How do you feel about becoming a social change agent, leader, and advocate? What areas of interest do you have that are related to bringing about a society committed to the mental health and welfare of its members? How might you inspire current and future students and colleagues so that they relate to and become engaged in doing something to bring about this vision? How do you plan to remain a competent human services professional?

Human services professionals are committed to understanding and addressing professional and societal issues. As you continue on your journey as a human services professional, it is your responsibility to constantly engage in professional development. This engagement might include continuing education courses, conferences, graduate degrees, certifications, and research, to name a few.

To prepare:

• Identify at least three personal and/or professional      commitments that you are willing to make as a result of your understanding      of the need for social change, leadership, and advocacy. 
• Consider steps you might take in your professional      development to become a more effective social change agent, leader, and      advocate. 
• Consider how your new understanding might impact your      future work as a human and social services professional.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of at least three personal and/or professional commitments you selected. Explain how your understanding of social change, leadership, and advocacy has impacted your commitments and your willingness to make them. Explain the next steps you might take in your professional development to become a more effective social change agent, leader, and advocate. Then, explain how your commitment might impact your future work as a human and social services professional. Be specific, and provide examples to illustrate your points.

Required Readings

Homan, M. S. (2016). Promoting community change: Making it happen in the real world (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage.

· Chapter 4, “Putting Yourself in the Picture” (pp. 96–112)

Wronka, J. (2017). Human rights and social justice: Social action and service for the helping and health professions (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

· Chapter 6, “Ground Rules” (pp. 297–318)

Austin, M. J., Regan, K., Gothard, S., & Carnochan, S. (2013). Becoming a manager in nonprofit human service organizations: Making the transition from specialist to generalist. Administration in Social Work, 37(4), 372–385. doi:10.1080/03643107.2012.715116. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.