Societal Implications of the USA Patriot Act and How It Limits Daily Essay

Cultural Implications of the USA Patriot Act and How It Limits Daily Life - Essay Example It is obviously obvious from the conversation that one of the fundamental ways the energetic demonstration constrained people’s day by day lives is by causing them to acknowledge the outlandish easygoing infringement of their essential rights. For example, the demonstration caused Americans to acknowledge without question that security organizations can expose them to absurd hunts and seizures when they are voyaging. The devoted demonstration confines the privileges of Americans by expanding the abilities of government to do observation in four zones. The demonstration enables the administration to direct record look. It does this by growing the capacity of the administration to inspect records demonstrating a person’s movement that are in outsider belonging. The Patriotic demonstration likewise approves mystery look through that empower the legislature to look through private property without giving a notification. The Patriotic demonstration likewise approves the admi nistration to lead insight look by stretching out an exemption to the fourth amendment that was made to empower the legislature to assemble outside knowledge. The demonstration likewise permits the legislature to participate in trap and follow look by empowering the administration to follow the source and focuses of correspondences and the substance. The arrangements of the devoted demonstration limit day by day life by abusing singular protection. The demonstration gives the legislature unchecked capacity to analyze a person’s web utilization, clinical history, library use, and whatever other action that leaves a record or something to that affect. This not just disregards singular right to security ensured in the fourth alter yet may make individuals forgo certain exercises inspired by a paranoid fear of being viewed by the legislature.

Impossible Nest Pas Français

Unimaginable N'est Pas Franã §ais The French articulation unimaginable home pas franã §ais is really a maxim, identical to theres nothing of the sort as cant or essentially nothing is inconceivable. In French, you ought to never say that something is unimaginable, in light of the fact that, as per the proverb,â impossible isnt even a French word. Similarly, in English, you ought to never say that you cannot accomplish something in light of the fact that the idea of cant doesnt exist. At the end of the day, nothing is outlandish and there isnt anything you cannot do. It would make a decent persuasive banner in either language (if youre into that sort of thing). Articulation: Impossible home pas franà §aisPronunciation: eh(n) puh seebl nay dad fra(n) sayMeaning: Theres nothing of the sort as cantLiteral interpretation: Impossible isnt FrenchRegister: ordinary Model Tout le monde mavait dit que cã ©tait impossibleâ ; moi, je leur ai rã ©pondu qu⠫â impossible home pas franã §aisâ â » et puis je lai fait. Everybody disclosed to me you cannot do that; I revealed to them that theres nothing of the sort as cant and afterward I did it.

Pat Tillman Foundation Tillman Military Scholars Scholarship Information COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Pat Tillman Foundation Tillman Military Scholars Scholarship Information COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Columbia University has been selected by the Pat Tillman Foundation as a Tillman Military Scholar University Partner for the 2011-2012 academic year. University Partners are chosen to solicit and submit candidates for receipt of the Tillman Military Scholarship through the Pat Tillman Foundation.   This prestigious and selective partnership will enable Columbia University’s student veterans and their eligible dependents to apply for this scholarship. The Pat Tillman Foundation was created in honor of professional football player and military hero Pat Tillman. Tillman played professional football for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 to 2001 and enlisted in the United States Army in 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.   Tillman died in Afghanistan as a result of friendly fire in 2004.   The mission of the Pat Tillman Foundation is “to invest in veterans and their families through education and community”. As such, this scholarship not only helps student veterans cover the direct costs of tuition and fees but it also acts as a critical resource for other expenses including housing and child care.   In addition to this scholarship, recipients become members of the “Tillman Community” where they have access to a national network of members and are provided other essential resources including leadership, service and advocacy opportunities. The Foundation chooses University Partners who are proven military-friendly institutions that offer specific support services for service members and their families and have a significant percentage of military enrollments, in addition to other criteria.   Hunter I Riley, Pat Tillman Foundation Director of Programs, recently stated, “By working with partner institutions like Columbia University, who have shown ingenuity in delivering veteran-specific support services, we are able to funnel a ready source of assistance onto a campus which already demonstrates a culture of support for student veterans and military families.” All applications will be submitted through the Pat Tillman Foundation website and then forwarded to the Columbia University selection committee for review.   The committee will then recommend the highest scoring applicants to the Pat Tillman Foundation as potential recipients of the scholarship.   The final selection will then be made by the Pat Tillman Foundation. For more information about the application process and to view the application questions now, please visit the Pat Tillman Foundation website www.pattillmanfoundation.org.   The information is listed under the Tillman Military Scholars tab.   The full application for the 2011/2012 academic year will be available on March 7, 2011. The application deadline for filing is April 8, 2011.

Teaching Notes - 1135 Words

Texoil Teaching Notes By Stephen B. Goldberg Texoil is a two-party, quantified transactional negotiation with integrative potential. The owners of a service station would like to sell their station, and a large oil and gas company would like to buy it. The stations owners are tired of the responsibilities of ownership and want to take a two year sailing trip around the world, while they are still young enough to enjoy such a trip. The oil and gas company is in the midst of a strategic expansion, buying independent service stations, and turning them into mini service marts. are not written up in their role materials; however, they should use the information they have creatively. The most striking learning point of the exercise is the†¦show more content†¦4. Ask if revealing didn’t make them feel vulnerable. The point of this line of questioning is to help students discover the kind of information that provides a basis for creating value, (i.e., not information about bottom line, but about interests and priorities). 5. The question about feeling vulnerable raises the issue of trust. Ask whether trust was established, and how. Generally, trust results from the process of reciprocal information sharing, and proposals that are responsive to information shared. To make the job offer, either the Texoil representative must reveal information about Texoil’s long term strategy, and/or the station owner must reveal plans for a two year sabbatical. There are a number of other things that can be added to make the bargaining zone overlap, including health care, oil and gas for the trip, a line of credit for boat repairs, and putting TEXOIL on the hull or sails. All of these creative ideas, that create value because they are of low cost to one party and high value to the other party, require information to be discovered. 6. Which agreements are better than others? We usually do not point out particular agreements, but speak generally. Better agreements in terms of value creation are ones that have many of the features listed above. Better agreements in terms of value claiming are ones where Texoil pays less than $500,000 cash and it gives the job and other items,Show MoreRelatedNotes On Teaching And Teaching1907 Words   |  8 PagesEDDDE 1001: Introduction to Learning and Teaching Assessment Task 2: Scholarly Essay (1500 words) Noel Bamford Student Number 3011 9777 Topic: What constitutes a good effective teacher? Discuss with reference to the literature. Teacher quality and education standards are an issue that is under constant scrutiny in Australia, and in many countries around the world. There are many factors that contribute to a good quality educational system. Curriculum, government funding, school administrationRead MoreManagement and Teaching Note19520 Words   |  79 PagesCHOCOLATE MARKET: UP FOR A FAIRTRADE ORGANIC MAKEOVER? Structured assignment Rathore, RS; Ragu, SP IBSCDC 15pp; Teaching note 205-024-8 (12pp) 207-057-1 BURGEONING CHINESE ECONOMY: SIGNS OF OVERHEATING? Gonela, SK; Kompella, R IBSCDC 9pp; Teaching note 207-057-8 (12pp) 207-057-4 BURGEONING CHINESE ECONOMY: SIGNS OF OVERHEATING? Structured assignment Gonela, SK; Kompella, R IBSCDC 15pp; Teaching note 207-057-8 (12pp) 9-907-411 CHILE: THE CONUNDRUM OF INEQUALITY Scott, BR; Leight, J Harvard Business SchoolRead More Evaluation of Books on String Theory1183 Words   |  5 PagesThe influence of time is greatly noticeable in comparing and contrasting these th ree approaches. â€Å"Essential Elements for Strings† was published in 1994 and the other two books in the 1960’s. After many years of studying education the approach to teaching students how to play an instrument has greatly improved. The increased knowledge in educational psychology is evident through comparing â€Å"Essential Elements for Strings† to the other two. The student learns best through a step by step guide to thisRead MoreA Votre Sante Teaching Note1181 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿TEACHING NOTE: A VOTRE SANTÉ 1 The A Votre Santà © (AVS) case is multi-faceted in that it requires students to incorporate operational measures into product costing results, and also to understand cost accounting from a variety of perspectives, such as: Product versus period costs Variable versus fixed costs Activity based costing Relevant costs and opportunity costs Additionally, the case questions require both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the business issues faced by AVSRead MoreDeluxe Corporation Teaching Note4197 Words   |  17 PagesDELUXE Corporation Teaching Note Synopsis and Objectives Suggestions for complementary cases in capital structure choice and financial flexibility: â€Å"The Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Company: Capital Structure, Valuation, and Cost of Capital,† (case 30); â€Å"Rosario Acero S.A.,† (case 32); â€Å"Gainesboro Machine Tools Corporation,† (case 25) In July 2002, an investment banker advising Deluxe Corporation must prepare recommendations for the company’s board of directors regarding the firm’s financialRead MoreNotes On Paul s Teachings974 Words   |  4 PagesCarter Viles Ethics Monday, June 8th, 2015 Paul’s Teachings Paul was born as Saul of Tarsus. He was both a Jew and a Roman citizen. He became a prosecutor of those who follow Jesus and accepted him as their Lord and King. Saul was not trying to being mean by doing this. He thought of it as just working against an enemy of his own Jewish faith. One day he was on the way to Damascus and a bright heavenly light came down from above and blinded him. He was struck to the ground and a voice called outRead MoreNotes On Teaching And Learning Methods Essay1062 Words   |  5 PagesEssay Structure Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit. My Outline 1. Description: What happened? a. What: Hardship in the beginning of the study in New Zealand i. Hardly understand the lessons from the first day. Since most the background knowledge such as mathematics were required to be revised. ii. Tried to read books and still hardly understand most of the lesson iii. Courses started to be very challenging and informationRead MoreEssay on Teaching: Grammatical Number and Notes21041 Words   |  85 Pagessimple present tense? Repeated activities, factual information, and describing states or conditions. Review the Meaning and Use notes on pages 11 and 12. * What type of adverb is typically associated with the simple present? Name three examples of this type.   Adverbs of frequency – always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, never. Review the Meaning and Use notes on page 12. * Draw the simple present on a time scale. Consult the Grammar Tables and Timelines section  to review yourRead MoreTeaching Notes: Al Ain Dairy881 Words   |  4 PagesTeaching Notes: Al Ain Dairy Prepared by Dr. Melodena Stephens Balakrishnan This case can be used to teach marketing strategy, retail management, branding, customer value, competitive analysis, and even international business strategy. A better understanding of the demographics and geography of UAE is required. The following websites are good places for students to get on overall understanding of the context. Information on UAE and its Strategic Priorities xan be found at the following websites:Read MoreHow Teachers And Students Communicate And Teaching More Effective Through My Field Work Observation Essay1595 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieve by including effective communication in and outside class can be beneficial for both teachers and students. Therefore, I would like to explore more about how teachers and students handle communication in and outside class to make learning and teaching more effective through my field work observation. For the first and second fieldwork at a community elementary school, I observed the classroom as both a teacher and a student. As a teacher, I paid attention to students’ interactions with each other

Analysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Salem Witch

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer known for his part in the transcendentalist literary movement. Born July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts, to Nathaniel Hathorne Sr and Elizabeth Manning, he later chose to alter his last name in an attempt to distinguish himself from the history his family held in the Salem witch trials. His father died at a very young age, so Nathaniel was raised solely by his mother. In a quote kept from his adolescent years, Hawthorne states, â€Å"I do not want to be a doctor and live by men s diseases, nor a minister to live by their sins, nor a lawyer and live by their quarrels. So, I don t see that there is anything left for me but to be an author. However, in 1825, Hawthorne graduated from Bowdoin College, earning a degree in a non-literature field of study. In 1838, he became acquainted with a Miss Sophia Peabody. They were both solitary characters and fell madly in love into a mildly reclusive life. In 1841, Hawthorne resigned from his position at Boston Custom House to participate in the transcendentalist movement’s experimental Brook Farm. He joined in hopes to make enough money to marry Sophia. After a year, Hawthorne dropped it and went on to be wed in the home of Sophia’s parents. Soon after, the two moved to Concord, Massachusetts to begin their lives together. As a member of the American transcendentalists, Hawthorne became close friends with authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Herman Melville. Although both Nathaniel and SophiaShow MoreRelatedNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1543 Words   |  7 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will break down the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hid den inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting thanRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown from a Moral Standpoint1352 Words   |  6 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. At the age of four, his father passed away from yellow fever, forcing his family to move in with his uncle. The positively influential Uncle Robert Manning pushed Hawthorne to succeed in school and insisted he go to college. Following his education at Bowdoin College, Hawthorne spent years in isolation mastering the art of writing. It was during those years when Hawthorne discovered that his ancestors were founders and Puritan leaders of the SalemRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1492 Words   |  6 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will breakdown the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society, and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting than NathanielRead MoreThe Moral Complexity Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1681 Words   |  7 PagesThe Moral Complexity Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is about a Christian man, the title character who walks through a dark and dreary forest, witnessing some people in his community he thought were godly walking deeper into the â€Å"path of evil.† He has to make a decision whether to keep walking towards the satanic meeting or go back home. The characters Hawthorne chooses have some relation to either the trials or the Christian way of life. Back in the middle 1900s, the society relied heavilyRead MoreWho is Nathaniel Hawthorne?953 Words   |  4 Pagesthe utmost passion of her heart† is one of my favorite quotes that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote from the Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer, that wrote fictional stories. He was a gifted writer that was influenced to use his gift by a well known man, with the name of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I believe Nathaniel had an talent to make stories rhyme with detail, that sets the scene in your very, own mind. Hawthorne had a interesting life, he enjoyed writing short stories, like Twice-ToldRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown By Nathaniel Hawthorne1620 Words   |  7 Pages Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work Young Goodman Brown reveals how hard it is in the revelation of the harsh realities of the society.  The society with is characterized by secrecy.   People hide behind the curtains of daily practices and a normal life despite the odd their practices. However, anxiety reveals the realities of people in the community that may come with great prices as for the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s main character Goodman Brown.  ViewingRead More The Theme of Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay2278 Words   |  10 Pagesthe theme of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†.    To come by a clear notion of the theme of   â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is no easy task, thanks to the confusing style of the author. As A.N. Kaul says in the â€Å"Introduction† to Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays:    Because Hawthorne was much given to evasions, mystifications, and prevarications of various sorts, because he repeatedly confuses the issues by shying sway from them, because he often talks of his fiction in terms of misty legends andRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Mind1900 Words   |  8 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne-The Mind Nathaniel Hawthorne was born July 4, 1804 he was known as an American novelist, who writes dark romantic short stories. He was born in Salem, Massachusetts to his parents to Nathaniel Hathorne and Elizabeth Clarke Manning. Nathaniel Hawthorne was originally named Nathaniel Hathorne but he later added a w to make his name Hawthorne in order to hide the relation to his ancestor John Hathorne, who was the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never feltRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1975 Words   |  8 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne, is the author of the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† that was written in 1835 (Baym 370). Hawthorne was born in Salem Massachusetts on July 4th, 1804. Hawthorne’s ancestors were of the Puritan descent, and among the first settlers of Massachusetts (Baym 370). During his teen years, Hawthorne was reading stories by British novelists Henry Fielding, Tobias Smollet, and Sir Walter Scott. When he was sixteen he wrote his sister of wanting to become an author and relying of supportRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1885 Words   |  8 PagesFictionalizing the historically famous event of the sixteenth century, Arthur Miller retells The Salem Witch Trials in his dramatized play, The Crucible. Interpreting the horrific witch trials through the play’s characters and actions, Miller is successfully able to scrutinize the hysteria that took place in Salem Massachusetts while synonymously demonstrating the devastating effects of a theocratic government. Although the trials were filled with paranoia and injustice, Miller simply publicized

Social Work Gender Class Free Essays

string(51) " move towards eradicating racism within education\." In what ways are social class, ‘race’/ethnicity, and gender problematic identity constructionsAnd how can they affect achievement in education? Abstract An examination of the problematic identity constructions associated with social class, race / ethnicity and gender. Theories of essentialism and social constructism are used to understand these notions, and to assess the extent to which they can affect achievement in education. 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Work Gender Class or any similar topic only for you Order Now Introduction The following will take a theoretical approach using contrasting ideas about the nature of social reality to look at problems of race / ethnicity, social class and gender / sexual identity, and the impact each has on equality in education. Social constructivism is the idea that there is no one objective reality shared by everyone. The meaning of physical reality is created by individuals and groups through beliefs based on their past experience and predispositions (Walsh 2010). Social constructivism has been widely influential in the social sciences and humanities, and was shaped by a number of theorists including Vygotsky (1925) whose studies of how children learn emphasizes the role of a social framework for education, and also by Berger and Luckmann (1966), who popularized the notion in English speaking countries (Van Dusek 2006). Social constructivist approaches to race, class and gender suggest that the way we perceive each is a function of history and culture, rather than a given objective fact.Our views of women and men, and the roles appropriate to each, for example, is rooted in the political climate, and relates to social power structures (Hirschmann 2003) By contrast, essentialism is the view that the characteristics ascribed to members of different races or sexual identities are fixed and objective. It suggests that the way things are perceived reflects the essential nature of that thing. The essence is a causal mechanism for the properties things display (Mahalingam 2003). When applied to sexuality, for example, an essentialist view suggests that orientation is based upon an inner state which causes a person’s sexual feelings and actions. The view also holds that the essence is either biologically caused or acquired in the first few years of development (Clarke et al 2010). While race, gender and class can be viewed alone, more recently an ‘intersectional’ approach has emerged, pointing out that these three constructs overlap, and can create layer upon layer of disadvantage and multiple oppression. Suggested by Crenshaw (1991), intersectionality shows that social identity is created in a more complex way than we might have thought (Berger 2006). 1.1 Race / Ethnicity It is certainly the case that different races and ethnicities are characterised by differing physical appearances, including colour of skin and facial features. However, an essentialist view of race and ethnicity would suggest that each race also has a number of behavioural, mental and intellectual characteristics which distinguish them from other races. For example, there is an assumption that native Hawaiians are lazy, of low intelligence, promiscuous, hospitable and easy-going (Ponterollo et al 2009). Essentialism may also suggest that the characteristic traits are genetic, and that some races / ethnicities are superior to others. Essentialism in approaches to race and ethnicity seem to be rooted in a late 19th century scientific viewpoint which assumed biological explanations for a range of human characteristics (Rubin 2005), and which naturalised traits such as racial difference. It has been suggested that essentialism still exists in educational, with the belief that each race had a distinct and fixed character, and that different racial groups should be taught with this in mind (Giroux and Shannon 1997). There are a number of clear problems with essentialist theories of race and ethnicity. For example, attempts to put humans into racial groups seem to use arbitrary selection of traits with no clear explanation of why these traits are important. In addition, essentialist views, fail to account for the richness of human life, culture and experience. Finally, essentialist theories seem to lack significance. What use can they be put to(Corlett, 2003). Further, it has been pointed out that the genetic basis for ethnic essentialism is flawed, as races exhibit greater genetic differences within themselves than between one race and another (Hill and Cole 2001). Essentialism is often associated with racism: the idea that â€Å"people are seen as causing negative consequences for other groups, or as possessing certain negatively evaluated characteristics because of their biology† (Hill and Cole 2001, p. 162). In education, it might lead, for example, to an assumption that children of a certain race are less intellectually able than others, and hence to a reduced attempt to engage with them; or to the assumption that black people excel at sports (Hill and Cole 2001). In contrast, a social constructivist approach to race and ethnicity seems a more useful one for equality in education. This position allows for greater flexibility as race and ethnicity are seen as dynamic forces, subject to change and shaped by power relationships and cultural forms that dominate the institutions in which they are found (Giroux and Shannon 1997). The social constructivist sees race as a construct â€Å"a concept that signifies and symbolises socio-political conflicts and interests in reference to different types of human body† (Winant 2001, p. 317; cited Dillon 2009). Race is not a biologically determined set of fixed characteristics, but rather a complex mix of projections regarding inequality, hierarchical relationships and conflict which have been used to differentiate, regulate and shape reactions between people. The set of presuppositions about racial characteristics become objectified into social institutions and cultures. They are a consequence of soci al attitudes and decisions made about other people by individuals and groups (Dillon 2009). Because racial differences are encapsulated in social institutions, and as education is an institutionally based phenomenon, racial prejudice and distinctions made between ethnicities need to be accounted for in education, and it seems important to reject an essentialist view in favour of a constructivist one, with the insight that perceived differences in learning ability, for example, are a consequence of historical political and social vested interests, and do not reflect an underlying reality.Within the UK, there has been a move towards eradicating racism within education. You read "Social Work Gender Class" in category "Essay examples" An unthinking mono-cultural approach which promoted British colonial history has given way to a multi-cultural one. Nowadays, an awareness of legislation and regulations regarding race are built into teacher training, for example it is stated that student teachers need to be familiar with the 1976 Race Relations Act, which outlawed discrimination between racial groups. A number of other laws and regulations since have framed education, including codes of practice issued by the Commission for Racial Equality, and more recent directives introduced by the European Court of Human Rights (Hill and Cole 2001). Despite the existence of such legislation, there is still a question regarding whether racism is still part of the education system. If we accept the social constructivist view, while racist attitudes are open to change, they are deeply embedded in the culture. Schools and other educational bodies may be subject to ‘institutional racism’, â€Å"the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin† (MacPherson et al 1999). Institutional racism is enshrined in the culture of an organisation, and individuals who make up the organisation may not even be aware of it. If an institution is predominantly white, it is likely that it has practices which exclude non-white people. The Stephen Lawrence enquiry in the UK in 1999 brought the issue to public attention, and a number of changes to the national curriculum, reporting procedures and monitioring levels were made. 1.2 Social Class The UK is still heavily stratified in terms of class, with resulting inequalities, poverty and social exclusion. The division between rich and poor has increased over the last 20 years, with the rich becoming even better off, and the less well off even poorer.There are various views of what the class system means. Class can be characterised on the basis of occupation and education, with manual (skilled, unskilled or semi skilled) trades equated with the working class, white collar workers with the middle classes, and professionals with the upper classes (Hill and Cole 1999). Marxism has offered a long-lasting analysis of class, suggesting that it is a vehicle whereby the interests of a few are allowed to override the interests of the many.Marx saw society as a history of class struggle, and class as closely tied up with the interests of capitalism, under which the means of economic production are placed in the hands of a small number, with most people having to sell their labour to survive. Marxists also suggest that the education system was class-ridden, existing primarily to tend to the interests of the elite by a process of ‘economic reproduction’, training people to take up a place in the work force, and by ‘cultural reproduction’’, by which children are educated to believe that the upper classes tastes are the norm, and working class ones should be rejected (Hill and Cole 1999). It has been claimed that Marxism challenges essentialism, for example by opposing the notion that the division between the working and upper classes is ‘natural’ and ‘fair’. However, many suggest that Marxism is in fact inherently essentialist rather than allowing fluidity in the class structure. For example, Marx believed in the fixed nature of the key concepts he used, ‘the individual’, ‘class’ and ‘the state’. He further assumes that people are members of a particular class for life, rather than able to move from one class to another. He also suggests that there is a unity to the concept of the ‘working class’, for example, over and above the shared conceptions of all the people who make up the class (Wolfreys 2006). Littlejohn (1978) suggests that for Marx, social class expresses an ‘essence’, with political movement reduced to expressions of interests determined elsewhere. In addition, L ittlejohn suggests, Marx saw society as having a fixed, stratified structure in which economics underpinned political, legislative and cultural layers (Littlejohn 1978). Post-modernism has suggested that the Marxist notion of class is no longer relevant, and argues that we are now in a post-capitalist era, in which the old social distinctions play no part (Hill and Cole 1999). Post-modernism is consistent with social constructivism, as it suggests that there is no reason to believe in an objective, fixed society, and that we rather need to study discourses and texts to understand what social constructs mean for the people who interpret them. For the post-modernist, personal identity has become fragmented and decentralised, and the notion of class has lost power as it has become subsumed by other measures of identity including gender and race. As identity is fragmented, so individuals can define themselves as classless, or move from class to class (Lareau and Conely 2008). In short, â€Å"social class has†¦ ceased to be of central empirical significance to our culture† (Milner, 1999). However, this view is widely disputed, for example by Hill, who suggests that post-modernists are simply unable – or unwilling – to recognize the divisive power of class in today’s society (Hill, 2002). The growth in the gap between rich and poor does suggest that class issues are still relevant. In terms of education and equality, it seems that class does play a role. Bordieu, for example, carried out empirical studies in French educational establishments, and showed that family background, social class and school are linked, with schools still representing the social and economic inequalities found in wider society. His suggestions have been confirmed by work in the US, suggesting that social differences are reinforced by the education system there, for example the policy of elite colleges such as Harvard to favour children of ex-students. Dillon also points out that access to education is not enough to increase social mobility, as working class students are likely to lack the abilities to make the most of their education that their middle class peers take for granted, for example skills in networking (Dillon 2009). It is also possible that more recent changes to education framewo rks in the UK including raised fees for higher education and more freedom for schools to select pupils will create a climate which introduces further divisions between classes in an ‘increasingly segregated system’ (Taylor 2006). 1.3. Gender / Sexual Identity Similarly, gender and sexual identity are notions with inherent problems. If we adhere to an essentialist view, it would be assumed that certain characteristics are attached to people of each gender, for example men are more intelligent, better with machinery, and better at sports, with women more suited to home making and issues to do with emotions. Similarly, an essentialist perspective might suggest that gay men are uniformly ‘camp’, dress flamboyantly and have a high-pitched voice, with lesbians likely to look like men and have a rough manner. By assuming that men and women have certain characteristics which define them, stereotyping is more likely to arise. Stereotypes can be acquired through family and wider society, and often develop at a young age, although are complex in nature and the precise nature of the stereotyped characteristics can vary considerably. Stereotypes are not innate: children first learn to differentiate between men and women before later ascribing sets of characteristics to them (Schneider 2004). Stereotypes both influence, and are influenced by, the role men and women play in society. They are problematic in that they not only describe differences between men and women, but also dictate what roles they should play. This can lead to oppression and the suppression of an individual’s freedom. Stereotypes cover a wide range of areas including cognitive abilities, physical appearance, behaviour and emotion. While stereotypes about both gender and sexual orientation are less oppressive now than t hey have been in the past, prejudice based on such labelling is still in existence, perhaps in a more subtle way (Worrell 2001), for example concerning whether women are expected to do as well in education as men. Stereotyping on the basis of gender or orientation can lead to oppression and inequality as it reinforces prejudices about difference, and can help maintain inequality and perpetuate injustices. Stereotypical views about men and women may be used to justify unfair treatment, for example paying women less on the assumption that work is less important to them (Andersen and Taylor, 2007). Awareness of the ways in which women are oppressed by men has increased since the advent of feminism, which uncovered the ways in which there is an unfair balance of social and economic power between men and women, and the extent to which men have a vested interest in controlling women to maintain this balance in their favour. Oppression of women, it has been argued, is carried out not just by individuals but is built into social and institutional structure so pervasively that it is not always obvious (Choudhuri 2008). Similarly, oppression and inequality can damage those of non-mainstream sexual ori entations, particularly gay men and lesbians. While awareness, understanding and tolerance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender people (GLBT) has increased over the last hundred years, negative treatment has not been removed. â€Å"Prejudice, discrimination and oppression on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity permeate our sociocultural context, affecting everyone in deleterious ways† (Messinger 2006, p. 44).Oppression on the basis of sexual orientation can take various forms including exploitation (not offering gay workers the same rights for spouses as given to different sex couples), powerlessness (disrespectful treatment, discrimination in the work place), systematic violence (verbal or physical abuse directed at an individual solely because he or she is gay) and cultural imperialism (the assumption that the worldview of the prevailing, ‘straight’ culture is the correct one) (Messinger 2006). Within education, therefore, there is a clear need to work against discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation, although such discrimination may well be institutionalised and hence less visible. Equality can be worked towards through a variety of methods including understanding the complexity of sexuality and gender, being aware of an challenging heterosexual assumptions and practices, understanding the role education can play in overturning prejudice, challenging homophobia, understanding how gender and orientation issues can intersect with race and class, and learning about LGBT histories (Banks and Banks 2009). Even in these seemingly more enlightened times, research evidence from the USA suggests that LGBT pupils are at higher risk of harassment within their educational instutites: many reported feeling unsafe while in school (64% compared with 10% of pupils who felt unsafe because of their gender), while many lesbian pupils reported physical and verbal harassme nt and victimisation (Klein 2007). Within the UK, legislation does exist to ensure equality for LGBT teachers, and a national initiative to reduce homophobic bullying was launched with incidents logged and a teaching programme suggested (Sears 2005). 2. Conclusion If a teacher subscribed to an essentialist view of gender, race and class, he or she might believe that one or other gender, race or social group is inherently better than others at academic subjects. This might lead to situations where the academic performance of the pupil was affected negatively or positively. For example, a belief that boys are better capable of mathematics or science might lead to the teacher spending more time with the boys, praising their good work more enthusiastically or not helping girls. A belief that Afro-Carribean boys are noisy and don’t care about their education might lead to the teacher being more harsh with boys of this race, assuming that they are more likely to be disruptive in class. A similar belief might cause the teacher to assume they are unlikely to be interested in certain subjects.Similarly, the teacher might assume that working class pupils were inherently less intelligent, and might as a result spend less time with them, and not w ork to encourage any goals of further education. On the other hand, by taking a constructivist view, there is more scope for children to be seen as individuals, and not typecast by their class, sex and ethnic background. A constructivist might also be aware of the extent to which an educational institution is sexist, racist or classist as part of its very structure, and take more steps to counteract this. References Andersen, M L And Taylor, H F (2007) Sociology: understanding a diverse society (4th edn), Cengage Learning, Belmont CA Banks, J A and Banks, C A M (2009) Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives, John Wiley and Sons, USA. Berger, P L and Luckmann, T (1966), The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge, Anchor Books, NY. Berger, M T (2006) Workable Sisterhood: The Political Journey of Stigmatized Women with HIV/AIDS, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. Choudhuri, L (2008) Community Planning for Intervention for Victims of Domestic Violence, Kassel university press, Kassel. Clarke, V, Ellis, S J, Peel, E, Riggs, D W (2010) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Psychology: An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, Cambs. Corlett, J A (2003) Race, racism, and reparations, Cornell University Press, USA Crenshaw, K W, (1991) ‘Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color’, Stanford Law Review, 43:6, 1241-1299. Dillon, M (2009) Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and Their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century, John Wiley and Sons, USA Dusek, V (2006) Philosophy of technology: an introduction, Wiley-Blackwell, Malden MA / Oxon. Giroux, H A and Shannon, P (1997) Education and cultural studies: toward a performative practice, Routlege, UK Hill, D (2002) Marxism against postmodernism in educational theory, Lexington Books, Oxon Hill, D and Cole, M (1999) Promoting equality in secondary schools, Continuum International Publishing Group, London, New York Hill, D and Cole, M (2001) Schooling and equality: fact, concept and policy, Routledge, UK Hirschmann, N J (2003) The subject of liberty: toward a feminist theory of freedom, Princeton University Press, Princetown NJ. Klein, S S (2007) Handbook for achieving gender equity through education (2nd edn.), Routledge / Lawrence Erlbaum , Mahwah, NJ. Lareau, A and Conley, D (2008) Social class: how does it work?, Russell Sage Foundation, New York. Lawson, H and Scott, D (2002) Citizenship education and the curriculum, Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport CT Littlejohn, G (1978) Power and the state, Taylor Francis, London Mahalingam, R (2003) ‘Essentialism, Culture, and Power: Representations of Social Class’, Journal of Social Issues, 59:4, 733-749. McPherson, W, Cook, T, Sentamu, J and Stone, R (1999) The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, HMSO, London Milner, A (1999) Class, SAGE, Thousand Oaks, CA. Morrow, D F and Messinger, L (2006) Sexual orientation and gender expression in social work practice: working with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, Columbia University Press, New York Ponterotto, J G, Suzuki, L A, Casas, J M and Alexander, C M (2009) Handbook of Multicultural Counseling (3rd edn.), SAGE, Thousand Oaks, CA. Rubin, E H (2005) Adult psychiatry (2nd edn.), Wiley-Blackwell, Malden MA / Oxon. Schneider, D J (2004) The psychology of stereotyping, Guilford Press, NY. Sears, J T (2005) Youth, Education, and Sexualities: A-J, Greenwood Publishing Group, USA. Taylor, M (2006) ‘It’s official: class matters’, The Guardian, Tuesday 28 February 2006. Vygotsky, L S (1925/1978), Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes, Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA. Walsh, J (2010) Theories for direct social work practice (2nd edn.), Cengage Learning, OH Winat, H (2002) The world is a ghetto: race and democracy since World War II, Basic Books. Wolfreys, J (2006) Modern British and Irish criticism and theory: a critical guide, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh. Worell, J (2001) Encyclopedia of women and gender: sex similarities and differences and the impact of society on gender, Elsevier, USA How to cite Social Work Gender Class, Essay examples

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Introduction The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is a not-for-profit organization that was started in 1978 with the primary objective of ending violence against women (NCADV, 2015). The organization has worked with legislators to develop public policies. Among the organization’s success stories is its involvement in the passage of the Violence against Women Act through advocacy campaigns, joined by other groups of similar interest.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on National Coalition Against Domestic Violence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This report seeks to study the operations of the organization with the primary goal of identifying its weaknesses and recommending changes to boost its growth. In this regard, the company’s mission and vision shall be studied in comparison to those of similar organizations and a gap analysis generated. The gap analysis shall inform the ch anges that will be recommended. Mission The mission of the NCADV is to advocate for societal power by training communities to encourage change and support a structure of thinking and authority among people, which aims at bringing domestic violence to an end (NCADV, 2015). NCADV works under the premise that violence against women and children arises from the use of force and threats to gain dominance over the other parties in personal relationships. The organization also believes that domestic violence is fuelled by the misuse of power and authority through such biases as racism and homophobia (NCADV, 2015). The organization understands that the abuse of power in society encourages domestic violence by creating environments that support battering of women and children (NCADV, 2015)., It is, therefore, the mission of NCADV to advocate a change in society, which serve to fight all forms of domestic violence directed at women and children (NCADV, 2015). The organization works by buildin g strong coalitions at all levels of society. It provides technical and financial support for community-based organizations, some of which provide shelter for women and their children affected by domestic violence. The focus of NCADV’s leadership is to fight for the rights of marginalized groups with the aim of getting rid of societal elements that encourage violence against women and children (NCADV, 2015). Vision NCADV works to ensure that the welfare of victims of domestic violence is one of the main political and legislative item in America (NCADV, 2015). The directors of the organization believe that in days to come, political parties will add domestic violence legislation as key campaign element while consulting NCADV’s research data and expertise (NCADV, 2015). NCADV works to compound all efforts aimed at ending domestic violence under one body. This will make the unified voice stronger and it will have a bigger impact on society (NCADV, 2015). NCADV also hopes to educate the society about domestic and dating violence while offering support to all marginalized groups (NCADV, 2015). The organization seeks to widen its information database while dealing trying to reduce the damaging effect of domestic violence on women and children (NCADV, 2015).Advertising Looking for assessment on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, NCADV hopes to make the public know that the symbol of the purple ribbon represents the mission of the organization, which is to bring peace to all American households (NCADV, 2015). The directors of the organization foresee a time when incidences of violence in homes are broadcast and printed in all media channels. This will give the work of the organization the same level of attention institutions working to end Cancer and AIDs (NCADV, 2015).  NCADV also hopes be a leader in teaching countries around the world on the best approaches tha t can be used to fight domestic violence (NCADV, 2015). Swot analysis Strength NCADV’s main strength as a human services organization is that it has a number of strong supporters, among them Take a Stand and Mineral Fusion, organizations that are of great repute. The organization’s directors have good relationships with most of the leaders of companies with big sponsorship budgets, an advantage that could be used to increase the sponsorship funding. Another strength NCADV has is a strong management team. The team is smaller compared to those of rival organizations, but it has been properly nurtured to give these older rivals a run for their money. The fact that NCADV has been involved in advocacy missions that have successfully led to a decline in domestic violence against women and children gives the organization an edge over younger institutions, which have no portfolio to boast of. The institution’s successes have been properly documented and can be used to s ecure more sponsors. Weaknesses One of NCADV’s weaknesses is that it has fewer sponsors, in comparison to younger rivals Communities United Against Violence and Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. Being an older institution that has vastly remained unchanged over the years, it wrongly gives the impression of not being a ‘serious’ organization, and sometimes drives uninformed publics to regard it as being ineffective. Being an old organization, NCADV is also disadvantaged in terms of getting more sponsorship, with most companies now working towards establishing working relationships with younger organizations. Another weakness, the organization has, is its low spending power, which makes it unable to compete with the other organizations that have bigger budgets dedicated to marketing their services. This weakness is further worsened by the fact that the organization is yet to get a strong sponsorship-seeking team.Advertising We will write a custom ass essment sample on National Coalition Against Domestic Violence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Opportunities As members of the public continue to appreciate NCADV’s services, it has developed its own networks, making it attractive to potential individual sponsors. Companies dealing with organizations that target older members of society are likely to find NCADV the best organization to sponsor, further increasing its operating revenue. In addition, sponsors are gradually realizing that they have for some time been short-changed by sponsoring younger organizations, most of which do not live up to the vision they had when they were started. One of the directors of the organization says they are getting increased attention from new sponsors, who are tired of supporting organizations that do not have an impact on society (Stake, 2011). This vote of confidence might see an increase in the organization’s working capital (LeRo ux, 2009). Threats As NCADV continues to embrace change, other organizations, and particularly those in the human services industry, are beginning to view it as a strong competitor for sponsors’ attention. Similar organizations that have a stronger financial backing than NCADV can easily launch competing services once they start feeling threatened. The organization is also under constant threat from rising organizations, which bring better organizations and ideas into the market. Environmental scan of competitors In order to identify NCADV’s competitors, we interviewed a director at the organization. He informed us that the institution competes with three other organizations namely: Communities United Against Violence, Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence and the National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence. Two of these organizations offer a similar service to NCADV. Services offered by competitors In order to identify the services offered by the competit ors, we spoke to a volunteer from each of the three organizations that NCADV competes with. Below are the interviews we did: Interview with Communities United Against Violence volunteer Researcher: What services does Communities United Against Violence (CUAV) offer? CUAV volunteer: Communities United Against Violence aims at increasing the strength of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning people in a bid to tame the violence and oppressive forces that have traditionally been directed towards these groups.Advertising Looking for assessment on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Researcher: How is this accomplished? CUAV volunteer: The organization aims to give services that lead to the healing of victims of abuse. It also seeks to encourage the communities to break chains of trauma and replace them with bonds of protection and liberation. CUAV aims at creating communities in which the rights of all people are respected. The organization has witnessed increased membership in recent days due to the general rise in awareness of sexual minority groups (CUAV, 2015). It is regarded as the fastest rising organizations because of the support it receives from individuals and companies cutting across all facets of society. Interview with Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) volunteer Researcher: What services does Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence offer? CAEPV volunteer: Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) has championed the fight against domestic violence since 1995. Researcher: What is the main difference between CAEPV and the other human services organizations it competes with? CAEPV volunteer: The main distinguishing factor of this organization is that it was established by business leaders, with the aim of fighting the vice in the workplace. Since the time CAEPV was started, the hundreds of companies joined it with the aim of exchanging information, working on similar projects, and using their strength and power to bring about change in communities. The organization has on occasion sent out messages encouraging peaceful relations between the genders in family setups, but its key objective has been ending gender-based violence in office setups (CAEPV, 2015). Interview with National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence (NCCAFV) volunteer Researcher: What services does NCCAFV offer? NCCAFV volunteer: NCCAFV is an organization that seeks to prevent reports of violence against women and children, by bringing all involved parties together. These involved parties include spouses, police and professiona ls trained to handle emotional and physical trauma. We offer guidance and counselling services as well as conduct training on how to prevent the incidence of domestic violence in communities. Need for services provided by NCADV and community capacity Even with young organizations posing a major threat to older community Service organizations, there is a great section of the American population that greatly appreciates the service that NCADV is offering. As a mature organization, NCADV has been effectively gradually selling the idea that it is a people-centred organization, which does not aim at making Americans wait months for services. By appealing to this emotion, the organization has in its existence managed to get a legion of loyal followers and supporters. Gap in services From the gap analysis, it has been shown that NCADV’s competitors have benefited from keeping their scope of coverage open. NCADV’s strategy is to be the preferred organization for the older comm unity. Unfortunately, influencing this group is harder to convince than younger generations, because of the lesser exposure that members in the group have been subjected to. The younger group is constantly on the internet from where they now get most of their information and they can easily identify programs and organizations, whose mission and vision they relate with. Older individuals generally do not care to seek the services of human service organizations and it is, therefore, difficult for NCADV to convincingly reach its mission of being a formidable organization in the region. The management at NCADV pegs their success on numbers. By keeping their scope narrow, the organization can easily increase reach, without the costs being too high. However, the community, in which they operate, has traditionally been led to believe that any organization worth its name has to have extensive coverage. The two organizations that NCADV is in competition with have the backing of wealthy compa nies and they can easily scale up.  Another gap in services, which has been shown in the analysis, is the fact that NCADV, like its two rivals, has been slow in the implementation of modern communication systems. For instance, being a human service organizations, it would be great for NCADV to have live-chat functions integrated with their website. This is fundamentally because most of the problems that members seek help need immediate answers (Chen, Hedrick and Young, 2010). Contracting the services of social media managers will also help the organization deliver service to the public with ease, while appealing to younger audiences. Modern society has driven young people to congregate on social media platforms and any organization of repute needs to utilize these platforms to drive its agenda. NCADV should get professionals to help them effectively run Facebook, Twitter and Instagram account and campaigns in a bid to win new followers and supporters. As a human service organizati on, NCADV needs to find new ways of making the public aware of the services it offers. This can be achieved through door-to-door campaigns, where team members from the organization deliver brochures to potential households. There is a chance that there are numerous families in America that would be interested in the services offered by NCADV, but do not know how to go about it. Attending public fora, such as basketball games, and placing banners at venues is another good method of making the public aware of the services offered by the organization. Strategic plan NCADV is dependent on sponsorship revenue for its successful growth. In this regard, every element of the organization’s strategic plan should be focussed on making their services irresistible to the public. Strategic goals Nurture and expand its following NCADV has over the years developed a good following. However, for it the organization to gain more followers, the management needs to take into account the needs a nd desires of their public, top on the list being the depth of services they offer. The management at NCADV needs to re-evaluate their plan and consider increasing the number of services they offer. This might necessitate a reduction in their nationwide bases, but it will win them more sponsors, who want to associate with a respectable organization. To measure success in this strategic goal, NCADV can contract the services of various data collection firms. Companies such as Magnetic 360 and Data Services Inc. can do survey on NCADV and provide data that shows how the number of NCADV followers and awareness has been increasing over time. The organization can come up with an estimate of the number of members it should have within a particular amount of time and then collect data to find out whether it meets the targets. For instance, it can aim to gain 100,000 new members in three months and if it does, then success will have been achieved. If on the other hand it falls short, then th e board needs to meet and find ways of improving their reach. Acquire new sponsors For NCADV to be taken seriously, the management might need to consider increasing its attractiveness to individual financial partners. By encouraging individuals to sponsor their programs, NCADV stands a great chance of not only increasing its working capital, but also widening its contacts list. This is because, once small sponsors come on board and see that their money is put to good use, they will convince peers to support the program. In this strategic goal, the organization’s board of directors needs to agree on the amount of money they need to raise and send out proposals to potential sponsors. A milestone for this goal would be securing the signature of strong individual sponsors, both in terms of finances and the expertise brought on board. For human-service organizations like NCDAV, the process of fundraising is always ongoing and there can never be a time when the organization says it has more money than it needs. It is on this backdrop that NCDAV will continue to look for new and creative ways of raising funds to further its causes. Improve and expand relationships with existing sponsors NCADV has managed to foster organization relationships with some companies. However, for the organization to grow, the stakeholders need to make sure that they keep up these relationships as they forge more partnerships. The organization needs to invest heavily in its publicity department. The organization heads should ensure that the people they recruit have the necessary skills to approach and convince companies to sponsor the organization. Constant interaction with sponsors and leaders of an organization in the country will help NCADV get more support. In the human service industry, there is no maximum number of sponsors that an organization can have. However, there is an optimum number, which when reached can confirm that the organization is successful (Ross, 2010). The org anization, after evaluation of its expenses, can then decide how many sponsors it needs to have to be successful. This can be one milestone, which can then be improved upon in later assessments. Encourage employee growth The success of any organization is dependent on the dedication and commitment of its employees. NCADV has managed to recruit a strong team, which has successfully provided support to the public for years. Its sponsor-signing team has also done well to register a number of organization accounts and promises to do better in coming days. The senior management staff at NCADV needs to recognize the hard work that has been done by its employees so far and encourage them to keep working hard. NCADV has a generally flat structure in its departments. However, a competitive environment, with proper promotion and pay-rise structures, needs to be created. Employees are generally more motivated when they know that their hard work could lead to a promotion, which comes with bette r pay. Fostering a culture that encourages employee growth is a continuous process (Sridharan and Nakaima, 2011). However, while setting up the promotion and pay hike structures, a number of milestones can be set up with specific metrics. For instance, the establishment of the promotion structure can be one milestone and once it is set up successfully, it can be checked off the list. Stakeholder needs assessment A The primary stakeholders in NCADV are the sponsors. These individuals have committed a substantial amount of their money to funding the project and they expect it to bring a great impact on society. Below are five questions, fronted to one of the key sponsors, and which were used to identify and assess his needs. What are the toughest challenges you have to deal with? Before NCADV was started, extensive research was conducted and clear milestones established. It was clearly shown that the organization was headed to success and as I injected money into the project, I was su re of a return on my investment, in terms of seeing a violence-free society, in less than two years. However, not everything has gone according to plan and I have had to shift my expectations. As a sponsor in the organization, the biggest challenge has been managing my expectations. I do not actively participate in the development of the project, but I would like to see that all promises made are adequately delivered. I invested a lot of money in the project and I hope to see it work to the benefit of the general society. The other challenge, I have to deal with as a sponsor in the organization, is trying to stay away from the daily development of the project. I do not have the technical expertise or experience required to run an organization, but I sometimes would like to be more involved, just to see how my money is being used. However, I know that by doing this, I will be getting in the way, further slowing the successful growth of the organization. I have learned to trust the te am managing the project because they are better skilled than me. What do you consider success to be? Success in any human services organization is seeing all the goals outlined in the company’s mission being achieved. For non-profit organizations, one of the key milestones is self-sustainability. Once the organization has enough cash-flow to meet daily expenses, it can be said to be headed for success. For the case of NCADV, the organization is yet to raise enough sponsorship to adequately cover its daily operating costs. Projections show that in the next few months this trend will be reversed and the organization will be well on its way to success. It may be easier to give up on the organization the moment it appears not to meet growth expectations, but I know that success tends to come after a difficult beginning. NCADV is an organisation founded on the desire to make the communities we live in safer for everyone. The primary desire of the founders is to see men, women and children peaceful living together. If this objective of domestic peace is maintained, then the organization can be said to be 100 per cent successful. However, like with every element of society, there is bound to be some difference between the intended goal and reality. Measures of success can be based on individual families impacted by the organizations work. For instance, if three different families come to seek assistance from NCADV and to get the help they need to be peaceful, then the organization will be 67 per cent successful, which by most ranking methods is a passing grade. What elements do you think have affected the growth of the organization? As far as the growth of the organization is concerned, I am inclined to believe that its growth has been slowed down by forces beyond our control. For instance, being a relatively old organization, NCADV was bound to be met with slow acceptance from young members, who are used to a handful of organizations. Convincing them that a m ature organization is more credible than the emerging fancy lot was a difficult task, but after many success stories, I think we have managed to win them over. Sponsors also have their own preferences, and getting them to shift their allegiances is still a challenge. Companies nowadays prefer to stick with organizations that make their brand appear edgy and convincing them to put their money on an old organization may prove challenging. It is this delayed crossover that has led to the slowed growth of NCADV in terms of cash-flow. On the positive side, a number of big spenders, have given the organization great endorsement by severally sponsoring it on it. If this trend keeps up, the organization is bound to keep growing, to reach the ultimate goal of national and even global coverage. What would happen if we don’t change the way things are done today? One of the things that need to change is unnecessary spending. The organization has registered a number of expenses that are n ot immediately necessary for the growth of the institution. Given the fact that the organization’s cash flow is not yet at desired levels, it is imperative that expenditure be limited to things that are needed to run the organization. If spending is not properly tamed, the organization’s finances may run out earlier than projected. The sponsor-recruitment representatives have also been sitting in a comfort zone and have not been performing as per expectations. The team appears unmotivated, perhaps because they know that at the end of the day, they are subject to a basic pay whether or not they sign a sponsor. The head of this department needs to push her team to bring in more advertisements and if the situation calls for it, cut down on the retainer salaries of her team until enough sales are registered. Without a functioning sponsor-recruitment team, it may be difficult for the organization to attain the desired levels of profitability. What would be the worst case sc enario for the organization? The worst case scenario would be to have NCADV shut down. This would be unfortunate the tens of workers will lose their jobs and their only source of livelihood. However, after sticking with the project for a couple of years, we are committed to seeing its success and unless things happen that are beyond our control, we will not allow the organization to fail. Another undesirable scenario is the withdrawal of key sponsors. If for some reason some of our primary sponsors begin to see little advantage in working with us and opt out, the organization will have difficulty maintaining daily operations. This can in turn lead the administration to either temporarily or permanently relieve some workers. During the last stakeholders’ meeting we agreed on several things, among them the recruitment of stronger board members, someone with a strong network. This is one of the measures that have been taken to ensure that the organization keeps growing and that it has a strong network of sponsors to keep it running efficiently. Stakeholder needs assessment A The workers at NCADV make up the other group of stakeholders. These members of staff depend on the success of the organization for their salaries to be considered. Below are five questions asked to one auditor at the organization to establishing his needs. Are you satisfied with the level that NCADV, as an organization, has reached so far? Yes, I am satisfied with how the organization has grown but I believe there is room for improvement. When the organization was starting in 1978, it was not easy to discern what it would look like several years down the line. However, the organization’s services have been effective and it continues to stand out from older rivals. The team has been successful by offering credible services for months. I find the performance of the sponsorship department wanting because projections at the start of the organization had indicated that by such a time , there would be regular sponsors coming on board. Some members of the team have left and others come in but the performance is still less than desirable. The organization sometimes goes months without signing new sponsors, which means that it has to rely on particular sponsors to fund the day-to-day administration. The directors of the organization need to find a way of making the sponsorship representatives work harder in order to keep the organization running once the funds raised by long-term partners runs out. What do you think should be done to make the organization more attractive to members and sponsors? Most Americans believe that the bigger and fancier an organization is, the more credible it is. NCADV being a relatively old and quiet organization has had to contend with the challenge of convincing both young members and sponsors that it is progressive. In order to have a meaningful impact on the public, I think the management should consider increasing the number of servi ces offered. This will effectively lead to an increase in the operating expenses, but the risk can be mitigated by cutting down on the number of offices until the organization has gained the desired reputation. The design and layout of the organization’s website also need reworking to make it modern. When the organization was, the main aim was to get the message out and little thought was given to giving it a vastly modern face. However, years later, I believe it is time that the organization’s look be revised to make it compete effectively in the ever-changing market. Proper investment needs to be dedicated to getting the website live as well as marketing the organization on various social media platforms. In addition, the organization’s printed publicity material needs to be properly updated for the purposes of reaching the members who do spend a good amount of their time on the internet. At the moment, the organization’s flyers look haphazardly done an d do not immediately catch the eye of the members. What changes would you recommend to the NCADV administration to improve employee comfort? The salaries, that NCADV accords its employees, is fair based on the industry rates. However, the organization needs to consider providing more benefits such as house allowances for its permanent employees. These incentives will encourage the staffs to work harder, further leading to the success of the organization. In addition to the allowances, the organization needs to set up a promotion framework, which clearly outlines the criteria for moving an individual from one job group to another. Employees are generally motivated when they know that their hard work could lead to them getting promoted. Regular meetings with members of staff will help senior administrators at the organization find out how the employees view their positions in the organization and things that can be done to improve their welfare. Another way, by which the organization can encourage employee comfort, is properly rewarding good performance. Members of staff who meet their targets should be publicly rewarded as a way of encouraging their peers to work equally hard. Such small incentives make the organization appear people-focused from within, making it have an even bigger impact on society. What would be the impact if NCADV was to shut down? It would be unfortunate if NCADV was to shut down because not only will a great organization have left the market, but also because a number of people will lose their source of livelihood. After years of operation, NCADV is constantly bucking trends in the human service industry and if it keeps up, sooner or later sponsors will realise that they are missing out on a great opportunity to get their brands recognized by members of the public. It is, therefore, imperative that the directors stay patient and allow the organization to grow to sponsors and members. Shutting down at this stage will be harmful to the obj ective of maintaining peace in households. It will also be undoing the steps that have been made in the right direction during the past 37 years. What strategies can NCADV use to fight competition? NCADV is a relatively old organization but has managed to keep its younger competitors threatened. However, a lot more needs to be done for it to stay relevant. First, the organization needs to invest more in publicizing its services. The shuttle-branding and flyer distribution, that was done a few years ago, had a slight impact, but it needs to be redone. Billboards on select routes and radio spots are good ways of giving the organization the attention it needs from members of the public. On the partnership front, NCADV’s sponsorship division leader needs to find ways of attracting smaller sponsors. Given that the project is still in the growth stage, encouraging people to give anything they can afford will lead to an increase in the organization’s sponsorship pool. Develop ing an online platform that will allow individuals contribute as little as $1 could boost the organization’s funding options. I believe the time, when organizations would wait for a fat cheque from one company to come their way, is fast going behind us as we approach the era of crowd-funding. By embracing these modern methods of fund-raising, the organization is bound to appeal to the youth, ultimately giving it a new edge over competitors. Personal reflection While working on this document, I have learned a number of key things about the administration of human services organization. The exercise has helped me appreciate the challenges that institutions such as NCADV go through on a daily basis as they seek to teach societies on the importance of maintaining harmonious living in families. Speaking with key heads at NCADV was informative and it also made me aware of the complexities of the decision-making process within large organizations. The directors interviewed made us u nderstand that the administration of human service organizations such as NCADV does not just stop at getting money from sponsors. On the contrary, we were made to know that the work gets harder once the money comes in. This is because it is at this stage that the persons in charge are required to maintain accountability.  Working with fellow classmates on this project has also helped me appreciate the importance of teamwork. We decided to split the work based on our individual strengths and at the end of it all we managed to present a paper that could be used to inform changes in the organization. Among the challenges we faced while working on this project was the coordination of group meetings. We could not find a time that was convenient for all team members and we were forced to compromise on a number of things in order to get the work done. These are challenges I am sure to expect in my position as a human services administrator. Our collective strength as a group made it easy for us to identify the key stakeholders in the organization that our report was based on and get them to give us the kind of information we needed. In some cases, we had to promise the members involved that we would present them with a copy of this report, for the evaluation of their work. This self-sacrifice is an important element of my work as a human services administrator and it is one area that I hope to keep working on. After this exercise, my report-writing skills have vastly improved. I can now walk into any affiliate organization, collect information about it and do a report on its performance and changes that can be made to make its operations more fluid. I now understand that the report-writing classes, we have taken in this course, were not exercises in futility. I plan to take the knowledge garnered seriously and use it to better myself as a human services administrator. In addition, I intend to take more short courses that improve my human services administration ski lls. I also hope to volunteer with more institutions in duties that will improve my skills as a human services administrator. 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Ten steps to making evaluation matter.  Evaluation and Program Planning, 34(2), 135-146. Retrieved from Walden Library using the Science Direct database. Stake, R. E. (2011). Program evaluation particularly responsive evaluation. Journal  of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 7(15), 180-201. Retrieved from Walden Library using the Directory of Open Access Journals database. This assessment on National Coalition Against Domestic Violence was written and submitted by user Graysen K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.