It is well established that rural regional Australians have borne the brunt of globalization in terms of the adverse impacts caused by social and economic restructuring resulting from global, national and local forces. In response governments and communities have embraced sustainability and civil society for promoting local community action and responsibility for social, economic and environmental issues. This research focuses on community narratives about the social change processes as they engage the forces of neo-liberal policies. Applying a qualitative, grounded theoretical approach to data collection and analysis this study also adopts a multi-perspective, multi-disciplinary framework to gain more holistic, contextual understandings of community functioning and change. In echoing the principles of community psychology, the foundational, multidisciplinary concepts of sense of community, social capital, civil society, empowerment and conscientization have informed understandings of this communitys process and outcome towards transformational change. This study offers a critical reflection of transformational change in an effort to promote more peaceful, collaborate relationships between dominant and oppressed groups in expanding our understandings and solutions for community change. Identified by Newbrough (1992, 1995) as the Third Force Position, the ideals of political community are visibly expressed as they attempt to pursue transformational change towards a just and sustainable future for the community. However, while civil society has made a positive contribution, also apparent are the processes and outcomes which affect those most vulnerable. Those most powerless continue to suffer from exclusion, marginalization and as a result are denied access to vital resources to meet their needs.

During the past decade, the environmental issue has been an important concern of public affairs because the problems generating from the physical environment are the main focus of local development. Generally, the most effective work of community development is to encourage people to participate in environmental improvement actions. For example, the literature has indicated that individual is the most important factor for environmental improvement actions. Thus, people who highly participate in the community affairs often have better performances on community improvement actions. Base on an efficient society and the budget of government downsizing, promoting community residents to actively participate in environmental improvement actions would help the community environment management to be more sustainable and indirectly leading the local development. Concerning community environment, the responsibility for the community, knowledge of environmental action, and the ability of self-control might be correlated with the community residents¡¦ participation behavior in environmental improvement actions. The purpose of study is to explore the relationships among sense of community, the knowledge of environmental action, environmental moral obligation, and participating environmental improvement actions. Four objectives are mainly specified: first, to develop a sense of community scale of Taiwanese population; second, to integrate theories to test a community participation behavior model in environmental improvement actions; third, to understand the influential factors of community residents participation in environmental improvement actions; finally, to compare and interpret community residents participation in environmental improvement behavior model and ¡§Theory of Planned Behavior¡¨. This study surveyed community residents who ever participated in ¡§urban community landscape renaissance project¡¨ supported by Construction and Planning Agency, and ¡§rural community landscape renaissance project¡¨ founded by Soil and Water Conservation Bureau. A total of 616 community residents were administrated a self-report questionnaire. Further analysis of the data based on comparing respondent¡¦s residence, respondents were grouped into to urban planning district group and non-urban planning district group. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method was then employed to test a conceptual model. There were nine domains proposed in the conceptual model. Five of nine domains adopted from planning behavioral theory included ¡§attitude¡¨, ¡§subjective norm¡¨, ¡§perceived behavioral control¡¨, ¡§behavioral intention¡¨ and ¡§behavior¡¨. One of nine domains, ¡§self-efficacy¡¨, was chosen from social cognition theory. Two of nine domains from environmental citizen behavioral model were ¡§knowledge of environmental action¡¨, ¡§environmental moral obligation¡¨. ¡§Sense of community¡¨ was referenced to the last domain. The findings provided support for eight hypotheses and two hypotheses were partial supported. The detailed descriptions of hypothesis-testing results were as below. Eight hypotheses supported, they included: (1) After residents reflected on the ¡§subjective norm¡¨, the ¡§attitude¡¨ toward participating environmental reform behaviors was remarkably promoted. (2) Resident¡¦s ¡§attitude¡¨ significantly influenced their ¡§behavioral intention¡¨ of participating environmental improvement behaviors. (3) Resident¡¦s ¡§perceived behavioral control¡¨ significantly impacted their ¡§behavioral intention¡¨ of participate in environmental improvement behaviors. (4) Resident¡¦s ¡§sense of community¡¨ significantly impacted their ¡§behavioral intention¡¨ of participating environmental improvement behaviors. (5) Resident¡¦s ¡§knowledge of environmental action¡¨ significantly impacted their ¡§self-efficacy¡¨. (6) Resident¡¦s ¡§self-efficacy¡¨ significantly effected their ¡§perceived behavioral control¡¨. (7) Resident¡¦s ¡§environmental moral obligation¡¨ significantly impacted their ¡§attitude¡¨ of participating environmental improvement behaviors. (8) Resident¡¦s ¡§behavioral intention¡¨ significantly impacted their participating environmental improvement ¡§behaviors¡¨. Two hypotheses were partial supported: (1) Only in non-urban planning district resident¡¦s ¡§subjective norm¡¨ significantly impacted their ¡§behavioral intention¡¨ of participating environmental improvement behaviors. (2) Only in urban planning district and all districts resident¡¦s ¡§perceived behavioral control¡¨ significantly impacted their ¡§attitude¡¨ of participating environmental improvement behaviors. Additionally, the findings confirmed that Italian Sense of Community Scale (ISCS) was an appropriate scale to measure Taiwanese population¡¦s sense of community. These findings provide researchers and practitioners for insight of resident¡¦s participation in environmental improvement, which is better than ¡§Theory of Planned Behavior¡¨.

The sharp increase in the number of older persons (60 years and older) is a distinctive demographic feature of the 20th century. Ageing populations and the unique challenges they pose have obliged countries worldwide to reflect on the problems relating to older persons. In 2002 the United Nations convened the Second World Assembly on Ageing at which the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) was drafted and adopted. This plan sought to meet the challenges associated with ageing populations. In South Africa the elderly population is also increasing dramatically. The fact that older persons are starting to constitute a proportionally larger segment of the total population while they are, at the same time, amongst the poorest people in the country and dependent on others for support and care holds serious implications for South Africa. In post–apartheid South Africa (after 1994) residential care facilities were opened to all South Africans regardless of race or colour. Apart from dealing with diversity, residential care facilities have to manage the long–term care needs of older persons and their lack of the financial or human resources to sustain themselves. Against this background the South African government promulgated legislation in line with the recommendations of the MIPAA. The legislation seeks to lighten the burden placed on residential care facilities while, at the same time, emphasising the importance of enhancing the well–being of older persons. Despite the legislation and the policy frameworks, the circumstances in most residential care facilities in South Africa are challenging and call for action and psychosocial interventions. Given that racial segregation still exists in residential care facilities and the importance of the relational well–being of older persons, it was decided to explore the sense of community of older persons in South Africa who reside in a diverse and economically challenged residential care facility. A purposive sample was drawn of the male and female, and black and white older persons living in the facility. The study used the Mmogo–methodTM, interviews, focus groups, observations and reflective notes to collect qualitative data from the research participants. A possible limitation of the study is that some participants – being older persons – might experience some degree of being cognitively challenged or might struggle to express themselves. To counter this limitation and to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, a variety of data collection methods were used in order to be able to cross–check the information gathered. Apart from this, specific data collection methods were used that make provision for cognitively challenged older persons. As the study involved older persons as a vulnerable group, special attention was paid to ethical considerations. Ethical approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of the North–West University, Potchefstroom Campus, as part of a larger project, being: “An exploration of enabling contexts (05K14).” The main finding of the study is the low sense of community that the older persons in this particular residential care facility experience. This is supplemented by two themes that emerged throughout the study, being the lack of social interaction between the residents and the residents' need to have a sense of purpose. The occurrence of these two themes is supported by findings in community psychology and sense of community theories, and some of the findings of the study are consistent with findings reported in the literature. The study concludes with recommendations on how the residents' sense of community could be enhanced. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The sharp increase in the number of older persons (60 years and older) is a distinctive demographic feature of the 20th century. Ageing populations and the unique challenges they pose have obliged countries worldwide to reflect on the problems relating to older persons. In 2002 the United Nations convened the Second World Assembly on Ageing at which the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) was drafted and adopted. This plan sought to meet the challenges associated with ageing populations. In South Africa the elderly population is also increasing dramatically. The fact that older persons are starting to constitute a proportionally larger segment of the total population while they are, at the same time, amongst the poorest people in the country and dependent on others for support and care holds serious implications for South Africa. In post–apartheid South Africa (after 1994) residential care facilities were opened to all South Africans regardless of race or colour. Apart from dealing with diversity, residential care facilities have to manage the long–term care needs of older persons and their lack of the financial or human resources to sustain themselves. Against this background the South African government promulgated legislation in line with the recommendations of the MIPAA. The legislation seeks to lighten the burden placed on residential care facilities while, at the same time, emphasising the importance of enhancing the well–being of older persons. Despite the legislation and the policy frameworks, the circumstances in most residential care facilities in South Africa are challenging and call for action and psychosocial interventions. Given that racial segregation still exists in residential care facilities and the importance of the relational well–being of older persons, it was decided to explore the sense of community of older persons in South Africa who reside in a diverse and economically challenged residential care facility. A purposive sample was drawn of the male and female, and black and white older persons living in the facility. The study used the Mmogo–methodTM, interviews, focus groups, observations and reflective notes to collect qualitative data from the research participants. A possible limitation of the study is that some participants – being older persons – might experience some degree of being cognitively challenged or might struggle to express themselves. To counter this limitation and to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, a variety of data collection methods were used in order to be able to cross–check the information gathered. Apart from this, specific data collection methods were used that make provision for cognitively challenged older persons. As the study involved older persons as a vulnerable group, special attention was paid to ethical considerations. Ethical approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of the North–West University, Potchefstroom Campus, as part of a larger project, being: “An exploration of enabling contexts (05K14).” The main finding of the study is the low sense of community that the older persons in this particular residential care facility experience. This is supplemented by two themes that emerged throughout the study, being the lack of social interaction between the residents and the residents' need to have a sense of purpose. The occurrence of these two themes is supported by findings in community psychology and sense of community theories, and some of the findings of the study are consistent with findings reported in the literature. The study concludes with recommendations on how the residents' sense of community could be enhanced. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

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The values of the disability rights movement and community psychology promote research that focuses on improving the lives of individuals with disabilities (Dowrick & Keys, 2001). Using the Internet for social interactions has been shown to contribute to an individual's identity development, sense of community, and well-being (Obst, Zinkiewicz, & Smith, 2002a; Turkle, 1995). While challenges in typical social interactions have traditionally been considered a defining feature of autism spectrum disorder, autistic individuals have taken advantage of the Internet to develop social interactions (Blume, 1997a). The present study focused on the online Autistic community and how the importance and value of involvement in it is related to Autistic identity, sense of community, and psychological well-being. The Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) partnered with the Gernsbacher Lab to form the Gateway Project. Using the Gateway Project, AASPIRE conducted the Internet Use, Community, and Well-Being Study and collected data from 72 autistic adults online. It was hypothesized that the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community would be positively related to Autistic identity and sense of community, Autistic identity and sense of community would be positively related, and Autistic identity and sense of community would be positively related to psychological well-being. It was also hypothesized that the positive relationship between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and psychological well-being would be mediated by Autistic identity and sense of community. Correlations were examined among the hypothesized relationships, and a mediated regression model (Baron & Kenny, 1986) was used to explore the relationship between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and psychological well-being with Autistic identity and sense of community as mediators. Significant relationships were found between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and Autistic identity, between the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and sense of community, and between autistic identity and sense of community. As a first step to test the mediated regression models, psychological well-being was regressed on the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community. The regression was not significant; therefore the hypothesized model was not significant. Despite non-significant mediated regression model results, significant relationships among the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community and Autistic identity and sense of community offer important results. These finding illuminate the potential positive impact of the importance and value of involvement in the online Autistic community, including evidence counter to the myth that autistic individuals lack skills necessary for social relationships. These findings support the positive utility of involvement in the online Autistic community for autistic adults. Further research with a larger sample size is recommended, due to low power coefficients in the analyses. Additional research may also further illuminate the findings of the current study. Possible topics may include sense of community and Autistic identity in individuals that do not use the Internet, differences in the way the Internet is used in autistic individuals, and different measures of involvement in the online Autistic community and well-being.

As mental health care increasingly embraces recovery principles, the role of peer support workers (PSWs) has gained recognition. The work that mental health PSWs do became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased needs for mental health care became apparent but were often unmet. This article-based doctoral thesis adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that combines research on management and organization with research on health care and systems. The thesis examines the mental health peer support role and its integration within teams, organizations and health systems. It also considers the peer support role as it was enacted in a virtual space, which became a requirement due to pandemic work-from-home mandates. Within the context of the virtual space, PSWs confronted work-life boundaries that they had to navigate as they enacted their work roles. The virtual space also presented technological and social challenges to and opportunities for peer support, which are examined in this thesis from the points of views of PSWs and peers. Overall, this thesis attends to the PSW role more generally, and to peer support work in the specific context of a virtual environment. The thesis is composed of three studies, the second and third of which had to be adapted to the unexpected challenges and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 (presented in Chapter 2) is a narrative review that synthesizes the literature on factors influencing formal PSW role implementation in mental health systems. The findings are synthesized in a multilevel framework consisting of macro, meso and micro level influences. The analysis reveals that macro-level influences on PSW role implementation include socio-cultural, regulatory, political and economic factors, most of which act as obstacles. At the meso level, organizational culture, leadership, and human resource management policies play a significant role. Micro-level influences center around PSWs' relationships with team members. Interlevel interactions are also discussed. This study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and was published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services in February 2022. For Studies 2 and 3, qualitative data were collected from members of a peer support organization situated in Ottawa. This organization is a publicly funded, not-for-profit organization that provides services free of charge to people experiencing mental health and addictions challenges. Due to the pandemic, all services and operations of this organization transitioned to remote services involving virtual platforms. Study 2 (presented in Chapter 3) is a qualitative case study that delves into the work-life boundary challenges and management of PSWs who were providing virtual mental health support during the pandemic. The study identifies temporal, physical, and task-related boundary challenges in work-life domains. Strategies employed by PSWs to manage these boundaries include segmenting and integrating work and personal domains. The study highlights the importance of self-care and the need for training on work-life boundary management for mental health workers. This research is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and is published in BMC Public Health. Study 3 (presented in Chapter 4) focuses on the transition from in-person to virtual mental health peer support services. Through semi-structured interviews with PSWs and service users (or peers), the research examines how technological factors act as bridges and boundaries to mental health peer support services, and whether and how a sense of community can be built or maintained among PSWs and peers in a virtual space when connections are mediated by technology. The findings highlight the mental health peer support needs that were (un)met through virtual services, the technology-based boundaries that were manifested and the steps taken to remove some of these boundaries, and the strategies employed by the organization and its members to establish and maintain a sense of community in a virtual environment marked by physical distancing and technology-mediated interrelations. The manuscript pertaining to this study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and will be submitted soon to an academic journal. Overall, this thesis presents a unique and multi-faceted exploration of the implementation of peer support worker roles in mental health systems and their adaptation to virtual environments. It makes a number of contributions. The multilevel framework developed in Study 1 not only advances knowledge in the field but also offers a structured approach for policymakers and organizations to enhance the formal incorporation of PSW roles into mental health systems. Study 2 provides valuable insights into the nature of work-life boundaries in a virtual space, an important topic at a time when peer support workers and organizations are considering whether and how to maintain some form of virtual work post-pandemic. Study 3 adds to knowledge by highlighting the significance of virtual peer support beyond pandemic conditions. It also enhances understanding of the need for technological adaptation in mental health services and for community building regardless of the model of service. Limitations and implications for research, practice and policy are addressed.

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Kandidatuppsats i Företagsekonomi III, Organisation 15 hp, 2FE78E, Ekonomihögskolan vid Linnéuniversitetet i Kalmar. VT 2023. Titel: HR-paradoxen: Att arbeta med mänskliga resurser som inte är på plats. Författare: Kajsa Roos och Petra Ruzsa-Pal Lärosäte: Linnéuniversitetet Ämne: Organisation Handledare: Iva Josefsson Examinator: Mikael Lundgren  Problemformuleringar: Hur uppfattar HR-medarbetare att deras yrke förändrats, vad gäller arbete med organisationskultur och gemenskap, i och med det ökande distans- och hybridarbetet?  Hur kan HR-medarbetare arbeta för att skapa och upprätthålla gemenskap och en gynnsam organisationskultur vid distans- och hybridarbete? Syfte: Syftet med studien är att ge en bild av hur HR-yrket förändrats i och med det ökande distans- och hybridarbetet samt att redogöra för hur HR-ansvariga kan arbeta med att skapa och upprätthålla gemenskap och en positiv organisationskultur i en tid präglad av distans- och hybridarbete.  Metod: Studien följer en induktiv ansats som bygger på en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi där studiens empiri samlats in genom nio intervjuer förlagda på åtta olika organisationer med hjälp av semistrukturerade frågor. Empirin har senare analyserats, tolkats och kategoriserats.  Slutsats: Utifrån studien går det att se att HR-medarbetare behöver tänka och agera på ett annat sätt än tidigare, gällande både aktiviteter, rekrytering och relationsbyggande. Den främsta skillnaden är att de fysiska träffarna och relationerna hamnat i bakgrunden, därför behöver HR-medarbetare arbeta för att skapa nya arenor där dessa möten kan uppstå. Studien visar vidare att det är fördelaktigt att lägga ner mer tid och planering på aktiviteter som ämnar ersätta fysiska aktiviteter. Att vidare involvera personalen i viktiga beslut skapar ett bättre klimat och kultur, som präglas av tillit, fria val och god kommunikation. / Bachelor thesis Business Administration III, Organization 15 credits, 2FE78E, School of Economics at Linnaeus University of Kalmar. Spring 2023. Title: The HR-Paradox: Working with human resources that are not present in the workplace Authors: Kajsa Roos and Petra Ruzsa-Pal Institution: Linnaeus University Subject: Organization Advisor: Iva Josefsson Examiner: Mikael Lundgren   Research questions: How do HR-employees perceive that their profession has changed, in terms of working with organizational culture and a sense of community, in relation to the increased occurrence of remote- and hybrid work? How can HR-employees work to create and maintain a favorable organizational culture and a sense of community in remote- and hybrid work? Purpose: The aim of this study is to present a picture of how the HR-profession has changed due to the increasing distance- and hybrid work and to explain how strategic HR-employees can work to create and maintain a sense of community and togetherness as well as a positive organizational culture in a time embossed by distance- and hybrid work. Method: This study follows an inductive approach based on a qualitative research strategy, where the study's empirical data has been collected though nine interviews held at eight different organizations, using semi-structured interview questions. The empirical material has later been analyzed and categorized.  Conclusion: Based on this study, we can see that HR-employees need to think and act in a different way than before, regarding both activities, recruitment and relationship building. The main difference has been that the physical meetings and relationships have fallen into the background, therefore HR-employees need to create new arenas where such meetings can occur. The study further shows that it is beneficial to spend more time and planning on activities that replace physical activities. Furthermore, involving the staff in important decisions creates a better climate and culture and should be characterized by trust and good communication.