Developing a Policy Advocacy Practice for Preventing and Ending Homelessness. (12th June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith-Maddox, Renée; Brown, Lauren E.; Kratz, Stacy; Newmyer, Richard
• Is Part Of: Journal of social work education. Volume 56(2020)Supplement 1
• Page Start: S4
• Page End: S15
• Publication Date: 2020-06-12
• Subjects: Social work education -- Periodicals; Social work education -- United States -- Periodicals; 361.305
• DOI: 10.1080/10437797.2020.1723761
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1043-7797

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The Policy Advocacy and Social Change course is a specialized practice course offered in the Master of Social Work Program (MSW) at the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. The course is designed to introduce MSW students to a variety of policy frameworks (i.e., Kingdon's policy window, political model of reasoning) and analytical approaches (i.e., intersectionality and stakeholder analysis) that focus on developing their policy advocacy practice. Both the instructors and students are challenged to develop new ways to engage, distribute, and share knowledge about improving the lives of homeless individuals. Through the course assignments, which include a social issue report, policy brief, and policy advocacy campaign using social media, social work graduate students gain the skills and competencies needed to activate their agency and build capacity to become effective policy advocates.