This study is an initial and exploratory venture toward examining organizational change as it applies to the field of social welfare in Greater Vancouver. Specifically the formulation for documenting change as outlined in the proposal of the Area Development Project of the Greater Vancouver Area was used in three separate case studies. The study has concerned itself with documenting the process of organizational change (both planned and unplanned), rather than analyzing the effect organizational change has had upon services and/or agencies. The first case study deals with three social actions initiated in 1964 by the Society of Women Only, a group of deserted women in the Vancouver Area. In each action process the organization was attempting to create change in governmental systems of a mutual support and social control nature. The change processes were documented from their inception but not to their conclusions. The structured organizational change documented in the second case study occurred in 1961. At that time two divisions of the Social Planning Section of the Community Chest and Councils of Greater Vancouver, the Groupwork and Recreation Division and the Family and Child Welfare Division were combined. The combined divisions became the Welfare and Recreation Council. The whole change process was documented from its inception in 1960 until the change was assessed by a special committee in January - March 1965. The third case study considers the documentation of organizational change being attempted in a geographic area known as Sunrise Park in the city of Vancouver. The purpose of this change process has been to formulate plans for action by the health, recreation, education and welfare agencies towards solving problems that exist or may exist as a result of the introduction of a large public housing project into the area. The case study deals with change process in its initial stages as the organizational change in the period under study was only just beginning. Each writer has concluded his case study by making a number of critical observations concerning the utility of the selected model for the development of both theory and practice in the field of community organization. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Myers, Robert James; Belknap, John Victor / Graduate

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

This qualitative research employed the single case study approach to review the process by which service users and the staff of a food bank successfully broke through the bureaucratic resistance and secured new premises from the City of Montreal. This study explores the capacity of weaker parties to achieve their desired goal through strategic intervention on social exchange network despite the pre-existing asymmetric power relations. The conception of goal attainment, power relations and social exchange were discussed in order to develop the research questions. Case materials were collected from multiple sources: documentary research, in-depth interviews, and observation. The findings demonstrate that internal solidarity, potential uses of coalitions and expansion of resource networks are fundamental factors for members of a subordinate group to gain power and to achieve their goals. Implications for community organization practice were drawn from the overview of the empirical findings and theoretical concepts.

New towns is the form of settlement replacing camps and company towns in the resource areas of Canada. Resource companies, still requiring Skilled workers living near the site of its development, are planning and building towns which are incorporated soon after completion. This feature distinguishing new towns from company towns and camps is intended to alleviate the resource company of direct responsibility to the town and its residents. The economic mainstay of the town, though, is still the resource company's operation. Very broadiy, this thesis seeks to discover who is responsible for the development of new towns in resource areas and what programmes they are undertaking. It is important that the large social and financial investments in these new towns not be left to the vagaries of the single resource market, the economic base of the town. Specifically, this thesis examines Gold River, a forest-based new town in British Columbia. Rather than generalizing the findings of this study, this thesis is indicating a method by which such communities can be studied and compared in order to make general statements concerning the growth and development of new towns. By examining the role and relative impact of organizations on the development of the town and by examining the values of the residents through their objectives for their town, it is possible to relate societal values to the direction of development. The British Columbia government has two objectives in the development of its forest resource. One ensures the perpetual yield of the resource through strictly enforced management policies. And the second seeks the perpetuation of prosperous communities for which no policies have been made to ensure its fulfillment. Even though the town is incorporated, the Council tends to be inexperienced. Therefore, with no counterbalancing force, it is hypothesized that, the policy of the resource company will continue to actively determine the future development of the town. To test the hypothesis, the author gleaned the policies of the resource company by examining its activity in the town. Finding little to substantiate the hypothesis the author examined the role and impact of other organizations. The residents are adamant that the responsibility for the future development of the town rest on themselves. The Council, and to a lesser extent, the Chamber of Commerce, are active in promoting new activity in their town. The residents see the development of their town into a more viable and varied community, in terms of the development and growth of the region. Even though there exists a social fabric receptive to further development, the power and the control over the use of the region rests principally with the forest company and the initiative for further development of the region rests with the Provincial Government. If a general statement could be made from this study it would be that, the further development and growth of single enterprise resource-based new towns is an integral part of regional planning and resource development. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

No description available.

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community work fulfils definite functions within the social work milieu and develops according to a process. The SANDF does not possess any definite guidelines regarding community work. The resultant consequence is that community work is not utilised to its full potential in that the client system does not always receive a quality service. The purpose of this study was to compose a framework for the Directorate of Social Work within the SANDF, which can serve as a guideline for the possible formulation of a policy document on community work within social work practice. The objectives of the study are firstly to provide theoretical and practical guidelines which social workers in a military setting can follow when utilising community work as a social work method of intervention. Secondly, to explore the knowledge and skills of social workers in the military within the SANDF regarding community work. Thirdly, the need for guidelines with regard to community work within the SANDF, was explored. This study was confined geographically to the social workers in the military of the Western Province. An exploratory study was executed in order to achieve the stated goal and objectives. The research methodology was a quantitative design being a data collection instrument in the form of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to probe skills, knowledge perceptions and attitudes relating to community work and to determine the impact of existing community programmes. The empirical study enabled the researcher to draw certain conclusions. Although certain misconceptions were evident, the respondents understood the term developmental social work, community and community work, as well as the systems involved in the community work process and the practice models. The most utilised social work method was casework. The respondents who utilised community work made use of a community work process. Most of the respondents utilised the social community education model in the military. Most of the respondents indicated that guidelines for community work within the SANDF would be helpful. Approximately thirty percent of the respondents experienced problems while making use of community work as a social work method of intervention. A number of recommendations stem from the findings and conclusions. The social workers knowledge with regard to community work needs to be updated. Practical opportunities need to be provided to afford the social worker the opportunity to implement the newly acquired knowledge. Community work guidelines need to be determined within the SANDF, and need to be formulated into a policy document. Specific community work posts, which include all disciplines, need to be created within the SANDF. Post-graduates studies should be undertaken by social workers before being promoted into managerial positions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gemeenskapswerk is een van die drie primere metodes van maatskaplike werk. Gemeenskapswerk is 'n proses wat mense help om hulle probleme en behoeftes duidelik te identifiseer en wat die gemeenskap verder help om potensialiteite en vermoëns te ontwikkel om probleme en behoeftes self te kan hanteer, op te los en te voorkom. Gemeenskapswerk het 'n bepaalde funksie binne die maatskaplike werk milieu en verloop volgens 'n proses. Die SANW beskik nie oor geskrewe riglyne vir gemeenskapswerk nie. Dit kan die kwaliteit van dienslewering aan die kliëntsisteem beinvloed. Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n raamwerk vir die Direktoraat Maatskaplikewerk Dienste in die Suid Afrikaanse Nationale Weermag(SANW) op te stel wat as riglyne vir gemeenskapswerk in die maatskaplike-praktyk benut kan word, en aangewend kan word om 'n beleidsdokument saam te stel. Die doelwitte van die studie is eerstens om 'n teoretiese uiteensetting van verskeie praktyk modelle van gemeenskapswerk en die proses van gemeenskapswerk in die maatskaplike-praktyk aan te bied. Tweedens is beoog om deur middel van 'n ondersoek te bepaal oor watter kennis van en vaardigheid in gemeenskapwerk , maatskaplike werkers in die SANW beskik. In die derde plek is die behoefte aan riglyne vir gemeenskapswerk in die SANW ondersoek. Die studie is begrens tot maatskaplike wekers in die militêr verbonde aan die Westelike Provinsie. 'n Verkennende studie is onderneem om die gestelde doelstelling en doelwitte te bereik. 'n Vraelys is benut as instrument ter insameling van die data. Die empiriese ondersoek is gedoen deur die benutting van kwantitatiewe navorsing om die voorkoms van die werklikhede te bespreek. Na aanleiding van die empiriese ondersoek is bepaalde gevolgtrekkings gemaak. Alhoewel die respondente die terme gemeenskapswerk, gemeenskappe en gemeenskapwerk modelle en die vier sisteme binne gemeenskapswerk verstaan, het verwarring wel voorgekom. Daar is bevind dat die gevallewerkmetode deur die oorgrote meederheid van die respondente gebruik word. Daar is ook bevind dat gemeenskapswerk verloop volgens 'n proses. Die gemeenskaps-opvoedkundige model word deur die meerderheid van die respondente benut. Daar is bevind dat riglyne vir gemeenskapswerk in die SANW bruikbaar sal wees, omdat ongeveer dertig persent van die respondente probleme ondervind tydens die benutting van die gemeenskapswerk proses. Aanbevelings na aanleiding van die bevindinge en gevolgtrekkings sluit in dat maatskaplike werkers in die militêr se teoretiese kennis oor gemeenskapswerk uitgebrei moet word, waarna opleiding benodig word om hierdie kennis toe te pas. Riglyne vir gemeenskapswerk in die SANW moet opgestel word en in 'n beleidsdokument saamgevat word. Die SANW moet spesifieke gemeenskapswerkposte skep wat alle dissiplines sal insluit. Voorts moet nagraadse studie ook 'n vereiste wees vir maatskaplikewerk-personeel om tot 'n bestuursposisie bevorder te kan word.