In Gaza, daily blackouts have lasted for over eleven years. Until recently, Palestinian families have received only four hours of power each day. Since Israel’s withdrawal from the region in 2005, the political discourse around the Right of Return has forced refugees to live in terrible conditions and darkness. The fear was that any transformation of the camps will bring about an integration of the refugee community with the local environment and thus any improvements to Gaza’s infrastructure and housing was seen as a direct erosion of the Right of Return. Can bringing light to Gaza transcend this boundary of temporality and restore hope to this impoverished community? With recent solar lighting ideas emerging to help solve Gaza’s energy shortage by solar energy companies such as SunBox and LittleSun, I plan to develop a solar urban lighting project for Gaza’s smallest refugee camp - Deir al-Balah (DEB) - to help improve security at night for residents and provide the community with opportunities to socialise in public common areas. In response to an ‘Improvement Plan’ conducted by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in 2017, which identifies DEB camp’s limited access to electricity and street lighting, I’d like to explore how a solar and ecologically-sensitive lighting programs can improve Gazan’s daily lives, by bringing clean, reliable and affordable energy access.

Bakgrund: Under Covid-19 pandemin uppmanades äldre att avhålla sig från sociala kontakter i den mån det var möjligt, då de ansågs tillhöra en särskilt utsatt riskgrupp för viruset som spred sig över hela världen. Många äldre upplevde ensamhet redan innan pandemin vilket påverkade deras hälsa på olika sätt. Syfte: Syftet var att utforska äldre människors upplevelse av social isolering under Covid- 19 pandemin.  Metod: Systematisk litteraturstudie där vetenskapliga artiklar söktes i databaserna Cinahl, Pubmed och Psykinfo. 12 artiklar med både kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod valdes ut. Artiklarnas resultat sammanställdes med hjälp av en tematisk syntes. Resultat: Resultatet påvisar att äldre människor påverkats av att inte träffa vänner och familj och att inte kunna gå på dagliga aktiviteter. Vardagen blev mer begränsad av den sociala distanseringen under Covid-19 pandemin. En del äldre upplevde en ökad känsla av ensamhet, oro, stress och även ålderism. En annan bild speglar sig i resultatet där äldre upplevde den nya vardagen som en chans till återhämtning, tid till reflektion och återuppta kontakt med vänner från förr.  Slutsats: Människor har olika förutsättningar att hantera en förändrad vardag, beroende på vilket nätverk man har omkring sig och på den upplevda känslan av sammanhang. Studien belyser vikten av att nå ut till alla människor, göra äldre människor mer delaktiga i det sociala rummet för att på så sätt uppnå högre välbefinnande hos den äldre befolkningen.

Jordbruksbranschen har genom tiderna utsatts för flera kriser. Den här studien undersöker därför riskhantering i familjeägda jordbruksföretag till följd av torkan 2018, coronapandemin och kriget i Ukraina. Studien genomfördes som en kvalitativ studie där intervjuer användes för datainsamling. En tematisk analys gjordes för att analysera data. Utifrån datamaterialet identifierades tre teman: påverkan utifrån, strategi och social omgivning. Baserat på dessa undersöktes riskhanteringsstrategier inom de familjeägda jordbruken, dess sociala omgivningar och påverkan av dess ägandeform. Resultatet visade att de familjeägda jordbruken har reflekterat mer över risker och riskhanteringsstrategier till följd av kriserna. Det visade också att åtgärder och strategier har implementerats i varierande utsträckning. Slutligen värderas familjen högt inom organisationen och tycks till viss del vara avgörande för de beslut som tas. Även ett starkt socialt nätverk utmärker sig i de familjeägda jordbruken. / The agricultural industry has throughout history been subjected to several crises. Therefore, this study investigates risk management in family-owned agricultural businesses following the drought of 2018, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. The study was conducted as a qualitative study using interviews for data collection. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Based on the data material, three themes were identified: external influence, strategy, and social environment. Based on these, risk management strategies within the family-owned farms, their social environments, and the impact of their ownership structure were examined. The results showed that family-owned farms have reflected more on risks and risk management strategies due to the crises. It also showed that measures and strategies have been implemented to varying degrees. Finally, the family is highly valued within the organization and seems to be somewhat crucial to the decisions made. Additionally, a strong social network stands out in family-owned farms.

For adolescents with asthma, adhering to asthma regimes implies not only taking medications to relieve asthma attacks, but also adjusting their life styles in order to prevent asthma attacks. These life style modifications, such as avoiding allergens or having to limit physical activity, sometimes force adolescents to compromise their social life. On the other hand, the impact of such life style modifications on their social life may in turn force adolescents to give up adhering to asthma regimes. Indeed, adolescents are learning to be more independent while they enjoy a more complicated social life at home and at school than previously, and this rapid social development may thus be a great life challenge to adolescents with asthma. This thesis reports four studies which investigated the relationship between multi-dimensional asthma management (in medication and life style regimes) and the social life of young people with asthma at the transitional age from childhood to adolescence (or early adolescence, age 9-14), which also marks the transition from primary school to secondary school. In line with the literature on other adolescent chronic illnesses, study 1 demonstrated a downward trend of multi-dimensional asthma management in early adolescence. This developmental change was further investigated in study 2, 3 and 4, in which theories in behavioural psychology were followed to emphasise human behaviour influenced by the social activities and social relationships in the living environment, or the social environment. This was supplemented by theories in developmental psychology to identify relevant aspects of the social environment in early adolescence, especially the social relationships with parents, school staff and peers. Using quantitative and qualitative approaches, the studies not only supported the direct influence of asthma-specific social support, but also explored some mechanisms with which social relationships influenced asthma management in a more subtle and context-dependent way. By approaching asthma management behaviour with theories from behavioural and developmental psychology, it is also hoped that this thesis could be an example that shows the importance of recognising and to understanding the social life of young adolescents when adolescent behaviour is concerned.

Introduction: La participation sociale "optimale" peut se définir comme une congruence parfaite entre les attentes de l'individu et sa réalité. La conciliation travail-famille fait appel à l'équilibre des différentes sphéres de vie du travailler. On peut alors s'interroger sur la perception de l'optimalité qu'ont les professionnels de la réadaptation quant à leur propre niveau de participation, conciliant plusieurs sphéres de vie et les facteurs qui influencent cette participation. But: Explorer la perception de l'optimalité de la participation sociale chez des professionnels de la réadaptation et les facteurs identifiés par ces derniers comme l'influençant. Méthode: Étude qualitative d'orientation phénoménologique auprés de treize professionnels de la réadaptation à l'aide d'un guide d'entrevue composé de questions ouvertes. Les données recueillies ont été enregistrées sur bande audio et transcrites intégralement (verbatim) suivi d'une analyse de contenu. Résultats: Les participants, majoritairement des femmes (12/13) étaient âgés de 31 à 44 ans et avaient entre un et trois enfants dont l'âge variait de 7 mois à 12 ans. L'optimalité de la participation est perçue comme: la possibilité (ou non) d'accomplir ses activités significatives tout en prenant en charge ses différentes responsabilités. Parmi les cinq facteurs environnementaux perçus comme ayant une influence (l'aspect financier, le soutien du conjoint, le temps, la flexibilité des horaires au travail et la structure familiale) la structure familiale apparait comme déterminante du possible et influence ainsi grandement les attentes individuelles.Conclusion: La conciliation travail-famille est un phénomène complexe qui gagne à être étudié dans sa globalité plutôt qu'en silo. / Introduction: Optimal social participation, which is the ultimate goal targeted by rehabilitation professionals for their clients, can be defined as perfect congruence between an individual's expectations and reality. Work-family dynamic requires balance between the different spheres of a worker's life. This raises questions about the perception that rehabilitation professionals have regarding their own optimal social participation, reconciling various life spheres, and the factors influence this participation. Purpose: To explore the perception of rehabilitation professionals regarding their optimal social participation, and the factors they identify as influencing this participation. Method: Qualitative study with a phenomenological orientation among 13 rehabilitation professionals using an interview guide consisting of open questions. The data was audio-recorded and transcribed in full (verbatim) followed by content analysis. Results: Participation were mostly women (12/13) aged 31 to 44 years having one to three children aged from 7 months to 12 years old. Optimality of participation is perceived as the ability (or not) to carry out important activities while fulfilling one's various responsibilities. Of the five environmental factors perceived to have an influence (financial aspects, spousal support, time, flexible work schedule, and family organization), family organization appears to be a determinant of possibility and thus greatly influences individual expectations. Conclusion: Work-life balance is a complex phenomenon that should be studied holistically rather in a siloed mode.

The aim of the thesis is to find the answer, whether it is plausible to monitor social cohesion of the municipality and how to measure this cohesion, which is one of the essential pillars of sustainable development. In order to find out, analysis of approaches and measurements of the sustainable development social pillar in international and Czech environment was carried out. Social pillar was identified and described also at the local level. Within the framework of the sustainable development social pillar at the municipal level three main thematic blocks are proposed: • Social environment quality of the municipality • Social-demographic population structure of the municipality • Contentment and participation in the public affairs These themes should be monitored by the set of indicators proposed in this thesis. It aimed to cover all dimensions of social cohesion which are significant and well-founded in the context of the territorial planning process. These indicators can be followed in the direct relationship with the population size and regional importance of the observed territorial unit at the local level and they are not separated from the concept of indicators monitoring at other – territorially higher – levels. Outcomes, analysis and interpretation of attained values could become the basis for the “territorial sustainable development analysis” (part of territorial planning instruments according to contemporary legal regulations), representing social pillar. All phenomenon and processes must be evaluated in the context with other sustainable development pillars and afterwards they should become another suitable instrument for measurement of the fulfilling the territorial planning aims.

O objetivo geral deste estudo transversal foi realizar um levantamento epidemiológico de traumatismos dentários em crianças de 12 anos de Quito, no Equador e investigar a associação de fatores relacionados ao ambiente escolar e a ocorrência de traumatismos e na qualidade de vida relacionada a saúde bucal dessas crianças. Para isso, um levantamento epidemiológico em escolares de escolas públicas de Quito foi realizado para avaliar diferentes agravos de saúde bucal. A tese foi dividida em dois capítulos, com os seguintes objetivos: avaliar se alguns fatores relacionados ao ambiente escolar possuem associação com a ocorrência de traumatismos (Capítulo I), e avaliar se fatores positivos relacionados ao ambiente físico, social e de práticas de atividades relacionadas à saúde em escolas exercem efeito no impacto na qualidade de vida relacionada à ocorrência de traumatismos dentários (Capítulo II). O estudo foi realizado com uma amostra representativa de crianças de 12 anos de idade em escolas públicas da zona urbana de Quito, no Equador. Seis examinadores calibrados avaliaram as crianças com relação à presença de traumatismos dentários, cárie dentária e maloclusão. Um inquérito relacionado às condições socioeconômicas da família foi respondido. Os diretores das escolas também responderam a questões relacionadas à estrutura física da escola, à promoção de práticas de promoção de saúde e à ocorrência de episódios negativos na escola. O Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) foi respondido pelas crianças. Para as análises, regressão de Poisson de multinível foi utilizada, e as razões de taxas (RT) e intervalos de confiança a 95% (95%IC) foram calculados (p < 0,05). A prevalência de traumatismo foi de 20,7%. Escolas com pátio de piso de grama e com rampas de acesso tiveram menor prevalência de traumatismos do que as escolas com pátio de piso de cimento e com apenas com escadas, respectivamente. A prevalência de traumatismo também foi menor em escolas que ofereciam refeições saudáveis ou local apropriado para escovação dentária. Já com relação à qualidade de vida, a ocorrência de traumatismos severos foi associada à maiores escores do CPQ11-14, mesmo no modelo múltiplo ajustado por outros problemas de saúde bucal, sexo, variáveis socioeconômicas e variáveis contextuais. As crianças de escolas que promoviam a escovação dos dentes de seus alunos apresentaram menor impacto na qualidade de vida, mesmo quando ajustada pela presença de traumatismos e outras variáveis. Conclui-se que escolas com um ambiente mais favorável apresentam menor prevalência de traumatismos e exercem efeito positivo na qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal, mesmo na ocorrência de traumatismos dentários. / The overall objective of this cross sectional study was to carry out an epidemiological survey of dental trauma in 12-year-old children from Quito, Ecuador, and to investigate the association of variables related to school environment and occurrence of dental traumatic injuries and on oral health-related quality of life of these children. For this, an epidemiological survey with 12-year-old scholars from public schools of Quito was conducted to evaluate several oral health problems. The thesis was divided in two chapters, with the following aims: to evaluate if some variables related to the school environment have association with occurrence of dental traumatic injuries (Chapter I), and to evaluate if positive factors related to the physical and social environment, and to practices of health-related activities in the schools exert some influence on the quality of life related to the occurrence of dental traumatic injuries. (Chapter II). The study was conducted with a representative sample of children with 12 years old in public schools in the urban area of Quito, Ecuador. Six calibrated examiners evaluated children for dental traumatic injuries, dental caries and malocclusion. A questionnaire related to the socioeconomic conditions of the family was answered by the parents. School principals also responded to questions about the school\'s physical structure, the promotion of health practices and the occurrence of negative episodes at school. The Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) was answered by the children. For the analyzes, multilevel Poisson regression was used, and the rate ratios (RT) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated (p <0.05). The prevalence of dental traumatic injuries was 20.7%. Schools with grass-floor yard and access ramps had a lower prevalence of injuries than schools with cement-walled yard and with only stairs, respectively. The prevalence of dental trauma was also lower in schools that offered healthy meals or an appropriate place for dental brushing. With regard to the quality of life, the occurrence of severe traumatic injuries was associated with higher CPQ11-14 total scores, even in the multiple model adjusted for other oral health problems, sex, socioeconomic variables and contextual variables. The children of schools that promoted the tooth brushing of their students presented less impact on quality of life, even when adjusted for the presence of trauma and other variables. In conclusion, schools with a more favorable environment present a lower prevalence of dental traumatic injuries and have a positive effect on the quality of life related to oral health, even in the occurrence of dental traumatic injuries.

Population ageing and the tendency for older adults to have poorer health status than younger adults have raised concerns about potential increases in the number of elderly suffering disease and disability. Significantly, many health problems experienced in later life are associated with the onset of a more sedentary lifestyle. Increasing older adults' participation in leisure time physical activity (henceforth LTPA) offers an opportunity to reduce the prevalence of preventable morbidity in later life and offset a potential burden of ageing on the public health sector. As a forerunner to the development of strategies to increase older adults' LTPA participation, researchers have investigated the intrapersonal, interpersonal and, to a lesser extent, environmental influences on this health behaviour. Recent findings from studies of the adult population have suggested that neighbourhood deprivation, a measure of the socioeconomic conditions of small areas, may significantly influence LTPA participation. Extending previous findings, this research investigated how neighbourhood deprivation influenced older adults' LTPA participation. A total of 63 older adults were recruited from high- and low-deprivation neighbourhoods in Christchurch, New Zealand. Neighbourhoods were selected because of their relative positions on the New Zealand Deprivation Index and were characterised by the researcher as "East-town", a neighbourhood of high deprivation, and "West-town", a neighbourhood of low deprivation. The research incorporated a cross-sectional, comparative and mixed-methods approach. The methods of enquiry employed in this research included a recall survey, Q method, and semi-structured interviewing. Each method addressed a different aspect of the primary research question and provided data that was used in the creation of an integrated model depicting the influence of neighbourhood deprivation on older adults' LTPA participation. The results derived from the three research methods showed that older adults from the low-deprivation neighbourhood of West-town participated in LTPA more frequently than older adults from the high-deprivation neighbourhood of East-town. East-town was identified as having many physical and social environmental constraints to LTPA and comparatively few facilitators. Alternatively, West-town was found to have many physical and social environmental facilitators to LTPA and relatively few constraints. Neighbourhood attributes which appeared to influence older adults' LTPA participation included appropriateness of leisure provision, neighbourhood attractiveness, walkability, traffic, and perceptions of crime and antisocial behaviour. One implication of this research is that environmental interventions should be considered in attempts to engage older adults in LTPA for health purposes, particularly in high-deprivation neighbourhoods.

<p>The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of how self employed entrepreneurs (hereafter referred to as “entrepreneurs”) develop their competence based on their perceived learning space. The main question is: How do these entrepreneurs develop their competence based on their perceived learning space? Other questions relevant for the study are: How important is the social environment for these entrepreneurs and how do they interact with their social environment in order to develop their competence. The study has a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews with six entrepreneurs were conducted, during March and April 2008. The main finding of this study is the process by which the entrepreneurs develop their competence based on their perceived learning space. This is done through interaction with the entrepreneurs’ social environment. With a specific work task in mind, the entrepreneur evaluates his/her own competence in order to solve the task at hand, and in parallell search for the needed competence in his/her social environment. The social environment is therefore found to be very important to the entrepreneurs in the study. The active and conscious interactions lead to learning and in turn to development of the individual competence. This approach is essential for the entrepreneur to keep up-to-date and to stay attractive on the work market. Another finding in the study is how the entrepreneurs are forced to be more selective in the development of their competence, compared to a traditional employee, i.e. the entrepreneur needs to be more aware of whether he or she will gain anything from engaging in the specific activity. The responsibility for development of the individual competence lies solely on the entrepreneur. The development of the competence is however not separated from the overall responsibility of the business, but can be seen as part of the daily work.</p>

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.