Over 80-percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas that occupy a mere 3-percent of the country's total area. Development problems and infrastructural stress caused by urban overpopulation can already be seen in the nation's largest cities. Scattered across North America are small towns that, at one time, were largely sustained by agriculture or industry, but have watched as farming and manufacturing operations leave them behind. Rooted in these economic conditions is the growing gap between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The high concentration of rural lands and high poverty rates in the South makes this region particularly vulnerable to the effects of rural economic distress, and put it in desperate need of solutions. For many small towns in Georgia, the last two decades have brought either rapid population growth, as seen in the areas surrounding Atlanta, or great population decline, most clearly depicted in the southeastern region of the state. Each condition produces a host of different challenges for these small communities, illustrating no simple solutions. It is the focus of this research to determine what proximities, economic assets, and formal characteristics are necessary for small towns in Georgia to successfully revitalize and grow. Furthermore, it is the aim of this research to present a means of analyzing the assets of small towns in order to determine where outside investment is most likely to make a difference, and how resources can best be utilized.

The principles of adaptive water governance blends many of the components of adaptive and comanagement, specifically iterative and social learning to foster adaptation and collective action. While many of the principles of adaptive water governance are still evolving, organizations operating within these contexts can be positioned as boundary or bridging agents concentrating on the science-policy interface or more centrally positioned to facilitate the inclusion and consideration of the multi-stakeholder perspectives at play. This thesis uses a comparative case study combined with a modified grounded theory approach to explore organizational governance arrangements and the roles played by three major water-focused non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in decision-making in British Columbia. An understanding of the challenges and supporting conditions that enhance organizational and actor efficacy within case study NGOs will inform the broader water community of opportunities for collaboration, capacity-building and expanding the roles of NGOs through provincial water governance reform.

Background: As a result of the restructuring of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1996 and various other factors, Police Social Work Services decided to broaden the scope of its services by developing and introducing proactive, personnel capacity building programmes. By 1999,15 such programmes were developed. The need subsequently arose for a comprehensive impact assessment of these programmes and the Evaluation of Personnel Capacity Building Programmes (EKBP) study was launched in 2001. The evaluation of the Managing Stress Effectively programme formed part of this research. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Managing Stress Effectively Programme on SAPS personnel's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Method: In the research, the comparison group pretest and posttest design and triangulation were used. Six measurement scales and a presenter's evaluation questionnaire were developed and completed by 327 experimental group respondents, 57 comparison group members and 32 presenters. Results: Through the triangulation of measurements it was determined that the Managing Stress Effectively programme had a practical significant effect on the respondent's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. It was thus an effective tool in the hands of Police Social Work Service that not only empowered SAPS personnel to lead more productive professional lives, but one that also enhanced their personal well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Background Due to the restructuring of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1996, as well as other factors, Police Social Work Services decided to broaden the scope of its services to also include pro-active, capacity building interventions. The result was the development of 15 personnel capacity building programmes by 1999. The need arose for a comprehensive impact assessment of these programmes and the Evaluation of Personnel Capacity Building Programmes (EPCBP) study was subsequently launched in 2001. The evaluation of the Problem Solving, Planning of Goals and Time Management Programmes formed part of this research. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Problem solving , Planning of Goals and Time Management Programmes on SAPS personnel's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Method: In the research, the comparison group pre-test and post-test design and triangulation were used. Fourteen measurement scales and a presenter's evaluation questionnaire were developed and utilized. It involved 666 experimental group respondents, 132 comparison group members and 46 presenters. Results: All three of the programmes had a significant effect on the respondents' knowledge, attitude and behaviour and changed their personal and professional life in a very positive manner. The research proved without doubt that the programmes are effective capacity-building tools in the hands of Police Social Work Services. However there are still certain steps to be taken to further improve the programmes. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Background: As result of the restructuring of the South African Police Services during 1994 as well as other factors, Police Social Work Services decided to shift the focus from reactive services to more proactive, personnel capacity building programmes. At the end of 1999 , 15 of these programmes were already developed. Although basic evaluation instruments were included in some of the programme packages, the need arose to determine either the effect of the programmes on the participants or the cost-efficiency of the interventions scientifically. This led to the launch of the PCBP project and the Evaluation of the Substance Dependency study in November 2001. This form part of the evaluation of the comprehensive personnel capacity building research project. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Substance Dependency Programme on SAPS personnel's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Method: In the research, the comparison group pre-test and post-test design and triangulation were used. Six measurement scales and a presenter's evaluation questionnaire were developed and completed by 217 experimental group respondents, 47 comparison group respondents and 10 presenters. Results: Through the triangulation of measurement it was determined that the Substance Dependence Programme had a practical significant effect on the respondent's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. It is thus an effective tool in the hand of Police Social Work Services, that empower police members and lead to productivity and enhanced their personal well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This is a study of how two small neighbourhoods, Mano and Mikura, recovered from the 1995 Kobe (Japan) earthquake, with a particular focus on the relationship between community vulnerability and capacity. Few studies have examined these interactions, even though vulnerability reduction is recognized to be a vital component of community recovery. Drawing from literature on disaster recovery, community development, vulnerability analysis, community capacity building and the Kobe earthquake, a community vulnerability and capacity model is elaborated from Blaikie et al.’s Pressure and Release Model (1994) to analyze the interactions. The Mano and Mikura cases are analyzed by applying this model and relating outcomes to the community’s improved safety and quality of community lives. Based on the experience of Mano, appropriate long-term community development practices as well as community capacity building efforts in the past can contribute to the reduction of overall community vulnerability in the post-disaster period, while it is recovering. On the other hand, the Mikura case suggests that even though the community experiences high physical and social vulnerability in the pre-disaster period, if the community is able to foster certain conditions, including active CBOs, adequate availability and accessibility to resources, and a collaborative working relationship with governments, the community can make progress on recovery. Although both Mano and Mikura communities achieved vulnerability reduction as well as capacity building, the long-term sustainability of the two communities remains uncertain, as issues and challenges, such as residual and newly emerging physical vulnerability, negative or slow population growth and aging, remained to create vulnerability to future disasters. The case studies reveal the interactions of community vulnerability and capacity to be highly complex and contingent on many contextual considerations.

School Psychologists may be well-suited to provide Professional Learning (PL) to assist schools in meeting increased student standards, responding to demands for accountability, and meeting the needs of a diversifying population. School psychologists possess a depth and breadth of knowledge and skills; and, certain aspects of the school psychologist role (e.g., flexibility in service delivery and scheduling) may enable them to reap the potential benefits of broader impact and preventive focus through PL. Little is known about the PL practices of school psychologists due to a lack of research. This study attempts to fill the research gap by exploring the perceptions and practices of school psychologists as related to providing PL. The research identifies situational and personal variables that might contribute to the likelihood of providing PL as a service. Finally, motivations for provid­ing PL and levels of satisfaction derived from the provision of PL are explored. The survey method for this study consisted of a three stage recursive process in which earlier stages informed modifications to later stages based on feedback. First, interviews informed the construction of an initial survey. The survey was piloted with two consecutive groups and amended to assist with clarification. The final survey was sent to a stratified, random, national sample of practicing school psychologists. Descriptive statistics were used to describe PL practices, the personal and situational variables under investigation, motivations for providing PL and satisfaction derived from PL delivery. Inferential statistics were used to investigate relationships between personal and situational variables and PL delivery.

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.

No description available.

Background: As a result of the restructuring of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1996 and various other factors, Police Social Work Services decided to broaden the scope of its services by developing and introducing proactive, personnel capacity building programmes. By 1999,15 such programmes were developed. The need subsequently arose for a comprehensive impact assessment of these programmes and the Evaluation of Personnel Capacity Building Programmes (EKBP) study was launched in 2001. The evaluation of the Managing Stress Effectively programme formed part of this research. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Managing Stress Effectively Programme on SAPS personnel's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Method: In the research, the comparison group pretest and posttest design and triangulation were used. Six measurement scales and a presenter's evaluation questionnaire were developed and completed by 327 experimental group respondents, 57 comparison group members and 32 presenters. Results: Through the triangulation of measurements it was determined that the Managing Stress Effectively programme had a practical significant effect on the respondent's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. It was thus an effective tool in the hands of Police Social Work Service that not only empowered SAPS personnel to lead more productive professional lives, but one that also enhanced their personal well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.