Choosing a community practice model

Read the attached handout and answer the following questions

  • identify and describe the theoretical model that you would like to use in an intervention plan for the community you are using in your Community Needs and Services Assessment (Homelessness and lack of affordable housing is the community in need)
  • Describe your rationale for choosing this theoretical model. What are the strengths of using this model with your community? What are the limitations of using this model with your community?

Choosing a community practice model

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The community in need is people experiencing homelessness and lack of affordable housing. The selected theoretical model that can be used when working with the population is the social action model. As per Pedler (2020), the model focuses on harnessing collective power in order to leverage change within communities. Professionals using the model assume that there is a disadvantaged population group that needs to be organized before demanding for better resources and treatment within the community. The aim of the social action model is to promote resource and power redistribution and create an equitable and just society. The model is based on the empowerment theory, social support, social networking, and the ecosystem perspectives. The rationale for the selection of the model is that homelessness is caused by lack of sufficient income to access or maintain sufficient housing. According to Mabhala et al. (2017), factors such as unemployment, underemployment, poverty, and mental health issues maintain homelessness. The social action theory can help reduce homelessness rates by facilitating research on the extent of the issue and its impacts, creating awareness, and organizing people to implement directed intervention to reduce and prevent homelessness rates.

The main strength of the social action model is that it involves members of the community and focuses on empowering them to create change. The model also brings people together and can persuade people in power to address specific social issues (Pedler, 2020). However, the limitation of applying the model among the homeless community is that while the model may promote change, it does not consider power distribution in the society. The homeless community is vulnerable and has little power in the community hence it may be difficult to mobilize them to influence social change.

 

 

References

Mabhala, M., Yohannes, A., & Griffith, M. (2017). Social conditions of becoming homelessness: qualitative analysis of life stories of homeless peoples. International Journal for Equity in Health16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-017-0646-3

Pedler, M. (2020). On social action. Action Learning: Research and Practice17(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767333.2020.1712833

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