No description available.

The aim of our study is to explore the thoughts and beliefs held by the professionals who work with the sentence youth service for young offenders, and how they feel about the same. How is the sentence youth service perceived from a professional perspective? How does the concurrence look like between the police, the social services and the prosecutor, when it comes to young offenders? What kind of difficulties/challenges do the professionals see in the possibility to effect the sentence youth service? The study is based on a qualitative method. The data consists of seven semi-structured interviews with two police officers, four social workers and one prosecutor. The results of our study indicate that youth service is a good sentence for young first-time offenders; the study also indicates that concurrence between the different professions is a success factor; furthermore the study revealed that it was very difficult finding adequate working places.

Aboriginal young people are exposed to the impact of colonisation in Australia. They are at risk of becoming alienated from their homelands, cultures, communities and families. Some have become alienated, joining one of the most marginalised groups in Australian society – homeless people. Aboriginal young people, many of whom are already marginalised because of their indigeneity, join a group that can be described as further marginalised – that is, Aboriginal and homeless. In essence, Aboriginal homelessness can be seen and described as a loss of sovereignty. The Hebersham Aboriginal Youth Service (HAYS) is an organisation that is responding to the phenomenon of Aboriginal youth homelessness. HAYS is funded and operates under a joint Australian Federal, State and Territory government programmatic response that assists people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This thesis reviews the design and development of HAYS as an Aboriginal service organisation. The central thesis research question is: How should a service for homeless Aboriginal youth be designed and developed? In addressing this question, a case study methodology is utilised which is capable of facilitating research in contemporary organisational settings, such as in HAYS where its design participants operate around specific visions and goals. The research findings indicate that HAYS should become a ‘modern-day tribal ground’ in the form of the Mount Druitt Aboriginal Homeland Centre (MDAHC). In order to progress this model, a substantive theory of coherent dialogue is presented containing five critical design and development propositions educed from the research. The theory contains lessons for the design and development of urban Aboriginal community service organisations. This thesis concludes with a plea for consciousness-raising between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people involved in the design and development of Aboriginal community service organisations – a move towards the development of a critical consciousness for a better world through coherent dialogue. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

No description available.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Research)) -- Australian Catholic University, 2006. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Research). Bibliography: p. 115-120. Also available in an electronic format via the internet.

From a sociological perspective, there is consensus on the idea that identities are constructed. This consensus forms the basis of this research on the social construction of identities in the National Youth Service of Zimbabwe (NYSZ). Other aspects of identity - its multiplicity and negotiable nature - are used as key terms of reference in the investigation of identity construction in the NYSZ. Institutions may be used by the state to produce a certain kind of identity, and power relations are always at play in the manufacturing of identity. This study investigates how social identity is constructed in the NYSZ, by whom and for what is it being constructed, and, significantly, with what success the NYSZ is creating the identities, and how its success can be explained. The NYSZ was established in 2001. It was not the first of such programmes to be established but could in fact possibly be the last to be instituted worldwide. Findings reveal that the NYSZ is successfully achieving its goals, and in particular, its goal of influencing the process of identity construction in the youth. A number of reasons account for this success: Its quasi-military nature, the socioeconomic background of trainees, and power relations in the training camps combined with the age of the trainees, all contribute to the success of the programme. The teaching of history from an afro-centric perspective also plays a significant role and contributes to the success of the NYSZ in creating a new identity in the participants. In this study, it is asserted that the NYSZ is not an ordinary kind of NYS. It is quite exceptional in terms of its structure, aims and operation. With regard to sociological theories, of NYSs I propose the addition of a fourth perspective to the three presented by Sherraden and Eberly: construction of social and political identity. / Prof. Peter Alexander Mr. Henry Mushonga

No description available.

Thesis (MPA) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / The research was undertaken to determine the challenges in the design and implementation of the youth and adolescent health policy. Special attention was focused on the design of the policy and people involved in policy development and implementation. Literature indicates that development and implementation of youth and adolescent health policy is a multisectoral, complex dynamic process. The study was undertaken to establish to what extent was the multisectoral approach implemented in Sekhukhune district, Limpopo province. The aim of the study was twofold: To study the problem of implementation of the youth and adolescent health policy and recommend ways of improving implementation; and to establish the appropriate model of implementation of the youth and adolescent health policy. The objectives of the study, were to determine the role of delegated officials regarding the implementation of the youth and adolescent health policy in Sekhukhune district. To establish if the delegated officials had the knowledge and skills to implement the youth and adolescent health policy as laid out by the National Department of Health, and to establish the extent to which interest groups such as School Governing Bodies, Non-Governmental organisations and traditional leaders were involved and participated in implementing the youth and adolescent health policy. The significance of the study was to assist in assessing the extent to which the youth and adolescent health policy was implemented in Sekhukhune district in Limpopo province. The research methodology was qualitative interviews. The Department of Health, district office, health institutions (health centres and clinics, and hospitals) were visited by the researcher. Structured interviews were conducted on the selected sample of health workers and youth. The sample size was 50: 40 were health workers and 10 youths in the area where the research was conducted, represented the youth. One office in the Department of health, Limpopo province, Sekhukhune district office, 3 hospitals, 5 municipal offices (health offices) 15 primary health care facilities(clinics) were visited and one to one interview, using a questionnaire, was conducted in order to ensure confidentiality. The findings were that there were health workers who were not aware of the availability of the youth and adolescent health policy. The Department of health did not have guidelines/policies on how to implement National health policies. Health workers at health institutions (hospitals) were interested in knowing more about the youth and adolescent health policy. The youth made suggestions for the improvement of recreation facilities and that health services for the youth should be more accessible, by separating the youth from adults at primary health care facilities. Most health workers expressed the need for training on the implementation of the youth and adolescent health policy.

This study, which was conducted in Sweden, was based on four qualitative semi-structured interviews. The aim of this study was to create an understanding of how a municipality designs the sanction for youth offenders called ”youth service” based on the law that establishes the existence of such a sentence. We interviewed social workers that work at the department of youth service in the municipality of Gothenburg, who exclusively deal with youth offenders’ sentenced to youth service as their job assignment. We asked the social workers how the municipality of Gothenburg has designed and structured its youth service as well as how and why the chosen design came to be. The result was thermalized with four topics: how is youth service designed? The reasoning behind Gothenburg’s design, the adjustment of the process of evaluating the suitability of the sentence youth service for the young offender and lastly, collaboration. Our analysis was based on neo-institutional organization theory and on protective factors that protect against negative outcomes. Based on the result that the semi-structured interviews yielded we found that Gothenburg’s designed work method very well resembled the law and guidelines issued two years subsequent the date the law gained legal force. Additionally, we found that the department for youth service in Gothenburg influenced the guidelines that were issued two years after the law gained legal force. To which degree could not be determined in this study, however some of the social workers stated that Gothenburg did not have to adjust to the guidelines when they were issued and that it was satisfying for them that the National Board of Health and Welfare listened to their organization in the process preceded the issuing of the guidelines. Lastly, the interviewed social workers reported that the municipalities collaborate regarding the design of their respective youth services to increase uniformity. The interviews indicated that Gothenburg’s designed work method was considered successful in that other municipalities contacted Gothenburg in order to study how they worked with the sanction that is youth service. This collaboration might lead to an increase of municipalities acquiring Gothenburg’s work method, which in the future may lead to a nationwide institutionalization of Gothenburg’s designed work method with youth service.

本研究主要是欲從1980年代福利國家危機所發展出來的因應對策“福利多元化”的理念出發，依此理念所發展出來的「少年福利多元化」的政策主張，來探討我國少年福利在福利多元化政策上的施行現況、成效與困境。因此，對於目前建構少年福利服務網絡的少年福利各相關服務組織，包括政府單位、及民間社會福利機構，在服務網絡上如何進行協調聯繫，及服務項目整合的情形，即瞭解目前少年服務機構的服務提供、與少年服務網絡聯繫建構現況，並藉由探討歸納少年服務網絡建構的影響因素，以尋求最佳少年服務網絡模式的建立。 因此，本研究的研究架構，主要有3個概念即：少年福利各相關服務組織特性—組織進行協調聯繫，與服務整合現況—建構最佳少年服務網絡。而在研究方法的採取上，則主要是採質化的研究方法，並以文獻探討法，及質的訪談法2者相輔。文獻探討的部分主要是包括：整體少年福利施行現況，及高雄市少年福利相關文獻資料的蒐集。而質的訪談法部分，則是兼採開放式與封閉式的訪談型式來深入探討蒐集資料。另外，在訪談對象的選取，則是先採立意取樣的方式，選取資料最多、經驗最豐富的青少年福利服務中心，作為基礎，再由訪談的青少年福利服務中心，以滾雪球的方式確定有少年業務聯繫關係的民間社會福利機構對象。最後再針對這些民間社會福利機構，進行約談訪問。 本研究的研究發現則主要有以下幾點： 1.資源不足，服務提供有限：不論是針對一般青少年的休閒娛樂服務方面，亦或是不幸少年的寄養、與安置服務上，各少年服務機構皆無法完全配合少年的服務需求來提供服務。 2.人力不足，經費編列有限：不論是政府單位、青少年福利服務中心，亦或是民間社會福利機構，皆是普遍會存在的服務機構問題，且受訪的機構服務工作者皆反應機構目前在人力上有呈現不足、缺乏的困境，多數機構的社工員必須身兼數職，工作負擔很重。 3.資源尋求，促進服務聯繫：研究發現：促進服務機構進行少年服務協調聯繫的主要動機，不論是在政府單位，亦或是民間社會福利機構彼此間，促進其進行服務聯繫的動機，不外乎以資源相互尋求、與相互支援為主。 4.個案整合，機構合作無間：在高雄市少年服務網絡的建構中，主管機關社會局在建立少年服務資源網絡上，除與其所屬的青少年福利服務中心相互聯繫外，在少年服務的提供上亦多以公辦民營、協助補助、個案委託、方案委託等方式，交由民間機構來辦理少年福利服務，尤其在公設民營、與委託業務上更是蓬勃。另外，在機構所進行服務整合的項目，則是以少年個案整合為主。 5.本位主義，網絡建構難題：不論是青少年福利服務中心，亦或是民間社會福利機構的工作者皆反應，在機構間的協調聯繫成效方面，皆有遇到與教育機構、單位溝通協調困難的問題，而主要的原因則是專業機構本位主義所致。 6.定位不明，認知未達共識：服務機構工作者反應政府社政單位在與民間社會福利機構，進行委辦、承辦、協辦等不同業務時，經常由於彼此間對相互的角色、定位的認知不同，而產生協調上的問題。 7.網絡建構，默契須再培養：雖然目前整個少年服務網絡在建構上，各專業服務機構彼此間在聯繫的動機、及整合情形，皆有助於整個少年服務網絡體系的建構與維繫，但彼此間在少年服務工作的團隊默契上，仍須再培養。 8.資源競爭，機構相互排擠：少年福利的民間資源不足，使得少年在老人、婦女、兒童等弱勢族群中，又是更為弱勢的一群。且機構工作者表示：在資源缺乏下，同性質的服務機構彼此間會相互競爭資源、相互排擠，如此使得小型、新成立的服務機構，難以生存的現象。 最後在研究限制方面，則有2部分，即：研究方法的限制，與研究時間、人力的限制。研究方法的限制，則是包括：文獻研究法、與質的訪談法等2種資料蒐集方法的缺點，也就是在研究方法上的限制。而在研究時間、與人力的限制方面，則為研究範圍上的限制、及訪談對象數量上的限制等此2部分，為本研究的研究方面的限制。