Social Problem & Social Welfare Response For your Major Course Project, you will select one social problem or population discussed (or will be discussed) in this course and examine the issue from a broader social welfare perspective.

Social Problem & Social Welfare Response

For your Major Course Project, you will select one social problem or population discussed (or will be discussed) in this course and examine the issue from a broader social welfare perspective.

Rather than developing a service plan for an individual client, you will investigate:

• The nature and scope of the social problem
• Populations affected
• Factors contributing to the problem
• How society has responded to the problem
• Social welfare programs and policies
• An actual agency or organization addressing the issue
• Barriers and gaps within the current response
• The role of the social work profession
• Changes that could improve the response

The goal is to demonstrate your understanding of the relationship between social problems, social welfare, social services, and social work.

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Step 1: Select Your Topic

Choose one social problem or population related to material covered in the course.

Possible topics include:

• Poverty
• Homelessness
• Food insecurity
• Mental health
• Substance use
• Child abuse and neglect
• Family violence
• Juvenile delinquency
• Crime and incarceration
• Reentry after incarceration
• Problems within education
• School dropout
• Unemployment
• Workplace problems
• Older adults and aging
• Caregiver needs
• Healthcare access
• Individuals with disabilities
• LGBTQIA+ individuals

Your topic should be specific enough that you can identify actual programs, policies, services, and organizations responding to the issue.

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Part I – Understanding the Social Problem

Introduce your selected social problem.

Address the following:

1. Clearly define the social problem.
2. Who is most affected by the problem?
3. Identify at least three factors that contribute to the problem.
4. How does the problem affect individuals and families?
5. How does the problem affect communities or society?
6. Identify one common misconception or stereotype associated with the issue or population.
7. Explain why that misconception may be inaccurate or incomplete.

Your goal is to help someone unfamiliar with the issue understand why it is considered a social problem.

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Part II – Scope of the Problem

Use current and credible information to demonstrate the scope of the issue.

Include:

1. At least three current statistics related to your topic.
2. At least one statistic should represent the United States as a whole.
3. At least one statistic should represent North Carolina or your local community, when information is available.
4. Identify one current trend related to the issue.

For example:

• Is the problem increasing or decreasing?
• Are certain populations affected more than others?
• Has demand for services changed?
• Are communities responding differently than they did previously?

Do not simply list statistics. Briefly explain what the information tells us about the problem.

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Part III – How Has Society Responded?

Social welfare responses change over time.

Briefly examine how society’s response to your selected issue has developed.

Address:

1. How was this issue viewed or addressed in the past?
2. Identify one significant change in how society responds to the issue today.
3. What contributed to this change?
4. Has the change improved services or outcomes? Explain.

You are not required to provide an extensive historical timeline. Focus on changes that help explain the current social welfare response.

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Part IV – Social Welfare Response

Identify how the current social welfare system responds to your selected problem.

Identify at least three programs, policies, services, or publicly funded initiatives related to the issue.

For each, explain:

• Name of the program, policy, or service
• Purpose
• Population it is designed to help
• Type of assistance or support provided
• How it is funded or supported, when this information is available
• How individuals or communities benefit

Remember what we discussed at the beginning of the semester:

Social welfare is much broader than DSS and traditional public assistance.

Consider federal, state, and local government programs as well as publicly supported community systems.

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Part V – Agency Spotlight

Identify one actual agency or organization responding to your selected social problem.

Whenever possible, select an organization that serves your local community, region, or North Carolina.

Include:

• Agency/organization name
• Location
• Mission or purpose
• Population served
• Major services provided
• Geographic area served
• How the organization is funded, if available
• How individuals access its services
• One strength of the organization
• One limitation or challenge facing the organization

Important

Do not simply copy information from the agency’s website.

Explain how the organization fits into the larger social welfare response to your selected problem.

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Part VI – Barriers and Gaps

Even when programs and services exist, people may still have difficulty receiving assistance.

Identify at least three barriers or gaps associated with the current response to your social problem.

Examples may include:

• Transportation
• Cost
• Eligibility requirements
• Lack of funding
• Staffing shortages
• Waiting lists
• Rural access
• Limited hours
• Lack of available programs
• Stigma
• Language barriers
• Lack of public awareness
• Technology barriers
• Policy restrictions

For each barrier:

1. Explain the barrier.
2. Identify who may be affected.
3. Explain how the barrier limits access to services or support.

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Part VII – The Role of Social Work

Explain how the social work profession is involved in addressing your selected social problem.

Address:

1. Identify at least three roles social workers may perform when addressing this issue.

Examples include:

• Advocate
• Case manager
• Counselor
• Educator
• Broker
• Community organizer
• Program developer
• Policy advocate
• Administrator
• Researcher

2. Explain how social workers contribute to addressing the problem beyond working with individual clients.
3. Explain why empowerment is important when working with the population affected by this issue.

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Part VIII – Your Recommendation for Change

Based on everything you learned, identify one realistic change that could improve how your community, state, or the social welfare system responds to this issue.

Your recommendation could involve:

• Expanding an existing service
• Developing a new program
• Increasing funding
• Improving transportation
• Increasing prevention efforts
• Improving public education
• Improving coordination among agencies
• Changing eligibility requirements
• Addressing a policy barrier
• Expanding services to an underserved population
• Increasing workforce capacity

Explain:

1. What do you recommend?
2. Why is the change needed?
3. Who would benefit?
4. Who would need to be involved in making the change?
5. How could the change improve the current social welfare response?

Your recommendation should be realistic and connected to the information presented in your project.

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Part IX – Course Connection

In approximately 1–2 paragraphs, respond to the following:

How does your selected social problem demonstrate the relationship between social problems, social welfare, social services, and the social work profession?

Also explain one way your understanding of social welfare has changed since the beginning of the course.

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Part X – Sources

Use at least five credible sources.

Your sources must include:

• Zastrow & Hessenauer textbook
• At least one government source
• Official website of the agency/organization you selected
• At least two additional credible sources

Examples of credible sources include:

• Government agencies
• Universities
• Professional organizations
• Research organizations
• Peer-reviewed articles
• Established nonprofit organizations

Do not rely primarily on Wikipedia, blogs, social media, or general Google search results.

Include a reference slide at the end of your presentation.

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Project Format

Create a professional presentation using:

• PowerPoint
• Google Slides
• Canva

Your presentation should contain approximately 15–18 content slides, not including the title and reference slides.

Your presentation should include:

• Clear section headings
• Concise information
• Appropriate visuals
• Current statistics
• Professional formatting
• Citations for information obtained from outside sources

Avoid placing large paragraphs of information on your slides.

You should be able to explain the information presented rather than simply read the slides.

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Suggested Presentation Organization

Slide 1: Title

Slides 2–3: Understanding the Social Problem

Slides 4–5: Scope and Current Statistics

Slide 6: How Society’s Response Has Changed

Slides 7–9: Social Welfare Response

Slides 10–11: Agency Spotlight

Slides 12–13: Barriers and Gaps

Slide 14: Role of Social Work

Slide 15: Recommendation for Change

Slide 16: Course Connection

Slide 17+: References