Snow (2013) defines advocacy as the process of “eliminating oppressive forces in clients’ lives and working at a systems level towards achieving a more just and fair society” (p. 6). Advocacy often requires advanced human services professional practitioners to make an argument about why a specific service user—or group of service users—need a service. This argument could be made to those in power who control the allocation of services or to the general public to raise awareness about a specific social justice issue. Therefore, practitioners must be able to present a clear and concise argument that is persuasive enough to secure services or mobilize the public to support an issue.

In this Discussion, you create an advocacy pitch on behalf of a service user from one of the Hart City scenarios assigned this week.

Reference: Snow, K. C. (2013). The importance of advocacy and advocacy competencies in human service professions. Journal of Human Services, 33(1), 5–16. Retrieved from https://www.nationalhumanservices.org/assets/Journal/journal-of-human-services_fall-2013.pdf

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

TO PREPARE

· Review your Course Announcements for possible information related to this week’s Discussion and Assignment.

· Review the Learning Resources on the role of advocacy in human services. Think about the challenges diverse groups of service users face and the ways in which advanced human services professional practitioners can advocate for service users.

· Review the Learning Resources on developing an advocacy message. Pay particular attention to how to film yourself and upload media in the Blackboard classroom.

· Go to the Hart City virtual community using the link that is provided in the Learning Resources. Visit the Hart City Human Services Agency, the Hart City Middle School, and The Families With Disabilities Support Center. View the scenarios associated with each organization and select one to focus on for this Discussion.

· Use Kaltura to record a 2-minute advocacy pitch for the service user in the Hart City scenario you selected.

BY DAY 4

Post the 2-minute video of yourself giving the advocacy pitch. Within your post, indicate the Hart City scenario to which you are responding.