Adolescents continue to be at increased risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STI's). This research study describes the perception of barriers that providers in the Tampa Bay area encounter when implementing primary STI prevention programs for adolescents within the community context. This study used semi structured interviews to explore perceived barriers for implementing primary such programs for adolescents in the Tampa Bay area programs. Participants reported faith based institutions/churches and schools as common sectors for presenting a variety of barriers for implementing their program. Perceptions of barriers were described as, the need to tailor program messages and presentations based on restrictions from school officials and parent's opposition to the program; the lack of appropriate places for program activities and distribution of program materials. Other issues that were identified by several participants were lack of political support for programs at the national level and the need for more funding to administer programs.

This is an exploratory case study of Creativity Explored (CE), a non-profit art center in San Francisco, California, that serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The purpose of the study is to address the following questions: How does Creativity Explored facilitate personal and professional growth in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities? Using Creativity Explored as a model, what can we learn about best practices in community-based art programs that serve adults with disabilities? Multiple methods of data collection were utilized, including examination of pertinent literature and documents, visual documentation, observations, and interviews with administrators and staff, who were selected to provide a breadth and depth of knowledge about various aspects of the CE program. Conclusions were drawn about four major areas of the program: its “art community” model; its benefits for participating artists; the values, practices, and strategies that have contributed to its longevity and success; and the challenges that it has confronted as an organization. / text

This paper presents the process evaluation of the Community Challenge, a pilot community-based health promotion program targeting high-school students launched by the Austin, TX-based organization, ACTIVE Life. Aspects of the implementation evaluated include fidelity, program delivered, program received, reach, recruitment, and content. Recommendations are made for future implementation of the Community Challenge. Generally, these recommendations include website improvements and structural changes to the program. / text

This case study examines the history and structure of Art from the Streets (AFTS) a community-based art (CBA) program in Austin, Texas that for the past twenty years has offered art classes twice a week to the local homeless community. The purpose of this study is to determine if and how well AFTS integrates essential CBA components that define best practices of CBA programs that serve the homeless into their program. This study combines researcher observations with the firsthand perspective of the AFTS program, volunteers, and participants secured through class observations and interviews conducted to gain knowledge about the inner workings of the AFTS program. / text

ABSTRACT Research suggests that it is important to establish regular physical activity and healthy eating patterns during the early years (0-5 years). Engaging in healthy behaviours during this stage of life supports growth and development and lays the foundation for a lifetime of health and wellbeing. Despite these benefits, research indicates that children in Canada are not meeting the daily recommended physical activity guidelines for early years. Moreover, their diets are lacking in fruits and vegetables and are high in processed foods. As many early years children spend a large part of their day in childcare centres, educators can have a large influence on their physical activity and healthy eating behaviours. In the Canadian Prairie Provinces many childcare centres are located in rural communities. Previous research suggests that rural educators are influenced by unique factors associated with geographic local (e.g., access to resources to promote physical activity and year round access to variety of healthy foods) when attempting to provide healthy opportunities for children. In order to address the specific factors identified by rural educators and support healthier behaviours among rural early year’s children, a multilevel physical activity and healthy eating intervention (Healthy Start) was developed using McLeroy’s ecological model and a population health approach. Healthy Start was pilot tested in three rural childcare centres. Purpose: The primary purpose of this dissertation study was to evaluate Healthy Start, a multilevel community-based physical activity and healthy eating intervention, in rural childcare centres throughout Saskatchewan. In order to achieve this primary purpose, the specific dissertation objectives were addressed as follows. Paper 1: a) Determine if over the course of the intervention, Healthy Start contributed to increases in physical activity levels and improvements in motor skill development among early years children aged 3 to 5 years; b) Determine if Healthy Start supported educators in providing children with more opportunities for physical activity; c) Describe educators’ experiences and perceptions of Healthy Start and its influence on physical activity within the childcare centre environment. Paper 2: a) Assess to what extent, Healthy Start contributed to healthier eating behaviours among early years children aged 3 to 5 years over the course of the intervention; b) Determine if Healthy Start supported childcare staff (educators and cooks) in providing children with more opportunities for healthy eating; c) Describe educators ‘experiences and perceptions of Healthy Start and its influence on healthy eating within the childcare centre environment. Paper 3: To pilot a pulse crop intervention study in one of the intervention childcare centres in order to: a) Increase knowledge and awareness about the nutritional value and health benefits of pulse crops among childcare staff (educators and cooks); b) Support childcare staff in providing children with more opportunities for pulse crop consumption; c) Expand the variety of healthy foods consumed by early years children by incorporating locally grown pulse crops into the childcare centre meals. Methods: A population health controlled intervention study using a wait-list control design (48 weeks delayed-intervention) was used to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Mixed methods were employed to determine the intervention’s influence on children and educator behaviours and on the childcare centre environment. Results: Overall, increases in children’s physical activity levels and improvements in healthy eating behaviours were observed in the intervention group. Moreover, educators felt the intervention was effective in supporting them to increase physical activity and healthy eating opportunities provided to rural early years children. Lastly, improvements to childcare centre environments were made to promote healthy behaviours among the children. Conclusion: Collectively, the pilot study provided insight into the complexities and feasibility of promoting physical activity and healthy eating among early years children in childcare centres, particularly in rural communities. This was an innovative intervention which addressed critical factors at multiple levels contributing to the development of healthy behaviours among rural early years children. The lessons learned in this dissertation study can be used to improve the Healthy Start intervention so its implementation can be effectively expanded to childcare centres within and outside of Saskatchewan. Additionally, the findings can contribute to the limited body of literature on implementing and evaluating interventions aimed at increasing both physical activity and healthy eating in Canadian childcare centres. In turn, supporting the healthy development of early years children in the province and beyond.

Regular physical activity can help prevent chronic conditions and it is positively linked to health-related quality of life (United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000). Unfortunately, many older adults do not engage in leisure time activity (USDHHS, 2000); making it important to design and test physical activity interventions for this population. The purpose of this dissertation was to review the external validity of theory-based physical activity interventions and to examine the efficacy of a mail-based physical activity intervention. The review included 54 theory-based interventions and overall the studies focused on internal rather than external validity. The hypotheses of the experimental study were that the psychological mediators and physical activity participation would significantly increase among the treatment group as compared to the control group, and that the changes in the mediators would be related to the changes in activity levels. The intervention included 4 weekly stage-matched packages targeting population specific physical activity beliefs (Antikainen et al., 2009) and weekly phone calls to reassess stages of change. Physical activity participation, stages of change, and theory of planned behavior constructs were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Differences in activity levels and theory-based constructs were assessed with repeated measures mixed analysis of variance. Stage of change progression was examined with chi-square analysis. Measured variable path analysis was used to determine associations between the theory constructs, stages of change, and physical activity participation. The participants were 55 older adults, ages 54 to 96 years. Most of the participants were female, Black, and reported low levels of education and income. The treatment group reported statistically significantly greater physical activity after the intervention than the control group that reported lower levels of activity at follow-up. Although not statistically significant, there was a trend in SOC progression after the intervention in the treatment group. Finally, the integrated model was found to have a good fit at follow-up and perceived behavioral control emerged as a significant predictor of physical activity. This research provides important information for the design of physical activity interventions based upon the integrated framework for translation to community-based organizations.

This thesis uses three case studies to analyze and contextualize the interface between Western conceptions of indigenous peoples and nature and community-based conservation and development schemes in the Amazon: Kapawi Ecolodge (Ecuador), Chalalán Ecolodge (Bolivia), and Posada Amazonas (Peru). It explores how three Amazonian communities represent their indigenous identity in the online marketing of their ecotourism lodges. As a methodological tool, this research identifies four characteristics of the Ecologically Noble Savage stereotype: the spatial, the spiritual, the temporal, and the cultural. Current ethnographic literature describing these communities is used to analyze these self-representations. This thesis examines these representations within larger academic discussions on authenticity, power and control, and the long-term viability of ecotourism as a community-based development model.

Global, national and local institutions are adopting coastal management strategies that attempt to facilitate conservation without undermining socioeconomic development. Recently, two global conservation trends have developed that attempt to address prevailing issues of poverty and environmental degradation – community-based conservation and conservation networks. Using a political ecology lens, I examine the intersection of these trends in the local context of Pemba Island. Through fieldwork, textual analysis and literature reviews, I investigate how a community-based conservation association has been impacted by the establishment of a marine conservation network. In theory, community-based conservation and marine conservation networks offer solutions to the failures of fortress conservation and sectoral management. In practice, this case study demonstrates that these lofty objectives are difficult to achieve. These findings contribute to emerging research into the social dynamics of scaling up marine conservation areas and suggest that the success of marine conservation networks hinges on meaningful community participation.

As pressures of a growing population take their toll on our environment, efforts must be made to facilitate sustainable behaviours at the neighbourhood scale. Science is demonstrating that the abundance and diversity of native bees is declining in many locales around the world. One of the major drivers of this decline is the loss and fragmentation of habitat, caused in part by suburban expansion. This emerging landscape is dominated by a garden typology not beneficial to bee populations. Using the principles and theories of Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) and a survey of Guelph gardeners and homeowners, effective program strategies are outlined for implementation by Pollination Guelph, and target the behaviours and barriers associated with activities that negatively impact native bees. A CBSM based program will encourage bee-friendly gardening, promote the aggregate changes needed to alter the individuals gardening behaviours, and potentially increase native bee populations in the suburban neighbourhoods of Guelph.

Falls from playground equipment are a leading cause of injury for children, hence, there is a need for intervention programs to reduce the risky behaviours associated with falls. The Cool 2 Be Safe program was developed based on the results of several research studies that identified effective strategies for reducing risk behaviours on playgrounds among individually tested school-age children. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of delivering this program in a group format within Boys and Girls Clubs. Baseline data assessing children’s attitudes and injury beliefs was collected with a questionnaire. Children then participated in four structured activity sessions in small groups, designed to increase risk awareness and reduce the frequency of risky play in playground settings. Children were then re-administered the initial questionnaire. Comparing pre- and post- data revealed positive changes in risk attitudes. Implications of these findings for preventing playground injuries and directions for future research are discussed. / Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Joseph-Bombardier Master’s Graduate Scholarship