This research examines the experiences, expectations and concerns of post-war Greek migrants in an interview and focus group setting. The central question of inquiry is whether Australia has been -the lucky country- for Greek migrants after approximately fifty years of living in Australia. Overall, of the total number of Greek migrants who participated in the research, 78% believe Australia is the lucky country, whereas 22% did not. Some of the overall reasons why Greeks believe Australia is not the lucky country include racism, qualifications were not initially recognised, and Greece is now perceived as being economically superior to Australia. Some of the main limitations of the present study include : the small number of subjects recruited, advertisement design, ambiguous definition of the lucky country, and the study was only concentrated in one geographical section of Sydney. Recommendations are included to assist future researchers alleviate some of the problem areas. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis reports the results of a comparison of the experiences of community participation between two groups of people - people with intellectual disability and non-disabled people. An interview schedule was developed, based on the social integration literature, government policy and a small empirical study. The common factors from these three bases were represented in the interview schedule which covered the areas of degree of social contact with family, friends and neighbours; involvement in the local community; and degree of satisfaction with the local community. Thirty people with intellectual disability and sixty non-disabled people were interviewed using the schedule. The non-disabled people lived in the same street (if possible) or within very close vicinity of the people with intellectual disability. The findings of community participation for people with intellectual disability reflected other research, indicating that this group had limited social contact, and reported few friendships in the community, but participated to a large extent in community activities and made use of community facilities. This group were also inclined to report satisfaction with living in, and feeling like part of the community. For non disabled people, the findings reflect a group that does not particularly feel like part of the community and makes limited use of community facilities. However, this group reported regular contact with family, friends and neighbours. The above findings are discussed with relevance to policy, theory, research and practice.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

<p>Det här är en kvalitativ studie med syftet att studera föreningen som en etnisk gränsöverskridande mötesplats och social integrationsaktör. Metodologiskt strukturerades studien kring sju halvstrukturerade intervjuer med en föreningsordförande och föreningsaktiva medlemmar från en internationell vänskapsförening i en glesbygdskommun i Mellansverige. Empirin har analyserats utifrån en teoretisk utgångspunkt i socialt kapital. Resultatet visar att det både finns möjligheter för och hinder mot föreningen som etnisk gränsöverskridande mötesplats. Föreningen fungerar som etniskt överbryggande i betydelsen av att internt inom föreningen överbrygga etniska och språkliga skiljelinjer, men hinder mot att uppnå externa överbryggande värden begränsas av svårigheter att nå ut till närsamhället och till personer med svensk bakgrund i verksamheten. Föreningens betydelse som en social integrationsaktör framträder på tre centrala områden; föreningens betydelse för social gemenskap och socialt samspel och för kontakter och nätverk och slutligen som informationskanal. Föreningen har störst betydelse för föreningsaktiva med utländsk bakgrund, framförallt i ett socialt avseende.</p>

Det här är en kvalitativ studie med syftet att studera föreningen som en etnisk gränsöverskridande mötesplats och social integrationsaktör. Metodologiskt strukturerades studien kring sju halvstrukturerade intervjuer med en föreningsordförande och föreningsaktiva medlemmar från en internationell vänskapsförening i en glesbygdskommun i Mellansverige. Empirin har analyserats utifrån en teoretisk utgångspunkt i socialt kapital. Resultatet visar att det både finns möjligheter för och hinder mot föreningen som etnisk gränsöverskridande mötesplats. Föreningen fungerar som etniskt överbryggande i betydelsen av att internt inom föreningen överbrygga etniska och språkliga skiljelinjer, men hinder mot att uppnå externa överbryggande värden begränsas av svårigheter att nå ut till närsamhället och till personer med svensk bakgrund i verksamheten. Föreningens betydelse som en social integrationsaktör framträder på tre centrala områden; föreningens betydelse för social gemenskap och socialt samspel och för kontakter och nätverk och slutligen som informationskanal. Föreningen har störst betydelse för föreningsaktiva med utländsk bakgrund, framförallt i ett socialt avseende.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 323-335).

As socio-cultural concerns have gained currency in the sustainability discourse since the 1990s, facilitation of social cohesion has been emphasised as a precautionary measure to solve urban problems in distressed areas. In South Korea, as the tradition of social solidarity in residential communities has been substantially eroding, economically vulnerable groups have increasingly become helpless and hopeless. In order to suggest planning and management recommendations to improve the social cohesion of the impoverished communities, this study examined how the physical environment affects the social cohesiveness of the most disadvantaged public rental housing communities in South Korea. Four public rental housing estates in Seoul were selected for case studies. Based on the data collected by a questionnaire survey, interviews and field observation, the relationship among community cohesion, residents’ perception of the environment and their use of facilities in the housing estate and surrounding neighbourhoods was investigated quantitatively and qualitatively. The social cohesiveness of the public rental housing communities was assessed with the fourteen indicators in three dimensions. The dimension of ‘shared norms and trust’ was found to be the most evident, followed by 'attachment to housing estate' and ‘social networking.’ The level of social cohesiveness differed across the communities, and a community with stronger cohesiveness was found to be more active in community self-help and voluntary problem solving activities. The regression analysis proved that ‘shared norms and trust’ was affected by residents’ perception of housing block design, neighbourhood landmarks, educational facilities, residents' daily length of stay in the estate and their frequency of retail facilities use. Attachment to housing estate was influenced by residents’ perception of community facilities, retail facilities, educational environment, estate deterioration and spatial isolation. Social networking was affected by residents’ frequency in the use of retail facilities and public spaces, where diverse groups of people met. This study also identified the underlying factors affecting these relationships. Externally, the location of housing estates near commercial zones was significant. Internally, housing block arrangements creating more enclosed public spaces and attractive landscape, high quality welfare centres, regular maintenance and refurbishment of buildings, participatory revitalisation programs, community activities organised by welfare centres were found to enhance residents' perception and use of the facilities, thus improving community cohesiveness. In contrast, locations in areas with worn-out public housing estates, low quality retail facilities, poor ability of housing managers to organise surveillance and revitalisation programs, and residents’ low participation were adverse factors. With weakening collectivism but rising individualism, the traditional cultural influence on social cohesiveness has waned. Instead, good educational facilities in the neighbourhood, extensive use of public spaces, collective perception of poverty, incorporation of neighbourhood environment into estate environment and aspiration for good neighbouring are conducive to the community cohesion. Therefore, allocation of housing estates in the neighbourhoods with sufficient retail facilities, educational facilities and neighbourhood landmarks is suggested. More attractive housing block arrangements and the improvement of the retail facilities and welfare centres, consistent management of participatory revitalisation programs and more efficient investment in refurbishment of worn-out public housing estates are also recommended. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Šio darbo tikslas - išanalizuoti žmonių suregėjimo negalia padėtį visuomenėje, galimybes rasti darbą, visuomenės ir darbdavių požiūrį į neigalųjį žmogų, teisinę padėtį, fizinės aplinkos pritaikymą šiems žmonėms. Buvo siekiama rasti būdus Buvo sudaryta anketa ir apklausta 100 respondentų, turinčių regėjimo negalią. Buvo siekiama išsiaiškinti jų profesinės reabilitacijos problemas, kur jie dirba, kaip susirado darbą, kokia jų darbinės veiklos sritis, ar jų darbo aplinka yra jiems pritaikyta ir ar jie yra patenkinti savo darbu. kokioje dar veikloje dalyvauja šie žmonės ir kas jiems padeda buityje Taip pat siekiama išsiaiškinti ar efektyviai jiems padeda LASS, kokius įstatymus jie žino, kurie turėtų padėti jiems įsilieti į visuomenę ir ar jie gali save vadinti visaverčiais visuomenės nariais. Atlikus tyrima paaiškėjo svarbiausios kliūtys, trukdančios akliems ir silpnaregiams sėkmingai įsilieti į visuomenę ir bandoma rasti būdus kaip šias kliūtis įveikti. / The aim of this work is to analyse the situation of blind and visually imparred persons integration in society. In this work employments are called one of the most important elements of the social integration. I also research the improvement of blind and visually imparred people, their imployment in society, the law system of Lithuania, institutions that work for the welfore of partialy sighted persons rehabilitation system. Furthemore, I analize personal, social, physical situation, elements that limit the posssiblities of blind and visual imparred persons to integrate into society. I made special survays in order to investigate the employment situation of blind and visual imparred people who live in Vilnius. One hundred blind and visually imparred persons were investigated using the interwiews and also the questionaire method. The main results of my special survays are illustrated with charts and tables in the forth part of the work. After all the results that were analysed I have made conslussions that it is very hard for the blind and visually imparred people to integrate to society because of various reasons: law base, that takes care of partialy sighted people,people wrights and opportunities are created, but there are some imperfections that reduse the employment possibilities, the adaptability for the blind and visully imparred people. All mentionated reasons have influence on the social integration idea of the blind and visually imparred individuals. Moreover... [to full text]

The objective of the study was to explore social integration of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the workplace and to identify the characteristics of positive workplace culture for them. An in-depth qualitative case study was conducted at two worksites to explore the process of social integration. Sources of information included company documents, on site observations, and interviews that were conducted for the following purposes: 1. to describe employees with IDs’ perceptions and needs of social integration and their experiences of social relationships in work settings; 2. to explore co-workers’ perceptions of and relationships with employees with ID; and 3. to identify what characteristics of workplace culture contributed to or detracted from social integration for people with ID. One workplace was an educational organization where four workers with ID were employed, the other a restaurant franchise where one worker with ID was employed. The participants with ID from both worksites believed people with and without disabilities should work together and felt they were included in their workplaces. The co-workers interviewed had positive opinions of fellow employees with ID. Several characteristics of workplace culture had an impact on social integration for employees with ID, including a job structure that promotes social interactions, work pace within the work setting, group or individual employment, culture of acceptance within the work setting, and a supportive managerial approach. The results of the current study have provided strategies to enhance social integration for employees with ID, and highlighted a number of potentially beneficial workplace conditions that merit additional study. Service providers can act as advocates to help create a work environment that emphasizes acceptance and respect for workers in this population. / Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2008-02-01 15:55:38.935 / South Eastern Ontario Community-University Research Alliance in Intellectual Disabilities

In the next few years, the number of international students, including graduate students, in Canada is expected to increase considerably (Cudmore, 2005). Simultaneously, recent funding cuts to higher education in a more neoliberal policy climate leave these students with fewer services to facilitate their integration into the host community (Hellsten & Prescott, 2004; Trice, 2004). One important way in which students become integrated is by participating in civic engagement projects. This study examined how, in the current policy climate, international graduate students are taking part in such projects. / Based on semi-structured interviews with six international graduate students in the field of education in Quebec, the study showed that students embraced a more Deweyan perspective of education and successfully participated in civic engagement projects despite many challenges, such as an academic culture that provides little active support for their involvement in civic engagement activities. The study concludes with recommendations so that universities can provide such support.