According to the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE, 2008) Position Statement: Home Economics in the 21st Century, Home Economics professionals are advocates for individuals, families and communities. Home Economists are concerned with the empowerment and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. Achieving optimal and sustainable health and wellbeing for individuals, families and communities are the primary driving concerns that underpin all Home Economics philosophy and practice.

Purpose of this assessment

This assignment is designed to facilitate and encourage student learning using a “deep approach” to pedagogy. Considering the above focus statement, as an educator, you will become a valuable member of the community within which you live and work. Educators need to be able to research issues that affect their students, families and communities, and also have the skills to engage and collaborate with local families, community members and organisations. This assignment is a little different from the “usual” university assignment. The learning goals for this assignment will immerse you in an individual, family or community health and wellbeing issue relevant in your local area (Task 1 - written report), accompanied by community engagement activity (Task 2 - community-based activity) that will help you develop communication skills, critical thinking, disciplinary knowledge, cultural sensitivity, leadership, and self-reflection.

Written Report – 1500-2000 words

This written report needs to be completed so that you have the necessary background information to engage in your community-based activity (Task 2). You may choose to show your report to your selected community organisation and used for feedback or guidance, so make sure that it is professionally presented.

Your written report needs to address all of the following:

1. Identify various community services available in your local area that support individuals, families or communities.

2. Select one (1) focus issue and an appropriate organisation in your local community that addresses that issue.

3. Collect and analyse information about the issue and include in your report:

• Investigate background information about your selected organisation (philosophy, mission statement, clients or target audience, services provided, key personal, structure, funding, general information, history)

• Locate relevant statistics about the issue - use Australian Bureau of Statistics and/or World Health Organisation statistics;

• Differentiate approaches that have been used to address the issue - what works, what hasn't worked;

• Use academic research journal articles (minimum of 3) that support the approaches taken to the issue;

• Clarify recommendations for “best practice” or how to tackle the issue, how to engage or communicate with clients (individuals, families, communities, the environment); and

• Reflect on what else needs to be considered about the issue (complexity) - for example, cultural sensitivity, geographic location, funding, education, and so forth.

Guidelines for completing your report:

1. Use CQUniversity Library Resources to locate academic journal articles. Ensure that you critically analyse all information for credibility, accuracy, and reliability. Do not use inappropriate internet sources.
2. Use a report structure. Use appropriate headings and sub-headings to "signpost" your report and to indicate to your reader that you have addressed each section. To guide you, your report should have a title page, an introduction (approximately 250 words) that states the issue you are researching, body (approximately 1000-1500 words), conclusion (approximately 250 words), and reference list (not included in word count).
3. You may include pictures and diagram but only if they enhance your report.
4. Dot points are acceptable when listing local services; however, the bulk of the report is to be written in full sentences, use appropriate paragraph structures, spelling and grammar. Edit your work before submission. Remember that you are becoming an education professional and your own levels of literacy need to be of a high standard.
5. Use APA style of referencing (in-text) and reference list. Support for using APA is available in Moodle.

Further information about this assessment task is found in Moodle. You need to read both Assignment Task 1 and Assessment Task 2 in-conjunction. Weekly briefing and scaffolding in Moodle will assist you to complete these tasks.

1. Identify ways in which different family types and relationships function in our ever changing society
2. Understand that the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities are interdependent, supported or challenged by social structures and change, resources available, communication and conflict resolution strategies.
3. Critically evaluate influences such as government and non-government agencies, education and technological advances on social trends and structures in our society and their impact on wellbeing.

Task 2: Community-based activity (50%)

There are two potential types of projects: direct service and indirect research. If you choose a direct service project, you will spend most of your time actively working with a local organisation in its day-to-day functions. An example of a direct service project could be volunteering at a soup kitchen or an aged care facility. An indirect service project, you will spend most of your time doing some “behind the scenes” research and communicating your findings to an organisation in your local community. An example of an indirect service project would be gathering data that assesses the impact of a social service provider on their clients or doing some office work as directed by the organisation.

What types of organisations are you allowed to choose?

The two most important criteria are that:

1. you already have a relationship or solid connection to the organisation; and
2. that the organisation is oriented toward the provision of “public service”, broadly defined.

Organisations should be non-partisan which means that the organisation is not biased or partisan, towards any particular political or religious group. If they are a faith or religious based organisation (for example, the Salvation Army), they should offer a social or community service in addition to spiritual guidance.

Not-for-Profit or Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) are most likely to meet these criteria. If you are interested in working with an organisation that does not have this status (such as a social business venture, a specific religious institution, or an organisation that is working to achieve NGO status), please contact your tutor or course coordinator.

How many hours are required?

Because each project is unique, there is no specific hour requirement. However, for planning purposes, a good range to complete the whole project is 15-25 hours outside of allocated university study time, completed over the course of the academic term. You are expected to visit the organisation at least twice during this time. You must clearly communicate and negotiate your availability and limitations with the community organisation. The ratio of time spent between direct contact and/or behind the scenes research will vary depending on your project and the structure of the organisation. (This time also includes things like transportation, emails, background research, talking with people, and “hanging out” in the organisation).

How is the work structured?

The ideal of community-based engagement is that student projects build knowledge in ways that simultaneously benefit student learning and the community partner. This focus on the collaborative process of knowledge building is cultivated through a series of briefs. Specific instructions and guidelines for each brief are found in the Weekly Moodle Content.

The student will determine the actual activities, time lines and products in dialogue with the organisation.

To achieve this dialog it will be important for students to quickly identify a contact person within the organisation who is both willing and able to discuss the student projects. Part of the planning process will include a discussion with the contact person about his/her schedule and expectations.

What to submit?

1. Self-reflection questionnaire; and
2. Folio unique to your experience.

What will the folio look like?

Your final folio assessment will take many different shapes depending on the interests of the students and the needs of your selected the partner organisation. All students must complete and submit a self-reflection questionnaire - template provided - see Moodle for further details and additional folio material unique to your experience. You are welcome to negotiate content for your folio product with your tutor or course coordinator. Some examples may include:

• A concise narrative of your direct service and what you learned about the organisation and its impact
• A documented facilitation of a conversation within an organisation or of partnerships between organisations
• A video journal
• A written journal
• Documents that help the organisation measure its impact or keep track of its achievements
• A report on the results of a survey
• Media that communicates the organisation’s work to a new audience

Be creative! While you are constructing your folio, you are encouraged to share your work in the Yarning Up Space in Moodle and your peers will offer suggestions for clarification and improvement. In Week 12 you will then submit your self-reflection questionnaire and folio in electronic format for marking via Moodle. After it has been marked, you are encouraged to submit your folio to the partner organisation for their review and feedback.

1. Engage professionally in a community-based activity.
2. Reflect on the relevant points of view (perspectives) relating to a focus issue and on how alternative perspectives impact the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.
3. Analyse the many factors (complexity) related to a focus health and wellbeing issue.
4. Evaluate creative solutions to pedagogies (community engagement) and assessment (authentic) encompassing relevant curriculum frameworks in secondary schools.