City Vision Syllabus

City Vision Syllabus

CVC 305

Course 305 – Human Resources

Instructor: Mark Turner

Email:

Phone: 816-235-5258

Course Description

An exploration of staff development, the proper use of written job descriptions and performance standards, and professional practices regarding proper interviewing, hiring, evaluation and dismissal procedures.

This coursecounts toward credit as a Certified Fund Raising Executive(CFRE Certification).

Degree Program Outcomes

At the conclusion of this degree program, the student will able to:

  1. Students completing the Nonprofit Management program will:
  • Understand and apply the roles and responsibilities of anonprofit board of directors and the managementteam to provide governance and leadership to the nonprofit organization.
  • Understand and apply basicaccounting and budgetingprinciples in order to successfully manage the finances of a nonprofit organization.
  • Understand and apply basicmarketing, communication and fundraisingstrategies in operating a successful nonprofit organization.
  • Understand and apply nonprofit management principles related to program development, ethics, decision-making and nonprofit legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Understand and apply the essential elements ofnonprofit human resource managementincludingvolunteer management, hiring, firing, supervision and legal considerations.

This position will prepare graduates to be a Community Organization Director (SOC 187.167-234), Fundraising Director (SOC 165.117-010), Social Service Director (SOC 195.117-010) and Program Director (SOC 187.137-014). We have a91% job placement ratefor our graduates.

  1. Students completing the Urban Missions program will:
  • Understand and apply thehistory, philosophical and theological basis of movements of Christians serving the poor, the oppressed and urban communities.
  • Use spiritual care skills such aspreaching, counseling, evangelism and discipleship in the urban context.
  • Lead others to accomplish the missions of the organizations with which they are affiliated.
  • Understand and apply principles from the various programs that are offered to people in the urban context including addiction recovery, community development, services to the homeless, women, youth work and family ministries.

This position will prepare graduates to be a Religious Worker (SOC, 21-2099), Minister (SOC 120.107-010), Missionary (SOC 120.107-010) and rescue mission Chaplain (120.107-010). Some roles in these fields will require higher education, such as an MDiv. We have a91% job placement ratefor our graduates.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, students will be able to:

Learning Objectives for this Course

Week One

  • To enable the students to get to get acquainted with one another and to learn about each other's supervisory responsibilities at their own ministry.
  • To make sure that all students have the proper materials on hand to complete the assignments of this course.
  • To begin the exploration of the use of volunteers at your ministry.

Week Two

  • To begin the exploration of the hiring and interviewing process for staff members and volunteers at ministry.
  • To introduce the student to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its impact on ministry hiring and employment practices.

Week Three

  • To continue the discussion of the hiring and interview process for staff members and volunteers at ministries.
  • To introduce the student to the Job Analysis Interview Form and its use
  • To help the student to understand some ways of keeping and motivating staff members

Week Four

  • To introduce the student to the importance of accurate job descriptions.
  • To look at the performance appraisal process.
  • To help the student to understand some ways to prevent burnout and motivate members of the ministry's staff.
  • To introduce the student to the process of creating/updating an organization's Staff Policy Manual.
  • To help the student understand some of the principles of maintaining good relationships with staff members.
  • To acquaint the student with some legal and reporting requirements related to ministry employment.

Week Five

  1. To further introduce the student to the process of creating/updating a ministry's Staff Policy Manual.
  2. To help the student understand some of the principles of the role of training and staff development.

Week Six

  • To help the student understand some of the principles of dealing with difficult staff members.
  • To introduce the student to the process of terminating an employee in an appropriate and legal manner.

Week Seven

  • To continue the discussion of dealing with difficult staff members.
  • To include a final word about employee motivation.

Week Eight

  • To wrap up the course and prepare students for the final examination.
  • To take a final look at human resource issues that ministry will face in the future.

Required Texts

Staff Screening Tool Kit / available as PDF in the course
Supervising Difficult Employees / available as PDF in the course
The Employer's Legal Handbook / $40.00

Recommended Texts

Course Outline

Week /Topic / Assignment / Learning Objectives | By end of this lesson participants will:
Week 1 /
  1. Learn more about yourprofessor for this course.
  2. Learn more about your professor for this course.
  3. Then, read the Course 305 Syllabus.
  4. Before beginning any other assignment, print the syllabus for future reference.
  5. Read these PDF documents:
  6. "Questions To Answer As You Plan For Your Volunteer Program" (Document version)(PDF).
  7. "Benefits of Policies (HTML)"(PDF)by Linda L. Graff (from her book By Definition: Policies For Volunteer Programs)
  8. Listen to these audio presentations: “Ten Mistakes That Kill Volunteer Impact” and “The Ministry of Volunteers”
Listen to these audio presentations:
  • "Ten Mistakes That Kill Volunteer Impact"
  • "Ten Mistakes That Kill Volunteer Impact - Study Guide"
  • "The Ministry of Volunteers(audio)"
  • "The Ministry of Volunteers (PDF)"
  • "The Ministry of Volunteers - Study Guide"
Be sure to complete the study guides as you listen for future reference.
  1. Volunteer Program Review (5-10 page report)
Nonprofit organization require volunteers to accomplish the work necessary to be done. Do a review of your volunteer program at a local nonprofit organization. Then, develop a 5-10 page report on how volunteers are currently used.
Include the following:
  • List the various ways the mission recruits volunteers
  • Comment on the process for training volunteers
  • Make a comprehensive list of the actual jobs done at the nonprofit organization by volunteers
  • Comment on the organization's policies and practices regarding volunteers.
  • Note what is working and why, as well as areas that could be improved (and in which ways).
  • Note ideas you gained from the readings that could be implements at your ministry
And, answer the following questions:
  • Who oversees the selection and placement of volunteers?
  • What is the process of selection and placement?
  • Is their a review process in place to help volunteers know if they are effective and when they are not?
  • How many volunteers do you currently use and in what roles?
  • re volunteers acting as “unpaid staff” or just doing jobs that may not be needed?
  • Are the volunteers helped to feel “part of the team”?
  • What is the general staff reaction to volunteers—welcoming or cautious?
  • Are there any roles off limits to volunteers? If so, why?
  • What is the area you could use either a key volunteer or more volunteers?
  • What, if anything, keeps your volunteer efforts from being as effective as they could be?

Entitle your paper, "Volunteer Program Review"
  1. Make a Class Forum post entitled “My Introduction”.
Introduce yourself to your classmates. Be sure to include:
  • Your Name
  • The ministry with which you are affiliated
  • Your job title and duties
  • Any volunteer related responsibility that you now have.
  • What you hope to get out of this course
Entitle your posting - "My Introduction” /
  1. To enable the students to get to get acquainted with one another and to learn about each other's supervisory responsibilities at their own ministry.
  2. To make sure that all students have the proper materials on hand to complete the assignments of this course.
  3. To begin the exploration of the use of volunteers at your ministry.

Week 2 /
  1. Read from the textbooks: Employers Legal Handbook – “Hiring”, “Workers With Disabilities”; and Staff Screening Toolkit
Readingsfrom the textbooks:
Employers Legal Handbook
A. "Hiring" (pages 1/3 - 1/35)
  • Legal Guidelines for Hiring Employees
  • Job Descriptions
  • Job Advertisements
  • Job Applications
  • Interviews
  • Testing
  • Investigations
  • Making a Job Offer
  • Rejecting Applicants
  • Tax Compliance
  • Immigration Law Requirements
  • New Hire Reporting Form
B. "Workers With Disabilities" (9/3-9/24)
  • The Americans With Disabilities Act
  • Businesses That Are Covered
  • Who Is Protected
  • Exceptions to Coverage
  • Providing Reasonable Accommodations
  • Workers With Emotional or Mental Impairments
  • Financial Assistance
  • Health and Safety Standards
  • Medical Exams
  • Enforcement

Staff Screening Toolkit(pages 1 58):
  • Preface
  • The Screening Process
  • Legal Issues Pertaining to Screening
  • Position Descriptions and Selection Criteria
  • Recruitment and Applications
  1. Read Hiring Staff: Remembering to Pray and Check References and write an 8-10 page report entitled, “Hiring Issues”.
ReadHiring Staff: Remembering to Pray and Check References- Dan and Cheryl Cox, Cutting Edge, Spring 2004
Discuss the most important principles from the above readings with your mission's director, human resources director, or other staff member with hiring and staff screening responsibilities.
Then, write an 8-10 page report entitled, "Hiring Issues" about how your ministry is handling the concerns and practices found in this week's readings.

3.Read the PDF document, The Women’s Auxiliary and listen to the audio “Revitalizing Your Auxiliary” then entitle your response paper “Effective Auxiliaries.”

Read the PDF document,The Women's Auxiliaryby Rev. James Harriger.
Then, listen to the audio presentationRevitalizing Your Auxiliary"by Russell Strom and completely fill out thestudy guide.
Finally, develop a 3-5 page paper on the most important principles in found in these materials. Entitle your paper, "Effective Auxiliaries" and submit it to your professor.
  1. Make a Class Forum post entitled “Week Two Lessons”.
Note three most significant things you learned from this week's readings.
Entitle your posting - "Week Two Lessons" /
  1. To begin the exploration of the hiring and interviewing process for staff members and volunteers at ministry.
  2. To introduce the student to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its impact on ministry hiring and employment practices.

Week 3 /
  1. Readings from the PDF document “Personnel”, textbooks: Employers Legal Handbook; “Personnel Practices”, “Wages and Hours”; and Staff Screening Toolkit
This week's readings:
1) The PDF document "Personnel" by Dr. William Seath.
2) From theEmployers Legal Handbook, read:
"Personnel Practices" (pages 2/2-2/16)
  • Employee Files
  • Employee Handbooks
  • Employee Performance Reviews
  • Discipling Employees

"Wages and Hours" (pages 3/5-3/28)
  • Overtime and Minimum Wage Requirements
  • Equal Pay Requirements
  • How to Pay Employees
  • Calculating Work Hours
  • Record-Keeping Requirements
  • Child Labor Rules
  • Payroll Withholding
  • The Consequences of Bending the Rules

3) From theStaff Screening Toolkit,readpages 59-72:
  • Chapter 5 - Interviews
  • Chapter 6 - Checking References

2.Listen to the audio presentations by Alex Ashwood and read the study notes.

Listen to the audio presentations by Alex Ashwood:
  • "Performance Standards"
  • "Writing Usable Job Descriptions"

Print thestudy notesfor these presentations.
  1. Use the “Job Analysis Interview Form” and write a report entitled “Job Description Exercise”.
Then, use the "Job Analysis Interview Form" to learn about the job-related responsibilities of three staff members of local nonprofit organization. If applicable, one of these could be for the position which you current fill if you are currently working for a nonprofit organization.
Then, write a report that highlights any changes you would make to the existing job descriptions. Use the format based on Alex Ashwood's tape.
Include your rationale for any revisions. (Note: Be sure to include both the original and revised versions of the job descriptions with this report.)
Submit this assignment to the instructor. Entitle your report "Job Description Exercise"
  1. Make a Class Forum post entitled “Week Three Lesson”.
Note three things you learned from this week's materials and assignments.
Entitle your posting - "Week Three Lessons" /
  1. To continue the discussion of the hiring and interview process for staff members and volunteers at ministries.
  1. To introduce the student to the Job Analysis Interview Form and its use
  2. To help the student to understand some ways of keeping and motivating staff members

Week 4 /
  1. Readings form the textbooks: Employers Legal Handbook; “Employee Benefits”, and Staff Screening Toolkit
This week's readings from the textbooks:
FromThe Employer's Legal Handbook
1) "Employee Benefits" (pages 4/2-4/16)
  • Health Care Coverage
  • Retirement Plans
  • Other Employee Benefits
  • Benefits to Domestic Partners
2) From theStaff Screening Toolkit,read pages 83-113
  • Chapter 7 - Record Checks
  • Chapter 8 - Other Screening Tools

Note:The mid-term exam will focus on readings from the course text books. So, be sure to read all assigned chapters before taking it.

2.Readings from the online documents “Better Relations with Staff Member” and “Preventing Burn Out for Your Front-line Staff”.

Then, read these online documents:
  • (HTML)Better Relations with Staff Members (PDF)
  • (HTML)Preventing Burn Out for Your Front-line Staff (PDF)by Cindy Stutheit

3.Listen to “Working Together in Harmony”; complete the study guide and write a report entitled “Working Together.”

Listen to the audio presentation, "Working Together in Harmony - How to Get the Job Done Without Killing Your People" by Sylvia Nash. Presented at the AGRM Annual Convention, 1990
Complete thestudy guidefor this workshop and submit it to the instructor.
Along with completing the outline, include a couple of paragraphs that note any special insights you may have gained from this recording and other material covered in this course to this point.
Entitle your report "Working Together."
  1. For this week’s Class Forum posting entitled it “Week Four Lessons”.
Note at least three things you learned from this week's tape and readings.
Entitle your posting - "Week Four Lessons" Be sure to include in your posting:
  • A brief statement about your findings regarding your own job description and that of the other staff members you interviewed.
  • The importance of periodically updating job descriptions

5.Readings from the textbooks: Employers Legal Handbook; Chapter 9 – “Workers With Disabilities”

Readingsfrom the textbook,Employers Legal Handbook
Chapter 9 -"Workers With Disabilities" (9/3-9/24)
  • The Americans With Disabilities Act
  • Businesses That Are Covered
  • Who Is Protected
  • Exceptions to Coverage
  • Providing Reasonable Accommodations
  • Workers With Emotional or Mental Impairments
  • Financial Assistance
  • Health and Safety Standards
  • Medical Exams
  • Enforcement

6.Readings from the textbooks: Employers Legal Handboo; “Taxes”

This week's readings from the textbooks:
FromThe Employer's Legal Handbook, read"Taxes" (pages 5/3-5/15)
  • Employer Identification Numbers
  • Federal Employment Taxes
  • Federal Self-Employment Taxes
  • Federal Tax Deductions for Salaries and Other Expenses
  • Independent Contractors
  • Statutory Employees
  1. Read the online documents: “Legal Issues Regarding Rescue Mission Employee” and “Things to Remember When Hiring Former Clients”
Read the online documents:
  • "(HTML)Legal Issues Regarding Rescue Mission Employees (PDF)"
  • "(HTML)Things to Remember When Hiring Former Clients (PDF)" by Michael Liimatta, Director of Education, Association of Gospel Rescue Missions
  1. Learn how your ministry is doing in regard to the legal and policy issues discussed to this point in the course, and write a report entitled “Employee Policy Issues”.
If you work for a nonprofit organization or other nonprofit organization, take a few moments and visit with your director or other staff members involved with employee issues to learn how your ministry is doing in regard to the legal and policy issues discussed to this point in the course.
If you are not currently working at a nonprofit, find a local organization that will allow you to learn more about their employment policies. Then, interview the director or other staff member who is in charge of these matters.
Then submit to the instructor a 5-8 page report entitled, "Employee Policy Issues".
  1. Begin Working on Your Final Project
Save the "Sample Staff Policy Manual" to your PC.
This will be used as a model for your final project for this course; the creation or update of your ministry's Staff Policy Manual.
Begin now to edit this document each week using principles learned in the remaining class sessions.
  1. Take the Midterm Exam for this course.
Complete all of the assignments for this current class session before taking the exam.
The focus of the exam will be the assigned readings from the course textbooks; theStaff Screening Tool Kitand theEmployer's Legal Handbook.
Course 306 Midterm Study Guide
  1. Make a Class Forum post entitled “Week Four Exercise 11 Lessons.”
Take a few moments and share with your classmates at least three insights you gained in this week's class session.
Entitle your posting, "Week Four Exercise 11 Lessons." /
  1. To introduce the student to the importance of accurate job descriptions.
  2. To look at the performance appraisal process.
  3. To help the student to understand some ways to prevent burnout and motivate members of the nonprofit organization's staff.
  4. To introduce the student to the process of creating/updating an organization's Staff Policy Manual.
  5. To help the student understand some of the principles of maintaining good relationships with staff members.
  6. To acquaint the student with some legal and reporting requirements related to nonprofit organization employment.

Week 5 /

1.Reading from the textbooks

Readingsfrom the textbook,Employers Legal Handbook
Chapter 9 -"Workers With Disabilities" (9/3-9/24)