Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 312-327). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

Research on occupational climate has identified work resources that potentially mitigate job related stresses. The purpose of this research was to identify resources in the work environment and to examine the potential of these resources to buffer the possible physical illness and psychological symptom impact of stress. One hundred fifty-two subjects from 20 business offices completed the Schedule of Recent Experience (Holmes & Rahe, 1967), the Work Environment Scale (Moos, Insel & Humphrey, 1974), the Seriousness of Illness Rating Scale (Wyler, Masuda & Holmes, 1968), and the Langer Symptom Checklist (Langer, 1962), The multivariate hypotheses that the job involvement, peer cohesion, and staff support work environment factors would buffer the physical illness and psychological symptoms effect of stress were not supported. Rather, the innovation and control variables were found to have a significant buffer effect; the physical comfort and autonomy variables were found to have a direct effect.

No description available.

This thesis explores and evaluates one-to-one, formal, supportive relationships of mentoring. More specifically, it focusses on the interaction between student mentors at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and their partnered mentees in various settings. The purpose of the thesis is to understand the social process of mentoring. This understanding takes place through identifying key characteristics of mentoring interaction. The aim of this thesis is to enhance understanding of the mentoring praxis. The research framework adopts an interpretive methodological approach, incorporating qualitative methods in order to gain a detailed insight into the subjective experiences of the mentors and mentees. The methods included collecting 13 individual semi-structured interviews with nine mentors and four mentees currently enrolled within UCLan’s ‘Mentoring in the Community’ module. In addition, the analysis includes three reflective portfolios completed by student mentors as part of their assessment at the end of the 2014/15 academic year. This provided a sample of 16 participants in total that have been involved in my research. Findings are presented in a conceptual framework model encompassing key components of mentoring interaction. This model is representative of a two-way process where mentors and mentees interact, participate and build a relationship despite the differences in socio-economic grouping, background and character. My study found a gradual shift in the relationship from one of apprehension into an attached and emotionally connected friendship. This shift coincides with a move from an expressive to an instrumental mode of mentoring (Clayden and Stein (2005:35). The initial expressive mode of mentoring establishes a friendship and a mutual connection between mentor and mentee, enabling the mentee to become accepting of the instrumental mode of mentoring without the need for great encouragement. The findings from the research highlighted clear positive outcomes for both mentor and mentee, particularly when drawing closer to the termination stage of the relationship. Within the mentoring process mentees receive academic and personal achievements evidenced by better grades and improved attendance. The research revealed that the mentees’ experiences also had a significant social impact, evidenced by improved relationships with family members, participation in extra-curricular activities and volunteering roles. Similarly, throughout the mentoring process mentors are developing key transferable skills, including enhanced confidence in working with people from all backgrounds, dealing with difficult situations with a confident, calm and effective manner, and improved problem solving skills. It is evident from the research that each mentoring partnership is distinctive and unique. The mentee’s needs are featured at the heart of the process, therefore, the length of the mentoring relationship varies from one partnership to another. This accentuates that the central aim is for mentors to ‘make a difference for their mentee’ and is not based on how long their mentoring relationship should last. Finally, this empirical research details the key components of mentoring interaction that ensure an effective, connected and engaged mentoring relationship between mentor and mentee.

This study, taking the Memorial Community Centre and its two affiliated agencies, Heywood community Centre and North Shore Neighbourhood House, as the medium, examines the form which the development of the recreation movement has taken in North Vancouver, and evaluates the adequacy of the agencies to meet the leisure-time needs of the citizens of this area. These agencies are surveyed in terms of their leadership, programme, and facilities. The importance of the social, economic and cultural background is brought out. The district is poorly planned and the community is isolated from the amenities and commercial amusements of Vancouver City. The population is drawn largely from wage earner groups. North Vancouver was badly hit by the depression and only recently has managed to attain greater economic stability. Accordingly, the North Shore has been thrown on its own resources for recreation and organization. The majority of the citizens moved to North Vancouver to find a more pleasant environment for bringing up their children: they are keenly interested in the welfare of their families and all projects of creative recreation. There is an unusually wide degree of participation in these centres, not only financially but in the form of sponsorship, committees and actual membership. The study pays particular attention to this, to its achievements, and to the difficulties which still remain. As the scope of the centres widen, public relations, recruiting and training of competent volunteers, and programme organization generally, all become more important; the study attempts to assess community opinion on these matters. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study is to describe community centres in British Columbia and to evaluate them, particularly in relation to leadership. What appears to the author as the best of current thought on the purposes and leadership of community centres is set forth. On the basis of this criteria for the evaluation of community centres are evolved. Twenty nine community centres in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, concerning which information was available, are described. Finally, the community centre developments, so described, are evaluated in terms of the criteria. In outlining the standards, by which it is proposed that the community centres described should be judged, reference is made to the origins of community centres. Their growth is attributed to the leisure-time needs arising out of urbanization and industrialization. The principal developments in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada are outlined. There has evolved the conception of the community centre as an institution which enables a feeling of unity and democratic expression for the community. If such ends are to be served, the planning for the community centre must be done in consultation with other organizations of the community. For this purpose a co-ordinating, planning council must be organized. Such a council should become a permanent part of a community, for the pooling of resources can meet other needs. The Community Centre must be related to such a group. Buildings are a means to an end and efforts should be made not only to provide new ones but to adapt existing ones to serve the objectives of the centre. Program and the organization of the membership of the Centre must serve the primary objectives of meeting human needs and establishing such a pattern of social relationships as will make possible the growth of individuals as social beings. Effective leadership can be provided only by those who understand these things. Training must equip leaders with a knowledge of community life, an understanding of human needs and behaviour, recreational, supervisory, administrative and other skills. Professional leadership, so trained and equipped, is essential. The description of the twenty-nine community centres is prefaced by an outline of the work of several public and private provincial agencies. The community centres of eight districts of the City of Vancouver are described. There follow three important centres in municipalities adjoining Vancouver. Developments in seventeen other communities of the Province are then outlined. In evaluating developments, it is pointed out that requests for help addressed to provincial agencies clearly indicate a widespread need for more recreational programs and activities. The fact that many communities are organizing to meet their own needs suggests they see in the community centre a desirable agency for their community. The developments in the various communities and their relationship to the presence or lack of leaders are outlined. Few of the areas within the scope of the study have the services of trained leaders. The capacities and limitations of these leaders are reflected in the constitution and functioning, the successes and failures of their several centres. The relationship between the value of the leadership and its financial cost is pointed out. For smaller communities it is suggested that more extensive use of trained leadership would be possible if costs and services were shared. More trained leadership at the provincial level would accelerate community centre developments throughout the province. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Community centres are a relatively new type of institution in the British Columbia recreational picture. The history of Sunset Memorial Centre was chosen for this study because it is an exceptionally interesting one, and because it is an excellent example of the community organization process. This study traces community endeavour to organize recreation in South Vancouver from its inception, about twenty years ago, through to the formation of the Sunset Community Association in 1945. The activities of the Association in its five-year campaign to provide a centre are covered. The first five months of operation of the Centre, from its opening in September, 1950, are analysed. Material for this study was gathered primarily from the records and publications of the Sunset Community Association, from newspaper articles and from the writer’s interviews with association members and other people in the community. A community survey was made to obtain background material. This study graphically illustrates the tremendous potentiality of a local association to discover and to meet community needs. It also clearly shows that for such an Association to realize fully its possibilities, it must have professional guidance. Pointed up, too, is the great need for a lay group in community organizations to be aware that in providing a facility it must also make plans for its operation. If adequate plans are not made, the community effort may, to a large extent, be wasted. The record of the many problems faced by the Association and its successful and unsuccessful attempts to solve them should be of particular value to other community associations. As the development of the present unsatisfactory arrangement between the Park Board and the Community Association, for the operation of the Centre, is covered in detail, and the implications of the operational agreement are discussed, this study may be helpful in the evaluation of the current confused state of the Vancouver Community Centre movement. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

M.B.A. / Community policing denotes a strategic approach to policing in which it is recognised that policing operations and practices need to be guided by the needs of the recipients of the service delivery in a democratic society. This concept of community policing came into effect in South Africa after the general elections in 1994 as a constitutional and legal imperative for policing. The introduction of community police forums (CPFs) occurred as a means towards the implementation of this new policy. This dissertation focused on an assessment of marketing tools for raising public awareness of CPFs because they are still relatively unknown to the communities they are intended to serve. Based on information extracted from theory on the marketing tools, a research methodology was designed to assist in the collection of data to determine which marketing tools would be most effective in relation to the marketing of CPFs in the Gauteng Province and possibly nationally. Conclusions were therefore made and the type of marketing tools that would be applicable, acceptable and affordable for use in marketing of CPFs in an effort to create a workable partnership between the community and the police. Finally, areas for further research in relation to the operations and marketing of the CPFs were identified and critique of the study was conducted