African American Male

Applying Change, Leadership, and Advocacy Theories to Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Populations

Human services professionals advocate for the rights of all members of society, including the members of minorities, disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, and groups that might experience discriminatory practices. For example, in 1963, the Family Service Association of America called for a national policy to end racial and ethnic discrimination, eradicate the causes of poverty, and protect and strengthen American families (Alliance for Children and Families, 2012). This resulted in the Community Mental Health Act, which greatly expanded community outreach and services to reach traditionally underserved populations (Alliance for Children and Families, 2012).

To prepare for this Assignment, review this week’s Learning Resources. Review the disadvantaged or vulnerable population and challenges you identified for this week’s Discussion. Think about how you might apply change, leadership, and advocacy theories and processes to address those challenges.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

•Briefly describe the disadvantaged population you selected for the Discussion.
•Briefly describe one of the challenges you identified in the Discussion.
•Explain how you could apply change, leadership, and/or advocacy theories and processes to address the challenge. Be specific, and provide examples to illustrate your points.
•Explain the importance of acting as a social change agent, leader, and advocate for the disadvantaged population.

Support your Application Assignment, citing all resources in APA style, including those in the Learning Resources.