Knowledge mobilization has been described as putting research in the hands of research users. Few studies have examined knowledge mobilization within community-based organizations (CBOs). To address this research gap, this dissertation examines knowledge mobilization within a CBO that supports people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Research suggests that communication channels, or the means by which a message is delivered, may affect knowledge mobilization. This dissertation presents four manuscripts examining how communication channels were used by the CBO to disseminate physical activity guidelines and intervention strategies to people with SCI. Manuscript 1 investigated reach and effectiveness of an event-based knowledge mobilization initiative delivered by the CBO using interpersonal communication channels to disseminate the guidelines to people with SCI. Results indicated that the event-based knowledge mobilization initiative was effective for initial dissemination of the guidelines. However, further long-term efforts are needed. Manuscript 2 describes how the event-based knowledge mobilization initiative was implemented by the CBO. Recognizing that support personnel are important messengers, the reach and effectiveness of the initiative for persuading support personnel to disseminate the guidelines was examined. Results indicated that an event-based knowledge mobilization initiative can be implemented by a CBO and may be an effective strategy for CBOs to disseminate information to support personnel. Manuscript 3 further examined the role of communication channels in the process of knowledge mobilization within the CBO using network analysis. Results indicated that CBO staff and volunteers’ integration within interpersonal communication channels was associated with greater knowledge of evidence-based physical activity resources and engagement in physical activity promotion behaviours. Manuscript 4 examined the feasibility of training peers with SCI to learn an evidence-based approach to physical activity promotion called Brief Action Planning. Findings indicated that Brief Action Planning is a tool that can be feasibly learned and potentially used by peers to promote physical activity to their mentees through interpersonal communication channels. Overall this dissertation contributes to a small but emerging body of literature examining knowledge mobilization in CBOs. Findings indicate that through a community-university multidisciplinary partnership and appropriate communication channels, a CBO can effectively and feasibly disseminate evidence-based physical activity information. / Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-08-28 17:27:32.841

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

No description available.

This research examined whether microfinance-assisted developmental mechanisms can integrate ecological objectives alongside social and economic ones—thus promoting sustainability. The specific focus was to test the ability of microenterprises operated by community-entrepreneurs in supporting local ecosystem services. To this end, the research: elucidated the nature and dynamics of linkages between communities and the local ecosystems with the lens of coupled social-ecological systems, i.e. illustrated ecological modernization of microenterprises in a developing country context; tested how community-based enterprises transform upon application of green microfinance strategy; and then recognized how social learning is promoted through such community-based intervention mechanisms, e.g. microfinance. The research used case study and participatory approaches. The case study comprised two components: i) a green microfinance program, and ii) communities in a riparian, and a wetland ecosystem in Bangladesh engaged in entrepreneurship. The major tools that the study employed for data collections were: household surveys, participatory land -use surveys, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, multi-stakeholder workshops, field observations, and document reviews. The research findings reveal that the green microfinance strategy, in the short and medium terms, catalyzes entrepreneurial and social innovations, and combine the embedded economic and social objectives of the classic microfinance with the new ecological objectives towards sustainability. The strategy applied by Microfinance Institution (MFI) and adopted by community enterprises transformed the ventures—helping them to go green and reducing greenhouse gas emission. Besides, the partnerships that occur between non-governmental organization (NGO) and community-based organization (CBO) in the process of implementing developmental programs—result social learning and innovations in the communities. The research review found grassroots developmental initiatives as an evolving phenomenon over time. With this view, and with its observation through this cross-sectional study, the research proposes a framework entitled ‘community-based developmental enterprise (CBDE)’. The framework proposes community level entrepreneurial ventures, associated NGO-MFIs, CBOs and other development partners to consider ecosystem services and wellbeing components in entrepreneurial design and actions. / October 2016

Une grande proportion de personnes aux prises avec des problèmes de santé mentale vit dans l’isolement social. Les infirmières en santé communautaire sont interpellées au premier rang pour accompagner ces personnes dans leur processus de rétablissement et pour atténuer leur isolement social. La participation au sein d’organismes communautaires optimise l’expérience de rétablissement, diminue l’isolement social et renforce les réseaux sociaux de personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale. Toutefois, la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services dans la structure d’organisation des organismes communautaires est encore peu documentée. Afin de pallier cette lacune, cette étude avait pour objectifs de documenter, décrire la nature de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services en santé mentale et d’explorer des facteurs facilitatants et des barrières à cette participation. Un devis de méthodes mixtes, qualitatif et quantitatif, a été utilisé. Dans le premier de deux volets, une enquête impliquant la réalisation d’entretiens semi-dirigés a été menée auprès de douze directeurs d’organismes communautaires œuvrant dans le domaine des services en santé mentale. Une version française du questionnaire « Adapted User Involvement » (Diamond, Parkin, Morris, Bettinis, & Bettesworth, 2003) a été administrée afin de documenter l’étendue de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services dans les organismes visés. Pour le deuxième volet, deux organismes communautaires ont été sélectionnés à partir des résultats du questionnaire et de l’analyse documentaire de documents publics de ces organismes. Les scores obtenus au questionnaire ont ainsi permis de sélectionner des organismes présentant des résultats contrastés en matière de participation des personnes utilisatrices de services. Les entretiens semi-dirigés ont été menés avec différents groupes de répondants (membres de conseil d’administration, personnes utilisatrices de services, employés, directeurs) afin de recueillir de l’information sur les thèmes suivants: la nature de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services, ainsi que les facteurs facilitants et les défis qui y sont associés. Les résultats de l’analyse montrent que: (1) les facteurs qui favorisent la participation des personnes utilisatrices sont: l’accès à un espace de participation pour les personnes utilisatrices et l’accompagnement de celles-ci par les intervenants de diverses disciplines pendant leur participation au sein des organismes communautaires, (2) les barrières de la participation des personnes utilisatrices au sein des organismes communautaires sont la stigmatisation sociale et les caractéristiques personnelles reliées aux problèmes de santé mentale chez les personnes utilisatrices, et (3) les avantages principaux de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services se déclinent en services mieux adaptés à leurs besoins et leurs demandes, en leur appropriation du pouvoir (dans leur participation dans l’organisme communautaire) et en leur sentiment d’appartenance à l’organisme. À la lumière des ces constats, l’accompagnement des personnes utilisatrices de services dans leur participation apparaît une avenue prometteuse pour les infirmières en santé mentale communautaire afin de faciliter leur appropriation du pouvoir et d’améliorer leur bien-être. / A large proportion of individuals with mental health problems are affected by social isolation. In the front line, community mental health nurses are called upon to accompany these individuals in their recovery process, and reduce their social isolation. User participation in community-based organizations (CBO) optimizes the recovery process, decreases feelings of social isolation, and consolidates the social support networks of individuals living with mental health problems. However, relatively little is documented on user participation within the organizational structure of mental health CBOs. To address this knowledge gap, the objectives of this study were to document, describe the nature of user participation and explore facilitating and inhibiting factors associated with user participation. A mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) design, broken into two phases, was used in this study. In the first phase, a survey of twelve directors from CBOs providing services to individuals with mental health problems was conducted using the format of semi-structured interviews. The French version of the “Adapted User Involvement Questionnaire” (Diamond et al., 2003) was administered in order to document the extent of user participation in the targeted CBOs. In the second phase, two CBOs were selected on the basis of the results of the questionnaire and the findings of the archival data analysis. The scores obtained by the administration of this questionnaire made it possible to choose CBOs with constrasting results on user participation. Different groups of key informants (members of the governing board of the CBO, service users, CBO staff and directors) from the two CBOs participated in semi-structured interviews to collect detailed information about the following themes: the nature of user participation and facilitators and inhibitors for user participation. Results of the analysis show that: (1) factors that facilitate user participation are : access to participatory space for service users and professionals of different disciplines supporting service users in user participation activities; (2) factors that inhibit user participation are : social stigmatization of individuals with mental health problems and service users’ personal characteristics associated with their mental health problems; and (3) advantages of user participation are: services adapted to users’ needs and requests, service user empowerment (in participating in organization of CBO services) and service users’ sense of belonging to the CBO. Consequently, the study’s findings suggest that accompanying service users in their participation in CBOs, in order to facilitate their empowerment and improve their well-being, is a promising avenue for community mental-health nurses.

Une grande proportion de personnes aux prises avec des problèmes de santé mentale vit dans l’isolement social. Les infirmières en santé communautaire sont interpellées au premier rang pour accompagner ces personnes dans leur processus de rétablissement et pour atténuer leur isolement social. La participation au sein d’organismes communautaires optimise l’expérience de rétablissement, diminue l’isolement social et renforce les réseaux sociaux de personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale. Toutefois, la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services dans la structure d’organisation des organismes communautaires est encore peu documentée. Afin de pallier cette lacune, cette étude avait pour objectifs de documenter, décrire la nature de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services en santé mentale et d’explorer des facteurs facilitatants et des barrières à cette participation. Un devis de méthodes mixtes, qualitatif et quantitatif, a été utilisé. Dans le premier de deux volets, une enquête impliquant la réalisation d’entretiens semi-dirigés a été menée auprès de douze directeurs d’organismes communautaires œuvrant dans le domaine des services en santé mentale. Une version française du questionnaire « Adapted User Involvement » (Diamond, Parkin, Morris, Bettinis, & Bettesworth, 2003) a été administrée afin de documenter l’étendue de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services dans les organismes visés. Pour le deuxième volet, deux organismes communautaires ont été sélectionnés à partir des résultats du questionnaire et de l’analyse documentaire de documents publics de ces organismes. Les scores obtenus au questionnaire ont ainsi permis de sélectionner des organismes présentant des résultats contrastés en matière de participation des personnes utilisatrices de services. Les entretiens semi-dirigés ont été menés avec différents groupes de répondants (membres de conseil d’administration, personnes utilisatrices de services, employés, directeurs) afin de recueillir de l’information sur les thèmes suivants: la nature de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services, ainsi que les facteurs facilitants et les défis qui y sont associés. Les résultats de l’analyse montrent que: (1) les facteurs qui favorisent la participation des personnes utilisatrices sont: l’accès à un espace de participation pour les personnes utilisatrices et l’accompagnement de celles-ci par les intervenants de diverses disciplines pendant leur participation au sein des organismes communautaires, (2) les barrières de la participation des personnes utilisatrices au sein des organismes communautaires sont la stigmatisation sociale et les caractéristiques personnelles reliées aux problèmes de santé mentale chez les personnes utilisatrices, et (3) les avantages principaux de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services se déclinent en services mieux adaptés à leurs besoins et leurs demandes, en leur appropriation du pouvoir (dans leur participation dans l’organisme communautaire) et en leur sentiment d’appartenance à l’organisme. À la lumière des ces constats, l’accompagnement des personnes utilisatrices de services dans leur participation apparaît une avenue prometteuse pour les infirmières en santé mentale communautaire afin de faciliter leur appropriation du pouvoir et d’améliorer leur bien-être. / A large proportion of individuals with mental health problems are affected by social isolation. In the front line, community mental health nurses are called upon to accompany these individuals in their recovery process, and reduce their social isolation. User participation in community-based organizations (CBO) optimizes the recovery process, decreases feelings of social isolation, and consolidates the social support networks of individuals living with mental health problems. However, relatively little is documented on user participation within the organizational structure of mental health CBOs. To address this knowledge gap, the objectives of this study were to document, describe the nature of user participation and explore facilitating and inhibiting factors associated with user participation. A mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) design, broken into two phases, was used in this study. In the first phase, a survey of twelve directors from CBOs providing services to individuals with mental health problems was conducted using the format of semi-structured interviews. The French version of the “Adapted User Involvement Questionnaire” (Diamond et al., 2003) was administered in order to document the extent of user participation in the targeted CBOs. In the second phase, two CBOs were selected on the basis of the results of the questionnaire and the findings of the archival data analysis. The scores obtained by the administration of this questionnaire made it possible to choose CBOs with constrasting results on user participation. Different groups of key informants (members of the governing board of the CBO, service users, CBO staff and directors) from the two CBOs participated in semi-structured interviews to collect detailed information about the following themes: the nature of user participation and facilitators and inhibitors for user participation. Results of the analysis show that: (1) factors that facilitate user participation are : access to participatory space for service users and professionals of different disciplines supporting service users in user participation activities; (2) factors that inhibit user participation are : social stigmatization of individuals with mental health problems and service users’ personal characteristics associated with their mental health problems; and (3) advantages of user participation are: services adapted to users’ needs and requests, service user empowerment (in participating in organization of CBO services) and service users’ sense of belonging to the CBO. Consequently, the study’s findings suggest that accompanying service users in their participation in CBOs, in order to facilitate their empowerment and improve their well-being, is a promising avenue for community mental-health nurses.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The primary intent of this study was to seek solutions to the practical problems experienced by practitioners in their management of child abuse cases. A fundamental problem regarding the current management of child abuse is that there is no guarantee that a child entering the child protective system will be dealt with in terms of a set procedure and/or protected against further abuse. To address this problem in the Western Cape, the Intervention Research (IR) methodology (Rothman & Thomas, 1994) was used to develop a Protocol for the Multi- Disciplinary Management of Child Abuse and Neglect. The protocol was designed for agencies that intervene in instances of child abuse. It establishes criteria and procedures for interdisciplinary co-ordination and effective case management, delineates the professional roles and responsibilities and provides step-by-step intervention procedures. The Intervention Research Design and Development methodology provided a useful framework to apply social science research methods to child protective practice and policy reform. IR focuses on the design of practice guidelines for intervention and policy reform. It can be conducted in a diversity of practice settings and therefore enhances collaborative efforts and inter-agency exchange among practitioners and among practitioners and universities. The study evolved through six phases involving inter-as well as intra-disciplinary activities. These activities were guided by systematic and deliberate research procedures, techniques and instruments. The research phases included: problem analysis; information gathering and synthesis; the development and design of the protocol; testing the protocol through a process of workshops and finally, the launch and dissemination of the protocol. A core element of the study was the active participation and collaboration of a broad range of key stakeholders, including: victims of child abuse, their families, service providers, and policy makers. The methods and instruments used were therefore designed to enhance participation and included interviews, workshops and observation of court processes. The bottom-up approach and collaborative design enhanced the level of contextual relevance, ownership and the commitment of stakeholders. As a demonstration of this commitment, the protocol has been endorsed by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health and Social Services of the Western Cape. The Department of Social Services has committed financial support to the project and is pilot testing it in three districts. The study cautions that protocols alone cannot eradicate and solve all the problems in the child protective field and asserts that there is an urgent and critical need to develop and to implement a National Strategy on Child Abuse. Such a National strategy should include legislation that supports and enforces all aspects of a national policy on child abuse. At minimum, national policy should ensure consistent political will and leadership. This means that broad statements about the obligations of politicians and state officials is not enough. These should be followed by specific accountability and measuring mechanisms for enforcement. State policy should also provide guidelines for standardized and appropriate working conditions, recruitment and training of staff. Furthermore, it should provide for a broad array of effective and accessible services to all children and families and the co-ordination of such services. Finally, legislation should include specific obligations regarding the appropriation of adequate and flexible funding to see that commitments made to children are realised.

The researcher conducted a qualitative study to determine the relationship between Local Government and the welfare organizations in the Eersterust community. In the previous political dispensation Eersterust was a community that was disadvantaged in terms of services by Local Government. Although Local Government is now tasked with a social development responsibility, its role regarding welfare organizations still does not go beyond rendering basic services, such as making premises and recreational facilities available. The research findings indicated that there is no clarity on the relationship; welfare organizations are uncertain of what is expected of them by Local Government and what they can expect from Local Government. / Health Studies / M.A.(Social Science (Mental Health))

The researcher conducted a qualitative study to determine the relationship between Local Government and the welfare organizations in the Eersterust community. In the previous political dispensation Eersterust was a community that was disadvantaged in terms of services by Local Government. Although Local Government is now tasked with a social development responsibility, its role regarding welfare organizations still does not go beyond rendering basic services, such as making premises and recreational facilities available. The research findings indicated that there is no clarity on the relationship; welfare organizations are uncertain of what is expected of them by Local Government and what they can expect from Local Government. / Health Studies / M.A.(Social Science (Mental Health))