Public policy has been shifting from child abuse and neglect (CAN) intervention toward prevention, using public health style frameworks, which emphasize shared community and legislative responsibilities to support families (Browne, 2014; CDC, 2014). Analysis of qualitative data from statewide focus groups held in 2019 in Alabama with 99 community-based CAN prevention workers shows strengths in community collaboration, but also, struggles to help families meet basic needs because of lack of community resources, such as transportation and quality child care, and other barriers, including stigma. The results demonstrate confusion between prevention, which is intended to build family resilience to avert crisis, and intervention, meant to reunite families after child protection services involvement. We recommend researchers consistently link CAN research to prevention frameworks so as to build meaningful understanding how to create better prevention programs. Future practitioners should understand prevention, and be prepared to document their work so as to demonstrate need.

Vor dem Hintergrund der Digitalisierung in der Hochschulbildung, insbesondere ihrer didaktisch- methodischen, technischen und organisatorischen Implementierung und ihrer Integration in geeignete Lernmanagementsysteme, beschäftigt sich das vorliegende Paper mit dem Lernen von Studierenden in und mit digitalen Medien sowie der kollaborativen Wissensarbeit im Rahmen eines Crowdfunding-Projekts für Jugendliche. Im vorgestellten Lehrpraxisbeispiel wird ein Flipped-Classroom-Konzept kombiniert mit einem Community-based Service Learning-Ansatz umgesetzt, um die Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen mit einer fachlich-inhaltlichen Wissensvertiefung im Bereich alternativer Finanzierungsformen im Management von Einrichtungen der Sozialen Arbeit einerseits und dem gesellschaftlichen Engagement der Studierenden andererseits zu verknüpfen.

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<p>The issue of bullying, among school age children, has been popularized by North American news media. These media frame bullying as a violent epidemic plaguing our schools, resulting in school officials implementing new anti-violence intervention and prevention programs. However, popular media and school administrators often do not rely on research with consistent definitions for bullying behavior to inform these changes. As a result, the term bullying has become quite ubiquitous, conflating bullying behavior with other forms of youth violence. My research aims to delineate the contextual influences for youth violence and the types of violence youth engage in. I argue that sociology can contribute to the study of bullying by elaborating on the roles of three kinds of contexts: immediate networks, neighborhoods and micro-geographies, and status situations. Further, gender can also be a consistent conditioning influence on those contextual effects. This study utilizes a multi-method approach to better understand the contexts and dynamics of youth violence. My quantitative component uses data from systematic social observations of all Hamilton public school neighborhoods, Hamilton Safe School Surveys and the 2006 national census. These methods build on different contexts for youth violence. While the survey findings used in the quantitative portion of this thesis examine broad contextual influences, my qualitative interviews develop micro-geographic contexts for youth violence. Using these data sources, I found significant relationships between gender, age, physical disorder and types of violence used by students. My qualitative component used interviews conducted with fifteen Hamilton youth from a variety of different neighbourhood backgrounds to understand youth’s social dynamics in different kinds of violence. I found dynamics that were consistent with the types of in-school violence described by Randall Collins (2008, 2011) and different types for violence used by male and female students for similar social ends. It is my hope that these findings can be used to better inform violence intervention and prevention policies within Ontario schools.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary C. Kingery-Page / A 2009 research report by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Resources Inventory predicts that the developed area in the United States will increase by 54.4 million acres during the next 25 years (McMahon 2010, 2). America’s rural landscape and character is replaced everyday by “placeless” neighborhoods with limited emphasis on conservation efforts. The intent of this report is to demonstrate the benefits of applying conservation design principles to the development of a conservation subdivision in rural Kansas. A 132 acre tract of land, currently known as Nelson’s Ridge, is planned and designed for a subdivision development. The property is located just east of Manhattan, Kansas. The site includes a tributary drainage corridor surrounded by woodlands, existing agriculture fields and upland prairie. It is located no more than a mile from existing amenities of a growing residential and commercial corridor along Highway 24 in Pottawatomie County. The preliminary plat designed by local engineering firm Schwab-Eaton, demonstrates America’s typical or “conventional” approach to subdivision design (Arendt, 1996). The alternative approach is known as a low-impact development or “conservation development” (Gause 2007). After completing a thorough site inventory and analysis, two preliminary designs eventually led to a final conceptual master plan. The two preliminary designs included contemporary and neo-traditional schemes, each portraying conservation principles in alternative ways. Fully understanding the two design alternatives allowed for a balanced and more cohesive final design that incorporated the most positive aspects of both conservation approaches. The preliminary plat and the conservation design were then compared and analyzed in terms of demonstrated design principles and their economic feasibility. This project provides an example for rural subdivision development in Pottawatomie County, Kansas. The project provides decision makers with a conceptual master plan for Nelson’s Ridge that implements conservation subdivision design principles. This project will educate developers, homeowners and the public about design alternatives for subdivision development. The comprehensive analysis of the proposed design will provide important insight into the benefits and limitations of implementing conservation principles into a development.

Disaster risk Reduction (DRR) is well known and practiced in many nations. Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) is a sub-component of DRR which is slowly being practiced in most at risk communities. However, there are still gaps regarding the principles and guidelines that guide the process of CBDRR. This study stipulates numerous guiding principles that govern the processes of CBDRR activities. These are: traditional knowledge, understanding of community members, capacity of community members, community participation, political will and training of community members. Furthermore the study used the guidelines to evaluate which activities by the Oshakati community members relate to the principles and guidelines of CBDRR as a way of reducing the risk of recurring floods in the community. Through focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews, it was found that the community members in Oshakati adhere to most principles of CBDRR such as the use of traditional knowledge, community members having the capacity to work together to solve common societal problems and to understand community structures. However, guidelines such as community participation, political will and training of community members were not adhered to due to various challenges such as the lack of institutional capacity and limited resources. The findings further stipulate that those guidelines were not adhered to due to inadequate knowledge on DRR and lack of support from the local government due to limited availability of resources. The study recommends that in order for the local government to reduce the risk of recurring floods in the community, the local government need to build capacity of its personnel working directly with DRR aspects. These can be achieved through a shift in the approach of responding to flooding to being proactive, creating awareness regarding the hazard and ensuring genuine participation of community members into local government CBDRR activities. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The focus of this study is on the evaluation of community based care and support service for older persons in the community. The government of South Africa and other African Countries held several discussions with the intention of addressing the needs and challenges of older persons in the community. As a follow up to the discussion, the new developmental approach, that is the South African Policy for Older Persons of 2005 and the Older Persons Act, 13 of 2006, promulgated in line with the recommendation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on ageing which was drafted and adopted at the World Assembly on Ageing that was convened by the United Nations in 2002. Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 was developed with the intention of addressing the needs of older persons in the community as the Aged Act no 100 of 1967 as amended in 1998, was focusing more on the residential care service. The Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 recognizes the importance of community-based care and support services and this means that the service delivery to older persons has been broadened and services have become more inclusive and accessible. Older persons will be able to remain in their communities within their families for as long as possible. According to the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, the community-based care and support services means any programmes that are rendered to older persons to enable them to remain independent in their communities for as long as possible. These programmes are preventing the unnecessary admission of older persons in the residential care facilities. According to the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, the Community-based care and support services are categorized into, namely, prevention and promotion programmes and the home-based care services. These two categories will be discussed in details in this study. In this study the researcher used the older persons (recipients of services), representatives of management committees for the Non-profit organizations rendering services to older persons in the community and the officials of the Department of Social Development as participants. The aim of this study is to discuss and evaluate the community-based care and support services strategy as used by the Department of Social Development in rendering services to older persons within communities in Motheo District (Free State Province) and to raise the viewpoints of direct service providers (management committees) officials of the Department of Social Development and older persons that receive these services, in order to enhance the delivery of this programme. The research methodology that was utilized in this study includes the empirical research and the literature review. A literature review was conducted by the researcher for a clear understanding of the nature and meaning of the problem that has been identified. The questionnaires and interview tools were used by the researcher as methods of data collection. This study consists of two articles, article 1: Background and nature of community-based care and support services and article 2: Evaluation of community-based care and support services The findings from the study indicated that the community based care and support services can be the best and important programme for older persons in the community if it can be well implemented. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Disaster risk Reduction (DRR) is well known and practiced in many nations. Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) is a sub-component of DRR which is slowly being practiced in most at risk communities. However, there are still gaps regarding the principles and guidelines that guide the process of CBDRR. This study stipulates numerous guiding principles that govern the processes of CBDRR activities. These are: traditional knowledge, understanding of community members, capacity of community members, community participation, political will and training of community members. Furthermore the study used the guidelines to evaluate which activities by the Oshakati community members relate to the principles and guidelines of CBDRR as a way of reducing the risk of recurring floods in the community. Through focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews, it was found that the community members in Oshakati adhere to most principles of CBDRR such as the use of traditional knowledge, community members having the capacity to work together to solve common societal problems and to understand community structures. However, guidelines such as community participation, political will and training of community members were not adhered to due to various challenges such as the lack of institutional capacity and limited resources. The findings further stipulate that those guidelines were not adhered to due to inadequate knowledge on DRR and lack of support from the local government due to limited availability of resources. The study recommends that in order for the local government to reduce the risk of recurring floods in the community, the local government need to build capacity of its personnel working directly with DRR aspects. These can be achieved through a shift in the approach of responding to flooding to being proactive, creating awareness regarding the hazard and ensuring genuine participation of community members into local government CBDRR activities. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The focus of this study is on the evaluation of community based care and support service for older persons in the community. The government of South Africa and other African Countries held several discussions with the intention of addressing the needs and challenges of older persons in the community. As a follow up to the discussion, the new developmental approach, that is the South African Policy for Older Persons of 2005 and the Older Persons Act, 13 of 2006, promulgated in line with the recommendation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on ageing which was drafted and adopted at the World Assembly on Ageing that was convened by the United Nations in 2002. Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 was developed with the intention of addressing the needs of older persons in the community as the Aged Act no 100 of 1967 as amended in 1998, was focusing more on the residential care service. The Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 recognizes the importance of community-based care and support services and this means that the service delivery to older persons has been broadened and services have become more inclusive and accessible. Older persons will be able to remain in their communities within their families for as long as possible. According to the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, the community-based care and support services means any programmes that are rendered to older persons to enable them to remain independent in their communities for as long as possible. These programmes are preventing the unnecessary admission of older persons in the residential care facilities. According to the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, the Community-based care and support services are categorized into, namely, prevention and promotion programmes and the home-based care services. These two categories will be discussed in details in this study. In this study the researcher used the older persons (recipients of services), representatives of management committees for the Non-profit organizations rendering services to older persons in the community and the officials of the Department of Social Development as participants. The aim of this study is to discuss and evaluate the community-based care and support services strategy as used by the Department of Social Development in rendering services to older persons within communities in Motheo District (Free State Province) and to raise the viewpoints of direct service providers (management committees) officials of the Department of Social Development and older persons that receive these services, in order to enhance the delivery of this programme. The research methodology that was utilized in this study includes the empirical research and the literature review. A literature review was conducted by the researcher for a clear understanding of the nature and meaning of the problem that has been identified. The questionnaires and interview tools were used by the researcher as methods of data collection. This study consists of two articles, article 1: Background and nature of community-based care and support services and article 2: Evaluation of community-based care and support services The findings from the study indicated that the community based care and support services can be the best and important programme for older persons in the community if it can be well implemented. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

BACKGROUND: Results of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Kerala, India found that 42 % of adults were exposed to second hand smoke (SHS) inside the home. Formative research carried out in rural Kerala suggests that exposure may be much higher. Numerous studies have called for research and intervention on SHS exposure among women and children as an important component of maternal and child health activities. METHODS: Community-based participatory research was carried out in Kerala. First, a survey was conducted to assess prevalence of SHS exposure in households. Next, a proof of concept study was conducted to develop and test the feasibility of a community-wide smoke free homes initiative. Educational materials were developed and pretested in focus groups. After feasibility was established, pilot studies were implemented in two other communities. Post intervention, surveys were conducted as a means of assessing changes in community support. RESULTS: At baseline, between 70 and 80 % of male smokers regularly smoked inside the home. Over 80 % of women had asked their husband not to do so. Most women felt powerless to change their husband's behavior. When women were asked about supporting a smoke free homes intervention, 88 % expressed support for the idea, but many expressed doubt that their husbands would comply. Educational meetings were held to discuss the harms of second hand smoke. Community leaders signed a declaration that their community was part of the smoke free homes initiative. Six months post intervention a survey was conducted in these communities; between 34 and 59 % of men who smoked no longer smoked in their home. CONCLUSIONS: The smoke free homes initiative is based on the principle of collective efficacy. Recognizing the difficulty for individual women to effect change in their household, the movement establishes a smoke free community mandate. Based on evaluation data from two pilot studies, we can project that between a 30 and 60 % reduction of smoking in the home may be achieved, the effect size determined by how well the smoke free home steps are implemented, the characteristics of the community, and the motivation of community level facilitators.