Thesis (Ph.D.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2003. / Bibliography: leaves 165-183.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Martha J. Buell, Dept. of Individual & Family Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Between May 2008 and August 2009, temporary employees were solicited, interviewed, and hired by Agency A under the expectation that they would be eligible for conversion to permanent employee status at Company Z after a 90-day period. This qualitative case study examines those long-term temporary workers in regard to their perceptions of their rights, representation, and morale and performance levels after pre-employment promises were not honored. Potential participants were identified as long-term temporary workers employed by Agency A and assigned to Company Z. Participants were interviewed and results were transcribed and analyzed for a pattern or theme. Findings indicated that all participants entered into the employment agreement with Agency A with the understanding that the position was a temporary to hire position; that the job would lead to a permanent position with Company Z. While participants revealed feelings of frustration, isolation, insecurity and low self-esteem as a result of a perceived lack of representation from both the Agency and the Company, their perceptions of morale and productivity were surprisingly positive. In the subject of temporary employee representation and management there is a lack of diverse research, especially in the area of long-term temporary workers. This case study provides a glimpse into this population and indicates, on a small scale, the need for temp industry-wide improvements in the representation and management of long-term temporary employees. As the population of this sector of the workforce continues to rise dramatically, more focus is needed to avoid exploitation of long-term temporary workers and provide an equal work experience.

Mexican migrant workers have been coming to Canada since 1974 to work in agriculture as participants of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP). Presently, Mexicans constitute the majority of SAWP workers. As well, Ontario is the main receiver of these workers followed by British Columbia and Quebec. Accordingly, the scope of this thesis mainly encompasses Mexican workers in Ontario. However, the thesis also includes Mexican SAWP workers in Quebec and British Columbia. This thesis reveals two main issues: (1) that all SAWP workers, particularly Mexican workers, lack key legal rights and protections relating to labour relations, employment, health and safety standards at the structural level of the SAWP; and at the federal, provincial, and international levels. (2) Even when they have rights under legislation relating to the above-mentioned subject matters, Mexicans, especially, lack the capacity to access them. Thus, they become ‘unfree labourers’ who are placed in a perpetual state of disadvantage, vulnerable to abuse and exploitation once in Canada. To describe the issues above, the thesis is divided into five chapters addressing the following: Chapter 1 presents the historical context behind the SAWP as well as the Mexican workers’ circumstances that attract them to participate in the Program. Chapter 2 examines the applicable constitutional and federal framework for SAWP workers. In addition, it highlights key federal exclusions placed on them, which originate in the federal immigration and employment insurance legislation. Chapter 3 concludes that Ontario does not protect its agricultural workers from unfair treatment and exploitation in the workplace; rather, it perpetuates such practices. This reality is intensified for SAWP Mexican workers. Particularly, chapter 3 analyses a constitutional challenge to the Ontario legislation excluding agricultural worker from its labour relations regime; said challenge is based on ss. 2(d) and 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Chapter 4 maintains that similarly to workers in Ontario, SAWP workers in Quebec and British Columbia also face extreme disadvantages due in great part to the lack of or limited legal protections. Finally, chapter 5 asserts that due to its implementation in the Canadian framework, international law is inadequate to protect domestic and SAWP workers’ rights. While each chapter identifies tangible drawbacks or anomalies, which affect SAWP workers negatively, the thesis also provides recommendations to alleviate said weaknesses.

While agricultural work is hazardous for all workers, migrant workers face additional challenges that make them more vulnerable than domestic workers. The lack of access to permanent immigration status in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) and the agricultural stream of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) makes workers’ jobs hinge on retaining their employers’ favour and creates a particular type of job insecurity that overshadows their behaviour, decisions, and agency to assert their rights for safe and healthy workplaces and workers’ compensation. While researchers argue that the TFWP competes with the SAWP as employers search for the cheapest and most docile workers, less research has examined whether workers’ health and safety exposures and experiences differ within the two programs. Drawing primarily from interviews with advocates and system stakeholders and participant observation at advocate-organized events, this research will offer preliminary answers to discovering whether the programs pose different obstacles to improving health and safety and access to compensation that affect migrant workers’ experiences in Ontario before and after injury. The research will help gather information about possible avenues to improve the health and safety of migrant workers given how the two programs operate within both federal and provincial frameworks. Advocates’ experience assisting workers in both programs offers important insights about whether differences between the programs create particular vulnerabilities for some migrant workers. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / This research identifies opportunities and barriers that migrant agricultural workers and their advocates face in improving occupational health and safety and access to workers' compensation in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) and the agricultural stream of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP). Through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document review, the research will help identify whether interplay between the programs causes additional vulnerabilities for some workers. The research will help gather information about possible avenues to improve the health and safety of migrant workers given how the two programs operate in a federal and provincial framework.

This study examined the relationship between child welfare workers' coping skills and their levels of empathy. The author developed instruments for measuring empathy and for measuring coping skills. Measures of the coping skills and empathy of child welfare workers in San Bernardino County and San Diego County were compared and found to be similar; the author hoped that this would demonstrate that the results can be generalized. The hypothesis that excellent coping skills diminish compassion fatigue and lead to increased empathy was supported.

The purpose of this study is to collect and analyze data obtained from the mental health workers at Masada Homes in Fontana. Specifically, this research project will identify the rates of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment that are experienced by these mental health workers.

For many years Canada has quietly rationalized importing temporary “low-skilled” migrant labour through managed migration programs to appease industries desiring cheap and flexible labour while avoiding extending citizenship rights to the workers. In an era of international human rights and global competitive markets, the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) is often hailed as a “model” and “win-win” solution to migration and labour dilemmas, providing employers with a healthy, just-in-time labour force and workers with various protections such as local labour standards, health care, and compensation. Tracing migrant workers’ lives between Jamaica, Mexico and Canada (with a focus on Ontario’s Niagara Region), this thesis assesses how their structural vulnerability as non-citizens effectively excludes them from many of the rights and norms otherwise expected in Canada. It analyzes how these exclusions are rationalized as permanent “exceptions” to the normal legal, social and political order, and how these infringements affect workers’ lives, rights, and health. Employing critical medical anthropology, workers’ health concerns are used as a lens through which to understand and explore the deeper “pathologies of power” and moral contradictions which underlie this system. Particular areas of focus include workers’ occupational, sexual and reproductive, and mental and emotional health, as well as an assessment of their access to health care and compensation in Canada, Mexico and Jamaica. Working amidst perilous and demanding conditions, in communities where they remain socially and politically excluded, migrant workers in practice remain largely unprotected and their entitlements hard to secure, an enduring indictment of their exclusion from Canada’s “imagined community.” Yet the dynamics of this equation may be changing in light of the recent rise in social and political movements, in which citizenship and related rights have become subject to contestation and redefinition. In analyzing the various dynamics which underlie transnational migration, limit or extend migrants’ rights, and influence the health of migrants across borders, this thesis explores crucial relationships between these themes. Further work is needed to measure these ongoing changes, and to address the myriad health concerns of migrants as they live and work across national borders.

For many years Canada has quietly rationalized importing temporary “low-skilled” migrant labour through managed migration programs to appease industries desiring cheap and flexible labour while avoiding extending citizenship rights to the workers. In an era of international human rights and global competitive markets, the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) is often hailed as a “model” and “win-win” solution to migration and labour dilemmas, providing employers with a healthy, just-in-time labour force and workers with various protections such as local labour standards, health care, and compensation. Tracing migrant workers’ lives between Jamaica, Mexico and Canada (with a focus on Ontario’s Niagara Region), this thesis assesses how their structural vulnerability as non-citizens effectively excludes them from many of the rights and norms otherwise expected in Canada. It analyzes how these exclusions are rationalized as permanent “exceptions” to the normal legal, social and political order, and how these infringements affect workers’ lives, rights, and health. Employing critical medical anthropology, workers’ health concerns are used as a lens through which to understand and explore the deeper “pathologies of power” and moral contradictions which underlie this system. Particular areas of focus include workers’ occupational, sexual and reproductive, and mental and emotional health, as well as an assessment of their access to health care and compensation in Canada, Mexico and Jamaica. Working amidst perilous and demanding conditions, in communities where they remain socially and politically excluded, migrant workers in practice remain largely unprotected and their entitlements hard to secure, an enduring indictment of their exclusion from Canada’s “imagined community.” Yet the dynamics of this equation may be changing in light of the recent rise in social and political movements, in which citizenship and related rights have become subject to contestation and redefinition. In analyzing the various dynamics which underlie transnational migration, limit or extend migrants’ rights, and influence the health of migrants across borders, this thesis explores crucial relationships between these themes. Further work is needed to measure these ongoing changes, and to address the myriad health concerns of migrants as they live and work across national borders.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mentoring, which is described as an activity in social work supervision, is promoted to assist with the recruitment and retention of newly qualified social workers. However research relating to the execution of mentoring within the context of social work supervision is limited. Also, a lack of supervision of newly qualified as well as existing social workers has resulted in a critical shortage of social workers in South Africa. This in turn decreases the quality of social work service rendering to communities in South Africa. In an effort to reverse the aforementioned circumstances, the South African government introduced the “Recruitment and Retention Strategy for Social Workers” in 2006. The Recruitment and Retention Strategy for Social Workers reaffirmed the value of supervision for social workers as well as the utilisation of mentoring in order to provide adequate support to newly qualified as well as existing social workers. Hence the study was undertaken, first to provide an overview of social work supervision and second, to explore the use of mentoring in the context of social work supervision. A combined qualitative and quantitative research approach was utilised to explore the experiences of social work supervisors in the Department of Social Development (Western Cape), with regard to the use of mentoring as an activity of social work supervision. The motivation for this study originated from an apparent lack of research relating to the use of mentoring as an activity in social work supervision of newly qualified social workers within the Department of Social Development in the Western Cape. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the features and use of mentoring as well as how mentoring can be utilised as an activity in social work supervision of newly qualified social workers. The literature study first focused on giving an overview of social work supervision, to provide a contextual basis for mentoring as an activity in social work supervision of newly qualified social workers. The literature study then explored the features and use of mentoring as an activity in social work supervision of newly qualified social workers. The researcher utilised a purposive sample of 20 social work supervisors. These supervisors have been appointed to the different regional and local offices of the Department of Social Development in the Western Cape and provide supervision to social workers, specifically newly qualified social workers. Newly qualified social workers refer to social workers with a maximum experience of 24 months in the practical field. The researcher utilised an interview schedule as a measuring instrument. The results of the investigation confirmed that supervision of newly qualified social workers is essential to ensure quality service rendering. Second, the results concluded that due to the allocation of responsibilities other than supervision, inadequate time is spent on the execution of the social work supervision process. Third, the lack of formal training of supervisors in social work supervision, has a negative impact on the execution of the supervision process, as most of the supervisors provide supervision to newly qualified social workers, based on their own experience of supervision as well as the fact that social work supervision follows a process running parallel to the social work process. Fourth, a majority of the social work supervisors execute mentoring on an informal basis. Fifth, most of the social work supervisors are in favour of the appointment of multiple mentors for each newly qualified social worker. Lastly, senior social workers are viewed as important mentors to assist newly qualified social workers with the acquisition of skills relating to social work service delivery. Recommendations made by this study highlighted the importance of providing accredited supervision training to social work supervisors as well as introducing a policy on the execution of supervision, and mentoring as an activity in social work supervision. Further recommendations focused on the provision of training to all selected mentors as well as on the use of multiple mentors for each newly qualified social worker. Lastly, the use of senior social workers both within the Department and organisations in the NPO sector is promoted, especially to assist newly qualified social workers to attain those skills relating to the execution of their statutory duties and to improve quality service rendering through the enhancement of their professional report writing skills. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mentorskap, wat as ‘n aktiwiteit in maatskaplikewerk-supervisie omskryf word, bevorder die werwing en behoud van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers. Navorsing wat verband hou met die uitvoering van mentorskap binne die konteks van maatskaplikewerk-supervisie is egter beperk. Daarbenewens het ‘n gebrek aan supervisie van pas gekwalifiseerde sowel as van die meer ervare maatskaplike werkers gelei tot ‘n kritieke tekort aan maatskaplike werkers in Suid- Afrika. Dit het weer gelei tot ‘n afname in die gehalte van maatskaplikewerk-dienslewering aan gemeenskappe in Suid-Afrika. In ‘n poging om die genoemde omstandighede om te keer, het die Suid-Afrikaanse regering die Recruitment and Retention Strategy for Social Workers in 2006 geloods. Die Recruitment and Retention Strategy for Social Workers benadruk die waarde van supervisie aan maatskaplike werkers sowel as die benutting van mentorskap om voldoende ondersteuning te bied aan pas gekwalifiseerde sowel as meer ervare maatskaplike werkers. Die studie word dus onderneem, eerstens om ‘n oorsig van maatskaplikewerk-supervisie te verkry en tweedens om die gebruik van mentorskap binne die konteks van maatskaplikewerk-supervisie te verken. ‘n Gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is benut om die ervarings van maatskaplikewerk-supervisors in die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling, rakende mentorskap as ‘n aktiwiteit in maatskaplikewerk-supervisie van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers te ontbloot. Die studie is gemotiveer deur ‘n opmerklike gebrek aan navorsing ten opsigte van die benutting van mentorskap as ‘n aktiwiteit in maatskaplikewerk-supervisie van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers in die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling. Die doel van die studie was om begrip te ontwikkel rondom die eienskappe en benutting van mentorskap sowel as hoe mentorskap as ‘n aktiwiteit in maatskaplikewerk-supervisie benut kan word. Die literatuurstudie verskaf eerstens ‘n oorsig van maatskaplikewerk-supervisie om sodoende ‘n kontekstuele basis vir mentorskap as ‘n aktiwiteit in maatskaplikewerk-supervisie van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers aan te bied. Die literatuurstudie verken voorts die eienskappe en benutting van mentorskap as ‘n aktiwiteit in maatskaplikewerk-supervisie van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers. Die navorser het ‘n doelbewuste steekproef van 20 maatskaplikewerk supervisors benut. Hierdie supervisors is werksaam in die verskillende streeks- en plaaslike kantore van die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling en verskaf supervisie aan onder andere pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers. Pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers verwys na alle maatskaplike werkers met minder as 24 maande ervaring in die praktyk. Die navorser het ‘n onderhoudskedule as meetinstrument benut. Die resultate van die ondersoek bevestig eerstens dat die verskaffing van supervisie aan pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers noodsaaklik is vir die versekering van kwaliteit dienslewering. Tweedens bevestig die bevindinge ook dat, as gevolg van die aanwysing van verantwoordelikhede, buiten supervisie, daar onvoldoende tyd aan die uitvoering van maatskaplikewerk-supervisieprosesse bestee word. Derdens het die gebrek aan formele supervisie-onderrig, ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op die uitvoering van die supervisieproses, aangesien die meeste supervisors wat supervisie aan pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers verskaf, dit baseer op hul eie ervarings van supervisie sowel as die feit dat die supervisie parallel verloop met die maatskaplikewerk-proses. Vierdens verrig die meeste maatskaplikewerk-supervisors hul mentorskap op ‘n informele wyse. Vyfdens is die meeste supervisors ten gunste van die aanstelling van meer as een mentor vir elke pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werker. Laastens word senior maatskaplike werkers beskou as belangrike mentors om pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers te help met die verkryging van daardie vaardighede wat verband hou met maatskaplikewerk-dienslewering. Aanbevelings wat in die studie gemaak is beklemtoon die belangrikheid van die verskaffing van geakkrediteerde supervisie-onderrig aan maatskaplikewerk-supervisors, die daarstelling van ‘n supervisiebeleid sowel as die benutting van mentorskap as ‘n aktwiteit in maatskaplikewerksupervisie. Verdere aanbevelings fokus op die verskaffing van opleiding aangaande die proses van mentorskap. Laastens word die gebruik van senior maatskaplike werkers sowel in die Wes- Kaapse Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling as in ander organisasies in die nieregerings sektor, as mentors ondersteun, ten einde meer spesifiek pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers te help met die aanleer van daardie vaardighede wat verband hou met die uitvoering van hul statutêre verpligtinge en om die kwaliteit van dienslewering te bevorder deur die verbetering van die professionele skryfvaardighede van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers.