge: How are they responding? Are any solutions being proposed? Identify at least three sources that add insight and knowledge about this challenge. You will use this information to help you formulate your response and develop goals that articulate what you want to accomplish.

As you work on this portion of your Capstone Project, consider that you may not need to come up with a unique solution. You may find ideas, programs, and/or efforts that are already working that you could adapt, modify, or transform. You may decide to apply information you have learned and thought about in a new way to address the challenge you have chosen. If necessary, refine and update your challenge and modify your Ideal Community of Practice based on the research you just completed. (Cite the sources that impacted your thinking.)

Evaluate the new information and insights you gained through your research and begin thinking about possible responses you might develop for this challenge. Ask yourself: What have I learned from exploring the contemporary context of my challenge? As an advocate of social change, what impact do I want to have and for what reasons?

Note: If, in your research, you cannot find at least three scholarly sources that provide you with information to draw from to support formulating your response, review your challenge and ask: How can I still make this happen? Is the challenge I chose still viable? Is it too large? Is it clearly enough defined? Can I look at it differently? Do I need to break the challenge into still smaller parts? Is my Statement of Intent too grandiose? How can I revise this statement to reflect a more "manageable chunk"? Do I need to revise my community of practice? Do we need to be the people doing the research? Could we be the groundbreaking force? Note: Consult the Wenger Communities of Practice diagram in this week’s Learning Resources and see how it can help with these questions.

Part 3: Your Statement of Response and Goals: What is your response to this challenge? Revise your challenge as necessary. Create a Statement of Response to your issue/challenge, written in the form of an "I" statement. (For example: "In order to respond to hunger in my community and positively impact the well-being of young children and their families, I will…") Articulate at least three specific goals that reflect what you want to accomplish.

Cite at least five sources that informed your thinking (using APA). Submit: a summary of what you learned from current research related to your challenge, your response as detailed above: your challenge and community of practice (revised if necessary), your Statement of Intent, your Statement of Response, at least three goals related to your response, and at least three sources that informed your thinking (Cited in APA format). (Note: You may click on the following link to view the complete Capstone Project requirements: Capstone Project)

Submit this assignment by Sunday of this week.

Paper For Above instruction

The process of developing an effective response to social challenges requires thorough research, self-reflection, and strategic planning. This phase of the Capstone Project emphasizes understanding current efforts and crafting a personal, actionable plan to contribute meaningfully to social change. In this paper, I will detail my initial challenge, how I refined my focus through research, my community of practice, and specific goals aimed at addressing the identified issue.

My initial challenge centered on addressing the persistent issue of food insecurity among children in underserved communities. Recognizing the complexity and scale of this problem, I revisited my challenge, incorporating insights gained from peer discussions. My refined challenge now emphasizes not only providing immediate food relief but also establishing sustainable programs that foster long-term nutritional education and capacity-building within the community. This shift aligns with current models of social intervention emphasizing sustainability and empowerment (Smith & Wallerstein, 2017).

Research on existing responses to child hunger reveals various efforts by governments, nonprofits, and grassroots organizations. For example, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides critical support at the federal level, while local food banks and community gardens complement these efforts on the ground (US Department of Agriculture, 2023). Internationally, organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) implement large-scale programs to combat childhood malnutrition in vulnerable regions (World Food Programme, 2022). Analysis of these initiatives indicates that successful strategies often combine immediate relief with education and skill development to ensure sustainability (Weissman et al., 2019).

Informed by these models, I recognize that my response should incorporate similar multi-faceted approaches. My community of practice includes local schools, faith-based organizations, and healthcare providers, who serve as vital partners in designing and implementing interventions that are culturally and contextually appropriate (Wenger, 1998). I aim to develop an adaptable program that combines emergency food assistance with nutritional education workshops, fostering community resilience and knowledge sharing.

My Statement of Intent outlines my desire to positively impact childhood nutrition by leveraging existing resources and fostering a collaborative approach. I intend to formulate a response that not only alleviates immediate hunger but also empowers communities to sustain healthy practices long-term. My Statement of Response articulates this intention: "In order to respond to childhood hunger in my community and positively impact the well-being of children and their families, I will collaborate with local organizations to develop a sustainable food and nutrition education program."

Three specific goals support this response: First, to establish partnerships with at least three local agencies by the end of six months. Second, to implement a pilot nutrition education workshop series within three community sites within nine months. Third, to evaluate the program’s impact through surveys and community feedback after one year. These goals are designed to create measurable outcomes and foster continuous improvement (Bryson, 2018).

The sources that influenced my approach include scholarly articles on community-based interventions (Smith & Wallerstein, 2017), government reports on food assistance programs (US Department of Agriculture, 2023), and international development frameworks (World Food Programme, 2022). Incorporating these insights ensures that my response is grounded in evidence-based practices and aligns with successful models of social change. Overall, this research has clarified the importance of integrated, community-centered strategies to address complex social issues effectively.

References

• Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. Jossey-Bass.
• Smith, L., & Wallerstein, N. (2017). Community-based participatory research and the development of community assets. American Journal of Public Health, 107(1), 18–23.
• US Department of Agriculture. (2023). Summary of food assistance programs. https://www.usda.gov
• Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
• World Food Programme. (2022). Annual report 2022. https://www.wfp.org/publications
• Weissman, J., et al. (2019). Sustainable strategies to combat childhood malnutrition. Global Nutrition Journal, 3(2), 34–42.