Assignment Paper

Capstone Part 1: Assessment of context and literature
The Capstone project represents the culmination of your knowledge, skills and values developed throughout and across the Master in Social Work program. You will demonstrate your understanding of a social or psychosocial issue, the community context in which it occurs, the current theoretical orientation and knowledge base, as described in the extant literature. You will identify a specific problem to be addressed in your project, using a micro, mezzo or macro client system. Next, you will develop a plan for intervention. In SW676, you will implement your plan and evaluate the outcomes.
Part 1 of the Capstone project starts with an assessment of the context in which you are completing your social work specialized practicum or field placement. If you are not in a placement, you will focus on the community in which you live.
Drawing on generalist skills, this assignment reviews the peer-reviewed literature, policy, and organizational context within which social work practicum occurs or – if you are not in practicum – the community in which you live. For all the work below, you should choose one aspect of the organization’s work or community to focus on.
This is a worksheet to prepare you for the full Capstone project. Use the four headings to create a Word document and briefly report your findings.
Agency / Community Context:
1. Review of Literature
Identify 3-5 peer reviewed journal articles or other scholarly sources that address one aspect of the agency’s context, such as client population served, geographic area, or social problem addressed. List the reference and write a brief (2-3 sentence) summary of key findings.
• Example: If you are placed at a substance abuse agency, identify scholarly sources that relate to the client population, treatment outcomes, policies. Be specific here and hone in on a specific aspect of the program, services or community that you will target your Capstone project.
• Example 2: If you are not in a placement, identify articles that relate to your specific community and a social problem you identified. For example, if panhandling is an issue in your community, find and review relevant scholarly sources about this problem; find research specific to communities like yours – rural/urban, high/low SES, etc.

2. Theory
Identify and briefly summarize the application of one theory that relates to or helps to understand the work of the organization, the issues facing the population, or any other aspect of this context. (1-2 paragraphs)
3. Policy
List and briefly describe (2-3 sentences of key points) two policies at the state or federal level that impact the work of the agency or the social problem/issue in your community.
4. Power and Diversity Issues
Identify systemic power issues and/or issues of diversity that may be affecting social justice in relation to this problem (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.) 2-3 paragraphs