Humanities

TO PREPARE

· Reflect on the top five strategies you prioritized during the Week 4 Discussion. Think about any changes you would make based on feedback you received from your peers and/or Instructor.

· Consider how long it would take you to carry out the community needs assessment plan. Take into account how long it will take to assemble and meet with your team, implement the strategies you prioritized, achieve the goals that you defined, and overcome any obstacles or delays that might occur.

· Review the Learning Resources on decision-making protocols. Think about which protocol you would use with your team if you carried out the community needs assessment.

BY DAY 7

Submit a 1-2-page paper (not including a title page or reference page) that addresses the following areas. Use the bolded section of the instructions as a heading in your paper.

· Refine the Problem Statement. Refine your problem statement, based on what you learned from your peers, your Instructor, and/or the Learning Resources this week and in previous weeks.

· Develop a Team Strategy. Normally, after you have identified a project team, you would meet with the team and collaborate on the items listed below. In this case, since you are only planning the community needs assessment, you will address these items yourself rather than with a team.

· Describe the top five strategies that you would prioritize to address the problem and prevent its recurrence. Explain your reasoning for prioritizing the strategies, including how the time and resources it would take to implement each influenced your decision making. Be sure to incorporate any feedback you received from your peers and/or your Instructor during the Week 4 Discussion, if applicable.

· If you were to conduct this assessment, what is your estimation of the amount of time it would take to carry it out and why?

· Describe the proposed decision-making protocol (e.g., majority vote, priority- based decision making) that you would use to reach a consensus among team members if you carried out the community needs assessment. Explain why you selected this protocol.

Refine the Problem Statement

Discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community regarding equal housing, employment, and medical insurance/healthcare is a systemic issue that deprives individuals of their fundamental rights, creating long-term negative consequences (Ramirez et al., 2022). Despite efforts to combat the problem, it persists in many countries, highlighting the need for effective and equitable policies and solutions to ensure that all members of the LGBTQ+ community have access to the same rights and opportunities as their peers. Discrimination has been linked to increased poverty rates, mental health issues, and social exclusion in the LGBTQ+ community, making it a critical issue to address to ensure equality and justice for all.

References

Ramirez, L., Monahan, C., Palacios‐Espinosa, X., & Levy, S. R. (2022). Intersections of ageism toward older adults and other isms during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal of Social Issues, 78(4), 965–990. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12574

WEEK 4 DISCUSSION

The social problem I chose for the Final Project is discrimination towards LGBTQ+ individuals concerning equal housing, employment, and medical insurance. This issue has been around for some time but has only recently been addressed due to the increased visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. Discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals is an issue that affects all aspects of life, including the ability to access employment, housing, and medical insurance. This problem is still prevalent in many parts of the world, and we must take a proactive stance in addressing it.

Five Strategies to Address and Prevent the Problem

When it comes to addressing this social problem, the following five strategies were prioritized:

· Education and awareness campaigns: The first step to combat discrimination is educating people on the issue and creating awareness. This can be done through public awareness campaigns and initiatives, such as workshops, lectures, and public service announcements. This is essential in creating a more inclusive and accepting environment, as it helps people understand the issue and its impact on the LGBTQ+ community (People, 2020).

· Legal action: Taking legal action is another critical step in combating discrimination. This can include filing lawsuits, lobbying for legislation that protects the LGBTQ+ community, and working with organizations that specialize in this type of advocacy. Legal action is an essential tool as it can result in a tangible change that can help to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community (People, 2020).

· Support networks: Creating support networks for the LGBTQ+ community is another essential step in addressing this social problem. This can include creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals to come together, providing resources and services to LGBTQ+ individuals, and creating a sense of community and support. This can help to create an environment that is more accepting and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community (People, 2020).

· Corporate initiatives: Companies can play an essential role in addressing this social problem by implementing corporate initiatives to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community. This can include implementing diversity and inclusion policies, providing resources for LGBTQ+ employees, and creating positive public campaigns (People, 2020).

· Political action: Political action is also vital in addressing this issue. This can include contacting legislators to advocate for legislation protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, running for office, and participating in protests and rallies. A political action is an important tool in creating long-term change and protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community (People, 2020).

Reasoning for Prioritizing and Time and Resources

These five strategies were prioritized because they are all effective ways of addressing this social problem and can have a tangible impact. The time and resources it would take to implement these strategies also played a role in my decision-making, as I wanted to prioritize strategies that could be implemented quickly and easily with minimal resources. In addition, these strategies can all be implemented in tandem, which allows for a more comprehensive approach to tackling this issue.