Respond to  two of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways: · Suggest one alternative contribution that advocates and/or consultants could make towards addressing the social problem that they discussed

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Respond to  two of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

· Suggest one alternative contribution that advocates and/or consultants could make towards addressing the social problem that they discussed.

· Provide one insight that you had or conclusion that you drew about how advocates and/or consultants further social change in the human services profession.

 

SHELLON

Social problem

The social problem I choose for my final project is the implementation of Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (TVET) in low-income communities in Guyana, South America. TVET programs aim to reduce educational inequality by addressing the multifaceted needs of low-income children and youth (Galindo, 2017).

 

Roles of Advocates and Consultants/ Similarities and Differences

By definition, advocates do more than one of the following: (1) speaks on behalf of; (2) make recommendations; (3) support or defend, (4) argue for a cause; and (5) plead on behalf of others (Alliance for Justice, n.d.). On the other hand, the engagement of consultants varies by foundations type and is used to help support various aspects of work, such as (1) providing expertise in technology; (2) helping with communications and marketing; and (3) helping with evaluation (McGill, 2015).

The use of consultants in communication and marketing will be utilized because of the diversity of Guyana ethnic groups, which includes Indo and Indigenous Guyanese and Afro and Mixed Guyanese within the communities (Constantine, 2022). Advocacy in organizing, a legislator on education issues, training, public education, and educational networking will be the main focus since the social program addresses the lack of TVET programs in schools. In the beginning, the primary focus of advocacy will be educating the public about the social issue to identify and engage the key stakeholders. Identifying individuals to gather information such as the history of the current situation (Stroh, 2015) will help build an understanding of the current reality of the social problem.

 

SHUKRY

The Roles of Advocates and Consultants in Social Change

The need for social change has influenced how social problems are addressed by implementing programs to influence decisions, public agenda, allocation of resources, and social norms and practices (Stroh, 2015). Effective change is also achieved when people or stakeholders with knowledge and background of the problem decide on potential strategies to respond to the social problem and avoid its recurrence (Stroh, 2015). In a case where some people may fail to decide on such strategies, advocacy is one of the key factors to consider to achieve positive social change. This advocacy focuses on speaking or acting in favor of others while recommending, supporting, or defending on behalf of those in less power or without the ability to make more sustainable and lasting solutions to the social problem (Alliance for Justice, n.d.). Advocates take the appropriate steps in ensuring that people are aware of strategic solutions to take to address the social problem and effect a positive social change (Alliance for Justice, n.d.). This discussion paper presents information on the roles that advocates and consultants engage in the paper presents a detailed discussion on such roles based on the community needs assessment plan designed for the final project. This is aimed at providing the foundation to understand how advocates and consultants contribute to social change in the community. 

The Social Issue or Problem

The social issue or problem for the final project is that people with hearing loss and people with disabilities face discrimination and prejudice from across organizations or employers, especially during employment practices. The reported cases of discrimination and prejudice against people with hearing loss and people with disabilities are demonstrated in the study by Bonaccio et al. (2020), which showed that there is social injustice and unfairness between hearing people and people with hearing loss and disabilities during the hiring process, which has led to unequal employment opportunities in some organizations. The study revealed that hearing people are more employed in organizations than people with hearing loss and those with disabilities, which is attributed to discrimination and prejudice (Bonaccio et al., 2020).

The Roles That Advocates and Consultants Will Play in the Community Needs Assessment

Advocates and consultants have some similar roles such as acting on behalf of other stakeholders involved in implementing social change initiatives. They serve as communicators and help build social network support that is crucial in mobilizing those with less power to make decisions about the change initiative (Alliance for Justice, n.d.). Thus, about the chosen problem of my final project, advocates and consultants have a crucial role in speaking on behalf of people with hearing loss and those with disabilities regarding social justice and fairness during employment practices. These professionals will help guide employers to successfully implement the needed change in organizations that support inclusivity and respect for all people, including those with hearing loss and disabilities. However, advocates and consultants have different roles in addressing the problem. Advocates educate the community on the social issue, educate people on the legislative process, provide relevant information reflecting the true story of the community, and take regulatory efforts to mobilize people and take necessary actions in response to community issues (Alliance for Justice, n.d.). Conversely, consultants design and provide an action plan and expertise for the necessary change (McGill et al., 2015). Thus, regarding the social issue for the final project, advocates will work with employers and discuss the discrimination and prejudice against people with hearing loss and disabilities and suggest possible solutions to undertake to avoid social injustice and unfairness that signify discriminatory and prejudiced behaviors during the employment process. The consultants will provide employers with the necessary expertise to respond to the social problem of discrimination and prejudice. Also, while advocates act as communicators of people with hearing loss and those with disabilities, consultants will serve as advisers who provide suggestions and perspectives about the possible solutions to address discrimination and prejudice that people with hearing loss and with disabilities experience when it comes to employment opportunities.