This study examined the effect of service activities on the development of leadership life skills in youth and if having a reflection component as part of the activity makes a difference. Additionally, the study examined the impact of selected demographics including age, gender, type of service completed monthly and 4-H membership on the development of leadership life skills. Participants in the study were from two samples. One group represented the El Paso National Youth Service Day, the other represented the District 11 4-H Leadership Lab in Brenham, Texas. Participants were randomly assigned to a control (no reflection) or treatment (with reflection) group. Youth participants self rated their leadership life skills using a 33-question post-test only questionnaire. Demographics were reported in nine additional questions. The major findings of the study are as follows: 1) Overall, the participants reported their perceived leadership life skills to be high in four of the five subscales; 2) The inclusion of a reflection component did not significantly affect perceived leadership life skills; 3) Type of service, whether direct or indirect, had a significant impact on perceived leadership life skills; 4) 4-H membership had a significant impact on the Personal Leadership Development subscale.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-166). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (D. Phil.(Sielk)--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 302-330).

The paper will clear out the student perspective in order to examine students' attitude towards what would be important to touch on a matter of life. The essay will explore what is important for students to discuss and respond to their environment in schools and perceived to be relevant to talk about in life skills. There is an object which deals with gender and masculinity in the study. The study would examine whether a student perspective on life can affect the current knowledge of gender structures in the school. Qualitative research interviews were carried out in seven students in grade 9 at a school located in inner suburbs of Stockholm. In-terviews were of semi-structured nature and after transcription analyzed with hermeneutic and phe-nomenological method. A theoretical background of theories on life skills and other core subjects has also been behind the thesis conclusions.

The purpose of this study was to determine the sources of stress, support systems, coping strategies and psychological well-being of adolescents in a rural area, and to use this information to develop a coping and life skills programme. While all families face stressor events and crises, some are more likely than others to experience a series of challenges that threaten their functioning. Rural families often face a greater variety of stressor events on a more continues basis than do families in metropolitan areas (Dyk, 2003). Rural families do not have as many resources and services available lo address their problems as do urban families (Deavers & Hoppe, 2001). Farm schools suffer from a variety of shortages. Many schools suffer from a pressing shortage of space and educational aids and in most cases there is only one teacher for every 50 learners (Van Kleist, 2002). Some of the learners have to walk more than 1Okm to school everyday because of the lack of transport. Most schools lack proper sanitation and electricity. Recreational and cultural activities are curtailed through shortages of equipment and suitable locations. Education in life skills may contribute to the enhancement of life quality, The development of constructive coping strategies protects mental health and enhances bio psycho- social well-being in times of high stress. Previously it was assumed that each individual acquired these skills as part of growing up. Alas, the truth is that many people do not cope with life and never learned these skills. These skills should therefore be taught in a direct and systematic way, rather than being left to be learnt incidentally. The qualitative research design was based on a sample of 56 male and female adolescents between 1 2 and 16 years of age. The adolescents were from four farm schools situated in the Potchefstroom area. Sixteen learners were randomly selected for semi-structured interviews to obtain basic information for the pilot study. Approximately 37 learners took part in the programme. The learners attended Grades 4-7. The deve1opment of the programme was done in five phases. During phase one semi structured interviews were held with some of the learners. During phase two the interviews were evaluated thematically, The data was then organized into conceptual categories and was then analyzed. During phase three the programme was developed according to the themes derived from phase two. In phase four the programme was presented at the schools as a trial test. During phase five the programme underwent some changes according to the findings in phase four. The development of the programme went well, however presenting the programme was a more demanding task. Almost none of the participants could properly speak or understand Afrikaans or English. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Many of today's children find themselves with an unprecedented amount of freedom to choose what sort of life to pursue. A corollary of this freedom however is the burden of sorting through the many options which life offers. Without some guidance in wading through this values-minefield, some children simply become stuck, unable to choose or to choose well. What is a good life? What sorts of goods in life ought we to pursue? These questions motivate the present project but they are not ones which I attempt to answer. Instead, I examine the kinds of tools that could help students to answer such questions in a thoughtful, intelligent and caring way. In order to live a good life, we need to choose well regarding what is valuable. In this thesis I argue that such a process, choosing well about what is valuable, is the result of wisdom. Wisdom is that set of characteristics which allows us to live well. This thesis is the development and justification of this conception of wisdom. It explores how wisdom is related to three key concepts: knowledge, value and morality. I do not argue that this is the only way to think about wisdom. However, it is a way of thinking about wisdom which could usefully and justifiably find a place in the educational system of a liberal democratic state. This thesis is an attempt to understand how educators can teach for the most important goal in life: how to live well.

The purpose of this study was to determine the sources of stress, support systems, coping strategies and psychological well-being of adolescents in a rural area, and to use this information to develop a coping and life skills programme. While all families face stressor events and crises, some are more likely than others to experience a series of challenges that threaten their functioning. Rural families often face a greater variety of stressor events on a more continues basis than do families in metropolitan areas (Dyk, 2003). Rural families do not have as many resources and services available lo address their problems as do urban families (Deavers & Hoppe, 2001). Farm schools suffer from a variety of shortages. Many schools suffer from a pressing shortage of space and educational aids and in most cases there is only one teacher for every 50 learners (Van Kleist, 2002). Some of the learners have to walk more than 1Okm to school everyday because of the lack of transport. Most schools lack proper sanitation and electricity. Recreational and cultural activities are curtailed through shortages of equipment and suitable locations. Education in life skills may contribute to the enhancement of life quality, The development of constructive coping strategies protects mental health and enhances bio psycho- social well-being in times of high stress. Previously it was assumed that each individual acquired these skills as part of growing up. Alas, the truth is that many people do not cope with life and never learned these skills. These skills should therefore be taught in a direct and systematic way, rather than being left to be learnt incidentally. The qualitative research design was based on a sample of 56 male and female adolescents between 1 2 and 16 years of age. The adolescents were from four farm schools situated in the Potchefstroom area. Sixteen learners were randomly selected for semi-structured interviews to obtain basic information for the pilot study. Approximately 37 learners took part in the programme. The learners attended Grades 4-7. The deve1opment of the programme was done in five phases. During phase one semi structured interviews were held with some of the learners. During phase two the interviews were evaluated thematically, The data was then organized into conceptual categories and was then analyzed. During phase three the programme was developed according to the themes derived from phase two. In phase four the programme was presented at the schools as a trial test. During phase five the programme underwent some changes according to the findings in phase four. The development of the programme went well, however presenting the programme was a more demanding task. Almost none of the participants could properly speak or understand Afrikaans or English. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

The aim of the research was to investigate the needs of adolescents and to determine their attitude, knowledge and skills regarding HIV/AIDS and life skills. The next step was to develop an empowering program to teach them life skills and to educate them with regard to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. To meet this aim, the following objectives were formulated: -To identify the needs of adolescents and extend their knowledge, skills and attitude regarding HIV/AIDS and life skills through empirical research and literature study. -To design a life skills program through a literature study and empirical research in order to improve the social functioning of the adolescents. The objectives were achieved by studying the relevant literature and through empirical research. The available literature on the subject was consulted to determine whether any research has been conducted in this field, and whether the subject could be researched. The empirical research was conducted to confirm the previous research findings. The literature study and empirical research were vital for formulating a social work empowering program. In this research, the survey method was used as a systematic fact-gathering procedure. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire. The data was used to describe the study sample, since socio-economic status could possibly have an effect on the general health and development of children. The research data were collected from the adolescents and their families to estimate the prevalence of their living standards, habits and lifestyle, knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS . The findings of this research reflected that adolescents had an urgent need for more knowledge and information concerning HIV/AIDS and life skills. In order to address this problem an empowering program was developed and will be presented. In this research the group work method will be used as an effective intervention strategy in empowering young people. Education is crucial; therefore it seems important to educate young people in certain life skills to empower them to cope with the challenges and demands of life. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This study sets out to explore and describe the life experience of spirituality within the context of daily life. What is that through daily interaction of their lives, persons interviewed as part of this research experienced as a sense of meaning and wholeness, and which these persons identify and value as contributing to their sense of living spiritually? Thus daily life informed by these kinds of so-called spiritual engagements and practices may provide a way of discovering or recovering the sacred in ordinary situations and activities of their lives. Such engagements and practices may help to strengthen a consciousness that nurtures a spirituality of human development. / Spirtuality in this sense refers to the practices and learning through which individuals and societies attempt to move beyond self-centred positions of power and control, to share experiences that articulate care of the self, and of seeking meaning, wisdom, virtue, joy and harmony in, and with life. To explore the significant human experience of spirituality in daily life, the heuristic methodology developed by Clark Moustakas (1990) was employed. This approach utilizes the concepts and processes of identifying with the focus of the inquiry, self dialogue, tacit knowing, intuition, indwelling, focusing, and the internal frame of reference. The six phases of heuristic research are initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. Seventeen participants (co-researchers) were selected from a small group of Western Australian volunteers who claimed to have experienced the topic of investigation. They were interviewed informally and conversationally with the open- ended question, “Describe as fully as possible as possible your experience of spirituality in daily life”. These interviews were analysed, yielding eleven extended descriptions of the experience, three of which make up the individual depictions, a composite depiction of the experience, two exemplary portraits of the experience, and a creative synthesis of the experience. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2004.