My Future Career
Name
Institution
My Future Career
Evaluation of Career Selection
For this paper, I discuss my future career journey. My current training in human services is part of my journey towards self-employment in the field of human services. I mainly intend to be a director or owner of a non-profit organization that caters to the needs of other people. I particularly select this direction because I am exhausted from being employed and compelled to invest too much in building other people’s dreams. Mostly, when employed, one is forced to invest effort, but the employers rarely appreciate their investments. Therefore, I am convinced that being my boss is my best option so far. Besides, I have also noted significant gaps in my current community, and I believe attending to them is the best option. I have realized through experience that most organizations only do much paperwork but fail to serve the community at the ground level. I am thus convinced that by focusing on this area of human services and starting my non-profit organization, I can be of relevance in my community.
The Populations and Capacity of Service
I intend to serve a broad population of individuals, mainly. My vision of Adams Place is derived explicitly from the encounters I have with my brother, who suffers from autism. By this organization, hence, I intend that a wide variety of individuals will receive essential services by coming to Adam’s Place. To do this, I will seek to have contracts with multiple organizations that deal with particular forms of human services. Such agencies that I will seek partnerships with include DSS, The Health Department, Social Security, and Veteran affairs. Contracting with these organizations will ensure that my services in the community will be not only relevant but also diverse. The primary reason behind my diversification is to ensure that I am not only narrow-focused but also relevant and helpful to the needs of the entire community in which I operate my business. My services will mainly focus on disabled groups of people, such as those with an autism spectrum disorder.
Type of Organization
In the early stages of my career, I had to choose between human services and social work. I, however, preferred being a human services specialist because this degree is broad-based and has many links with social work. The fact that most units taught in universities and colleges are similar convinced me to select the direction of human services. Presently, I am a certified member of the Human Services Board. This certification enables me as a human service professional to stand out in my profession and earn better pay in general. Specifically, by specializing in this area of human services, I am better placed as a human services specialist. My knowledge in human services convinces me that I should start up a non-profit organization that caters to the needs of disabled groups in my community. I am convinced explicitly because this will enable me to be of immediate relevance in my community.
Societal Issues Facing the Human Services
The field of human services has suffered many challenges. The first of these is the limited use of technology in this field. Tight and limited budgets in most human services organizations have led to most organizations either investing too little or not spending any funds in the development of technologies (“Challenges in the Human Services Field,” n.d.). This lack of investment in innovative technologies has left many organizations in this field behind most businesses and agencies. While technology may be a catalyst for human service agencies around the world, it has not attracted as much interest as it deserves. It is vital that organizations dealing with human services also invest in technology because it may help them serve their communities better. Secondly, the challenge of attracting and maintaining employees stands as a significant challenge in this field (“Challenges in the Human Services Field,” n.d.). While people enter this profession to serve others, the temptation to look for higher wages always proves hard to resist. In today’s job market, most people want to earn more payments, and staying in a low paying organization in the name of serving the community seems complicated. Moist human services organizations, therefore, cannot attract qualified staff in such an environment. For this that can attract employees, retaining them is always challenging. Good employees still end up leaving in search of better salaries in other businesses. The third main challenge is the issue of finances. Most human services organizations do not easily find funding for their operations. Hence, the organizations that work with the charity arms of major global corporations always find their way more comfortable. However, for organizations that are stated without such financial support, struggles always set in soon. The present challenges in this area of operation, anyway, have always been overcome.
One Historical Issue Related To the Population
Discrimination and bullying have been the primary issue among disabled members of the community. Precisely, autistic members of the community never enjoy a quiet life. They are often persecuted because of their helplessness and lack of external defense. According to research studies performed in the United States of America, for example, autism children always experience bullying of some form. Averagely up to 38% of autism pati8ents have been bullied (Zablotsky et al., 2013). Of these, most have suffered emotional trauma while others have feared for their safety in the communities in which they live. Surprisingly, some have experienced physical assaults. Some patients often seek political asylum in nations where their behaviors may subject them to torture by other members of the community. Besides autistic people, other disabled members of the community are never immune to such abuse. It is therefore vital that members of the community that suffer such limitations of whatever type are protected by human services agencies. The primary aim of such protection should be to shield these people from the harsh conditions they are subjected to.
Current and Future Challenges that Clients and the Organization Might Face
In serving the disabled members of the community, the organization may face several challenges. As stated in the previous sections, human services suffer many issues in their operations. Such matters may include the inability to attract and retain employees, financial limitations, and limited use of technology in their operations. The primary present and future challenges for the organization, in this case, of the three, is underfunding. The running of this organization is not with support from any external corporations. However, alone, it is difficult to raise all the required finance to run the organization. As a consequence of this limited finding, the organization will mainly be compelled to work with few employees. On the contrary, clients may also face several challenges. The main of these is the inability of the organization to serve all potential clients. However, the organization will continually strive to help as many clients as possible.
Performing the Role in the Field and Supervision
The performance of the role of serving disabled members of the community is not comfortable. However, in the field of practice, the organization I mentioned will enroll potential clients and provide them with empowerment and education on their rights. Information is a powerful tool, and equipping people with is the first step to liberalization. Besides, the organization will lobby for equal inclusion of all people in community events. It will also advocate for the availing of equal opportunities for all and reduction in the persecution of disabled members of the community. The supervision for the organization will be availed mainly by the government and donors.
Working Relationships and Maintenance of Healthy Boundaries
The primary relationships with colleagues will be a partnership. Colleagues in the organization will be selected mainly based on their interest in human services. As a result, we will mostly relate as partners with a common interest in advocating for the needs of the population chosen. To maintain healthy boundaries, I will consistently strive to ensure that the relationship is mainly professional and limited.
Other Services and How the Work may serve the community
Besides advocacy services, the organization may also consider housing some disabled members of the community that need such. This is because the target population mainly suffers discrimination, and it may not be uncommon to meet such people on streets begging. Therefore, helping in this manner may significantly contribute to reducing the number of suffering people in the immediate community.
Impact of the Community on Clients and Organization
By advocating for the needs of discriminated members of the community, a human services agency supports the effective functioning of a society. This is mainly by fostering and championing for the availing of equal opportunities to all and the protection of the interests of the weak in the community. Through a heart of serving the community, the organization will enhance the community fabric.
Impact on the global needs of the population
The primary need of discriminated populations around the world is protection and advocacy. As a human services agency, my organization will primarily work on protecting the bullied members of the community, including autistic individuals and other handicaps. In so doing, the organization will promote equity and respect for the disabled members of the community.
Comparison with a Similar Organization
The Voice for America’s children is a non-profit human service organization that primarily protects the interests and wellbeing of children. It primarily addresses the needs of children like childhood education, healthcare, and justice in law courts. The organization is similar to the one described herein because they both intend to serve the interests of the discriminated. This is the primary interest of human services – to protect the oppressed.
An effective model of a human services agency
A human service model must specifically be designed to care for the needs of the target population. The medical model comes in mainly when the issue at hand is health. (“Models of Service Delivery,” 2014) The moral model, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with mental health issues and bases mostly on careful observation and complex therapies. The psychodynamic model is the third framework that has supported the human services profession much. It encourages clients to discuss their issues with the professional. Of these models, the psychodynamic model is more promising. Organizations dealing in human services need to stress on the need to listen to clients and have their version of the matter clarified before an intervention is designed.
References
Challenges in the Human Services Field. Concordia University Chicago. Retrieved 2 July 2020, from https://career.cuchicago.edu/challenges-in-the-human-services-field/.
Models of Service Delivery. Openlab.citytech.cuny.edu. (2014). Retrieved 2 July 2020, from https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/the-composition-of-happiness-f2014/2014/10/21/chapter-4-models-of-service-delivery/.
Zablotsky, B., Bradshaw, C., Anderson, C., & Law, P. (2013). The Association between Bullying and the Psychological Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 1. https://doi.org/10.1097/dbp.0b013e31827a7c3a