Best Practices for Human Services Delivery Essay

The delivery of human services is one venture that organizations can not embark on blindly. It requires key competencies especially on the part of the staff charged with the responsibility of delivering these essential services. It is a task that also requires active participation of key stakeholders, which are basically the population and the agency. When delivering the services, the agencies concerned need to put in to consideration the views of the population. In fact, the population should be involved in the entire process of service delivery, from conception of the idea to implementation. By involving the population, it shows that the agency appreciates their contribution and value of population participatory in the process of service delivery. As a consequence, the population becomes trustworthy partners proud to be identified and associated with the agency and its services. It should be appreciated that the success of the agency in this service delivery solely depends on the response of the population. Indeed, the role of the population can not be overstated. Before the organization embarks on any service delivery, Katherine and Ellen (2009) argue that knowledge about the background of the population is vital. In the modern society, most populations are diverse. It is important that any agency understands all aspect of the population to avoid making mistakes unknowingly. One very important aspect is the competence of the agency. The staff of the agency needs to have basic skills that are vital in service delivery. Lack of skills puts the quality of the agency’s performance at stake. This is then reflected in the results of the delivery. Poor results not only have a negative impact on the image of the agency, but also threaten the future of the organization. It is unlikely that an organization whose performance is poor would get any future reference or even contracts. Besides, the agency delivering such services needs to be well endowed with adequate resources. These include money, time and knowhow (Katherine & Ellen, 2009). These resources are mandatory for any success to be accomplished. They enable the agencies to finish their tasks in timely manner. In addition, they also affect the quality of service delivery. Quality and timely service delivery boosts the confidence of the population in the performance of the agency. This then ensures future growth and population confidence with the agency as contracts can be renewed and secured. Katherine and Ellen (2009) affirm that for any service delivery to be successful, trust is of essence. This should be mutual. They also argue that building trust of a diverse population can be a tricky affair. They suggest that agencies should draw part of their staff from the population. They argue that the agency may not be aware of part of the cultural expectations of the population. Besides, they may not understand the local language, a tool that is very basic in as far as communication is concerned. Poor communication system impacts directly on service delivery as misunderstandings are bound to occur. The agency should also respect the culture of the population in order to successfully deliver its services. Cultures tend to vary considerably and it is important that the agency understands every bit of the population’s culture. For instance, some populations prescribe different dress code for different persons. Although this may not be an issue in an urban population, it is highly significant in a rural setting. Contravening such may negatively impact on service delivery. In extreme cases, the service delivery may even be halted Conclusion The delivery of human services can be a very sensitive process. Utmost care need to be taken to ensure that the population approves of the agency’s performance. This will enable the agency to carry out its activities with ease, all for the benefit of the population. Above all, the agency should market its brand to the population to gain aspect of positive association.