This thesis builds on the Indigenous Health Research Group’s work with northern remote Indigenous communities addressing food security challenges through local food initiatives. The focus will be on the efforts the Moose Cree First Nation in northern Ontario is taking to build local food capacity by introducing community gardening. This thesis applies a participatory action research approach, and its purpose is to provide: 1) an ethnographic description of the creation of local food initiatives in the Moose Cree First Nation; and 2) online monitoring of the resilience of these local food initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, and an analysis of the purpose(s) of local food initiatives. Fieldwork for this thesis was conducted in 2019 and a Zoom interview with the Moose Cree Local Food Developer was conducted in 2022. In essence, this research points to the relevance and importance of local food initiatives for remote Indigenous communities who are looking to improve health and wellness, increase food diversity, make fresh produce more accessible in terms of price and availability, and work towards gaining more control over their own local food system.

The purpose of this field study is; through caregivers' description of their community, to gaina greater understanding of caregivers' experiences of raising children in areas with high gang crime in the Cape Flats, South Africa. This is achieved through ethnography and qualitative interviews with six caregivers. By analytically reviewing empirical data using theories of social constructionism and liberating pedagogy this study wants to emphasise caregivers' experiences as a source of knowledge on how to prevent children from gang involvement and how to support caregivers in areas with high gang crime. The main findings of the study indicate that the family is one of the most significant risk and protective factors. Caregivers affected by poverty, substance abuse and crime were identified as major risk factors for children's gang involvement. While education, faith and support of caregivers, and other caring adults were found to be the major protective factors.Social interventions need to be increased, focusing on caregivers and their shared environment.By supporting and empowering caregivers, children have a greater chance of resisting gang involvement. This can be achieved through parenting programs and support groups for at-risk caregivers.

This research examines the rate of implementation and the level of effectiveness of six process management initiatives in four manufacturing industries. The results of this survey-based research indicate that there has not been a mad rush to adopt all available initiatives. Rather, individual industries appear to favour different mixes of these initiatives. Moreover, most of the respondents indicated that the initiatives that they had chosen were effective in meeting their operational and strategic needs. This study concludes by presenting specific conclusions relevant to manufacturing systems in the studied industries.

This study examines the strategic and operational outcomes of effective implementation of quality improvement initiatives in different service operational environments. Using a sample of 354 service organisations, this study utilises a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to investigate the effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives. The results show clear strategic and operational benefits of effective implementation of quality improvement initiatives. The study concludes that the quality improvement efforts of service organisations should be viewed from a system-wide perspective. This systematic orientation leads to benefits which are not always achievable based on a piece-meal implementation orientation.

Bakgrund: Ensamhet bland äldre är ett folkhälsoproblem. En växande äldre population ökar väntetiden till serviceboenden, vilket vidare leder till att ett ökat antal äldre personer tvingas bo kvar hemma. Ensamhet är vanligt bland äldre och associeras med ohälsa. Ensamhet är en subjektiv upplevelse som orsakas främst av förlust av sällskap. Syfte: Var att belysa omvårdnadsinsatser för att lindra ensamhet hos äldre som vårdas hemma. Metod: En allmän litteraturstudie genomfördes med hjälp av tolv vetenskapliga artiklar vilka analyserades med induktiv ansats. Resultat: Resultatet mynnade ut i tre omvårdnadsinsatser: Socialt främjande omvårdnadsinsatser, omvårdnadsinsatser med inriktning på verbal och icke verbal kommunikation och omvårdnadsinsatser som främjar egenvård vilka visade sig lindra känslan av ensamhet. Ensamhet skapar skamkänslor vilket gör att vissa upplever det svårt att prata om. Det är viktigt att skapa tillit och trygghet då detta tycks öka patientens följsamhet till att vara mer delaktig i egenvården. Slutsats: Samarbete mellan olika professioner skapar kontinuitet, tillhörighet och tillgodoser patientens behov. Det behövs ytterligare forskning på ämnet i hur ensamhet kan lindras med internetbaserade insatser. / Background: Loneliness among the elderly is a public health problem. A growing elderly population increases the waiting time for home care, which further leads to an increased number of older people being forced to stay at home. Loneliness is common among the elderly and is associated with ill health. Loneliness is a subjective experience that is mainly caused by the loss of company. Aim: Was to elucidate on nursing interventions to alleviate loneliness in the elderly who are cared for at home. Method: A general literature study conducted with the help of twelve scientific articles which were analyzed with an inductive approach. Results: This resulted in four nursing interventions; Social promoting nursing interventions, Nursing interventions with a focus on verbal and non-verbal communication, Nursing intervention that promote self-care which proved to alleviate the feeling of loneliness. Loneliness creates feelings of shame, which makes some people find it difficult to talk about. It is important to create trust and security, which entails the patient's participation in self-care. Conclusion: Coordination between different professions creates continuity, belongingness and meets the patient’s needs. Further research is needed on the subject in how loneliness can be alleviated with internet-based initiatives.

This study examines the efforts of Radicals (Republicans) to establish a state-wide public school system in Texas between 1870 and 1873. Primary sources cover the chronological fringes of the period being examined. This study follows a chronological narrative with the four chapters examining first, educational trends in the southern states and Texas prior to Reconstruction, followed by examination of the Radical system in Texas, and, finally, its destruction by Conservative Texans. The final chapter focuses on immediate and long range results of Radical education. In examining the Radical educational program, an attempt has been made to dispel ideas popularly held by present-day Texans who believe that the Radical school program was simply another "carpetbagger" scheme for raiding the state treasury and building Radical patronage. This paper contends that the Radicals established as good a public school system as could be created at the time, and that it was administered in an honest and efficient manner. The system was destroyed by politicians and a grass roots revolt of taxpayers who had no faith in its methods, goals, or administrators.

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No description available.

Corporate social responsibility has become a popular topic used throughout society. However, the topic of the employee perspective in CSR is rarely studied and even less studied is the impact CSR has on the IT industry. An industry currently facing a challenge where the demand for labor is higher than the supply due to its rapid growth. With characteristics of high, intense work that easily results in burn-out, the importance of CSR in this industry is crucial for survival. Additionally, through the use of CSR IT companies have the opportunity to stand out from their competitors and gain competitive advantages, such as attracting high-quality employees in the labor market. Therefore, the thesis will research to what extent IT companies in Sweden use the employee perspective in CSR in their operations, and the influence competition has on this decision to implement CSR. This resulted in the following research question:  How does corporate social responsibility initiatives towards employees affect the IT companies’ position and competitive advantages on the labor market?  To answer this research question, a qualitative study was conducted with employees from various medium to large-sized IT companies in Sweden. They were interviewed regarding their view of the company’s CSR for employees as well as their competitors, and how it affected them. The goal of the study was to understand if there is a correlation between competition in the labor market and the IT companies’ CSR for employees and its impact on the employees. To achieve this, stakeholder theory was used to analyze and draw comparisons to the results from the study. The main findings show that a correlation is present and that employees wish for further developed CSR practices for employees which are uniquely adapted to the company. It was also shown that CSR for employees could lead to competitive advantages in the labor market depending on the company’s execution of CSR for employees. Where competitive advantages can be financial gain while competitive disadvantages can be employee attrition. The results of the thesis are presented through a conceptual model that shows how employees’ perception of the IT company’s CSR is linked to the company’s position in the labor market. The implications of this thesis are many as it supports and extends previous research in the area of CSR and stakeholder theory. Furthermore, it can assist companies and managers to further develop their strategies with well-implemented and communicated CSR activities for employees. Additionally, the study opens the possibility for further research into specific areas in the IT industry and their relation to the employee perspective in CSR, as well as investigate what the size of the company has on its CSR practices for employees.

This study analyzed the perceptions of 13 school staff and their experiences with the implementation of GEAR UP TN. The primary purpose of this study was to examine how program activities and services are being sustained after funding for GEAR UP TN ceased. Qualitative methodology guided this study. This approach allowed for the perspectives and lived experiences of the school staff to be voiced and heard. Data collected included their stories based on semistructured interviews and observations. Findings are presented in 4 themes that pertain directly to the research questions regarding key elements that contributed to program continuation, procedures that initiated program continuation, organizations in a collaborative that were sustained after funding, and program services not continued. In this specific case there continues to be school district support, community support, parental support, and a level of financial and technical support from other funding sources. Recommendations based on the results of the study are (1) implement college visits, ACT workshops, dual enrollment classes, and parent FAFSA workshops to create a college going culture; (2) gain support from the school board, parents, and the community; (3) maintain sufficient financial and human resources for precollege access programs and services; and (4) build partnerships with local colleges and universities.