Assume the role of a leader in the social work field tasked with organizing a symposium to
address the needs of a particular client system. Your first task is to create the symposium
brochure that will be distributed to a widely selected potential audience.
Instructions
First select a client system (any of the ones covered in this course).
For that client system, provide a description with sufficient information on the specific
system itself, its environment, its demographics, presenting problems, and their relation to
global issues such as poverty, immigration, vulnerable populations, treatment of women
and children, and discrimination. Share this information in an “About This Symposium”
section in the brochure.
Examples of systems are:
● Families.
● Groups.
● Organizations.
● Communities.
Next, find a keynote speaker who is an expert in the field on the problem topic or the client
system and assign them a topic. This must be a real person; in your “Introduction to the
Speaker” section of the brochure, you will share why you chose this person, including their
expertise, research and publications in the area, and experiences in practice.
You will then create seven presentation descriptions for the symposium program guide
that will address the following questions:
1. What do we know about the problems and the client system?
2. What are the global implications of the problems and solutions?
3. What are current interventions used to address the problem or problems?
4. How are this problem and client system impacted by technology?
5. What software is available to address the issues?
○ How can technology, in general, be used to address solutions?
6. What are the latest emerging interventions, and what are their prospects for
success?
7. What will social work leaders need to do to bring attention to the client system
and its issues? Using your leadership style (without noting that it is yours),
discuss how it is effective in making communities or stakeholders aware of
client system issues.
Each description will consist of at least 6 sentences with the topic title, similar to what you
would find in a symposium program guide.
Each description will be based on your research on the topic, written as if you or another
expert were really presenting.
● Describe your chosen client system in sufficient detail that a social worker
reading the description would understand the client environment, including
global implications, demographics, and presenting problems.
● Compare experts in the field (problem or client systems) to choose a keynote
speaker.
● Evaluate current and emerging interventions for addressing the problem.
● Explain how this client system is impacted by technology.
● Analyze leadership activities needed to bring attention to the system and its
problem.
● Design a brochure that is professional, informative, and complete.