Program Proposal The final assignment in this course is a written Program Proposal. A program proposal is a document demonstrating an intent to create a clinical, educational, or community project. The Program Proposal will define a contemporary problem or issue and propose a potential solution for a contemporary issue in a manner that will persuade experts and decision makers to support the proposal. Within the proposal, developmental theory and research will be applied to policy, community agency, and major themes of development. A specific program, intended to provide individual or group services to address an identified area of need, will be introduced and outlined.Beginning the Proposal ProcessChoose an area of interest. Students will choose a general track and define a specific issue within the track that is of interest to them and presents a contemporary problem to be solved. Please see the Program Proposal Tracks and Topics in Developmental Psychology document to view the tracks (Community, Clinical/Counseling, and Education) and suggested issues within each track for the proposal. Once the track and issue have been chosen, specific criteria will need to be identified.Identify the target population. Regardless of the track and issue chosen, a target population must be identified for the proposal. Identify the target population associated with the chosen issue. Within the target population, choose the developmental stage that will act as the focus for the proposal. Many programs may directly and/or indirectly influence people in different stages; however, it is important to select the stage that is most applicable to the specific program being proposed. For example, in a program for adults who are caring for their elderly parents, the focus is on the adults (likely in middle adulthood) so a middle adulthood focus would be most appropriate for that program.Identify the geographic location where the program will be deployed. Programming will be directly influenced by the location in which it will take place. For example, a child safety program in a rural farming community will likely have different objectives and needs than a child safety program in a large metropolitan city.Research a minimum of five peer-reviewed articles on the chosen issue in the Ashford University Library. All sources utilized for the Program Proposal must have been published within the last 10 years.Creating the Program Proposal