Running head: AGENCY PLACEMENT

Placement Setting
Bryan Blattert
SW 4443
February 14, 2016

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Agency Placement
I am placed at Livingston County United Way (LCUW) for my field placement. Being
placed with an agency like United Way has been a blessing. I have been fortunate enough to
work with the marketing director, executive director, and community investments director. I
came into the placement, not fully understanding what it was United Way did. The process of
interning has educated me on and exposed me to all of the human service work going on in
Livingston County. United Way has switched from allocation efforts to community investments,
a process in which progress can be measured. Livingston County United Way is first in human
services by driving collaborative efforts to serve the needs of Livingston County residents & by
being the conduit to gather, provide & leverage resources. Since the change in direction towards
collaboration work has taken place, positive change has been seen and goals are being measured
for achieving success.
Mission of Agency
The mission of Livingston County United Way is targeted to create change in the
community by alleviating issues faced by the areas residents. According to Livingston County
United Way (2014), Livingston County United Way elevates the quality of life for all residents
through proactive community-focused initiatives that link resources, ideas and partners as part of
something greater. The mission has changed over the years from allocations to local human
service agencies to community investments in collaboration work. Livingston County United
Way is recognized as a convener and collaborating partner with many nonprofit, for-profit,
governmental and faith-based organizations. The agencies all work together to address the most
critical needs of Livingston County Residents.

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Population Served
The population served by Livingston County United Way is not just one specific
population. The populations served fall under initiatives funded by United Way. Initiatives are
social issues that United Way collaborates work by human services agencies to help alleviate the
problems. Current initiatives consist of but are not limited to homelessness, affordable housing,
hunger, school readiness, etc. Livingston County United Way collaborates efforts of local
human service agencies to alleviate the problems faced by the populations of Livingston County.
My Role within the Agency
My role as an intern at Livingston County United Way varies from day to day. I act as
support staff on behalf of the marketing director, executive director, and community investments
director. My work comes director from the directors and I attend all meetings with each of them.
I sit on the committees with them and work towards each committees goals. Part of sitting on a
committee is providing relevant input and ideas, as well as performing the tasks that are assigned
to your group or agency. This work might be phones calls, emails, recruiting for events, data
input, meetings, research, expanding knowledge on collaborative agencies, etc. I work along
with others in planning groups to plan major community events that we have coming up. One
already passed so I got the opportunity to see the event all the way from the planning phase to
the actual event and wrap up as well. Throughout the semester, there will be 3 other opportunities
of this kind. I am meeting and planning a meat donation process through local butchers. I am
meeting with the director of Livingston County Operations for Gleaners to discuss the plan, and
gain knowledge/direction. During the next few weeks I will have the opportunity to meet with

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the directors of several local human service agencies. These organizations include LACASA,
OLHSA, Livingston County Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, Work Skills, and Community
Mental Health. Being able to learn about and spend time around all of the different organizations
has been an amazing educational experience.
Other Disciplines Represented
The disciplines represented within the organization are multi-faceted. For the most part,
the work done at United Way is macro social work. United Way is a community organization, an
umbrella organization over majority of the human services agencies in Livingston County. By
interning at United Way, I am getting exposure to many of facets of social work. I am able to
spend time with people from all avenues of social work, all locally relevant. Services that some
of these agencies offer are geared towards domestic violence victims, homelessness, hunger,
poverty, utility assistance, eviction diversion, counseling, and many more.
Client Access/Progression/Termination
Livingston County United Way does not have actual clients that we directly serve.
LCUW does community impact work, funding agencies to tackle initiatives set forth by its
members. Clients receive indirect access by accessing local nonprofits for assistance. Local
nonprofit agencies are able to serve their clients in the effective manner that they do because of
the collaborative efforts and funding orchestrated by LCUW. Livingston County United Way
does not determine access, progression, and termination of clients. We work together with
collaborative bodies to help set guidelines and we monitor their progress on specific issues to see
if they are moving the needle on the problem. I would consider each collaborative body and
nonprofit seeking funding from United Way to be our clients. Those are the people we directly
work with, oversee, and offer assistance to. This effort directly serves the residents of Livingston

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County in the end of the process. Collaborative bodies continue to receive funding and stay in
existence as long they show positive results. Every six months, the organizations have to provide
updates to LCUW. Representatives come in and present to the directors and board members.
Their presentations lay out a structure plan as well as the results from current efforts.
United Ways Commitment to the Community
The goal of LCUW is community service. They have revolutionized human service work
in the county by blending agencies together to impact social problems in an effective way.
Livingston County United Way is dedicated to serving all residents in all areas of the county.
Agencies that are part of collaborative efforts are located throughout the county and serve each
municipality. Instead of targeting one population or one problem, United Way is focused on
raising the bar for the entire community and alleviate problems felt by all populations in the
community. Community wellness is the focus and goal behind the social work strategy in
Livingston County, United Way help coordinate and fund the efforts made.
Conclusion
Livingston County United Way coordinates and collaborates agencies to perform
community impact work. United Way changed from an allocation based agency to a
collaborative effort agency, funding coalitions to tackle initiatives set forth by its members.
According to Livingston County United Way (2014), Livingston County United Way elevates
the quality of life for all residents through proactive community-focused initiatives that link
resources, ideas and partners as part of something greater. The purpose of United Way is serving
the community needs and coordinating collaborative efforts to handle social problems in the
most efficient and effective manner. My role at the agency is multifaceted and I am gaining
exposure to almost all of the human services agencies that operate in Livingston County.

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Interning at United Way has educated me on the populations and social issues present in the
county where I live. Gaining access and exposure to other agencies has introduced me to the
other disciplines that make up the social career field. My position has also allowed me to
network with staff from the surrounding areas agencies. I have been able to build relationships
with key social work figures. United Way isnt a traditional micro organization, its focus is on
community impact.

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References
Livingston County United Way. (2014). Mission/History. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from
http://www.lcunitedway.org/missionhistory.html