Paauglių delinkventinė elgsena – svarbi socialinė problema šių dienų visuomenėje. Tikslingai veikianti tikinčiųjų bendruomenė gali tapti vienu iš efektyvių tokios elgsenos prevencijos šaltinių. Šio darbo tikslas - teoriškai ir empiriškai išanalizuoti paauglių delinkventinės elgsenos prevencijos vykdymo galimybes tikinčiųjų bendruomenės kontekste. Tyrimas parodė, kad paaugliams skirtos tikinčiųjų bendruomenės veiklos iliustruoja delinkventinės elgsenos prevencijos principus, taip pat buvo atskleista, kad ypatingai didelis vaidmuo tikinčiųjų bendruomenei tenka vykdant pirminę ir antrinę delinkventinės elgsenos prevenciją. / Delinquent behaviour of adolescents is an important social problem in a modern society. A religious community acting persistently may become one of effective sources of prevention of such behaviour.The conclusion is, that the social role of a religious community is based on the history of the church, while a modern religious community unites believers belonging to organization based on various religions who use different forms to solve problems of people feeling social exclusion, among them – adolescents of delinquency risk. Manifestations of delinquency arise from biological, psychological, social and pedagogical, social and economical and ethical and moral reasons that (except for biological reasons) may be effectively influenced and eliminated by activities carried out in a religious community, therefore primary, secondary and tertiary prevention possibilities get expressed here. The study showed that activities of religious communities meant for adolescent’s illustrate principles of prevention of delinquent behaviour, it has also revealed that a religious community plays especially significant role in primary and secondary prevention of delinquent behaviour.

The complexity and lack of coordination of the U.S. health care system is especially challenging for older adults, many of whom have multiple chronic conditions. The faith community is a potential partner to assist them, due to strong religiosity of older adults and specific characteristics of faith communities. This study explores the knowledge and practices of faith community nurses (FCNs) in meeting care coordination needs of older adults and identifies a model of gap-filling by FCN practice. An approach combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches was used. A survey was distributed to all known FCNs in Kentucky. From the 60 respondents, 15 FCNs were selected for personal interviews, and six care recipients were also interviewed. Survey data revealed a relatively older workforce, M=57 years, with 73% in nursing for more than 20 years. All served as FCNs in their own congregations, mostly as volunteers. FCNs relied on informal rather than formal assessments, with little consistency in type of health-related information obtained from congregants. The combined interview data revealed themes including, strong grounding in faith, sense of congregational family, reliance on general nursing assessment skills, intentional empowerment, bridging expanses, trust, and continuity. Findings suggest that FCNs in Kentucky identify and fill significant gaps in health care for older adults. Spirituality and religious rituals were important for FCNs and those they served. Congregants sought out FCNs to answer questions, interpret medical information, and assist with health care interactions. The stability of the FCNs in the lives of congregations was regarded as important; congregants counted on FCNs presence through transitions in health. A model to explain FCN intervention was developed based on integration of a social ecological perspective with the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. This model reflects contextual factors that occur throughout nested environments that surround each individual, including immediate family, congregational family, health and social care systems, and societal policies. FCNs serve as a bridge between and among these nested environments, connecting them and facilitating change within each level.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 259-269).

This qualitative study investigated how the organizational culture at a small, non-profit, faith-based organization impacted communities of practice (CoP). The literature reviewed focuses on the following: faith-based, non-profit organizations, communities of practice and organizational culture. The study was situated in a small, non-profit, faith-based organization in Southern Illinois. The methodology of the study was an ethnographic informed design and the follow methods were used: participant observation, interviews, and document analysis. Wenger's (2004) social theory of learning informed this study. The purpose of the study was to describe: (a) how a small, non-profit, faith-based organization's culture fosters or hinders the development and growth of communities of practice (CoPs), (b) how the organizational members identify the existence of CoPs, and (d) what value the organization recognizes as a result of the knowledge shared. This is important not only to add to the literature concerning small, faith-based organizations and CoPs, but to help this organization and similar organizations understand the importance of learning that takes place as a result of organizational member's participation in CoPs. In light of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PWORA) of 1996, or more informally known as Charitable Choice (Thomas, 2009) and now the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (White House, 2009), the need to help these small, faith-based organizations is relevant. Part of helping the sustain themselves could be by enabling them to recognize the existence of CoPs within their organizations, and in turn helping them understand how to utilize CoPs to their benefit. The results of this study provide discussion around several findings. Findings revealed that there is a CoP in existence. Organizational members do recognize that they share a passion and come together as a group to work toward that passion, yet do not recognize the CoP as it is defined. Further findings provide understanding about how knowledge is shared and what knowledge is shared among organizational members that participate in the CoP. In addition, findings reveal that the organizational culture is aligned with the faith and values of the organization; that the culture does foster growth of CoPs in various ways, but does hinder the growth of CoPs through two barriers. There are several conclusions drawn from this study. First, that the staff is the central hub of communication flow between the internal organizational members Second, that learning is a heart thing, which is a metaphor used to describe the affective learning that takes place within the organization. Third, there is a strong relationship between the culture of the organization and the CoP. Fourth, that sharing, socializing and prayer time are tools used for social interaction among the staff and volunteers. Finally, that the framework of the social theory of learning is embedded with the community of practice identified at The Center. The recommendations include ideas for future research that could expand on the conclusions of this study. Additionally, it is recommended that the results of this study be shared and explained to the organization itself, as well as create ways of sharing the results with similar organizations. Sharing of this study would help such smaller, faith-based, non- profit organizations learn how recognize CoPs, understand how to build a culture within their organization that would foster CoPs, and help them learn how to utilize CoPs in a way that best utilizes their limited resources.

This thesis investigates local-level environmental activism in faith communities, and aims to understand what explains environmental advocacy by Christian faith communities. It asks why Christian communities are participating in environmental advocacy, and identifies the motivations and practices behind their engagement. Faith-based organisations and faith communities are increasingly active in environmental advocacy, both through high-level interventions, and local-level action. While high-level engagement often attracts widespread attention, as in the case of the Pope’s 2015 environmentally-focused encyclical, the engagement of locally-grounded faith communities is often overlooked, both in academia and practice. This thesis aims to fill that void by exploring faith-based environmentalism from the perspective of the local faith community. It takes an ethnographic approach, based on twelve months of participant observation in three Christian congregations in Edinburgh engaged in environmental action. Building on earlier studies of religion and ecology and religious environmentalism, this thesis argues that environmental engagement is explained by theological motivations, and also by practical factors expressed and experienced in the social context of the local faith community. Theologically, faith communities base their environmental engagement within a broad framework of justice, understanding the natural environment as God’s creation, and aligning a Christian responsibility to ‘care for creation’ with recognition of the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on those least equipped to respond. Yet theology alone cannot explain this advocacy. Engagement is motivated by a sense of community and, more pragmatically, is also explained by everyday issues that reflect the reality of life in a faith community. It is in the social context of the faith community that these factors are brought together. Above all, the research findings emphasise the importance of community, understood both as people and place, as a key underlying factor explaining engagement. By highlighting the central role of community in environmental advocacy, this thesis offers insight into religious environmentalism that prioritises the everyday, ‘lived’ experience of religion, and articulates the importance of the social context in which religion is practiced for understanding engagement.

No description available.

This is a case study of the restructuring of the Jewish community schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. The purpose of this research is to explain why, how and with what impact, economic and ideological forces shaped the restructuring of the Jewish community schools. This is explored by drawing out the views of the different stakeholders as well as the meanings that they attached to the change and by recalling their experiences and understandings vis-à-vis the restructuring process. This study investigates what was considered to be the “first stage” of restructuring – a stage that aimed at ejecting the past, establishing new management and designing a blueprint for the future. The study follows the process as it evolved from April 2001 when a CEO was contracted to manage the schools until March 2003 with the 27th National Conference of the South African Board of Jewish Education, at which the changes were endorsed and constitutionalised. The study suggests that the restructuring evolved through the interaction and convergence of two globalised forces: one force pulled the schools towards marketisation and managerialism; and the other force pushed the schools towards the intensification of their religious identity. The study explores the impact of these two sets of dynamics as they came together in the context of a faith-based community school, and the contradictory forces that were set in motion. The main argument is that the synergy created between new managerialism and religious extremism, in a transitional and unstable context, undermined the fragile democracy of the faith-based community schools and caused them to change, thus shifting them towards ghettoisation, exclusion and autocracy. The study identifies and explains the global, national, local and institutional conditions and realities that enabled and constrained this process. This qualitative case study relies on insider accounts of the process of change and contestation, and raises important methodological and ethical questions around the difficulties of researching one’s own community and colleagues. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This paper is focused on the quantitative analysis of the role of the faith-based organisations (FBOs) in development cooperation. The aim of this work is to determine to what extent do selected FBOs cooperate with government donors in development cooperation. The role of FBOs in development was so far neglected topic in Czech academic literature and this work thus fills to some extent this gap. In this work I characterise selected organizations based on their income, country of origin and religion, on which the organization is based. Then I gradually investigate to what extent do selected FBOs involve in European development cooperation, to what extent are selected FBOs publicly funded and finally compare the structure of revenues of selected FBOs with the revenues of secular nonprofit organizations.

Religion has often been viewed as a source of conflict and violence in international relations. Yet history provides that religion has also been a source and inspiration for peace building and non-violent resistance. The role of religious leaders in conflict transformation has been treated as a marginal phenomenon. Appleby (2000) points out that identifying and documenting the roles of religious actors in resolving protracted conflicts remains an unfinished task. This thesis is an attempt to meet such challenge by focusing on religious leaders and their role in search of solutions in deeply rooted conflicts. Working from the premise that religious leaders can make a substantial contribution in conflict transformation, the overarching goal of this thesis is to examine what roles religious actors play and how equipped they are to serve their communities in their capacity as peacemakers.

This research paper is a case study on the identity of three Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) located in the Mindanao Island of Southern Philippines. The empirical data was collected employing qualitative semi-structured interviews through virtual interactions. The research captures the journey of the three local FBOs as they continue to sustain their identity amidst the changes in the development world where they function. Identity is a complex issue, especially when FBOs have to experience the pressure to conform to how the world thinks who they are. So what does faith identity mean to these FBOs? How is this identity communicated in practice?The aim of this research is to acquire a better understanding of these FBOs; their faith- identity and its values; and how faith provides direction for actions which shape and characterise these organisations. Moreover, considerations were taken that faith is manifested in different ways. In studying these FBOs, the researcher was provided with another perspective on why FBOs held on to their identity regardless of the constant pressure to conform to the changing world and the opportunities the changing world has to offer. Moreover, to acquire knowledge on the importance of their identity helps to bridge communication gaps among the many actors in development and to know what to expect in development partnership.According to the modernists, religion will disappear. For the international development actors, religion will be less important as the communities modernise. However, faith is still significant to the FBOs in this research. Faith is not an add-on to the development work they do. Faith is the reason for their existence. For these FBOs, faith-identity means their development activities are inspired and guided by God to have compassion for the poor and marginalised people. For them, faith is communicated in practice by providing genuine care and by being inclusive in their development commitments.