Yes / Faith-based social work is characterized by the recognition and acknowledgement of faith and faith-based values as significant sources of motivation and guidance. These may enhance professional values, but may also draw practitioners into direct conflict with secular values within the mainstream. This chapter explores the religious or faith-based origins of social work, the nature of faith-based practice, contemporary faith-based issues, and the global spread of social policies aimed at increasing the involvement of faith-based organizations in service delivery. It also seeks to highlight some of the dilemmas involved.

This research has identified meanings attached by participants to the YMCA’s Christian basis within the context of volatile environments by engaging with voices in a qualitative, inductive, small-scale research project within the English YMCA. My proposition was that people working in the YMCA were appointed on the understanding that it was Christian-based, that the corporate and collective agreed means of association were located primarily in the Christian basis and that the YMCA attached significant meaning to its Christian basis whilst operating within an inclusive environment. Thematic descriptions of voices in communication were identified using a mixed set of research methods. The data were analysed in a between-method triangulation to produce adialectic towards meaning. Methods included: a literature review, interviews in a pilot study, a comparative historical review, facilitated groups, field visits and website surveys. I engaged various literary sources for interpretative perspectives on voices to differentiate participant’s relationships with the Christian basis in terms of audibility, affinity and attitude. The majority of participants felt that they had been appointed on the understanding that the YMCA is Christian-based, but very few had actually been given an opportunity, or felt it necessary, to make sense of it in their work. The Christian basis did not command a universally accepted meaning amongst participants. Instead, it was often perceived to have limited meaning, but with a degree of historical status attached to it. For the majority of participants, the actual corporate and collective agreed means of motivation was defined as care for young people within an inclusive environment and without any overt reference to the Christian basis and its meaning. However, where the Christian basis did feature locally it elicited communication that was complex, layered and variable in its nature. In these circumstances it produced powerful models of inclusive Christian service. The research identified three implications for further consideration: (a) ineffective communication between member YMCAs resulting in; (b) the creation of disjointed and remote islands of understanding about the Christian basis; and (c) in turn generating informal disassociations as a key factor in diminishing the value of the Christian basis within local member YMCAs.

The Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) witnessed the prominence of the voluntary sector through the active involvement of existing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the emergence of new ones as service providers in response to the social, educational and other community needs left unattended to by the public sector. This thesis takes a comparative look at the objectives and practices of faith-based NGOs, or FBOs, currently active in Lebanon, both local and international. It considers the role of the sectarian context, and the influence – if any - of religious identity and values on the founding and mission of an FBO, and the identity of the communities where it chose to operate. It also seeks to explore the relationship between an FBO’s religious identity, the community(ies) it serves, and the expression of its faith in that particular community. The research involved qualitative interviews of a cross-section of FBOs in Lebanon representing different faiths, together with a textual analysis of the communication used by these organizations in addressing their stakeholders. The research shed light on the motivations and the historical events that led to the founding of the sample population. Also, the variance between the mandates of the different faith-based organizations, each according to its religious values, and how that is reflected in determining their programme direction, and hence, the mode of operation in the community. In the process, the interviews highlighted other factors that can equally impact the image of an organization in any particular community; as well as the position of the same-faith communities vis-à-vis the mandate of their same-faith FBO. The textual analysis of the sample population’s communication tools was equally insightful as it drew attention to factors that affect the discourse used in presenting who they are, as well as their vision and mission. Other insights gleaned from this research include the organizations’ view point and/or position with respect to the sectarian context that empowers them as religiously based organizations; an aspect that gives some thought as to the potential role for FBOs as agents of change in such a complex context. The source of the knowledge arrived at through this research is based on input received from the organizations themselves, either through the interviews with their leaders, or through their communication tools. It would be equally insightful, in another research, to consider the view point of the community, also that of secular and other faith-based organizations, of the role of religiously-based development organizations in the community as they compare with their desired role.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / In a country like South Africa, with a history of racial discrimination and man-made social inequalities, many NGOs and FBOs play a crucial and important role in socio-economic development and in narrowing the gap between the haves and the have-nots. As one of the nongovernmental organisations, The South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF) development projects/programmes have played an important role in the areas of poverty alleviation, skills development, education and disaster relief. In line with the participatory/people-centred theory of community development and conceptual arguments, this study was used to examine the nature of participatory community development at the South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF) in Cape Town, South Africa. Qualitative research methodology was applied and measurement of the level of community participation was done using a variety of instruments. This study is focused on the SANZAF's community development project in the Manenberg area in the Cape Flats. The analysis involved examining the nature and level of community participation in the project needs, planning, implementation and decision-making phases. Thereafter, the results of the research prompted general observation and provided some recommendations to SANZAF and other FBOs involved. The research findings show that the SANZAF's development projects/programmes have played an important role in terms of community development. They have been developed in response to the needs of local communities and are implemented to mobilise local resources to support the poor and needy. The study also indicated that SANZAF enjoys a strong linkage with local mosques and other development actors at the community level. However, the results of the study also indicated that the level of community participation in planning, decision making and implementation is low in the case study area. Meanwhile, the beneficiaries did not show a clear understanding of aspects such as participation, empowerment and ownership. Finally, a recommendation is made for genuine community participation at the grassroots level as this will contribute to beneficiary's empowerment, capacity building and the core ingredients for selfreliance and project sustainability in community development activities.

This paper is focused on the quantitative analysis of the role of the faith-based organisations (FBOs) in development cooperation. The aim of this work is to determine to what extent do selected FBOs cooperate with government donors in development cooperation. The role of FBOs in development was so far neglected topic in Czech academic literature and this work thus fills to some extent this gap. In this work I characterise selected organizations based on their income, country of origin and religion, on which the organization is based. Then I gradually investigate to what extent do selected FBOs involve in European development cooperation, to what extent are selected FBOs publicly funded and finally compare the structure of revenues of selected FBOs with the revenues of secular nonprofit organizations.

This research paper is a case study on the identity of three Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) located in the Mindanao Island of Southern Philippines. The empirical data was collected employing qualitative semi-structured interviews through virtual interactions. The research captures the journey of the three local FBOs as they continue to sustain their identity amidst the changes in the development world where they function. Identity is a complex issue, especially when FBOs have to experience the pressure to conform to how the world thinks who they are. So what does faith identity mean to these FBOs? How is this identity communicated in practice?The aim of this research is to acquire a better understanding of these FBOs; their faith- identity and its values; and how faith provides direction for actions which shape and characterise these organisations. Moreover, considerations were taken that faith is manifested in different ways. In studying these FBOs, the researcher was provided with another perspective on why FBOs held on to their identity regardless of the constant pressure to conform to the changing world and the opportunities the changing world has to offer. Moreover, to acquire knowledge on the importance of their identity helps to bridge communication gaps among the many actors in development and to know what to expect in development partnership.According to the modernists, religion will disappear. For the international development actors, religion will be less important as the communities modernise. However, faith is still significant to the FBOs in this research. Faith is not an add-on to the development work they do. Faith is the reason for their existence. For these FBOs, faith-identity means their development activities are inspired and guided by God to have compassion for the poor and marginalised people. For them, faith is communicated in practice by providing genuine care and by being inclusive in their development commitments.

More than 30 years after the first case of HIV/AIDS was reported, the disease continues to pose challenges for governments and communities across the world, but particularly in Southern Africa. Response to the disease is hindered by contextual influences, which vary between countries and cultural groups. With HIV/AIDS, one size does not fit all. The complexity of this disease is still not fully understood and information regarding its spread and prevalence is often fluid and unreliable. Communities’ emotional reaction to HIV/AIDS, including stigmatising, plays a role in this scenario. FBOs (including churches) are uniquely positioned to provide HIV/AIDS education and prevention messages through their extensive networks that reach even the most remote villages. However, during the era of HIV/AIDS, FBOs or their members have been the target of criticism. They have been accused of promoting stigmatising and discriminatory attitudes based on fear and prejudice, of pronouncing harsh moral judgements on those infected and of reducing the issues of AIDS to mere moral issues. The primary research question in this research focused on determining the nature and extent of HIV/AIDS-related stigma reported by aspiring faith-based leaders. The study questionnaires were completed by aspiring faith-based leaders who participated in Choose Life training programmes. These aspiring faith-based leaders were used as an indirect measure of stigma in their respective FBOs. The assumption is made that the attitude of faith-based leaders may affect the communities they serve. A KAP survey was used to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices within these organisations. A group of 133 aspiring faith-based leaders who attended a HospiVision training programme, Choose Life, participated in the study. Non-parametric tests were used in the analysis of the data. Test include Spearman Rho correlations, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney. It was found that respondents are knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS. Despite their high level of knowledge, there is still fear and worry about sharing eating or drinking utensils with those infected. Unrealistic fear of HIV transmission is one of the building blocks of HIV-related stigma. Respondents were generally unaware of people living with the virus in their congregation. This demonstrates that disclosure of HIV status is relatively low. It may be a fear of stigma that represents a barrier to disclosure. A high percentage of respondents (44%) indicated that they would feel ashamed should the virus infect them or someone in their family (28%). They were, however, more accepting of other people who are infected (only 12% indicated PLWHA should be ashamed). These contradictions make it difficult to understand the level of stigmatising and the reasons behind the responses. In spite of prevention campaigns run by various organisations, stigma and discrimination still exist and this may hamper our response to the illness. The study was relatively small, but its results are similar to those of earlier studies conducted nationally among faith-based leaders. Stigma and discrimination remain factors that have to be considered in all programmes developed to address the current HIV crisis. Even when knowledge about the disease is significant and respondents are well educated, some stigma still prevails. FBOs are amongst the institutions in society that shape the values and attitudes that guide responses to illness and vulnerability and that support appropriate and compassionate responses. This research shows that FBOs have an important role to play in promoting religious beliefs that confront stigma and in encouraging positive dialogue to counter damaging thought patterns in communities. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / am2014 / Psychology / unrestricted

No / Faith-based organisations (FBOs) have delivered services to vulnerable people for many years. They are frequently characterised by values also to be found within social work, notably a commitment to social justice. In the context of recent attempts by governments, notably in the USA, United Kingdom and Australia, to ‘roll-back’ the state, to ‘marketise’ and ‘privatise’ welfare services, FBOs are increasingly called-upon to tender for and volunteer to provide public services, including ‘social work’. In the United Kingdom, as elsewhere, religious beliefs are central to how many people conduct themselves, especially in response to personal crises and challenges. The authors’ previous research indicates that religious beliefs and traditions may have a profound impact (for good or ill or for both) on the actions of both individual service users and practitioners, but that social workers and agencies (whether faith-based or not) are often ill equipped to respond appropriately. They acknowledge both the positive contributions to public welfare of many faith-based organisations and the potential dangers inherent in relying on such agencies for services to vulnerable people. The authors argue that evaluations need to consider the effectiveness, appropriateness, ‘costs’ and ‘benefits’ of individual faith-based services in their particular contexts, and that their contribution needs to be analysed in relation to the varied nature and variable impact of such services. Social work has often struggled in its aim of challenging and addressing the structural causes of inequality as its efforts have been channelled towards meeting the needs of the individual. Current policy proposals provide potential opportunities to review and assess the contribution of neo-liberal approaches to welfare and to promote alliances amongst those members of different FBOs and other welfare providers to agree more collective, community-based approaches with an agreed agenda of creating a fairer society.

Yes / UK South Asian women are less likely to engage with cancer screening than the general population and present later with more advanced disease. Tailored interventions are needed to address barriers to these women accessing screening services. 'Wise up to cancer' is a community-based health intervention designed to increase cancer screening uptake. It has been implemented within the general population and a study was undertaken to implement it within a South Asian female community. This paper explores one workstream of the wider 'Wise up to Cancer' study which involved working out how best to adapt the baseline questionnaire (the first part of the intervention) for South Asian women in an inner-city location in Northern England. The aim of this workstream was to evaluate what worked well when implementing the adapted 'Wise up to Cancer' with South Asian women. In 2018, we conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus group with 14 key stakeholders; women who had received the intervention, health champions and community workers to explore their perspectives on how the adapted intervention worked within a South Asian female community. The interviews were audio recorded or (notes taken), data were transcribed verbatim and the dataset was thematically analysed. We found that training peers as community health champions to deliver the intervention to address language and cultural barriers increased participant engagement, was beneficial for the peers and supported participants who revealed difficult social issues they may not have otherwise discussed. Accessing women in established community groups, following planned activities such as English language classes worked but flexibility was needed to meet individual women's needs. Further research is needed to explore the impact of adapting 'Wise up to Cancer' for this community in terms of engaging with cancer screening. / Tampon Tax, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Gov UK (Grant number A1967)

<p>Since the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was discovered in the 1980s, the condom has scientifically proven to be the only technological device that can prevent transmission of the virus during sexual intercourse. This technical approach to the HIV has strongly emphasized that prevention is only possible if the condom is properly used. However, as a technological artifact the condom has shown that its use is laden with values. The question of values on condoms has brought in a heated debate on the moral justifications of its use. In Malawi, just as in other African countries, the Faith Community has rejected the Governmentsplea to promote condoms as the preventive measure against the virus.The Faith Community has emphasized on abstinence and mutual faithfulness as the only reliable means to the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The main argument from the Faith Community is that condoms promote promiscuity. Nevertheless, the Government agrees with the Faith Community on abstinence and mutual faithfulness, but still insists on condom use as a preventive measure against the virus. The Government argues that the condom is the only proven technical approach to the HIV prevention and therefore it should be promoted. T</p><p>he main purpose of this study is to attempt an ethical analysis of the arguments for and againstcondom use as the preventive measure against HIV. In this case, the study tries to analyse the Government and Faith Community stands on condoms. In relation to the arguments for and againstcondom use, the study also touches such areas as: the concept of rights and condom use, ethics of condom advertisement, African cultural values versus condom use and the implications of condom use on behaviour change. From the study, it has been argued that condoms should be promoted. The argument comes from that understanding that AIDS has plundered Africa than any war or disease in human history, and therefore, it needs to be stopped. In this case, such theories as, Utility, Love, Autonomy, Rights and umunthu moral conscience have been used to support the argument.</p>