EXTRA CREDIT OPTIONS FOR SWRK 246 - Option 1
For either your place of employment or field agency, conduct an observation to assess the following components of client access. Use at least five of the following criteria:
1) Wait time for service (in waiting area; length of time between application and first provision of service).
2) Social stigma associated with applying for the service.
3) Clarity and restrictiveness of eligibility requirements. Does the agency serve all in need or refuse services to some groups of people?
4) Complexity and length of application. Documentation required (if any) to be submitted with application.
5) Accessibility for people with disabilities (both physical accessibility and availability of special services such as interpreters for the deaf or Braille translations of documents).
6) Transportation (availability of parking and public transportation; urban/rural location; access from highways and main roads).
7) Hours of operation. How are these hours likely to affect specific groups of clientele (for example, working people, families with children, etc.).
8) Costs (service fees and whether clientele are likely to need to spend own funds to produce documents or otherwise obtain service).
9) Language. Are documents available in languages other than English? Are workers who speak languages other than English available to serve clients? Does the organization rely on translators to provide service?
10) Do services appear to be culturally appropriate? (Hint: you will need to define cultural appropriateness for specific groups in order to address this question).
Write a two page paper describing your findings. VALUE TOWARD GRADE: 5 POINTS
Option 1B Conducting a comparative audit of access in at least two agencies.
Visit a second agency (one that does not employ you or that is not your field agency). Conduct (as feasible) an access “audit” such as the one described in Option 1A. Write a 3 to 4 page paper that compares and contrasts each of these two agencies in terms of client access to services. 10 POINTS