Field Placement Assessment Draft
SCYAP is an organization located in Carolina which offers specialized foster care to families and youths who are troubled and needy. The organization is a non-profit therefore it has largely depended upon other departments for financial support. My experience in working with the organization was smooth due to good organization culture that involves all staff. The organization is mission oriented where families any youths are at the focus of everything. The field placement assessment report will be elaborated together with the history of the organization and its management.
The organization where I conducted my internship was South Carolina Youth Advocate Program. This is an organization that is private; non-profit that offers a variety of therapeutic services that are in line with the needs of families and children. To facilitate this, the program works with family, community, and agencies so that it can provide individualized care and other family services that can be tested easily. The organization is enthroned in the authority of the Board of Directors. The responsibility of the board is to assign all the duties regarding day to day operation of the organization to the Chief Executive Officer of the company. This is an illustration that the company uses a governing board comprising of a board of directors. SCYAP employs managerial, administrative, program as well as support staff positions to ensure that all their needs are met.
The mission of the organization are achieved in SCYAP where they ensure every child, regardless of color, race, gender, and any other special characteristic have the right to have family and home. To make these possible, the organization work closely with communities and other agencies to identify children in need and help them accordingly. The organization has achieved the mission by ensuring that it is at the forefront all the operations within the organization. It is a commitment to youths and families is very vivid where the organization perseveres with them so that they can children needs. More to this, SCYAP ties its success to the success of the youths and families served, and it ensures that the programs set within the organization are flexible, innovative and adaptive to meet the needs of the families.
The approach used by the company is inclusive where it promotes respect and open-mindedness when working with the families and children. This is done to ensure the mission and goal if the organization is met. Also, SCYAP is committed to promoting growth and development of staff and the parts which act as fosters. This is because they are the individuals who can best be used to meet the mission of the organization through continued learning and their skills.
Funding Sources
SCYAP being a private, non-profit organization depends largely on the department of social services as the main source of the funds to facilitate the program. Medicaid also plays a part in the funding of the organization as it offers 32% of the total funding. To ensure that the organization have stable finances, it uses several sources including several departments. Among the departments include the Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Mental Health and the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. Contribution and donations also play a part in the funding of the organization together with investment income.
The Governor’s Office Continuum of Care contributes to the program too which has led to a sustained financial source. Interest income attained by the organization is also used as the source of income. Considering the different funding options employed by the company, the organization can be said to be well equipped where it ensures financial sustainability by not depending on a single source of funds. All these sources ensure that the company meets all the needs of the children including offering them basic needs required when going back to school.
Organizational History
SCYAP organization came to existence in the year 1990 with the aim of providing out of a home and specialized care for all youths and children with special needs. It started as a small program offering services in Charleston and SC but later spread its services to the state’s coastline. Due to increase in the number of foster homes and youth families that were being served by SCYAP, the State Offices changed their location to Columbia, and more regional offices were initiated throughout the state. Since the origin of the organization, SCYAP has not only expanded regarding the scope of work but has added more services to the initial ones. It started as a foster care services program, but it has grown to include community-based services as well as non-residential services.
Currently, the organization offers a variety of programs all aimed to improve the well-being of youths and families who are troubled and with difficult issues. With the creativity and flexibility offered by the program, the organization has managed to work with such children and families by providing them with the foremost needs and placing them as the priority of the program. It has also managed to include other services besides specialized foster care.
Interview Guide
How did you become interested in this organization?
For how long have you worked with SCYAP as an instructor?
Can you describe a typical day for you on the job as an instructor?
What interests you about this job?
What is the typical path in your career field that led you to this career?
Are there any skills and knowledge acquired from your major college path?
What are some of the things employers look for in a job applicant of an instructor?
What is the greatest thing have you ever achieved while in this organization?
Give me an example of a situation when a family claimed to have been supporting a youth under your organization. How did you handle the case?
What are some job strategies you could recommend for someone looking for a job in this organization?
How should I equip myself with skills to enter in this field of employment?