The descriptive purpose of this study was to explore and describe the manner in which a South African informal settlement community is coping with HIV&AIDS, by relying on existing assets and local resources. The intervention-related purpose was to explore how an activist intervention research approach might facilitate change and empower an informal settlement community in relation to community members’ ways of coping with HIV&AIDS. Theoretically the study conceptualised asset-based coping, thus adding to available literature on the asset-based approach and coping. The practical value lies in documenting an example of one community’s coping with HIV&AIDS, which may inform other communities during future capacity building initiatives. Furthermore, the study provides methodological knowledge concerning the potential value of employing activist intervention research within the context of coping with HIV&AIDS. The conceptual framework of the study constituted the HIV&AIDS pandemic, coping theory and the asset-based approach. I followed a qualitative research approach guided by an interpretivist epistemology. I employed an instrumental case study design, applying PRA (Participatory Reflection and Action) principles. I purposefully selected the case (a South African informal settlement community and primary school through which I entered the community), as well as the participants (educators, community members and other stakeholders of the community). Data collection consisted of an intervention (focus groups combined with workshops that relied on PRA informed techniques), interviews, observation, a field journal and visual data collection techniques. Four prominent themes emerged subsequent to inductive data analysis. The community experienced certain challenges and stressors within the context of HIV&AIDS. Besides general challenges like poverty, unemployment and at-risk sexual behaviour, community members displayed vulnerability with regard to HIV&AIDS and identified challenges when supporting other people living with HIV&AIDS. Various assets and potential assets were identified in and around the community, upon which the community might rely in coping with the challenges associated with HIV&AIDS. Thirdly, the community displayed certain trends in coping with HIV&AIDS, relying on community-based coping to deal with being infected with HIV or living with AIDS, coping with other community members living with HIV&AIDS, or caring for children orphaned due to HIV&AIDS. Finally, participants’ active involvement in the intervention research resulted in unchanged-, as well as changed coping strategies. Based on the findings, I conceptualised the construct asset-based coping, defining it as the ability to deal with challenges, by identifying and mobilising existing assets, as well as external resources available. I proposed asset-based coping as one possibility of coping with HIV&AIDS. In terms of research methodology, I combined research and intervention in an innovative manner, by developing and employing an activist intervention research approach. Active participation and their role as research partners enabled educators to experience increased levels of self-worth, take agency and be empowered in the context of community-based coping with HIV&AIDS. / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This study seeks to uncover the opportunities and challenges in building the foundations for sustainable community development at the local level, by enhancing the capacity of a community organisation. Challenging the traditional needs-based focus of community development, the research builds from the work of Kretzmann and McKnight by applying an asset-based approach to both community development and capacity building of community organisations. This study thus shifts the focus of community development away from its traditional application on

Magister Legum - LLM / Timely, adequate and affordable access to finance is pivotal to bolstering the participation of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in both domestic and international trade. Regrettably, despite their immense contributions to the economy, most SMEs in Nigeria and across Africa find it extremely challenging to access finance from banks and the stock market. As a result, they cannot fund their working capital and trade financing needs conveniently, and this undermines their growth and capacity to contribute even more to the economy. This situation has made it imperative to continue exploring alternative sources of finance that may be more accessible and align better with the peculiarities of SMEs.

The purpose of this study was to explore an asset-based intervention with educators in enhancing their knowledge of HIV&AIDS and their skills in supporting community members in coping with the challenges associated with HIV&AIDS. The goals of the study were firstly to explore and describe the ways in which educators are currently supporting community members infected with and affected by HIV&AIDS (more specifically in terms of coping with the learners in their classrooms and the caregivers or parents of these children). Secondly, the study focused on identifying the areas related to supporting community members in coping with the challenges associated with HIV&AIDS in which the participants (educators) felt that they needed more skills or information. Thirdly, I developed and facilitated an asset-based intervention, in the format of a workshop, with the participants (educators) to address the identified competence limitations. Fourthly, I assessed the outcome of the asset-based intervention in terms of the degree to which it fulfilled the participants’ need to be better equipped to support community members infected with and affected by HIV&AIDS. The primary working assumption with which I approached this study was that educators do possess the necessary competencies to support their communities in coping with the challenges presented by HIV&AIDS. I followed a qualitative research approach and selected a case study research design, applying some participatory action research principles, with the case being an informal settlement community situated in the Eastern Cape. Four participants were selected by means of convenience sampling to participate in face-to-face interviews, upon which four areas of support in which participants experienced a lack of sufficient competencies could be identified based on analysis. These areas related to referral of infected individuals; coping with infected learners in a classroom as well as ways in which educators might support community members on both an emotional and physical level. These four areas were addressed during an asset-based intervention with ten educators, which I facilitated during a follow-up field visit. During interviews the educators also indicated that they wanted to support their community (both learners and parents) to cope with the challenges presented by HIV&AIDS but that they felt inadequate in supporting the community, despite their efforts. After completion of the asset-based intervention, I facilitated a focus group discussion, focusing on whether or not the asset-based intervention had addressed participants’ (perceived) lack of competencies in supporting the community to cope within the context of HIV&AIDS. Two sub-themes emerged. Firstly, participating educators reported that they experienced increased levels of self-confidence in their ability to support their community in the context of HIV&AIDS, as well as a general feeling of empowerment, as a result of attending the asset-based intervention. The second sub-theme relates to the potential snowball effect of the asset-based intervention, whereby participating educators indicated that their role in the community had expanded and that they reportedly could transmit the knowledge obtained during the asset-based intervention sessions to others. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Educational Psychology / MEd / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into a teacher’s experience in implementing the asset-based approach to teach Life Orientation to a Grade 7 class. More specifically I explored expected and unexpected benefits as well as challenges in relation to the implementation of asset-based teaching. My working assumptions were that both teachers and learners possess assets that may support teaching and learning and that the process of asset-based teaching can support teachers to attend to a variety of needs in one classroom. Nested within the wider positive psychology paradigm I relied on the asset-based approach as theoretical framework. I conducted qualitative research following an instrumental case study research design, applying participatory action research principles. Meta-theoretically I framed the study within Interpretivism in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. One Grade 7 teacher was selected as participant through purposeful sampling. A government primary school in Pretoria was selected conveniently. I used semi-structured interviews, analysis of existing documents and artefacts, and observation to collect data, that were documented in the form of verbatim transcripts, photographs, field notes and a research journal. Following thematic data analysis three main themes emerged related to the process of asset-based teaching, positive changes of assetbased teaching, and challenges associated with asset-based teaching. In identifying assets within the classroom (Theme 1), the teacher in this study became aware of both the learners’ and her own assets that could be mobilised to support teaching and learning. Assets identified within the different systems of the bio-ecological model and own action plan were used to support the mobilisation of assets. Ownership and commitment formed an essential part of the phase of managing assets. Positive changes that were identified subsequent to implementing asset-based teaching (Theme 2) relate to increased confidence and self-knowledge of learners and the teacher, identification of assets, enablement in the classroom, recognising the value of reflection in teaching, focusing away from learners’ needs towards their assets and strengths, increased motivation and trust amongst learners, a decrease in behaviour difficulties, and learners working more independently. Challenges that were identified in implementing asset-based teaching (Theme 3) include an increased workload and responsibility in teaching, difficulty to focus away from needs to strengths, lack of sustainability of positive changes, behaviour challenges, limited understanding of asset-based terminology, difficulty to integrate asset-based teaching into the curriculum of various learning areas, high teacher-learner ratios, socio-economic challenges, the needs-based orientation of society, and limited support to learners from home. Based on the findings of the study I conclude that asset-based teaching can be viewed as a suitable alternative way of teaching, following the dynamic process of identifying, mobilising and managing assets. In this manner, the diverse needs of learners may be addressed in one classroom. In addition the study indicates that asset-based teaching may support adolescents in dealing with developmental changes. # Additional information of the Appendices are kept on Level 3 Merensky Library. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / Unrestricted

People perceive social conflict and conflict issues in different ways. My research is directed at understanding how leaders from some of Winnipeg’s Community-Based Organizations (CBOs; faith and ethno-cultural NGOs) perceive and experience social conflict and to explore their contributions toward peace-building and conflict transformation. Historically, Winnipeg has been home to a plethora of faith-based, ethno-cultural community organizations, and NGOs whose mission is to provide crucial basic and spiritual needs to people. Their contribution to the nurturing of both the spiritual and social needs of their communities is also remarkable. This qualitative research is based on semi-structured interviews and participant observation as research instruments to observe social events related to conflict and peace-building. Critical ethnographic and grounded theory approaches inform the methodology while drawing necessary inferences from relevant quantitative data. From this research, several key findings become evident: 1) CBO leaders have a high level of personal motivation and employ a wide range of tools, such as the social capital of their organizations, to intervene in social conflict issues for the purpose of peace-building; 2) of the three types of CBO (faith, ethno-cultural and NGOs), the Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) are the most networked and involved in transforming social conflicts and contributing toward peace-building in Winnipeg; 3) some respondents seemed to indicate that not all projects are contributing equally in addressing social conflict issues; 4) social conflict issues appear to be rooted in an unjust social structure and a number of socio-economic-political and cultural policies; 5) research participants cited five complex, interrelated conflict issues in Winnipeg; 6) a grounded theoretical concept (Perception-Expectation-Frustration) was generated to explain social conflict; and 7) these everyday leaders are using a plethora of strategies as everyday peace-builders who are engaged global citizens, and citizen diplomats to create oases of peace in a society where people are struggling with social inequality, discrimination, and poverty in order to address people's immediate needs, promote awareness, and influence policy. In sum, the meso level CBO leaders perceive social conflict holistically and some of their peace-building projects may be contributing substantially towards a long-term process of social conflict transformation in Winnipeg. / February 2017

Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional Community Planning / Stephanie A. Rolley / As bicycle tourists seek interesting experiences along low traffic roads, rural communities are poised to embrace bicycle tourism as a community development strategy. Asset based community development provides a methodology for communities to utilize assets that already exist within their communities to meet the needs of these tourists. The community capitals framework then provides a platform for analyzing and discussing the existing assets, as well as helping hone in on ways communities can develop further. The Sunken Lands region of Northeast Arkansas is one such rural region seeking to embrace bicycle tourism. Two case studies of communities that have capitalized on their existing assets to accommodate bicyclists were completed to explore potential for using the community capitals framework to guide pursuit of bicycle tourism. A snowball approach to interviewing community members in Collinwood, Tennessee and Farmington, Missouri was used to discover the details of bicycle accommodations, the processes of pursuing bicycle tourism, the people and groups involved, the types of assets used, and any challenges faced in implementation. Additionally, existing literature was used to substantiate each case and provide a more robust community picture. Emerging from the case studies were commonalities that aligned with the community capitals framework and Emery and Flora’s (2006) theory that community change is driven by social capital. The result is a tool that aligns community assets with the needs of bicycle tourists with the community capitals framework.

Accounting for goodwill and identifiable intangibles is one of the most controversial issues in financial reporting. It has been on the agenda of the Australian Accounting Standards Board, the US, UK, and the International Accounting Standards Boards, and the Full High Court of Australia. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has also placed accounting for intangibles in its Media Releases directed at specific companies. Evidence suggests that the materiality of goodwill and identifiable intangible assets in corporate statements of financial position for a large number of companies is the reason for the considerable attention given to goodwill and identifiable intangibles. The present study has two objectives. First, it analyses the Australian market perception of goodwill and identifiable intangibles as assets in the determination of the market valuation of companies. Second, it investigates whether the market perceives goodwill and identifiable intangibles as wasting resources when valuing Australian firms. In order to achieve these objectives, the analysis initially develops and estimates a model (the asset-based model) that uses financial position statement items to explain the market value of companies' equity. This model examines the association between reported goodwill and identifiable intangible asset values and companies' market values. Given Ohlson's (1993) argument that companies' market value might be better explained by a model that includes a stock concept of value and a flow concept of earnings, a second model (the asset and income-based model) that incorporates an income variable into the initial model, is then developed and estimated. This model examines the association between the goodwill and identifiable intangible amortisation expense and companies' market values. Evidence suggests that there is a statistically significant negative association between equity market values and write-offs of goodwill, confirming the market perception of write-offs of goodwill as a wasting resource when valuing companies. Evidence also suggests that there is a statistically significant negative association between equity market values and write-offs of identifiable intangibles, at least for the total sample of the present study, providing limited evidence of the market perception of identifiable intangibles as wasting resources when valuing companies. However, the negative and inconsistently significant association between equity market values and write-offs of identifiable intangibles on an annual basis suggests that the relationship may be more complex than traditionally analysed / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The successful implementation of an inclusive education system relies heavily on educators, since they engage daily in reciprocal interactions with learners. The implementation of an inclusive education system in South Africa was part of the educational reforms that occurred after 1994. Inclusive education promotes the full personal, academic and proficient development of all learners and is based on values such as human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedom. Although most educators were only trained for either mainstream education or specialised education, they now had to cope not only with the diverse challenges posed by individual learner barriers, but also with broader systemic issues such as non-protective legislation and policy, cultural prejudice, inaccessible and unsafely built infrastructure, and lack of parental involvement. The complexity of the interactive relationships between different systems such as learners, educators, families, schools and the learning context were recognised and therefore the ecosystemic perspective was applied. The purpose of the research was to explore the experiences of educators in ordinary schools regarding the challenges involved in inclusive learning contexts, and to identify the competencies that they apply to deal with some of these challenges. A qualitative research design was chosen, using a case study to obtain an in-depth understanding of educators' experiences in a specific context. The study was conducted in the North-West province at Klerksdorp Secondary School. The school is characterised by its cultural diversity among educators and learners. Various contextual and micro systemic barriers that threatened an enabling learning environment were observed. Seven educators, one male and six female, participated in the research after ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University, the Department of Education, the Head of the school as well as the individual participants. Participants were involved in the research through purposive sampling. Three methods of gathering data were used in this research, namely written assignments that were completed by the participants; in-depth follow-up interviews and a focus group with all the participants. Thematic content analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes in the educators' descriptions of their experiences. The findings indicated that educators demonstrated competencies that enabled them to support learners and initiate and form collaborative relationships in an inclusive learning environment. The competencies associated with supporting learners included unconditional acceptance, focussed observations, adaptation and flexibility and motivating and encouraging learners to achieve. The competencies associated with the initiation and forming of collaborative relationships included involving parents in the learning process and forming collaborative relationships with colleagues. The findings clearly indicated that although educators had not received formal training in dealing with learners challenged with barriers to learning, they intuitively explored various ways of co-creating enabling learning contexts. Various implications for the Department of Education and school management teams are suggested. The Department of Education's training policy should acknowledge teachers' existing competencies. Educators should form part of advisory committees that could advise the Department of Education about the development of inclusive learning contexts. School management teams and institutional support teams could emphasise collective planning for inclusion so that educators' expertise is explored and further developed. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The successful implementation of an inclusive education system relies heavily on educators, since they engage daily in reciprocal interactions with learners. The implementation of an inclusive education system in South Africa was part of the educational reforms that occurred after 1994. Inclusive education promotes the full personal, academic and proficient development of all learners and is based on values such as human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedom. Although most educators were only trained for either mainstream education or specialised education, they now had to cope not only with the diverse challenges posed by individual learner barriers, but also with broader systemic issues such as non-protective legislation and policy, cultural prejudice, inaccessible and unsafely built infrastructure, and lack of parental involvement. The complexity of the interactive relationships between different systems such as learners, educators, families, schools and the learning context were recognised and therefore the ecosystemic perspective was applied. The purpose of the research was to explore the experiences of educators in ordinary schools regarding the challenges involved in inclusive learning contexts, and to identify the competencies that they apply to deal with some of these challenges. A qualitative research design was chosen, using a case study to obtain an in-depth understanding of educators' experiences in a specific context. The study was conducted in the North-West province at Klerksdorp Secondary School. The school is characterised by its cultural diversity among educators and learners. Various contextual and micro systemic barriers that threatened an enabling learning environment were observed. Seven educators, one male and six female, participated in the research after ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University, the Department of Education, the Head of the school as well as the individual participants. Participants were involved in the research through purposive sampling. Three methods of gathering data were used in this research, namely written assignments that were completed by the participants; in-depth follow-up interviews and a focus group with all the participants. Thematic content analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes in the educators' descriptions of their experiences. The findings indicated that educators demonstrated competencies that enabled them to support learners and initiate and form collaborative relationships in an inclusive learning environment. The competencies associated with supporting learners included unconditional acceptance, focussed observations, adaptation and flexibility and motivating and encouraging learners to achieve. The competencies associated with the initiation and forming of collaborative relationships included involving parents in the learning process and forming collaborative relationships with colleagues. The findings clearly indicated that although educators had not received formal training in dealing with learners challenged with barriers to learning, they intuitively explored various ways of co-creating enabling learning contexts. Various implications for the Department of Education and school management teams are suggested. The Department of Education's training policy should acknowledge teachers' existing competencies. Educators should form part of advisory committees that could advise the Department of Education about the development of inclusive learning contexts. School management teams and institutional support teams could emphasise collective planning for inclusion so that educators' expertise is explored and further developed. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.