Grand Challenges Raising Awareness Project

Practice problem for the profession of social work : Teenage at risk of Mental Illness 

Practice question is chosen for the profession of social work : "What is the most contemporary teenage substance abuse, adverse impacts and ways it can be prevented to ensure that they transform to better and responsible adults." 

Introduction 

Choosing a problem and question to guide someone in understanding the modern grand challenges related to the practice problem has never been direct to social workers. Although, as the world population increases, many problems have come up especially in this modern era, and as a result, social workers have found themselves in a challenging position to find solutions to such problems (Dopheide, 2013). In fact, social workers in different countries have tried to take a leading role in identifying most of the pressing problems as well as responding to them. Also, because of the skills and knowledge gained through their course of study, social workers usually develop awareness programs which are always focused on exposing issues that cause problems in communities in the first place (Quinn, 2004). After the problem and question have been chosen for this study, the paper is answered in two parts of which part one looks at the grand challenge, its overview, target audience and its statistics, while part two looks at raising awareness through developing a product, raw data as well as empirical evidence. 

A Brief Description of the General Grand Challenge 

Teenage at risk of Mental Illness 

Almost every year, researchers, especially in the social work field, argue that more than five million of people in their youth time receive treatments solving different problems but mostly the severe mental illness and behavioral issues in connection with emotions. As a result, concerned social workers across the world have been coming up with strategies to prevent such youth behavioral challenges before they spread to bigger problems(Quinn, 2004). In fact, professional social workers have used their skills and creativity in coming up with proven approaches that focus on helping youth in becoming more productive and healthy adults. Therefore, there is no doubt that social workers are doing a tremendous work as far as transforming the youth groups that are at risk of becoming victims of many problems like mental illness and related behavioral challenges is concerned. 

Target Audience 

As a professional social worker, identifying target youth group to benefit from such project has never been hard (Harpine, 2008). Therefore, the most direct people to take advantage of a project like this include homeless young people and those that have been violated in one way or the other. The reason for this target group of youth is because they are prone or vulnerable to facing problems which can limit their full potential to grow up with a healthy body and mind. In fact, early interventions to help such young people who are homeless by eliminating the threat that makes them prone to violence has helped them avoid suffering from a related mental illness which can harm their future. At this point, social workers usually use their professional skills to intervene and transform such young minds into healthy adults. 

Reasons for this Target Audience 

Researcher warns that young people continue to be at risk if there is no immediate intervention from concerned groups of people and professions like social workers. In other words, by not receiving any form of mental health advice and supports these young people need, it has increased challenges of youth becoming homelessness (Harpine, 2008). Therefore, targeting such young people who are prone and vulnerable to becoming or already homeless, is a noble cause that gives a sense of purpose to professionals like social workers. Also, there is no doubt that significant progress can be made in improving the lives of young people when there is an early intervention focusing on redeeming lost hopes of homeless young people. However, finding the best way to intervene has never been easy for social workers but having partnerships with community schools, local hospitals, and other related institutions can help social workers in accessing their target in this matter. 

Project Overview and Rational 

Most of the research fellows have dedicated their careers to finding sustainable solutions for mental health illness, but little has been done in the search for the most and universal reliable treatment for disorders related to it. As dangerous as it may sounds, research shows that mental health illnesses sometimes cause disabilities to the victims and not forgetting it’s too much health expenditure across the world(Healey, 2011). Therefore, the project intends to redeem hopes of at-risk youth who are vulnerable to having related mental disorders by coming up with strategies that help homeless young people to remain focused. At this point, the role of social workers is always studying the conditions of such at-risk youth and coming up with early prevention projects to stop them from spreading. 

Statistics 

Statistics show that youth population in different countries has been faster and at a rapid level. Because of such big numbers in numbers and this has put many at risk. For example, reports show that every year, almost two million teenagers in the United States of America face some period of homeless. Research from some of the African countries shows that above 75% of homeless children spend at least twenty-four hours without eating any food(Healey, 2011). As a result, such kids especially girls are influenced to join dangerous groups like prostitution by those sheltering them, get pregnant at an early age, and some die during child birth. Therefore, social workers are challenged to find solutions for such situation and most times; it is with their creativity and skills that help them design a workable project to save at-risk youth across the world. 

Part Two 

Magazine or Newspaper Article Intended For Non-Professionals (Project) 

Description 

Many problems that are associated with mental health are currently among the biggest challenges facing almost every country in the world (Canady, 2015). Research shows that mental health related challenges are affecting at least one in four people at some point in their lives. For example, youth have been identified as a group of people work are always vulnerable to some common mental health disorders. Social workers through different studied believe that at-risk youth include those youth without homes have more chances of becoming victims of the mental health disorders. Therefore, one of the products that social workers can use to spread information and creating awareness include launching magazines or newspaper articles targeting the at-risk youth who are not in any professional sector. In fact, such information through magazines and newspaper which can be made available for free to the at-risk young people can change the attitude of many youths to seek treatment on time. 

Scope and Implementation 

The available research shows that mental health challenges that affect millions of youth face have become a concern not only to their governments but also to the different professional including social workers (Harpine, 2008). In fact, mental illness in youth has become an important area to handle across the globe since it has the potential of affecting the whole health of many young people, especially in their useful age. 

Basing on such data, it is clear that different countries whether poor or rich, there is always a considerable number of homeless teenagers who are at risk and vulnerable to mental related illnesses because of the life they live every day. For example, looking at such figures especially those from African countries, social works must work hard to find some solutions for such pressing issues (Ross, 2014). Furthermore, that is why most social workers work day and night hoping to some shelter and support for the youth who have undergone hard lives like the abuse, neglect as well as homelessness. However, the intervention with prevention projects must be in a typical move where a team of social workers can organize and focus on a problem one by one. 

Awareness 

As a result of the prevalence of this grand challenge, social work groups have tried partnering with different schools creating awareness across the world, as well as finding solutions that can be used to support young people in schools who are likely to face mental health issues (Quinn, 2004). With such determination of social workers in helping youth to have a productive adulthood, more should be done by various governments as far as providing adequate funding to help social workers do their jobs is concerned. 

Research shows that homeless kids always have the highest percentage of having mental health problems compared to the rest. Therefore, social workers should spread information through magazines and newspapers sensitizing people about how to help homeless youth and their advantages to the society(Clausen, 2012). Because most of these youth undergo things like chaotic and at worst violent home situations before becoming homeless, some of them become distrustful of authority as well as adults. However, by developing a product that is in line with spreading information helps changing the minds of people and especially the youth. Therefore, social workers across the world should use the opportunity of teaching their communities through spreading information in magazines and newspapers which can help have always tried to come up with approaches to dealing with such issues. Also, the stress that comes with being homeless, social workers can teach at-risk youth through magazine and newspapers how to manage such stress. 

Empirical Evidence 

For many social work professionals, having tools like magazines and newspapers can be an opportunity for them to solving homeless issues through spreading the information about the ongoing challenge. Research from 2016 showing some statistics from the United States is shocking as it indicated that over 574,808 people in America are homeless(Dopheide, 2013). In fact, the recent reports show that over a half American citizens were homeless just living on various the streets, some of them in their cars, as well as other homeless shelters around the country. Also, it is noted that more than a quarter of that number were just young people who at some point started developing different kinds of related mental disorders. At this point, behavioral health challenges which include different types of mental illness that are affecting young people which at times leads to physical illnesses and other disorders, and this challenges social workers to do more of research than ever before. 

As the year of 2015 was ending, research from Australia indicated that at least one of five young people who were aged 14 to 18 responded to be having a likelihood of being vulnerable to mental health problems (Canady, 2015). Therefore, social workers should spread such information through free magazines targeting their identified group of young people especially those who are already homeless. In other words, research findings highlight the level of danger that the future holds for at-risk young people because of the increase in the likelihood of mental illness issues. At this point, equipping youth with right information which can be gotten through having projects like magazine and newspaper articles shading light of issues that cause mental health and how to avoid them. Also, with such evidence at hand, social workers can use such information in coming up with a top, the bottom approach in finding solutions for the youth and that information can be shared through magazines and newspaper articles. 

Consequences 

The available statistics indicate that out of four children, one lives with some mental illness, and it gets worse when it reaches to the homeless kids who are vulnerable to such illnesses. Social work researchers believe that most of the mental health challenges are develop in the adolescent stage(Ross, 2014). Furthermore, problems like suicide issues caused by mental health are common in youth between the ages of 16 and 25. In other words, challenges of mental health can prevail in youth through a child’s adulthood. Despite the efforts of social workers in trying to provide solutions to this problem, the process is very costly, and some most of the vulnerable children do not get the help they need because these professionals have limited resources. In other words, running a project like a magazine and newspaper requires capital, and if social workers cannot afford, then the project gets a stack. 

Also, the most direct and frequent consequence is that young people and those at-risk like homeless kids, usually get severe stress especially when there is no quick intervention by any professionals like social workers (Dopheide, 2013). However, the use of magazines and newspaper articles as a strategy of spreading helpful information to groups of young people who are likely to face mental illness has improved lives of youth around the world. Similarly, it is a fact social workers are not sure of how many young people usually get concerned when they get such information through any communication channel. In other words, they should focus much on coming up with comprehensive strategies since most of the top bottom approaches and strategies sometimes are less effective. In other words, consequences as a result of social workers intervening in any way have brought great importance, but the reverse is true as well. 

Implications 

The fact that a product like a magazine and newspaper articles can help social workers to spread information targeting at-risk youth sensitizing them about a lot of life hacks(Canady, 2015). In fact, many implications come with not intervening early to solve challenges that are associated with mental health where most of the homeless youth are always considered to be the bigger percentage at risk of becoming victims. For example, such disorders if not solve, they usually lead to the troubled youth committing suicide because of losing hope in themselves. Also, mental illness if not solved early, usually makes it hard for young people to deal with the demands and standards of life daily. Furthermore, mental illness makes youth to struggle with everything they do in life which reduced their productivity. In other words, mental health if not treated weakens the youth capacity to fit in the society whether jobs or social. 

Most of the research reports usually highlight different and main implications for any project that focuses on the improvement of young people’s lives and saving them from having mental health issues. For example, many findings have always suggested that the need for youth to have unlimited access to health education (Quinn, 2004). Still, such information related to mental health like causes as well as strategies for mental health and ways that can be used to avoid it. Having information flowing unlimitedly through magazine and newspaper articles do not only teach these young people dangers of mental health challenges, but the information empowers them with the knowledge to live a healthy life. Therefore, social workers should focus much on making sure that the information about mental health spreads primarily to the at-risk youth like the homeless kids (Dopheide, 2013). 

Additionally, research findings from different countries but especially Australia indicates that for social workers to successfully reduce the levels of mental health issues in youth especially the homeless, governments should help in funding their projects. In other words, governments must work hand in hand with the professionals like social workers in identifying the problem, finding the solutions and implementing it. With such collaboration, social workers can focus without any limitations on the search for solutions for such pressing challenges in young people to ensure their productive adulthood (Harpine, 2008). Also, when governments find projects of social workers like the magazine and newspaper articles, such projects empowers the youth which increases their productivity in different fields which helps the governments to have a progressing economy. In fact, much more can be achieved when social workers work hand in hand with various government institutions in ensuring that young people get an opportunity to have a great future with full of hopes. 

Finally, carrying out a project awareness has never been simply because of the costs that are involved. However, professional social workers in different communities have surely tried to come up with projects that target most of the vulnerable groups of people and offered solutions. In fact, the commitments of many social workers have been demonstrated in the grand challenge on at-risk youth vulnerable to be affected by mental health issues. In other words, some of these youth being homeless and prone to violence the efforts of social workers to ensure their transition to become healthy adults cannot be compared. Therefore, paying attention to details, like statistics, evidence, target groups, consequences, and implications, coming up with a project like spreading information through magazine and newspapers intending to sensitize the population becomes easier. 

Conclusion 

Finally, carrying out a project awareness has never been simply because of the costs that are involved. However, professional social workers in different communities have surely tried to come up with projects that target most of the vulnerable groups of people and offered solutions. In fact, the commitments of many social workers have been demonstrated in the grand challenge on at-risk youth vulnerable to be affected by mental health issues. In other words, some of these youth being homeless and prone to violence the efforts of social workers to ensure their transition to become healthy adults cannot be compared. Therefore, paying attention to details, like statistics, evidence, target groups, consequences, and implications, coming up with a project like spreading information through magazine and newspapers intending to sensitize the population becomes easier. 

References 

Canady, V. A. (2015). Marijuana use by youth, schizophrenia genetic risk examined.  Mental Health Weekly ,  25 (34), 3-5. doi:10.1002/mhw.30319 

Clausen, J. M. (2012). Relationship-based mental health interventions with foster youth.  PsycEXTRA Dataset . doi:10.1037/e676252012-091 

Dopheide, J. A. (2013). Recognizing and referring at-risk youth.  Mental Health Clinician ,  2 (11), 353-361. doi:10.9740/mhc.n145475 

Harpine, E. C. (2008).  Group interventions in schools: Promoting mental health for at-risk children and youth . New York: Springer. 

Healey, J. (2011).  Children and young people at risk . Thirroul, N.S.W: Spinney Press. 

In Ross, J. I. (2014).  American Indians at risk . 

Quinn, W. H. (2004).  Family Solutions for youth at risk: Applications to juvenile delinquency, truancy, and behavior problems . New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.