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Assignment: Building an Ethical Organization Part 2

Yoneisha Maple

HSM/230

3/20/2011

Angela J. Murray
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Women are the roots of society. They make the world go round and round. They continue

to populate in it by giving birth to beautiful babies all over the world. Every 8 seconds a woman

gives birth (Potter, 2006) and every 8 seconds a life is changed. Of course this can’t happen

without men whom women are grateful for but the women are the backbones. Mothers are extra

special. Everyone has a Mama but not everyone has a “Mother”. There is an old saying that goes,

“Mamas baby and Daddy’s maybe”, because women give birth and men don’t and it could be a

number of fathers but there will only be one mama. Though the woman gives birth it doesn’t

mean that she becomes a “Mother.” Just like every father isn’t a dad every mom is not a mother.

There’s more to Motherhood than just giving birth. All women young and old need guidance,

information, resources and to be aware of options. The Mother-Hood Agency provides that

guidance and more with caring staff that adhere to the mission and values of the agency. This

proposal will discuss the agency, mission and value statements, code of ethics, organizational

culture, leadership, and oversight that will change women’s lives.

It’s not easy finding out you’re pregnant and breaking the news to your family, some

women aren’t ready to get pregnant and some didn’t mean to become pregnant in the first place.

No one is taught what to say or even what to do when it happens and at times you won’t feel

comfortable about discussing that. The organization is called Mother-Hood Agency because it is

geared toward helping women who want to become better Mothers. The agency is for pregnant

women of all ages to take advantage of all the resources, information and opportunities we have

to offer. The agency provides services to mothers in need and provides them with different

options such as abortions and adoptions. The agency provides aid to single mothers who income

qualifies. Job placement is available as well, and daycare is offered for mothers who are

employed. Medi- cal is provided for the families and food programs. Mother- Hood Agency is a
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lot like the existing agencies; Welfare, W.I.C. and The Gain program that they provide in Los

Angeles, California. Women of all ages, races and backgrounds are a part of the organization.

Teen mothers are our specialty because they need a lot of guidance and we have a lot to offer.

The Mother- Hood Agency is a nonprofit organization but donations are greatly

appreciated. Donations provide extra help or opportunities for special cases or help the

organization create special events for the community. The Agency is funded by the state and by

sponsors in the community. Sponsors include local grocery stores like Ralphs and food

restaurants like Red Lobster. We are a local based organization. “Nonprofits that provide

services to welfare recipients tend mostly to be locally based organization (2002)”. We are for

the community and sponsored by the community. Our mission must be fullfilled.

The Mother-Hood Agency mission statement is: Our mission is to help women become

Mothers by educating them with values to help them grow more emotionally, personally,

professionally, and successfully. A mission statement is a very important asset to an organization

because the mission statement describes and summarizes what an agency is all about. A person

can tell a lot about an agency based on just the Mission statement alone. The agencies mission

statement summarizes in one sentence how they will help you become a mother and a better

woman by instilling values. Those values will help someone in all aspects of their life whether it

is personal or professional because they strive to make you successful. The message that the

mission statement sends out to the community is that there is a place for women to go when they

get pregnant and become scared or they need help and advice, a place that will not judge them

and that will supply all the information and resources for whatever decision they decide, to
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become better women and/or parents. The mission statement will support the ethical system. The

mission is the foundation of the ethical system in human service organizations. (Manning, 2003)

The ethical system for the organization should be followed like any other rule or law. All

persons are to act with dignity, respect and compassion. There are to be no drugs or alcohol on

the premises and no employee should ever be under the influence while at work. No one should

be discriminated against. These standards dictate how employees should act toward each other

and how they should act toward non-employees. Confidential information is to remain

confidential at all times. Any infraction can result in termination. The ethical system is important

to uphold because the community has to be certain that they can trust The Mother-Hood agency

mission.

The mission statement assures the community that they are not alone, and we are here to

help when they need because children are the future, and we have to make their lives better, but

it starts with the mother and the decisions that she make. Mothers are the most vital humans on

earth, they are very important in our society but the fact remains that many people become

mothers and are not ready. No one is taught to be a mother but there are resources that can help

women to understand motherhood and the options that women have and how the decisions

women make will affect their children. We also don’t discourage or frown upon adoptions are

abortions because we feel that every woman has a right to choose. Whatever a woman chooses is

her business and her choice and we will be the support system for them and help them in any

way we can. We value every person that walks through the door and we hope to instill values in

every one of them.

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No matter the person or the situation, we will value them in this agency. The

organization’s core value statement will be: The Mother Hood Agency is built on Respect,

Integrity, Unity and Empowerment. The values, statements and actions that will support the core

value by respecting every woman and her decision and never being judgmental and by

successfully fulfilling the mission statement every day with every case. It will also support it by

instilling values in mothers to become better women. The words that stand out the most and that

are core values to this organization are below. This is also considered to be our Code of Ethics:

1) Respect; we will respect every mother and every child and every woman’s right to

choose, we will respect their privacy and every decision that they make.

2) Integrity; our word and our commitment is all we have and we have to stick by it, our

success is critical based on how we treat our clients therefore they will be treated with integrity

at all times.

3) Unity; we will be as one on one accord and work together for and with the women of

the community to make the world a better place, one mother or woman at a time.

4) Empowerment; we will empower these women to believe in their selves and do the

right thing, not only for them but for their children too.

5) Commitment; we will commit ourselves to helping every women and child in any way

possible, that we can. We will be courteous. We will see every case through to the end.
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6) Privacy and Confidentiality; our clients privacy is important to us. We will keep all

information confidential. We will protect privacy among colleagues and others. Information

should only be shared when authorized to do so.

7) Professional; we will dress professionally at all times while on work grounds. Clothes

should be neat and appropriate. We will speak in act in a professional manner. Everyone will

refrain from loud, boisterous talk, swearing and other unbecoming conduct. We will also refrain

from the use of alcohol, drugs and other materials that are against the law for minors.

8) Nondiscrimination; there will be no discrimination of any kind. Everyone will be

treated equally with the same respect. All employees will treat each other and all clients fairly

and equally irrespective of age, sex, color, creed, race, national origin, and marital status,

political or religious beliefs, family, social or cultural background, or sexual orientation.

9) Harassment; Harassment of any kind should not occur and will not be tolerated.

Sexual, racial, verbal or physical harassment will result in termination. This is a Zero Tolerance

Policy.

10) Safety; If it is suspected that danger or harm may occur to the client or to others as a

result of a client's behavior, the human service professional acts in an appropriate and

professional manner to protect the safety of those individuals. This may involve seeking

consultation, supervision, and/or breaking the confidentiality of the relationship.

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11) Self Awareness; we as human service professionals will foster self-awareness and

personal growth in ourselves. We will recognize that when professionals are aware of their own

values, attitudes, cultural background, and personal needs, the process of helping others is less

likely to be negatively impacted by those factors. If we feel that we are not stable enough to do

our job and our judgment is off we will not take it out on our clients. We will leave all negativity

and personal problems at home.

12) Report; All incidents will be reported and documented. Everyone shall be free to

report or provide information regarding violations of this code without fear of retaliation and/or

reprisal. Every employee have a duty to report any act or situation that may be suspected as

fraudulent or corrupt as soon as they are aware of these circumstances.

The principles are not a set of laws, but standards of ethical conduct (Serago et al., 2009). The

code inspires a tangible outcome from employees because it provides a visible standard that can

be referred to and allows people to know what is right and what is expected of them. It serves as

a platform for what to do and what not to. The moral principle that my agency will adhere most

with is, “the utilitarianism (an action is good if the result is the greatest good for the greatest

number)” (Iancu et al., 2010).

The values of the company will inspire action and influence behavior because they will

be instilled and every employee and every employee actions and decisions will be based on these

values. It will inspire every employee to respect each other, each client and even their self if they

are ever in the same situation. All employees will demonstrate a sense of integrity. They will all

unite and be unified because they all serve the same purpose, follow the same mission and are

instilled with the same values. They will empower each other and every client they work with
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and at the same time they will also be empowering their self. The code of Ethics is related to the

mission and value statements because they all share the same values. All of their primary

purposes are the same.

The value statement and the mission statement go hand and hand, the values relate to the

mission because they both serve the same purpose The purpose they serve is instilling values in

women to help them become better mothers. Even if being a better mother means aborting the

child or giving them up for adoption because in the end the choice is the mothers. We have the

best interest at heart when it comes to the community and the women in it and the children that it

will affect. What’s important is what is best for the innocent baby and only the mother can

decide that. Whatever she decides or if she needs help deciding we will be here to steer her in the

right direction with information and resources at the same time respecting her, showing integrity,

uniting and empowering them.

According to Axia College Reading Material Ch. 9, “Organizational culture best captures

how we do things around here (Deal, 1987)”. The agency at times seems like its own little

society. Over time the characteristics of the employees in the organization has formed a very

diverse culture. Everyone is from different backgrounds. Some are young and some are old,

which gives the agency a fresh but wise culture. Many of the employees are Mothers and have

gone through a lot of the things that the clients are experiencing. All traditional holidays are

recognized. The agencies tangible cultural form is “Values/Beliefs/Norms—the official and

unofficial values, do’s and don’ts, and standards of behavior” (Manning, 2003). The plan is to

foster a Value Based Program. This will be done by encouraging the development of meaningful,

shared ethical values and emphasizing activities that help employees in decision making through
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advice, support, and consensus. The culture will institutionalize the organization's values

by using them on a day to day basis and discussing them in the company meetings that occur

every Friday. Leaders will be sure to share their experience with others.

The style of leadership I used for this human service organization is the Transformational

theory. The approach where the employees and management work together is the best approach

for Mother-Hood agency. Engaging people through relationships is what transformational is all

about and that relationship is a very important factor in this business. Organizational culture as a

leader will be developed and maintained by analyzing and providing direction to the experience

of constituents in shaping a new culture that is more constructive, ethical, and productive.

Leaders are not Lone Rangers and their jobs can’t be done alone. The moral responsibility as a

leader is to influence the values of the organization through the process of culture. This links

with the moral principles because every good action the leader takes it will benefit the greater

good for everyone.

The organization's performance in maintaining an ethical standard is measured by using

the performance evaluation which is reviewed with the employees every six months. The

employees are audited by management randomly every week. The Ethics Audit is put in place to

provide leaders and constituents with a “comprehensive assessment of an organization’s

performance according to predetermined ethical criteria” (Manning, 2003). Another method that

is used is The Ethics of Governance: Oversight by the Board of Directors. Board involvement

communicates a powerful message to all other constituents of the organization. The

organizations oversight is very important to the success that we apply to every woman that

comes through the door.

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Every woman that comes through the door is greeted by the staff and welcomed with

open arms. They are treated with respect and talked to in private. There is a waiting room that

has more than enough reading material on the many options of pregnancy to occupy time. There

is more than enough staff to accommodate the average amount of women who come in a day.

Snacks and drinks are available in the waiting area. A certified nurse is on staff just in case any

complications occur. There are forms to fill out when you walk in and a brochure to read that

explain all the information and resources the agency has to offer. There is also a play area for

children, which is supervised by a staff member who is certified in CPR and Child Development.

Every case is treated uniquely and confidentially. Every staff member shares the same

values and beliefs. They are not judgmental and they respect any decision a woman decides to

make. The agency welcomes any woman in the community. Counseling is available for Mothers

and children upon request. The agency provides a comfortable, stable, supportive information

environment focused on single mothers and issues that affect them and their children; to help

them through this transition in their lives, providing them with guidance, emotional support and

ultimately a means for them to become self sufficient and reliant for the benefit of themselves

and their children.

Motherhood isn’t easy, in fact it could be the most difficult thing a woman has to face in

her life, but she doesn’t have to face it alone. Women may feel lost, trapped or pressured, there

are many emotions and feelings that arise when you are pregnant, some of which you have never

felt before. There are people who have no one to talk to or to understand what they are going

through mainly because they didn’t have the guidance from their own mother. That is why it is

important for this organization to educate and guide these women; young and old, in a direction

towards success. The mission, values, ethics and principles are the standards that The Mother-
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Hood Agency operates under to be the guidance for the women in the community. The mission

for the agency is: Our mission is to help women become Mothers by educating them with values

to help them grow more emotionally, personally, professionally, and successfully. The value

statement is: The Mother Hood Agency is built on Respect, Integrity, Unity and Empowerment.

The agency provides second chances and hope. There is Hope for our future and hope for the

future of Mother-Hood. The Mother- Hood Agency takes pride in getting single mothers on their

feet. All services are to benefit the women of the community so that they can raise better

children. Children are the future. We have to start early instilling values in children so that they

can become better adults and change the world. We have to change the future one Mother at a

time.

References
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Iancu, A., Popescu, L., & Popescu, V. (2010). THE MORAL ASPECT OF BUSINESS
DECISIONS. Economics, Management & Financial Markets, 5(2), 250-256.

Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Manning, S. (2003). Ethical Leadership in Human Services: A Multi-Dimensional Approach

Retrieved from: Axia College Reading Ch. 9

Nonprofit Organizations in Welfare-to-Work Services. (2002).

Retrieved from: EBSCOhost.

Potter, N. (2006). America Approaches 300 Million Population.

Retrieved from: http://abcnews.go.com

Serago, C., Adnani, N., Bank, M., BenComo, J., Duan, J., Fairobent, L., & Walters, B. (2009).

Code of Ethics for the American Association of Physicists in Medicine: report of Task Group

109. Medical Physics, 36(1), 213-223.

Retrieved from EBSCOhost