Comparison of National Programs Addressing Contemporary Issues
Final Project: A comparison of two national programs addressing a contemporary issue in studies in human behavior
From Units 1–4, you provided an evaluation of a community issue or program and researched its development, goals, and resources. In Unit, (SEE ATTACHED) you expanded this evaluation by focusing on new resources to be integrated in a national response to the issue or program you reviewed. This final project integrates both assignments by asking you to analyze two national programs that address your identified issue.
Using your information from the local research and adding the bibliographic resources (SEE ATTACHED) to expand that information, you are now prepared to provide an analysis of programs that may have used PAR in their development or may have emerged through more traditional methods. With your expertise in the local community issue, your additional research into national programs and responses to community challenges, your ability to decipher how various disciplines come together to respond to issues at a national level will demonstrate the collaborative responses we incur in the social and behavioral sciences field.
Consider the theories, stages of development, diversity, cultural influences, and methods of communication these national programs describe. Focusing on the larger response and the vital components of national programs, you will see the interdependency of organizations and individuals providing sources to meet a common goal.
The project consists of a 15 page paper including abstract, table of contents and references that compares and contrasts two national programs that have used multidisciplinary responses to a topic similar to the issue you defined in your local community.
For example, if you chose to study teen programs in your community for after school support and presented your PowerPoint (SEE ATTACHED) on that topic, your final paper will be a comparison of two national programs that do support teen after school programs.
Viewing the collaborative efforts from a multidisciplinary perspective your paper, comparing and contrasting two national programs that address this specific topic, will include:
• The introduction, historical background, and literature review of the topic of concern (3–5 pages).
• The composition of the programs—including stakeholders, leaders, developers, and participants.
• The resources incorporated to address the problem including organizations, grants, advocates, structures, et cetera.
• The integration of organizations responding to the need, including information on leadership, advocacy, and collaborative efforts and required to develop and maintain the program.
• The cultural components of the programs and the specific services provided with a focus on diversity within the population, provided from psychological, sociological, and human development orientations.
• The summative results of the national program and its level of success.
• Your suggestions for improvement considerations in both programs based on a collaborative perspective.
Your paper will evaluate these programs, not merely list, and determine the similarities and differences in composition and service delivery focusing on the development of collaborative efforts that have responded to this need. Your consideration of leadership, advocacy efforts, organization of the program that addresses diversity and culture is important. In addition, viewing national resources as compared to those locally used for your topic should provide you with a great insight into the differences of opportunities available at different levels of implementation.