Fall /Winter 2008 issue:
From the Editor
Janet Hagen, Ph.D.
Welcome to the Fall/Winter 2008 edition of Human Services Today. We have a great line-up of information for you in this issue with two articles and our usual departments. There are two notable milestones in this issue. The first is that the number of our subscribers continues to grow. At the NOHS conference in Tucson I received great feedback about the journal. Additionally, the Council for Standards in Human Services Education has offered to partner with us in publicizing the journal so that we can publish it more often. We are growing!
Dr. Susan Kincaid, whom many of you know for her many years of significant contributions to the Council for Standards in Human Services Education, in her article Diversity and Social Justice Dynamics: An Analysis of the National Standards for Human Services Education asked a critical question of the standards of that organization. To answer that question she wove the available literature on human service practice, her knowledge of CSHSE history, her knowledge of the standards as well as her knowledge and commitment to social justice in a manner that objectively examined the extent the emphasis on social justice is important in the accrediting process.
In Introduction to Grant Writing for Undergraduates and Community Professionals Dr. Linda Wark provides an overview to an introductory grants course that was open to undergraduates. Uniquely, it was also open to community professionals on a not-for-credit basis. This article traces the development of the course across five semesters and includes content, methods and the author’s reflections about the course development. This article will be beneficial to instructors, and as a thought-piece to those who write grants. According to Dr. Wark’s research nearly all human service organizations need grant awards for survival so it may be a timely piece to add to your students’ reading.
Web Resource Spotlight
Dr. Susan Cramer provides us with up-to-date information available on the web and thought-provoking ideas about how we can improve our future-forecasting. Along with data collection and strategic planning resources she invites us to learn about environmental scanning and other ways to inform your thinking about the future.
Internationally Speaking
Dr. Alfred Kisubi asks us to take a more global view, transcending political borders, of our client groups in his International Editorial: A Modest Proposal. Citing a variety of well-respected human service professionals, as well as his own international programs, Dr. Kisubi, skillfully narrates and supports our personal and professional development as we focus on world systems, cultures and issues.
Leadership Challenges
In Leadership During Hard Times Dr. Janet Hagen takes a look at what she terms “intentional leadership” which reflect those qualities of leadership that are particularly important during times of economic uncertainty. Among these are: emotional awareness and authenticity, principled choices, integrity, and follow-through.
In the Field
In this issue we review Wise Woman Gathering Place a nonprofit community-based organization developed by Native American midwifes to serve women and families both native as well as others. While still practicing midwifery, they also focus on families and, in particular youth. They work with youth in the community through a relationship discernment curriculum called “Discover Dating.” This curriculum has been well-received by many other organizations working to help youth make good decisions about themselves now and for the future.