The Black Women's Health Alliance (BWHA): Agency Analysis
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Agency Description The Black Women’s Health Alliance (BWHA) role is to be the voice of African American women in the Philadelphia community. Their mission is to “improve healthcare outcomes and eliminate and/or reduce health disparities experienced by women of African Ancestry, other women of color, and their families through advocacy, education, research and support activities, programs and services” (Black Women’s Health Alliance [BWHA], 2015). The clientele for BWHA are both men and women ranging from 12 to 75 years of age. The BWHA has partnerships with many agencies and organizations and they are funded by various sources such as The Edna G. Kynett Memorial Foundation, The Philadelphia Foundation, Women’s Way, The Philadelphia Departments…show more content… The Supporting Our Sisters Parenting Leadership Program (SOS) offers a 12 week series of parent education, skill building, communication, and parent-child workshops to help reduce parental stress among African American parents who often lack financial and social support. It can be stressful assuming the responsibility of caring for a child or children especially for those adults who are head of a single parent household. The American Heart Association (AHA) states that being in a stressful situation can temporarily increase your blood pressure (American Heart Association [AHA], 2015). Although stress has not been scientifically proven to be a risk factor for hypertension, there have been scientific linkages that show a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person’s life. Helping these parents cope with and manage their stress can help prevent them from engaging in unhealthy behaviors that are risk factors for developing hypertension such as smoking, drinking, or eating…show more content… The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted in 2006 that African Americans, aged 13 to 29 years of age had the highest proportion of new HIV infections of any age group (as cited in Clark, Fasula, Miller, Parker, Poulsen, & Zackery, 2009, p.19). Sexual risk behavior increases the risk for HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and unplanned pregnancy. Increasing awareness of healthy lifestyle choices can help to improve the positive development of young people and ensure a healthy and productive future. I will be working as a student intern for BWHA. I will report directly to the executive director. My duties will include:
• Helping coordinate fundraising mailings
• Assisting with special event planning
• Providing support to program staff on special projects and initiatives
• Entering and editing data in access database
This position will provide me with an opportunity to gain hands on experience in non-profit