<p>In the beginning of the nineties there was a change in how the voluntary sector was perceived, and the significance of their work became reevaluated and more acknowledged. As a result, this sector gained a new and higher interest. The changes and downsizing in the welfare state with economic crises, due to political cutback, made the politicians look fore new solutions. One solution is to encourage cooperation between the public sector and the voluntary sector in order to handle the different needs of individuals.</p><p>Uppsala community and the voluntary sector are working closely together within a project called “God Livsmiljö”. The purpose of the project is to work for a better quality of life for elderly people and dysfunctional persons, as well as for the ones who are nursing family or someone close at home.</p><p>The aim of this paper is to investigate if the cooperation between the community in Uppsala and the voluntary sector contributes to the social welfare in Uppsala.</p><p>This essay is conducted through a qualitative case study. I have used a method based on interviews combined with four selected theories which explain the voluntary sector from different perspectives. My results show that the voluntary sector’s contribution to the welfare through the project is of importance. Furthermore, the work of the voluntary sector can be seen as complementary, more on a human level, to the service delivered by the community. There has proved to be no competition between the two sectors. This study shows that the emerging of a strong voluntary sector not mainly is an effect of downsizing of social welfare. There could also be an explanation to the voluntary sector as a reaction to the change of family structure in the modern society.</p>

The Swedish society has gone through a radical change. From being a monoculture society it has developed into a multicultural society representing a mixture of people from all around the world. This change has had a significant impact on both the Swedish school system and the teacher’s role. Therefore a subsequent ambition for a multicultural school would be to recognize this diversity and establish guidelines for how to meet each individual students need. To be able to recognize how different students develop in different ways is one of the reasons for this research. Different directions of social science have discussed in what way schools take part in youth identity formation. However, it has been less argued how immigrant associations take part in the same formation. This essay aims to illustrate, analyze and discuss how five young Turkish students, living in two different cultures, experience how the school and immigrant associations have affected the formation of their identity. I have chosen to use a qualitative approach, using in-depth interviews with five youths at the age of 16-18. The common denominator of these youths are (i) they all have roots in Turkey, (ii) they are all students at upper-secondary school, (iii) they study in the Stockholm area and (iv) they are members of TUF (The Turkish Youth Association). The conclusion of this study is that the school, teachers and friends play a very important role in youth identity formation. A problem that this research identifies is that the schools lack the capability to satisfy individual needs, resulting in many students facing difficulties when forming an identity. Due to the fact that many times the school does not encourage, nor observe the different backgrounds of the students. Furthermore, according to my research a probable reason why many youths with foreign background search immigrant associations, is because they feel fellowship and security when together with people from the association. This, in turn, has a positive effect on their self-image and identity. Title: The importance that voluntary sector (TUF) and the school have on Turkish youth’s identity creation.

Why do people work in the voluntary sector? Is the sector distinct, with characteristics that differentiate it from the private and public sectors? Is it important to consider the existence of the so-called ‘third sector’ when analysing behaviour in the labour market? Is altruism really an important motivation for workers in this sector? This dissertation is concerned specifically with the labour market in the voluntary sector: that is, workers who are the paid employees of independent nonprofit organisations. Using a large, national dataset, we explore empirically the predictions of the economic theory of voluntary organisations. In particular, is there evidence for a ‘warm glow’, the extra utility that workers receive for working towards a goal that they share with their employer? Does this glow exist, and is it brighter in the voluntary sector? We examine in turn sector differences in wages, working hours, and find evidence that employment in the voluntary sector is significantly different in some characteristics from both the private and public sectors. The main economic theories of voluntary sector wage-setting rely on some formulation of ‘warm glow’ utility or intrinsic motivation derived from working for an organisation with a mission shared by motivated employees. This leads to a prediction of lower wages in the voluntary sector. The empirical findings in the existing literature have focussed on US data, and the results have been mixed. Using pooled cross-sectional and panel datasets based on UK employment data between 1997 and 2007, we show that there is some evidence of warm-glow wage discounts in the sector for male workers, but that these wage differences have been eroded as the sector has grown. Although there is not a significant sector wage difference found for women, there is evidence that they have also experienced faster wage growth in the voluntary sector than the private. There are significant sector differences in working hours within the Health & Social Work industries, particularly in overtime working. Workers in the voluntary sector work more hours of unpaid overtime, whilst those in the private sector work more hours of paid overtime. Controlling for overtime hours has a significant effect on sector wage differentials. In particular, accounting for unpaid overtime results in evidence of a warm-glow wage discount for female workers. We analyse this data at a time when the sector has been growing dramatically, driven by government policy to reform public services. Our findings suggest that this policy has had unintended consequences for the voluntary sector labour market.

The aim of this study was to explore employees attitudes within the social serviceand non-profit organizations, regarding difficulties and possibilities in a potentialcollaboration between these two sectors concerning individuals with gamblingproblems. The empirical material is based on qualitative methods, thus semistructured interviews were performed with social workers working with individualswith gambling problems in the social service and in one non-profit organization ina city in Sweden. When analyzing the empirical data we applied three theories;Danermark’s collaboration theory, Hasensfeld’s theories about Human ServiceOrganization, Scott’s and Abrahamson & Andersen’s systems theory. The mainresult indicates that difficulties in a collaboration are due to lack of insight into eachothers organizations, different organizational structures and conditions, and also animbalance in the interdependence relationship among the two organizations.Additionally, the study shows possibilities when it comes to exchange ofknowledge and operating as a complement with one and other when supporting thetarget group.

<p>This research project asks: to what extent are voluntary organizations included in the policy processes that make decisions regarding the needs and interests of atypical groups? Both urban Aboriginal peoples and Travellers are defined as atypical groups due to their indigeneity and their separate treatment by the state because of cultural differences characterized by nomadism, language and distinctive lifeways preserved by oral traditions. Their marginalization was exacerbated as they transitioned to urban centres after the middle of the twentieth century and the state, although it acknowledged these groups, did not accommodate their needs and interests. In an era of neoliberalism where significant responsibility for welfare has shifted to the voluntary sector, marginalized groups still require disproportionate assistance by the state in policy areas of education, health and housing and they rely on voluntary organizations to provide culturally appropriate programs and services and to advocate for their needs and interests. Applying a scalar analysis, this project isolated three key concepts that are interdependent yet distinct, that are critical to inclusion. First, is incorporation of culturally relevant programs on the micro scale. Second, is atypical group representation in policy processes on the meso scale. And third, their collaboration with government on the macro scale. On balance it appears that urban Aboriginal peoples in Canada have moved closer to inclusion in policy processes due to their success in incorporation, representation and collaboration. In contrast, Travellers in Ireland face greater obstacles in collaborating with government, which impacts on their representation in policy processes and their incorporation of programs and services to meet the needs and interests. The trajectory of these findings suggest that urban Aboriginal peoples will continue to collaborate with government and move closer to goals self-determination while Travellers will continue to struggle against prevailing societal domination to achieve ethnic minority status.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

No description available.

No / The work was funded by the Leeds Social Science Institute.

Research has shown that people who participate in regular physical activity (PA) can experience improved wellbeing and quality of life, including better physical health, cognitive function, positive affect, and self-esteem (Fox, 1999). Such benefits support the application of PA as a strategy to improve the general population's mental health and those recovering from mental illness. However, the contemporary understanding of PA and the recovery from mental illness is almost exclusively underpinned by the principles of clinical recovery (e.g. symptom remission), which can overlook the patient's values. Conversely, personal recovery may reconnect people with their inner resources, personal strengths, and offer opportunities for people to reconstruct hope, meaning, responsibility and a positive identity as part of recovery (Slade, 2009). These values also mark a shift in the UK Government's (2011a) mental health strategy, toward integrating personal recovery as part of people's mental health care. Yet, few studies have examined the role of PA within the context of personal recovery, including the impact of PA on the wider elements of personal recovery. Accordingly, this thesis sets out to examine the role of PA during the personal recovery from mental illness, as a case study at a voluntary sector mental health organisation. The research methodology was guided by social constructivism, and data was collected between October 2010 and June 2014 using participant-observations, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and photo elicitation methods. Seven members of staff and twenty-two attendee's volunteered to participate in the research study, and their accounts were analysed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006) using NVivo to manage and aid the data analysis. Additionally, effort was made to satisfy the authenticity criteria throughout the research to maintain constructivist rigour (Lincoln & Guba, 2013). The research findings identified six high-ordered themes that indicate a process of personal recovery through PA. These were (a) 'Battles against the mind', (b) 'the centre as a place of refuge and support', (c) 'exercise is one part of the whole package', (d) 'the connection between body and mind', (e) 'my gateway onto other things', and (f) 'from small acorns to big oak trees'. These findings were congruent with the existing literature, and added that PA participation can support people's meaningful engagement in their personal medicines and other life events (e.g. employment, being with family, and relationship with pets). The findings are discussed in relation to the delivery of PA in mental health services, the relationship of PA with meaningful activities during recovery, and the impact of PA on elements of hope, meaning, positive identity, and personal responsibility. The thesis concludes with a guiding standpoint on the application of PA for personal recovery as a personal medicine or as an adjunct activity. This standpoint can be used to inform the general population, mental health and exercise professionals, multiagency mental health service staff and attendees, commissioning bodies and policymakers.

International migration flows and patterns shaped by the determinants, processes and outcomes of social, political, and economic conditions have led to important transformation of society and human geographies. As Canada continues to effectively manage its immigration system and uphold its commitment to international refugee protection and resettlement, it is critical for Canada to do so with an understanding of the changing context of immigration, which are reinforced by shifting policies and their impact, in our contemporary society. In this thesis, the migration trajectory of three groups of newcomers to Canada; international students, Syrian refugees, and refugee youth, are explored by examining policies and conditions that can create group risks and vulnerabilities in immigration, settlement, and integration as groups transition to life in Canada after arrival. As suggested by Castle (2010) migration researchers can advance the field by embedding their work in broader theories of social change to facilitate understanding of the complexity, interconnectedness, variability, contextuality, and multi-mediation of migratory process in the context of rapid change. This thesis employs a geographical lens of place to deepen understanding of processes and outcomes in our contemporary society, while responding to these evolving contexts in one mid-size, post-industrial Canadian city. In three separate research, this thesis examines: 1) economic immigration flow under Express Entry in 2015 and 2016; 2) the role of the voluntary sector during the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Initiative in Hamilton, Ontario in 2016; and 3) the place of school-based settlement in bridging and brokering school-based mental health for newcomer youth. / Thesis / Doctor of Science (PhD) / As Canada continues to effectively manage its immigration system and uphold its commitment to international refugee protection and resettlement, it is critical for Canada to do so with an understanding of the changing context of immigration in our contemporary society. In this thesis, I examine the migration trajectory of three groups of newcomers to Canada; international students, Syrian refugees, and refugee youth, by asking two overarching research questions that explores policies and conditions that can create group risks and vulnerabilities in immigration, settlement, and integration. This thesis seeks to understand how policies could be addressed to improve successful outcome for newcomers. This thesis employs a geographical lens of place to deepen understanding of processes and outcomes in our contemporary society, while responding to these evolving contexts in one mid-size, post-industrial Canadian city.

Yes / Asylum-seeking and refugee (AS&R) women living in the UK often have complex health and social care needs, with poor underlying mental and physical health and an increased risk of negative pregnancy outcomes. Despite this, AS&R women are less likely to attend for timely maternity care and when they do, care may be poor, with staff not understanding their specific needs and displaying poor attitudes. This article discusses the Maternity Stream of the City of Sanctuary and how this charity aims to work with statutory and voluntary sector maternity-related services and groups to develop services that are inclusive for AS&R women and meet their specific needs. Volunteer AS&R women are central to the activities of the Maternity Stream and this article discusses how they engage with midwives and other maternity workers to facilitate the development of services that may ultimately improve pregnancy outcomes for AS&R women.