Student Originated Studies: Managing for a Healthy Work Environment - Tribal and Non-Profit Agencies

Description

This fall and winter SOS welcomes students who plan to work for tribal government or non-profit agencies. Our work will focus on developing healthy relationships between Tribal Councils or boards of directors and administrators. We will examine mission statements, policies, and procedures and how their implementation affects relationships in the workplace and services to client populations.

Students will learn about the dynamics of service delivery, reverberations of historical oppression in recipient communities, power relationships, community needs, and other effects on the work environment and services. Students will hear lectures from managers who utilize healthy management skills and tools and they will visit organizations that have a history or operating on the Relational World View, and other models, to maintain organizational balance. They will learn how gossip, rumors, cliques, etc., can undermine organizational health.

Students will research and write about culture, organizational culture, identity, goal setting and other elements of organizational functioning. They will learn about the importance of financial and organizational reporting. They will research organizational services, early childhood development for example, that operate within Tribal and Non-Profit agencies.

Meeting times will be scheduled to facilitate working students, evenings and weekends. Guest lectures will be presented by Yvonne Peterson.  For students interested in continuing Spring quarter, Gary Peterson will offer Individual Learning Contracts or Internships.