The aim of the thesis Volunteer programs that support child in adoption or foster care is to monitor the offer of volunteer programs for children in adoption foster care in the Czech Republic and to show possibilities of support which volunteer program could bring to children, including demonstrations of experience from similar programs abroad. The theoretical part of thesis describes the foster care system with respect to the child's needs and ways of support that are available to them in both professional and volunteer sphere. Emphasis is placed on the role of people who accompany a child on his way from the biological family to foster families, including important relationships and ties, which child lose during his way. It will also explain the idea and values of volunteering as unpaid voluntary work, including the typology of programs focusing on children and the ways volunteers can help to improve their situation. Practically oriented empirical part shows the concrete experiences of the actors from the volunteer program supporting children in foster care by the interviews. This program is organized by the volunteer center and respondents are volunteers, parents and children involved in this program, including the head of the program, through which the program was created. At the end of this...

Cette thèse a pour objet les habitats alternatifs aux dispositifs gérontologiques institués pour personnes âgées « fragiles » et « dépendantes ». Ces formules résidentielles s’inscrivent dans le prolongement d’un mouvement à contre-courant amorcé en France dès la fin des années 1970. Dans une comparaison critique avec les infrastructures existantes, structurées autour des deux pôles du maintien à domicile et de l’hébergement institutionnel, il s’agit pour les porteurs de projets de réinventer les lieux du vieillir et d’imaginer de nouveaux modèles d’accueil et d’accompagnement viables, si possible, « jusqu’à la mort ». Nous appréhendons ces réalisations novatrices comme des laboratoires d’expérimentation. Les habitats alternatifs amorcent une ouverture du champ des possibles. Cette ouverture suppose de faire un « pas de côté » pour repenser ou se substituer à l’institué et répondre aux besoins jugés insatisfaits ou mal satisfaits des populations vieillissantes « fragiles » et « dépendantes ». Cette recherche s’appuie sur des enquêtes empiriques menées dans plusieurs formules alternatives et sur un corpus de 49 entretiens directifs approfondis avec les différents acteurs qui évoluent dans les lieux (initiateurs, équipes de coordination et de médiation, aidants professionnels, familiaux et familiers, usagers). / This research studies alternative housings for the elderly with frailty and dependence. These new habitats forms have been built in France since the end of the 1970th in order to deal with the shortcomings of the gerontological facilities: the traditional nursing homes, which are highly criticized, and the home-care support. The projects leaders aim to reinvent the place to grow old and to create new welcome and support facilities for the elderly until the end of life. We define these innovated habitats as experimental laboratory which aim to respond, in a different way, the unmet need of the elderly with frailty and dependence.This PhD is based on empirical research conducted in several alternative housings and 49 semi-structured interviews with actors operating in these (projects leaders, coordination and mediation teams, professional families and friend’s caregivers, users). From a comparative and a comprehensive approach, we can address convergence and divergence of the alternative housing, understand the social experiment path, return the logic and the dynamics of reception and support methodologies, evaluate stress points between the modelled field with the initiators and the field with experienced by users, but we can also question the scope and meaning of the gerontological alternative in a broader perspective. Indeed, alterative housings are initiated in a context promoting values like autonomy and self- realization which may be seen as new normative injunctions.

This study set out to explore and describe adolescent learners’ experiences of HIV/AIDS programmes presented at their schools. The rationale was that an understanding of how learners experience HIV/AIDS programmes might afford insight into the ways in which adolescents manage HIV/AIDS-related issues every day. Subsequent understanding could perhaps contribute to the body of knowledge on HIV/AIDS education, and possibly inform future HIV/AIDS education curriculum development. The conceptual framework constituted the impact of HIV/AIDS on society, education and adolescents; theories on experiences and adolescent development; relevant Department of Education policies and curriculum plans; as well as national and international research concerning HIV/AIDS education programmes. A qualitative research approach was followed from an interpretivist epistemology, with sensitivity given to criteria of credibility, transferability and dependability. An instrumental case study was conducted at three secondary schools (cases), using focus groups and written essays as the methods for data collection from 90 diverse participants, Grade 11 learners. Responses were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed from a constructivist grounded theory perspective. Results were interpreted by means of literature control. Six prominent themes emerged. Learners experienced that they were changed positively by knowledge on HIV/AIDS. In this regard they were more open and motivated to communicate, their views and perceptions altered and they were motivated to behave responsibly. However, learners also experienced HIV/AIDS knowledge negatively. They felt bombarded with HIV/AIDS information and they experienced some HIV/AIDS information as upsetting. Learners’ experiences still reflected some stereotyping and persisting misconceptions. Learners associated poverty and lack of education with higher HIV infection rates, as well as a lack of support from parents and/or family. Learners’ experiences reflected that they would appreciate their parents’ participation in HIV/AIDS programmes. Learners voiced a need for improved communication with their parents regarding HIV/AIDS, and experienced their parents as ignorant, shy, stubborn or scared in this regard. Learners’ accounts reflected that parents’ initial negativity towards the programme later changed into positive support. The learners also had positive and negative experiences regarding their friends and the HIV/AIDS programmes. They expressed that their peer-relationships improved in terms of ability to communicate and render support. In addition they expressed that their friends still had a great influence in their lives. Some issues, such as risk behaviour and the HIV-status of their peers, shocked learners. The learners indicated that they thought HIV/AIDS education was necessary, but recommended certain amendments for future HIV/AIDS programmes. Their experiences suggested smaller gender-specific groups; an outsider-presenter; parent/caregiver involvement; variety in programme format; long-term HIV/AIDS education; HIV/AIDS care, support and treatment information in addition to that of prevention; addressing values and life skills content in HIV/AIDS education; as well as fear-provoking real-life contexts. Several recommendations were made in terms of HIV/AIDS education and programme development. Integration between HIV/AIDS education, life skills education and values education in the formal curriculum is supported by findings and recommended for curriculum development and educational practice. Correspondingly, it is recommended that multiple views on poverty be incorporated into HIV/AIDS education to address persisting stereotypes and misconceptions. Furthermore, cognisance of learners’ suggestions in terms of format and content regarding future HIV/AIDS programme development is recommended. Findings queried existing premises regarding adolescents and (ir-)responsibility in developmental theory, establishing a foundation for further research. Existing silences in the data relating to gender, orphans, violence, non-governmental organisations, condom-use in the context of HIV/AIDS also requires further research. Establishing that the use of open-ended methods with adolescents resulted in access to rich and descriptive data signified a methodological contribution. Theoretically this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge related to HIV/AIDS education by giving voice to adolescent learners’ experiences of HIV/AIDS programmes. Contributions in the realm of HIV/AIDS educational practice and curriculum development include learners’ views of what they found beneficial and lacking in existing programmes, as well as their recommendations regarding format and content for future HIV/AIDS programmes directed at adolescents. / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The thesis looks at issues regarding the life of children growing up in children's homes. Theoretical part focuses on child, family, its functions and behavioural disorders in family that often result in violence against children and may lead to institutional childcare. The section regarding behavioural disorders in family is followed by a description of specific aspects of social and legal protection of children. Solutions and possibilities provided by State or other organizations for at-risk children are described. There is also a description of substitute care institutions. Finally, the most frequent reasons for placement of children in children's homes are listed, including risks that may result from leaving such institutions. Practical part of the thesis looks at young people growing up in children's homes. Children´s life in such institutions was mapped using qualitative research. The main objective was to answer to the research questions in order to get a better understanding of issues regarding children placed in children's homes.