Essay On SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis can be a useful tool to any individual wishing to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats surrounding their future career or business. The career I am exploring is in Human Services. Ultimately, I would like to be the director of a respite home for special needs adults. The SWOT analysis showed me my future occupation and I had many strengths and opportunities, but many weaknesses and threats. Fortunately, it appears I would be able to use the strengths, such as a skilled and dedicated staff, as well as opportunities, like health reform, to overcome weaknesses and threats. In order to make this dream a reality, I want to invest more time in being a part of healthcare reform, help improve fundraising efforts of local respite care providers, and become a quality staff member at a respite care facility.
Health care reform appears to be changing constantly lately. The public is never satisfied with what they have, and in many case they should not be. More importantly, individuals who cannot speak for themselves should be the least satisfied with the healthcare they receive. In many cases, special needs adults are not allotted enough by the state to live in facilities that are safe, or provide adequate care. The only option is to reform healthcare, of course. Special needs adults who are unable to provide for themselves need more money for medical and living expenses, or respite care facilities must be forced to raise their standards. In turn, those who are fighting for healthcare reform must become advocates for these individuals. As a person who hopes to run a respite care facility one day, I want to advocate for healthcare reform in order to assure my residents will enter a high quality facility. As addressed in question A, I will need to take college courses pertaining to medical law, as well as advocacy and human services in order to achieve this goal.
My second goal is to improve fundraising efforts for respite care providers in my local area. However, there are not many respite care providers for adults with special needs in my local area. Therefore, concerning question D in the Action Plan handout, I will need to change my location, and dedicate many hours donating time to multiple facilities. In order to make a true difference, I would want to find a moderately populated area with at least two or three respite care facilities in which to donate my time. The hours would be long, as well as arduous, but I know it would be worth it if I were able to contribute my time and entrepreneurial expertise to help benefit those in need. Fundraising efforts often fall short, especially when organizations are attempting to help those in need. Relocating would be difficult, but I feel it would be necessary not only to learn how to truly help special needs adults, but also to learn how to run a respite home properly.
The final goal I would like to achieve is to become a quality staff member at a respite facility. Advocating for healthcare reform and helping improve fundraising efforts are wonderful things to prepare me for my future occupation, but what will truly prepare me is working in a respite home. To achieve this, I will need to do many things. I will need to address A of the Action Plan handout, taking many human services classes, as well as a CAN course in order to be in charge of the health and wellbeing of other human beings. Psychology courses and human development classes would also be helpful. For my future career, owning and directing a respite home, I would need to address B and C of the handout, attempting to achieve the highest GPA possible, and eventually getting an MA in Human Services. I may also need a higher qualification in business or Human Resources, if I am to run a business. Finally, I would like to relocate to a central location were a respite home for special needs adults is most needed. I want to build one in a place where care is not readily available in order to allow loved ones easier access to their family members, and a safe environment for the special needs adults. This pertains to question D of the handout.
In sum, I understand that I have a lofty goal, but I am ready to achieve it. There are many small goals I must achieve before I am ready to own and direct my own respite home. I must become an advocate for healthcare reform, learning about healthcare, helping to make the world a better place for my respite home. I must also offer my time to other respite homes, helping with fundraising efforts. This will allow me to learn about fundraising, but will also increase my advocacy skills. I must also become a skilled and dedicated employee at a respite home; this is the only way I will truly understood how a respite home runs, and what it takes to provide quality care to special needs adults. The SWOT analysis has shown me that though there are many things that may stand in my way as I attempt to achieve my goals, there are also many strengths and opportunities that I will be able to use to my advantage. I must continue trying to change the things I can control in order to make a difference. I have always been a driven and compassionate individual, which is why I think this is one of the best possible career paths for me. I have also always wanted to own my own business, and make a difference in the lives of others. Owning a respite home combines the three primary things I have wanted to do with my life, allowing me the luxury of not having to make a choice, while offering a great service to the public.