The research has been part of a larger study on developing evaluative strategies for programmes on street children in KwaZulu Natal. This study focussed on harm reduction programmes with reference to violence and crime. The phenomenon of street children has been seen to be caused by various interactive factors relating to the individual, the family, community and the society as a whole. The research was guided by a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach utilizing multiple data sources and multiple focus groups with street children and service providers. Street children were given the space to talk about their experiences and to identify indicators of successful programmes. Shelter workers who are child care workers discussed programmes presented at the shelter and their impact on protecting and preventing children from exposure to violence and crime. They also discussed indicators of success in their programmes. Children indicated that successful programmes were characterised by consistency, fairness, non- discrimination, and that they take into account that street children are children too and that they can make mistakes. On the other hand child care workers described successful programmes as contributing to change in the life of a child, through social skills, attitude of the child and child's ability to be reunited with his family. Programmes, which serve to protect street children from violence and crime should be monitored and evaluated so as to assess their effectiveness. Based on the findings of this study recommendations are made regarding the evaluation of programmes for street children. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study which was conducted in a shelter for girl street children in KwaZuluNatal explored the programmes available to the girl street child and the current evaluation strategies for such programmes. The aim of the research was to provide insight into what criteria or indices children and service providers think should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of programmes for street children. Qualitative research methodology using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach guided the research and allowed for in-depth discussions with the children living in the shelters as well as the staff involved. The children were between 12-18 years of age. Data were obtained through separate multiple focus group sessions with children and staff at the shelter. Seven focus group sessions were held with the children and three focus group sessions were held with the staff at the shelter. The sessions were tape-recorded and then transcribed. The major findings of the study indicated that the children overall were enjoying their stay in the shelter. However, inconsistencies were identified between the experiences of the children and the work conducted by the staff members. Further, the findings of this study showed that programmes at the shelter being studied were evaluated, but the effectiveness of these evaluation strategies has been questioned. Emanating from the findings, recommendations have been made with regards to practice issues and programme evaluation. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

No description available.

Errata in manuscript. Multiple page numbering issues. Duplicate numbers: 171, 189; omitted: 211 / The central area of a city is commonly referred to as the heart of the city, since it supplies life-giving energy to the cells and tissues of the city. The circulatory system formed by veins and arteries moves the life-stream--people, goods,messages, and ideas, from the heart to all parts of the organization, and back a in. Although the vitality of the urban core influences the circulatory system, the sound functioning of the heart,cells and tissues of the city depends largely on the health of the circulatory system. The lungs of the city are refreshing and recreating elements such as open spaces, landscape, and embellishments. Then circulatory system and the refreshing and recreating elements are integrated for the sound functioning of the city. [...]

BACKGROUND: Youth continue to be at high risk for STI and HIV transmission and unplanned pregnancies because of their liberal approach to sexual-health and their susceptibility toward engaging in risky activities. Youth who are street involved face greater risks than their peers because they occasionally participate in behaviours that places them at increased risk; for instance injection drug use, multiples sex partners, low condom use and considerable substance use. However, while street youth are predisposed to engage in many of the situations they do, some street youth are also making decisions to limit risk. OBJECTIVES: To 1) determine the basic level of HIV and STI knowledge of street youth; 2) to understand youth’s knowledge of, access to, and use of sexual-health information; 3) to explore where and from youth would like to get accurate sexual-health information and appropriate care; 4) to determine whether peer education is a useful method of transmitting sexual-health information to youth; 5) to assess the sexual risk level of youth; and 6) to develop an understanding of the proactive sexual-health behaviours and decisions youth have established for themselves. METHODS: Street-involved and homeless youth living in Hamilton, Ontario (n=97) who were between the ages of 14 and 24 were interviewed using a 112 questions interview tool. Topics covered in the interview included demographics, personal safety, health behaviour, accessing sexual-health information, accessing sexual-health services, HIV/AIDS knowledge and services use and peer education. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted using SAS. RESULTS: Youth had high rates of STI and HIV testing and good HIV knowledge when compared to the general youth population. However, the sample also had increased rates of unplanned pregnancies and young women were not well-informed about what gets tested for in pap smears. Some youth are also not accessing sexual-health services at all. CONCLUSIONS: Youth are making attempts to protect themselves, however there are areas for improvement; specifically increased condom-use, knowledge of HIV and pap smears. Youth who were found to have increased risk were youth who were under the age of 19, and youth who had experienced unstable housing before the age of 15. The findings suggest that sexual-health harm reduction needs to start at a younger age and the basics of sexual-health should not be overlooked.

This thesis represents a speculation for the improvement of the Alianza Market located in the city of Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. Torreon is part of a tri-city entity with a population of 1.2 million residents. The Alianza market was the first marketplace in the city, founded about 100 years ago. The site is located in an area with a high level of poverty across the entire district. Due to corruption and negligence on the part of the government, the social and economic standing of the market has suffered a tremendous decline in the past 30 years. Through the careful study of the existing site, this thesis proposes the reorganization of the market to improve its spatial qualities. The market represents the social and economic heart of its community which is kept alive solely by its members. By proposing the design of a public open square within the market site I intend to provide a space for the celebration of public life. Reviving the market will help to create economic life as well as improve street level life in the surrounding community.

This thesis is comprised of three studies examining the effects of pet ownership on street-involved youth in Ontario. As a relatively new area of study, issues surrounding pet ownership among homeless youth were first explored qualitatively. The first two studies utilized a series of one-on-one interviews with both pet-owning youth and youth service professionals to determine the major roles, relationships, challenges and effects that pets have in the lives of street-involved youth. The four themes that emerged from both of these interview groups included “pet before self” where youth placed the needs of their pet ahead of their own, physical effects of pet ownership, emotional effects of pet ownership, and the benefits and liabilities of pet ownership. Findings related to these themes, such as the strength of the human-animal bond and pets as drivers of change are discussed. Information derived from the qualitative interviews with pet-owning youth and youth workers contributed to the development of a questionnaire administered to a convenience sample of 89 pet-owning street-involved youth and 100 street-involved youth who were not pet owners in four urban centres in Ontario. This study sought to validate findings from previous qualitative research, provide descriptive information on the pet-owning youth population, their pets, and their human-animal relationship, as well as assess pet attachment based on the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale. Additionally, pet owners and non-pet owners were compared in terms of depression based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, shelter use and drug use. The findings include a universally high level of pet attachment among this unique pet owning population, providing opportunity for youth to experience not only beneficial emotional and social support, but also the negative emotional consequences of pet loss. Pet ownership was also demonstrated to be significantly and negatively correlated with regular shelter use. Through logistic modelling and controlling for participant gender and regular drug use (of drugs other than cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana), pet ownership was found to be negatively associated with depression. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, this thesis provides evidence of the beneficial as well as the potential negative impacts of pet ownership for street-involved youth. It also provides the first quantitative description of this population and their human-animal relationship, while demonstrating support for further research into the effects of pet ownership on street-involved youth, and consideration for expanded education and service provision to support youth and their pets among youth services. / Anonymous, Ontario Veterinary College Deans Office

The aim of this thesis is to explore a case of street and market vendors in urban Africa, who are members of a local network with transnational connections. The local network collaborates with a global network and a local policy institute with the purpose to strengthen capacity of street and market vendors. The thesis asks questions of membership experiences, processes behind agendas and implementation of capacity building for the vendors and perspectives on these capacity building efforts. Theories depart from contemporary globalization and focus on issues of transnational civil society networks and injustice. Specific theoretical contributions are drawn from Routledge and Cumbers (2009) global justice network-theory and Amartya Sen’s (2009) idea of justice. A qualitative case study was conducted in Accra, Ghana based on participatory observations and semi-structured interviews with street and market vendors and officials of both the collaborating network and policy institute. Membership experiences were understood to include capacity building effects and further concerned issues of knowledge, community and identity. Global and local factors combined and influenced the agenda and implementation of capacity building. Theoretical contributions were combined and useful in analysing the empirical case, and ethical considerations were fundamental to the research process.

Robert Agnew’s general strain theory (1992, 2001, 2006a) proposes that strain leads to crime and deviance. Substance use is a specific type of criminal behaviour that the theory attempts to explain. This thesis uses general strain theory to examine how a number of specific types of strain – homelessness, childhood abuse, criminal victimisation, and sex work – are related to substance use. In addition, the relationships between strain and negative emotions are examined. This thesis also examines how the relationships between strain and substance use are conditioned by negative emotionality/low constraint, deviant peers, deviant values, coping skills, self-esteem, and emotional support. Finally, the role of gender in all of the above-mentioned relationships is explored. In short, this thesis represents a fairly comprehensive test of general strain theory as it applies to substance use. In order to conduct this test, data was obtained between May 2009 and August 2010 by administering a survey to 400 homeless street youth in Toronto, Ontario. The results yield substantial support for some of GST’s main propositions. In particular, support is found for hypothesized relationships between strain and substance use as well as strain and negative emotions. Additionally, certain factors are found to condition the relationships between strain and substance use. Finally, gender differences in the relationships between strain and substance use are observed. These supportive results suggest that general strain theory is a novel way of explaining substance use by homeless street youth in Canada. Consequently, suggestions for future research and social policy are offered. / Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-27 02:09:39.94

The topic of this thesis is the Domestic Architecture of the Natal Architect, William Street-Wilson (1856-1928) and spans the period from 1889 to 1913. It is based on the original drawing collection which can be found in the Barrie Bierman Architectural Library, University of Natal. Street-Wilson carried out his architectural training in England, and the study sets out to identify the stylistic changes which took place within the Arts and Crafts Movement in England, to establish any English precedent in Street-Wilson domestic architecture in Natal. In order to contexturalise Street-Wilson's domestic architecture in Natal, an overview of the political, social, economic and architectural background is given prior to, and during the year of Street-Wilson's arrival in 1887. The drawing collection is set chronologically during the period of 1889-1913, against the political, social and economic background, in order to study the effect of such influences on the Street-Wilson's houses. The study defines and identifies the different components which compose the plan and then carries out an analysis of the plan, form and style of the different categories of house types, namely the typical single storey, villa/double storey and semi-detached house, to highlight the evolution of the house type from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Since the verandah is the common thread throughout the drawing collection, a special study explores its possible origin and application in a colonial context. Examples of detail drawings have been extracted from the drawing collection to illustrate construction techniques and typical detailing employed by Street-Wilson and his partners, accompanied by a brief history of building materials to contexturalise materials within the studied period. The evolution of services, pertaining to comfort and sanitation, have been examined and applied to the houses designed by Street-Wilson. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1996.