Direct social service workers face a variety of difficulties including low pay, limited upward mobility, role ambiguity, and emotional exhaustion. This study adds to the understanding of the complexities of front-line service work with an analysis of the storytelling of case managers working with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Interview participants describe a problem of “volunteer expectations,” which they define as related to the organizational storytelling of the program: the images that entice people to volunteer do not match actual volunteer experiences. I argue that glamorized storytelling through marketing and recruitment tactics creates unintended, negative consequences for volunteers and case managers. This project contributes to the understanding of social services, emotion work, and the American “helping” culture.

The aim of the study was to explore development of rural communities in the Mqanduli Administrative Area. The exploratory study was further conducted to examine delivery of service to these rural communities. One of the objectives was to empower rural communities for purposes of improving their daily living standards and also to bring about social change.In determining the sample size, forty (40) respondents were selected from Mqanduli Administrative Area. Out of the forty (40) respondents, thirty (30) respondents were selected from the Mqanduli community members, five (5) were O.R.Tambo District Municipality stakeholders and the other five (5) were Social workers from Mqanduli Administrative Area. The instrument utilized to collect data was a questionnaire. Data was analysed using the quantitative and qualitative measure. The outcome of the study indicates that the majority of rural communities in the Mqanduli Administrative Area were in dire need of empowerment which will enable these disadvantaged communities towards development and social change.

Diploma thesis "Inspection of the quality of social services" deals with low quality of social services with measurement of the quality control of social services. Its main objective is to assess the position of the actors (inspectors and providers of social services), social services inspection process and make recommendations for its improvement. The work is characterized by a history of social services, whereon relates social services inspection. The work is based on the principle of subsidiarity, the theory of trust, the theory of government and market failures, as well as information asymmetry theory and the theory of bureaucracy. The diploma thesis also includes quality standards of social services, mark quality and management in social services. Work also includes the very process of inspection of social services. The following chapter is a quality framework for social services. Another part is devoted to the research methods used. At the end of thesis are the recommended areas to alteration which leading to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the process of inspection of social services.

Modern governments often rely on private, nonprofit, and other non-governmental entities for delivery of services. Specifically, state and local governments increasingly contract for social services. This dissertation identifies eight effective practices that successful human service contract managers use in the negotiating and contracting process. It compares practices of successful contract managers with those of less successful contract managers in the Massachusetts' Department of Social Services. Success was based on informed judgment of how managers conducted thE~ contracting process. Another measure was the number of debriefing sessions that did or did not lead to appeals. Interviews were held with managers. Questions were both open-ended and loosely structured. Data from interviews was processed and formatted for use in a computer-assisted analysis program. Interpretation and analysis of the interviews identified eight effective practices that successful managers use in the contracting process. Hence, contemporary government demands that public managers understand and master both technical and relationship aspects of the negotiating and contracting process in order to be successful. Managers emphasize prebid planning activities and multiple needs assessment methods to accurately reflect service needs for the area. They monitor waiting lists and utilization of services regularly to determine who use and need services. Managers rely on a large number of participants to review proposals and they use a standard tool to rate them to insure fairness and competitiveness in the proposal evaluation step. They conduct debriefings as mediation sessions and encourage bidders to become more capable to participate in future bidding. They negotiate rates based on pricing ranges not line-item details, and they assist providers with budget and program support. Also, they rely on experience and technical competence to be successful. within the eight effective practices, managers confirm that contracting is more successful when they have early, ongoing interaction and cooperative working relationships as well as providing competent technical services. Cooperative relationships and interaction especially are important as new and diverse service providers enter the contracting arena. / Ph. D.

Jackson, 16, has just lost his father to cancer and has nowhere to go so he drops out of high school to look for work. Chrissy, 18, and a recovering addict, sometimes wakes up still thinking about the drugs. She doesn’t use the drugs, but she says that she still needs them. Steph, 20, is on a path towards ‘normal expected success’ when past trauma re-enters her every day. She takes all her prescribed pills on multiple occasions to end her life because her family doesn’t believe the abuse she describes. She tells me she can’t think about the future because she still has to be alive to deal with it. And Mark, 22, has been homeless for 5 years, not consecutively, but long enough to equate home with the streets more than with the times he’s had a roof over his head. These are some of the everyday lives of young people included in this dissertation. Using the case of one organization that operates across a rural and urban context in Ontario, Canada, I investigate the organization of social services for youth. Throughout I show that if young people experience forms of marginalization, and disadvantage like those described above in an urban context, they will likely know about and have access to local support centres, coordinated organizational processes, referral programs, and a network of social resources that are able to address their multiple and complex needs. The rural context, however, works in drastically different ways, even when the services are expected to be the same. In other words, the geographical location operates as a social force that shapes both young people’s experiences of, and organizational responses to, inequality. In the pages that follow I explore how intersecting social processes alleviate forms of disadvantage experienced by youth in urban settings, and paradoxically, reproduce and sustain forms of inequality experienced by rural youth. Importantly this research shows that the geographical location of people in disadvantaged positions matters to the ways that the experience unfolds. Getting out of marginalized positions for rural youth is more challenging because the rural setting is not set up to do this work; in other words, compared to urban settings, the rural context is unequally placed. / Dissertation / Candidate in Philosophy

Background: Evidence has shown that family and friend caregivers of stroke survivors are significantly and negatively impacted by caregiving. The negative effects of caregiving may persist over time suggesting the need for ongoing care and support. However, little is known about caregivers’ use of formally funded health and social services or the factors influencing their access to and use of these services. Purpose: To increase understanding of: (a) the context of providing care for a stroke survivor; (b) the experiences of stroke caregivers in accessing and using formal health and social services; and (c) the factors that influence stroke caregivers’ use of formal health and social services, from the perspective of stroke caregivers and healthcare providers. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using interpretive description. In-depth interviews were conducted with caregivers of survivors who experienced a stroke between six months to five years ago and healthcare providers who support caregivers and stroke survivors. Constant comparison was used to identify codes and develop key thematic constructs. Results: Interviews were conducted with 22 stroke caregivers at an average 30 months post-stroke and 18 health providers. Key findings include: (a) few caregivers use services, (b) caregivers face challenges accessing services, (c) services used by stroke survivors benefit caregivers, and (d) factors influencing stroke caregivers’ use of services include: adequacy of social support networks, finances and transportation, and trust in leaving the stroke survivor under the care of health providers. Conclusion: Stroke caregivers experience significant challenges in accessing and using formal health and social services. These challenges could be addressed by increasing availability of subsidized community-based supports such as respite and counselling tailored to meet the ongoing needs of caregivers. Systemic change is needed by the health system that readily includes and supports caregivers throughout the stroke recovery continuum, particularly in the community setting. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Caregivers often experience challenges supporting stroke survivors. Their caregiving role may negatively affect their health and ability to return to their previous lifestyle. Little is known about stroke caregivers’ use of funded supportive services. The purpose of the study was to better understand caregivers’ experience using health and social services as well as the factors that influenced their access to and use of these supportive services. Findings showed that: (a) few caregivers use services despite expressing a need for these services (e.g. counselling), (b) caregivers struggle to trust the health providers supporting the stroke survivors, (c) caregivers’ social lives are often greatly affected by their caregiving role which in turn impacts their need for services, and (d) caregivers pay many financial costs when using supportive services. Overall, better ongoing assessment of stroke caregivers is required including using tailored services to meet their needs and help them in their caregiving role.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2999-01-01

No / This publication Fathers Matter is the culmination of a two year project which has looked at the largely neglected area of fathers involved with social care agencies because of child welfare needs or concerns. The publication includes a series of research reports, including new analyses of fathers¿ experiences, an international literature review and the results of a survey of local authorities. The publication considers the implications of this research and sets out clear recommendations for Children¿s Services Departments, health services and national government.

Previous research has indicated that employment search experiences can vary greatly among individuals based on their backgrounds and previous experiences, particularly for those with a criminal history. However, there is limited understanding of the specific skills that program participants with a criminal background bring to the employment search and what they are missing. This research study asks the questions (1) What skills do employment program participants bring to the employment search and what are they missing? (2) What are the stigmatic experiences they are having during the employment search? (3) What did the individuals gain from the schooling experience? What do they find most important/valuable? (4) What are the differences between the individuals who are justice involved versus those who have no criminal record? Using secondary data from a previous research project, this study conducts a qualitative analysis using interviews to investigate the employment navigation process. The findings highlight the role of stigma and strain in shaping employment experiences and suggest that holistic programs are most beneficial for participants.

No / In the UK it is established that health and social care services for people with dementia from black and minority ethnic communities need to move towards providing evidence-based culturally appropriate care. At present, however, the evidence base available to guide professionals working with people with dementia from diverse ethnic and cultural groups is limited, and beliefs about dementia and the type of treatment and support needed have received little attention. Consequently this creates problems for service providers faced with appropriately supporting people with dementia and their families from black and minority ethnic communities.