Tesi sul tema "Youth with social disabilities – case studies"

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the readiness, planning, training and implementation stages of staff development in the implementation of the Accelerated Schools Program in a suburban elementary school. The research questions focused on how the school became interested in the accelerated program; the steps that were taken to make the school ready to accept the program; the training made available to the staff, parents and students; how teacher approval and acceptance were achieved; and how the implementation was initiated and to what degree.

Thesis (MPhil (Centre for Higher Education))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
Bibliography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Learning in young adulthood, especially in communities where there may be substantial barriers to learning and exclusion from formal education, needs further investigation. This study provides an in-depth investigation of six youths’ predispositions to learning while awaiting trial in a place of safety. This study focused on an in-depth investigation of youths’ predispositions to learning in the particular context of the place of safety (Western Cape, South Africa). I have been working with awaiting trial male youths for over four years as principal at the place of safety. The place of safety is a residential facility for boys and youths between the ages of 10 and 16 years who broke the law and who were at risk. The court placed these youths at the place of safety for the duration of their pending court cases, which may take up to two years in extreme cases like rape and murder. They typically come from communities where they had been exposes to violence, substance abuse and crime, both at home and at school. All of the youths at the place of safety broke the law and were awaiting trial; and they had all dropped out of school or had never attended school. The six respondents used in my study either were abusing drugs themselves or witnessed drug abuse. During their stay al the place of safety, the learners undergo various therapeutic programmes. They also attend school, where the curriculum is adapted to the individual needs of the learners. While working with these youths at the school, I became deeply concerned about the limited prospects they seemed to have. I was curious why most of them demonstrated little or no ambition or eagerness to learn, given that they all had literacy levels below the average for their age group and that most of them had dropped out of school or had never attended school. Popular media reports as well as official documents indicate that youths in South Africa – and the Western Cape in particular – are exposed to drug abuse, violence and crime, which may influence the escalating number of school dropouts. An understanding of the predispositions to learning among awaiting trial youths may contribute to a better understanding of the sense of disempowerment within these communities. This research project focused on qualitative case studies where I tried to discover and understand youths’ predispositions to learning. I followed an interpretive approach to provide insights into the life stories of the six respondents between the ages of 14 and 16 years and how they interpret and make meaning of their personal realities. This marginalised group of people had the opportunity to narrate their individual life stories with relation to their experienced learning processes. I conducted this study, collected, and interpreted data over a period of approximately two-and-a-half v years. I collected data from their official files and by conducting in-depth individual interviews. I video-recorded the six personal interviews and used the footage to assist me in the process of data analysis. The thesis presents the life stories of the six respondents as a foundation for a discussion on how we as educators define and practice adult education in the context of marginalised youth.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die leerprosesse van jeugdiges in gemeenskappe waar akute leerstoornisse en gebreke ten opsigte van formele onderrig heers, behoort nagevors en ondersoek te word. Hierdie studie het gepoog om ondersoek in te stel na die ontvanklikheid of predisposisie van ses jeugdiges teenoor leer terwyl hulle verhoorafwagtend is en in plek van veiligheid aangehou word. Die studie het op grondige ondersoek na die ontvanklikheid of predisposisies vir leer by jeugdiges teen die agtergrond van die plek van veiligheid (Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika) gefokus. Ek werk reeds langer as vier jaar by die plek van veiligheid as skoolhoof. Seuns en jeugdiges van 10 tot 16 jaar oud wat die wet oortree het en sorg nodig het, gaan daar tuis nadat die hof hulle daar geplaas het vir die duur van hulle hofsake. In sommige ernstige sake, soos moord en verkragting, kan dit selfs twee jaar neem vir die sake om afgehandel te word. Hulle kom gewoonlik van gemeenskappe waar hulle tuis en by die skool blootgestel was aan geweld, dwelmmisbruik en misdaad. Die ses respondente in my studie het self dwelms misbruik of was blootgestel aan dwelmmisbruik. Alle leerders by die plek van veiligheid het die wet oortree en is verhoorafwagtend. Hulle het die skool op voortydige ouderdom verlaat of het nooit voorheen skoolgegaan nie. Terwyl hulle by die plek van veiligheid bly, ondergaan hulle verskillende terapeutiese programme. Hulle woon ook skool by. Die leerplan is aangepas na aanleiding van die individuele behoeftes van die leerders. Terwyl ek met hierdie seuns en jeugdiges by die skool gewerk het, het ek besorg geraak oor die beperkte verwagtinge wat hulle klaarblyklik gehad het. Ek het gewonder waarom die meeste van hulle min of geen ambisie toon en klaarblyklik min of geen gretigheid het om te leer nie, veral as in ag geneem word dat hulle vlakke van geletterdheid benede die gemiddelde vlakke van hul ouderdomgroepe is en dat die meeste van hulle die skool voortydig verlaat het of selfs nooit skool bygewoon het nie. Algemene beriggewing en amptelike dokumente dui aan dat jeugdiges in Suid- Afrika – en veral in die Wes-Kaap – toenemend aan dwelmmisbruik, geweld en misdaad blootgestel word. Dit kan invloed hê op die groeiende aantal skoolverlaters. Beter begrip van verhoorafwagtende jeugdiges se ontvanklikheid of predisposisies vir leer kan lei tot beter begrip van die graad van ontmagtiging wat in hierdie gemeenskappe ervaar word. Hierdie navorsingstudie het op kwalitatiewe gevallestudies gefokus waartydens ek gepoog het om jeugdiges se ontvanklikheid of predisposisies vir leer te ondersoek en te verstaan. Vertolkende of interpretatiewe benadering is gevolg om insigte te bekom ten opsigte van die lewensverhale van vii die ses respondente en die wyse waarop hulle hul persoonlike werklikhede interpreteer en verstaan. Hierdie gemarginaliseerde groep mense het die geleentheid gekry om hul persoonlike lewensverhale met betrekking tot hul beleefde leerervaringe te verbaliseer. Ek het hierdie studie oor tydperk van ongeveer twee-en-‘n-halwe jaar uitgevoer, met in agneming van dataversameling en –verwerking. Ek het data versamel deur middel van inligting in amptelike dokumente, asook deur die voer van persoonlike onderhoude. Die indringende onderhoude wat ek met ses respondente gevoer het, is op video vasgelê. Ek het hierdie data gebruik in die proses van dataverwerking. Die tesis bied blik op die lewensverhale van die ses respondente. Dit kan dien as grondslag vir diskoers oor hoe die beoefening van volwasse onderrig en leer teen die agtergrond van gemarginaliseerde jeugdiges gedefinieer en toegepas word.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
Bibliography
Internationally, contemporary youth struggle to make sense or meaning of their lives. That is so because they live in a world where they daily witness unsolvable problems of struggling economies, poverty, HIV, and religious and national conflict, and where they are generally treated with ambivalence and a threat to the existing social order. Youth also struggle because within the public imagination they exist on the fringe of society. Giroux (2012: 2) argues that youth are given few spaces where “they can recognise themselves outside of the needs, values, and desires preferred by the marketplace” and are mostly subjected to punitive and zero tolerance approaches when they behave in unacceptable ways. In South Africa presently, it is generally claimed that “discipline problems” amongst youth have become the most endemic problem in South African schools, with policy makers and educators daily complaining about the disciplinary problems within schools that affect how learners engage with learning. Equally, discipline as punitive coercion has been shown to be an unsuccessful educational method in dealing with youth (Porteus & Vally 1999). With the above schooling challenge in mind, this qualitative study explored the views of thirteen young learners at Avondale High School in the Western Cape on school discipline. Via semi-structured interviews, the youth were asked about their understandings of the rules, disciplinary structures, forms of authority and order at the school, how they interpreted the role of discipline, and how they thought this would influence the futures awaiting them. The goal of the study was to provide a multi-dimensional view of what youth regarded as discipline at one school, and to explore whether different learners adopted different meanings of ‘discipline’ according to the context of their individual lives. I show in the study - utilising the views of Emile Durkheim, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu - that school discipline needs to be thought of as more than punishment or structures of ordering per se if it is to play a productive role in the functioning of schools. Along with Yang (2009: 49) I suggest that only when schools recognise that discipline has multiple meanings and (limited) roles within their daily functioning, will the emancipatory and transformative possibilities of school discipline be unlocked. For that to happen, the voices and views of youth in schools have to be taken account of, and meaningful relationships developed between learners, educators, and school management.

This creative project was developed as a supplement to the external stakeholder assessment component of the strategic planning process that Reach for Youth, Inc. (RFY)-a nonprofit youth organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana-adopted to create its strategic plan for 2002 to 2005. It supplemented the larger strategic planning process by positively engaging youth in focus group activities using surveys, creative exercises, and questionnaires, to attain their input and feedback, as program participants and primary stakeholders in the agency. As a result, youth participation validated the overall process, substantiated RFY's interest in expanding programs, influenced identification of critical issues that formed the basis of the plan, and sparked an organizational conversation about youth participation in the agency. The youth not only provided important feedback that informed RFY's strategic plan, they also were given a meaningful opportunity to express themselves as individuals, and had their roles in and contributions to the agency affirmed.
Department of Urban Planning

This study aims to explore how interaction with the performing arts could facilitate the participation of youths with disabilities in opportunities for social and economic inclusion. Equal access for all is a dream, as the world is still a disabling place, particularly for women, poor, Black and persons with a disability. As a result of this intersectionality of social identities and oppression, a lack of access to mainstream activities and opportunities remains a day-to-day reality for many persons with disabilities (Le Roux, 2015). Persons with disability yearn for the individual freedoms enjoyed by most other members of society. One vehicle through which people with disabilities can further enrich themselves are through cultural and arts events. The 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) universally recognised the right of people with disabilities to: ● Access work opportunities (Article 27); and ● Take part in cultural life with others (Article 30), i.e., ensuring that people with disabilities have adequate access to these activities. This study aims to explore how youth with disabilities’ exposure to theatre performance, visiting the theatre or attending a workshop can derive benefit regarding their awareness and prospects for social and economic inclusion. The objectives of this study are to: 1. Describe the experience of youth with disabilities attending a performance at Artscape. 2. Describe how being at Artscape influences or expands career aspirations of youth with disabilities related to economic and social inclusion. 3. Describe the social and life skills learned through attending a performance or visiting Artscape as a facility. 4. Identify factors that influence the participation of youth with disabilities in attending performances and events at Artscape. 5. Investigate how participation in performing arts contributes to their social and economic inclusion. This study used a qualitative research approach, using critical ethnography methodology. Primary data was obtained from an in-depth interview with a young, Black disabled woman and three focus group discussions of six participants. Secondary data in the form of questionnaires were quantitatively analysed This research revealed that transport remains a major challenge for disabled youth seeking to interact with the arts. While disability is diverse and each disability is unique in itself, contact with the arts has been found to facilitate social and economic inclusion and trigger the empowerment of these youth. This was seen in the four themes that came out of the findings namely; Blown away, I can do it, you can do it, Embracing Hope, and a long way to go. Hence, accessibility has varying meanings for different kinds of disability. There remains a huge gap for people with disabilities to be included in social and economic activities, and as a result, youth with disabilities are still trapped in a world of exclusion. I have therefore proposed an Inclusive Model of Disability for Social and Economic inclusion, which are based on the same four themes that I derived from the findings, as well as a fifth theme entitled; Toward social and Economic Inclusion. Based on this model I have also discussed what the findings have shown under four themes; Artscape as a catalyst for inclusion, Career Aspirations, Social and Life Skills, and Enabling Social and Economic Participation. This study concludes that potential exists for disability inclusion and participation in the performing arts, and refers to numerous implications for the education, livelihoods, social and empowerment sectors to consider based on the CBR components of inclusive development, as well as some recommendations beyond Artscape.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine how to make out-of-school programs more inclusive of youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) by analyzing inclusive out-of-school programs affiliated with Kids Included Together (KIT). KIT is an organization that provides training and resources for meaningfully including children with and without disabilities into community-based, out-of-school programs. The study examined the perspective of current and former youth with and without ID, their parents, KIT-affiliated staff members, and KIT’s staff members via interviews. Observations of youth participating in recreational activities were completed. The sample consisted of 27 participants. Participants yielded 9 salient themes with multiple categories that emerged from the data. Each theme served as elements of inclusion toward meaningful inclusion of individuals with ID in out-of-school programs. Participants addressed key elements of inclusion required to create social change in out-of-school programs, educational settings, and community programs. The study also highlighted the barriers associated with inclusion and discussed specific strategies to address these challenges based on findings of this research. The knowledge gained from the study may have relevance for community-based programs that are interested in fostering a supportive and inclusive organizational culture. This study may raise awareness and training on how to support individuals with ID and it may provide opportunities to build resources and additional inclusive programs. The study provides practitioner recommendations on how youth with and without disabilities, their parents, staff members of out-of-school programs, school teachers, staff and administrators can implement inclusive practices in the community, out-of-school programs and educational settings.

Food choices, food purchases and convenience food preparation by a group of mildly intellectually handicapped students are investigated. These students attend John Grant High School, in Lachine, Quebec, for continued academic intervention and vocational training. Results indicate most of these young adults make food choices based on a desire for good nutrition. There is a significant correlation (p $<$ 0.05) between nutrition knowledge and choosing nutritious foods in this sample. Yet the knowledge needed to make sound food choices is insufficient, as is the knowledge of food marketing. Families are the major influence on food selection and preparation, but as a source of information are found to be lacking. At school, home economics contributed most to students' knowledge of foods. Students found food preparation instructions particularly difficult to follow; students who had repeatedly prepared foods had greater success in producing an acceptable outcome. For this population practice is needed in making optimal food choices, menu planning and food preparation.

The integration of students with an intellectual disability has been a long standing issue and goal in special education. It is usually assumed that such educational integration will terminate following completion of high school. There are examples however, where persons with an intellectual liability have participated in higher education. One example of an integrated program has been implemented at a junior college in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec. This is a work-study type of program in which students 18-21 years of age follow a specific curriculum in the closed classroom and also participate in certain regular college classes, including physical education.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate this unique program with particular emphasis on physical education. More specifically, it was the intent to measure the perceptions of persons directly involved with the program on such variables as social acceptance, social interaction, self-concept, motor performance, peer performance, attitude, expectations, and perceptions. A questionnaire was distributed to subjects in four groups: students, peers, physical educators, and parents. Mean response scores from each group were reported for each variable. Results indicated a general positive perception regarding the integrated program from all groups.

When mentoring programs are well-designed and well-implemented, young people can experience positive gains in a number of social, emotional, behavioral, and educational areas. While some of the processes underlying mentoring relationships have been explored, the voices and perspectives of participants themselves have thus far been largely excluded from the mentoring literature. The lack of participant voice in mentoring research suggests that an important source of empirical and interpretive information is unavailable to the field in the process of designing, implementing, and researching mentoring programs. This study used interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore how youth participants in the Friends of the Children (FOTC) mentoring program experience and understand their long-term mentoring relationships. This study used an innovative approach to IPA that combines traditional phenomenological techniques with poetry writing as a key interpretive tool to explore the interplay between the content and meaning of participants' experiences. IPA methods were used to collect and analyze interview data from 12 FOTC participants who had been in the program for more than ten years and who had the same mentor for at least the last four years. Participants were selected purposively to maximize the potential depth and richness of the data. The study included several elements to ensure trustworthiness, including a reflexivity journal, an audit trail, and member checking. Findings suggest that for the participants in this study, long-term mentoring relationships meant: 1) unconditional support and commitment, 2) consistent and reliable help in difficult situations, 3) the chance to develop and appreciate one's own identity, and 4) a path to expanded opportunities in many facets of life. Subthemes within each category are described and interpreted. The poems created from the interview transcripts provide powerful and complementary illustrations for emergent themes by capturing some of the emotional content that can be lost in the process of analyzing, categorizing, and describing complex human phenomena. Key recommendations for mentoring programs and social work professionals are provided. Implications for future research are also discussed.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Close, personal relationships with adults are seen to contribute positively to the development of young people. Whilst mentoring has been established in other parts of the world, it is a relatively new concept in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to establish guidelines for the development of youth mentoring programmes. The literature study deals with the human development of youth during adolescence. Those factors, both within the family as well as in the environment, that affect the development of young people, are discussed. The phases of the mentoring process is also described. The Hearts of Men mentoring programme is used as an example of a youth mentoring programme that is based in the community. An exploratory and descriptive study was undertaken in order to describe the development of youth during adolescence. An empirical study was undertaken based on the literature review. A sample comprised of 18 young people participating in the Hearts of Men mentoring programme in the Strand was involved in the study. With the help of the empirical study the perception of the young people with regard to the mentor and mentee roles was examined. The findings of the study reveal that the young people in the Hearts of Men programme have a positive experience of the mentoring process and have an understanding of the mentor and mentee roles. In order to establish youth mentoring programmes, organisations must possess the knowledge of and skills in the mentoring process and must have an understanding of the human development of young people as well as of theories relating to their development.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Persoonlike verhoudings met volwasse persone word beskou as 'n positiewe bydraende faktor tot die ontwikkeling van jongmense. Terwyl mentorprogramme redelik gevestig is in ander dele van die wêreld, is dit 'n relatiewe nuwe konsep in Suid Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie is om riglyne daar te stel vir die ontwikkeling van jeug mentorprogramme. Die literatuurstudie het gehandel oor die menslike ontwikkeling van jongmense gedurende adolessensie. Faktore binne die gesin, sowel as die omgewing, wat 'n invloed het op die ontwikkeling van die adolessent is bespreek. Die fases van die mentorproses is ook beskryf. Die Hearts of Men program is gebruik as 'n voorbeeld van 'n gemeenskapsgebaseerde jeug mentorprogram. 'n Verkennende-beskrywende studie is onderneem om die ontwikkeling van die adolessent gedurende adolessensie te beskryf. 'n Empiriese studie gegrond op die literatuurstudie is gedoen. 'n Steekproef, bestaande uit agtien jong deelnemers aan die Hearts of Men mentorprogram in die Strand, is by die ondersoek betrek. Met behulp van die empiriese ondersoek is die persepsies van die jong persone rakende die rol van die mentor en mentee in die mentorprogram ondersoek. Die bevindinge van die ondersoek toon dat die deelnemers aan die Hearts of Men mentorprogram 'n positiewe ervaring van die mentorproses ondervind, en dat hulle begrip toon ten opsigte van die rol van die mentor en mentee in die mentorprogram. Ten einde jeug mentorprogramme te implementeer, moet organisasies oor die kennis en vaardighede beskik rakende die mentorproses. Organisasies moet ook begrip toon rakende menslike ontwikkeling van jongmense, en kennis hê oor teorieë wat op hulle ontwikkeling betrekking het.

This study centred on three local governments which claimed to give priority to youth participation. Two of those municipalities were identified on the basis of employing youth participation officers, while the third was volunteered to participate in the study by the Mayor of the day who claimed that " their Council was streets ahead " of other local governments in their response to the issues of young people from within their municipality. The study was designed to ascertain how the selected Councils engaged with young people and provided opportunities for them to participate fully in the community. I interviewed the key stakeholders of the three municipalities from which I had agreement to participate. During these frank, unstructured interviews, I asked a range of questions about engagement of young people within the community. Each interview was of approximately one hour duration. Interviewees included elected councillors including the Mayor of each municipality; senior staff within Councils including each Chief Executive Officer; and youth work staff including those described as Youth Participation and Youth Development Officers. I also examined corporate documents including Annual Reports, Annual Plans, and Council Meeting Minutes from each of the councils under study. These documents provided valuable information about Council priorities, budgets, achievements and future directions. For another part of the study, I examined back copies of Leader newspapers published in each of the municipalities under study. Using a specially designed data collection form, I collected a range of information about all articles referring to young people, or which had young people as the main focus of the article. Following collection of newspaper data, I entered all of the information into a specially designed template I had previously created in the Statview statistical analysis program. A range of statistical calculations were then performed and frequency tables produced. This part of the study was conducted in response to a claim that newspaper reporting of youth issues in Kimberly was quite generous compared to other municipalities. Such a claim was' not proved to be statistically significant however. Nonetheless, the data showed that contrary to anecdotal evidence and other research related to young people and media, the nature of reporting of young people and their issues in the municipalities unde r study was overwhelmingly positive. Despite the rhetoric espoused by each local government In relation to youth development within their municipalities, two Councils proved to be disappointing in respect to what they actually delivered. This demonstrated that simply hiring a youth worker and giving them the title of Youth Participation Officer will achieve little if the Council is not serious about youth participation. For Athena and Burke City Councils, the rhetoric failed to concur with reality. Athena City Council demonstrated few opportunities for young people to participate in community activities and interviews with Athena staff revealed interference from elected representatives, compromising attempts to empower young people. Such interference has been blamed on Councillors trying to hurry a process to see results on the board for political gain. This study showed that the Council with the least resources and the largest geographical area actually performed far better than the other two municipalities. That particular Council adopted a community development approach to working with young people within the municipality out of necessity. As a municipality comprising a number of towns over a large area, such an approach was the only way that the youth worker could service the community. Despite individual failings, a major finding of this study is that we can conclude that local government does have a valid role in promoting the full participation of young people within their communities. This includes the involvement of young people in the development of programs and services that best meet their needs and wants. , Further, while the focus of this study was largely on the concept of social citizenship, it became apparent that a broader definition of political citizenship than simply voting or standing for office is as important for the development of young people and their participation in the community, and sometimes indistinguishable from, the concept of social citizenship. Gleaned from the study is a range of conditions determined as desirable to be present for maximising young people's full participation in their communities. These conditions are more indicative of young people's development opportunities than any of the geographical or demographic traits. These conditions include a stated policy commitment to young people; a professional framework for delivery of programs and services; a holistic approach to the delivery of services, connected to sound planning and coordination; and a supportive elected leadership team that refrains from interfering for political gain. Further, a dedicated council officer with a commitment to positively promoting and empowering young people, and supported by the organisations' policies and practices is essential. That same officer would also require a liberal dose of autonomy and an approach to the development of young people that sees the participation in a process as important as any outcome, and indeed as an outcome in itself. That local government is seen as key player within the community in relation to youth issues also became apparent from the study. Across Australia, a wide range of programs, activities and approaches were highlighted which relate to aspects of citizenship. This demonstrates an acknowledgement by local government as a sector that youth issues and youth development is no longer an optional extra, but is indeed 'core business'.

The complex human process of sport coaching is a dynamic and evolving practice that develops over a long period of time. Coaches learn from a number of different situations and their past experiences influence what they choose to pay attention to and learn from (Werthner & Trudel, 2009). This dissertation explores the lifelong learning process through a collective case study involving four coaches for athletes with a physical disability. The theoretical framework that guides this study is Jarvis’ (2006, 2007, 2009) comprehensive view on human learning, including his concept of lifelong learning, and key concepts such as biography, experience and disjuncture, and types of learning. Jarvis' psychosocial perspective on human learning is a useful lens for a closer examination of how coaches develop over a lifetime and how they change and continue the process of becoming through new experiences, which they gain, more often than not, within a social context. The work of Moon (1999, 2004) and her metaphor of a network view of learning is a complementary framework for examining learning through reflective practice. Moon's generic view of learning (1999) illustrates how a network of knowledge, feelings and emotions make up one’s "cognitive structure" and suggests that this structure plays an important role in the learning process as it guides what we choose to pay attention to and what we choose to learn. A thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to extract themes and examples from three in-depth interviews with each coach, observation of the coach in their coaching contexts, as well as interviews with key collaborators in their coaching practice. The transcripts were member checked to increase trustworthiness. Three articles comprise the results section and the main points in this dissertation are as follows: (a) a case study of one exemplary parasport coach and how he learned through a wide variety of life experiences, such as pragmatic problem solving, education, and building relationships; (b) the four coaches who engaged in social learning through meaningful interactions with a variety of key collaborators who contributed to their learning and coaching practice; and (c) the four coaches who used reflection to learn and to build their coaching practices within the unique context of the parasport world. These findings contribute to the emerging body of literature on coaches for athletes with disabilities by adding to our understanding of how coaches’ life experiences and biographies determine what kinds of learning opportunities they each found meaningful; the importance of the social context in learning to coach athletes with disabilities; and the role and importance of reflection in understanding the interconnections of learning from life experiences, particularly in the unique and developing parasport setting. The study will also aid coach educators in understanding the role and importance of past learning experiences and the social context in coach learning.

Developmental disabilities (DEVDIS) such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental delay (DD), and learning disabilities, affect 14% of US youth, who also experience higher rates of obesity, approximately 19%, than youth without these conditions. Screen time is a risk factor for obesity, though it is not well-studied among youth with developmental disabilities. Youth with developmental disabilities experience challenges with learning, have underdeveloped social skills, and problematic behaviors. These predispositions can often result in peer rejection. The resulting social isolation may make these youth particularly vulnerable to engaging in solitary activities such as screen time. The objectives of this dissertation were to compare screen time rates among youth with developmental disabilities to typically developing youth and to examine the associations between social and family engagement with screen time among youth with developmental disabilities. Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), a national cross-sectional study that assesses the physical and emotional health of US children (N = 91,642), were used. Youth 6-17 years, with ADHD (n = 7,024), ASD (n = 1,200), DD (n = 3,276), LD (n = 7,482), and without special health care needs (n = 44,461) were studied. Unadjusted analyses found that children with DEVDIS engage in higher rates of screen time than youth without special health care needs. For youth with DEVDIS who were medicated for their ADHD, these associations attenuated. Thus ADHD symptoms, a common comorbidity across developmental disabilities, drove associations between the other developmental disabilities and screen time. Across all developmental disability groups, television in the bedroom was a significant screen time risk factor in both children and adolescents. Among children with ADHD, additional screen time risk factors included lack of caregiver knowledge of the child’s friends and any social engagement outside of the household. Among adolescents with ADHD, additional screen time risk factors included lower frequency that caregiver attends adolescent’s events and sport social engagement. Findings of this dissertation elucidate modifiable screen time risk factors that could potentially be adapted to decrease screen time among youth with developmental disabilities.

Developmental disabilities (DEVDIS) such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental delay (DD), and learning disabilities, affect 14% of US youth, who also experience higher rates of obesity, approximately 19%, than youth without these conditions. Screen time is a risk factor for obesity, though it is not well-studied among youth with developmental disabilities. Youth with developmental disabilities experience challenges with learning, have underdeveloped social skills, and problematic behaviors. These predispositions can often result in peer rejection. The resulting social isolation may make these youth particularly vulnerable to engaging in solitary activities such as screen time. The objectives of this dissertation were to compare screen time rates among youth with developmental disabilities to typically developing youth and to examine the associations between social and family engagement with screen time among youth with developmental disabilities. Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), a national cross-sectional study that assesses the physical and emotional health of US children (N = 91,642), were used. Youth 6-17 years, with ADHD (n = 7,024), ASD (n = 1,200), DD (n = 3,276), LD (n = 7,482), and without special health care needs (n = 44,461) were studied. Unadjusted analyses found that children with DEVDIS engage in higher rates of screen time than youth without special health care needs. For youth with DEVDIS who were medicated for their ADHD, these associations attenuated. Thus ADHD symptoms, a common comorbidity across developmental disabilities, drove associations between the other developmental disabilities and screen time. Across all developmental disability groups, television in the bedroom was a significant screen time risk factor in both children and adolescents. Among children with ADHD, additional screen time risk factors included lack of caregiver knowledge of the child’s friends and any social engagement outside of the household. Among adolescents with ADHD, additional screen time risk factors included lower frequency that caregiver attends adolescent’s events and sport social engagement. Findings of this dissertation elucidate modifiable screen time risk factors that could potentially be adapted to decrease screen time among youth with developmental disabilities.

This case study examines the educational needs of students attending two social affairs schools in Quebec. The aim was to determine why these youths continue to do poorly academically and why they fail to thrive once they leave the child welfare system, as described in the literature. Individual and environmental factors that hinder academic progress were investigated ethnographically. The chronic under-achievement characteristic of youths attending the social affairs schools appears to be due to a number of individual factors such as frequent school changes as well as to the mental health model that guides the social affairs schools. This model views educational difficulties to be secondary to psycho-social familial problems. As a result, appropriate educational assessments are not conducted and little attention is given to remediating learning difficulties that may prevent successful reintegration of students into regular schools and often exacerbate family dysfunction.

This 3-month intensive single case study of Rey (pseudonym), a 16-year-old male client and his family highlights the impact of the local wraparound program in Santa Cruz County (WRAP) on a participating probation youth of immigrant background. A holistic lens helped understand the interactive spheres that made up Rey's world. The theoretical considerations reviewed—both individual and systems orientations—suggested a more complete view of the complex interrelated factors that made up the participant's reality. The literature review covered social ecology; community psychology; wraparound; the local cultural, historical, and ethnographical background; attachment; complex trauma; emotion regulation; interconnectedness; family therapy; and coherence. There is a session-by-session synopsis of Rey's interactions with the program, followed by an analysis of the sessions as they related to his defense, receiving support, connectedness, participation, exploration, and emotion regulation. The holistic model offered detailed insight into Rey's experiences during his work with WRAP. Although the results are individualized, the focus on the single participant allowed for sensitization and increased awareness regarding WRAP's impact on Rey's world. The use of the holistic model and the themes that emerged should be examined in further research with different populations and diverse sociocultural surroundings.

Technology has provided more people access products and services, yet some individuals who would benefit the most from digital access to resources are frequently excluded from participation. One group that is largely neglected is the disability community. Despite federal regulations intended to ensure that people with physical/mental disabilities are included in public digital platforms, organizations continuously design websites, applications, and interfaces without people with disabilities in mind. This is particularly the case with small businesses, which are most commonly reported as having inaccessible digital platforms. Digital inclusion attempts to ensure equity in digital properties by providing a model to operationalize inclusion across technologies. This qualitative case study examines how a small business owner in an urban U.S. city prioritizes digital inclusion in his daily operations. Using a responsive interview model, the business owner’s experiences, attitudes, and priorities were recorded. Six themes appeared from this study: perceptions of disability influence digital inclusion, powerful branding suggests digital access, unawareness of accessibility guidelines, UX testing overlooks input from people with disabilities, inclusion is tough to enforce on digital platforms, and workarounds hinder digital improvements.

Youth outreach programs use innovative and community-based activities to fill in gaps of education, provide creative outlets, create access to opportunities, and empower youth.1 This research investigates, records, and compares the ways in which staff and youth participants perceive the experience at a New Orleans youth program. The purpose of the research is to provide insight towards potential program improvement. The participants of this study are from Compassion Outreach of America’s summer program Project Reach NOLA in the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana. There are twenty-nine participants, between the ages of fourteen and fifty years old. The participants are directors, staff members, and youth enrolled in the program. The mixed-methods utilized are: focus groups, interviews, surveys, and observation. The study emphasizes the inclusion of participant voices and their positioned expertise.2

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of a Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) based physical activity intervention designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the twelve-week intervention with regard to psychosocial behaviour using SCT and physical activity behaviour among adults with intellectual disability in non-working time. Design: The study involved pre-post randomized control trial and employed a MANCOVA analysis for this study. Between-Subjects Design was used to assess the effect of independent variable (twelve-week intervention programme) on two groups (intervention group and control group). Follow-up (separate ANVOAs) were calculated on the four dependent variables (self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, barrier to exercise, and moderate physical activity). Participants: Eighty participants from St. James settlements aged over 18 years participated in the present study. After data screening, 59 (30 males, 29 females; n for intervention=29, n for control=30) cases with completed data were analyzed. The final data set contained participants with age ranged from 21 to 67 years (M=35.83, SD=10.28) and BMI ranged from 13 to 64 (M=27, SD=7.33). Intervention group received a SCT-based intervention programme for twelve one-hour lectures. Outcome measures:The Primary outcomes included Self-efficacy, Outcome expectation and Barrier to exercise Questionnaire (SOBQ) on psychosocial behaviour (self-efficacy, outcome expectancy and perceived barrier) and Physical Activity Recall (PAR) on physical activity behaviour (moderate physical activity) among adults with intellectual disabilities. Secondary outcome include objective check list to evaluate the designed treatment being delivered to participants adequately. Measures were taken at baseline and posttest and additionally, intervention group were recruited for follow-up at 4-month. Results: After controlling the pretest scores, the MANCOVA results showed a statistically significant difference between two groups (intervention group and control group) F(4,48)=32.8, P<0.001; Wilk’s Lambda=0.27, partial eta squared =0.73. Result of follow-up measure on MANCOVA, showed that 12-wk intervention between-subjects are significant for all 4 dependents variables: self-efficacy: F(1,116)=47.12, p<0.0125, ηρ²=0.48; outcome expectation: F(1,134)=22.27, p<0.0125, ηρ²=0.30; barrier to exercise: F(1,100)=10.50, p<0.0125, ηρ²=0.17; moderate physical activity F(1,114)=96.79, p<0.0125, ηρ²=0.65 with a Bonferroni adjusted alpha level of 0.0125. The MANOVA results showed that the outcome of the 12-week intervention programme significantly influence time (pretest and posttest) of self-efficacy, outcome expectation, barrier to exercise, moderate physical activity. All scores are significantly higher for posttest in self-efficacy (p<0.01), outcome expectation (p<0.01), moderate physical activity (p<0.01), and lower in barrier to exercise (p<0.01). Lastly, the four months follow-up test showed that the intervention group had significantly lower mean scores compared with posttest in self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and barrier to exercise. There was no significant difference in moderate physical activity between follow-up and posttest in the intervention group. Conclusions: The twelve-week SCT-based educational treatment shows significant effects in posttest and also intervention group on the targeted constructs: self-efficacy, outcome expectation, and barrier to exercise as well as increasing the moderate physical activity among working adults with intellectual disabilities.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis exanunes whether the historical consciousness of grade 10 youth would increase should there be an intervention facilitated for this purpose, that is that they would show a heightened consciousness of the relation between school history and current affairs, politics and other societal issues. This intervention comprises the My New World text produced within the populist historiographical tradition in South Africa. The notion of historical consciousness is defined as the complex relation between an interpretation of the past, a perspective of the present and expectations of the future ROsen (1989; 1994). The investigation comprised a theoretical and empirical component. The theoretical component is informed by the theories of epistemology, knowledge, schooling and curriculum. The empirical component is based on the Youth and History Survey conducted on historical consciousness amongst youth in Europe in the early 1990s. Both this study and the European study were conducted during periods of political transition. The chosen research methodology was that of triangulation, combining quantitative with qualitative methods. The quantitative component was based on the measurement used in the European study, and comprised an experimental pre-test and post-test research design, measuring "inside school" and "outside school" historical consciousness. The study was conducted in 8 grade 10 classrooms at 8 schools in Cape Town, representative of class, race, language and gender. The teachers acted as facilitators of the intervention. The conclusion reached in the research is that although the intervention resulted in an increased enthusiasm amongst individuals for school history and interest in political issues and an understanding for the present as in evidence from the qualitative data, this was not reflected in the quantitative data which showed no significant increase in the "inside school" nor "outside school" historical consciousness amongst youth of average 15 years in grade 10 history classrooms in Cape Town. It can therefore not be empirically concluded that when youth are exposed to populist history over a limited period that they would show an increased "outside school" or "inside school" historical consciousness even though an intervention might aim to increase such a consciousness. A significant finding is that the case for an already existent historical consciousness related to the variables of class and gender holds. Instead of increasing the levels of historical consciousness, the intervention resulted in a surfacing of long-held attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of people, society, the past, the present and the future. The intervention succeeded in bringing these complex layers of variables and related factors that impact on perceptions and attitudes to the surface. Given this complexity, it was also concluded that an empirical study of historical consciousness amongst youth through an intervention over a limited period of time is risky, if not of little value.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die vraag of die historiese bewussyn van graad 10-leerders sal toeneem indien daar vir hierdie doe I 'n intervensie sou plaasvind, met ander woorde of hulle 'n verhoogde bewussyn van die verhouding tussen die yak Geskiedenis op skool en sake van die dag, die politiek en ander gemeenskapsake sal aantoon. Die tersaaklike intervensie behels die teks van My New World wat daargestel is binne die raamwerk van die populistiese historiografiese tradisie in Suid-Afrika. Die begrip 'historiese bewussyn' kan omskryf word as 'n komplekse verhouding tussen die interpretasie van die verlede, 'n perspektief oor die hede, en verwagtinge oor die toekoms (Rusen 1989; 1994). Die ondersoek bevat 'n teoretiese sowel as 'n empiriese komponent. Die teoretiese komponent is gebaseer op epistemologiese, onderwys- en kurrikulumteoriee. Die empiriese komponent vind sy grondslag in die Youth and History Survey ondersoek oor historiese bewussyn wat in die vroee 1990' s onder Europese jongmense geloods is. Beide hierdie studie en die Europese navorsing is in tye van politieke oorgang onderneem. Die navorsingsmetode wat gebruik is, is die van triangulasie wat uit 'n kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodes bestaan. Die kwantitatiewe komponent lS gebaseer op die meting wat in die Europese studie gebruik is, en bestaan uit 'n eksperimentele voor- en natoets navorsingsontwerp wat die historiese bewussyn "binne" en "buite" skoolverband meet. Die studie is geloods in agt graad 10-klaskamers by agt skole in Kaapstad wat klas, ras, taal en geslag verteenwoordig het. Die betrokke onderwysers het as fasiliteerders vir die intervensie opgetree. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe in die ondersoek geraak is, is dat, alhoewel die intervensie tot verhoogde entoesiasme vir Geskiedenis as skoolvak en tot belangstelling in politieke kwessies en 'n begrip van die hede onder individuele leerders gelei het (soos afgelei kon word uit kwalitatiewe data), hierdie tendens nie weerspieel is deur die kwantitatiewe data nie: eersgenoemde het nie 'n beduidende verhoging in die historiese bewussyn "binne" of "buite" skoolverband onder leerders met 'n gemiddelde ouderdom van 15 jaar getoon nie. Daar kan dus nie empiries tot die gevolgtrekking geraak word dat wanneer leerders vir 'n beperkte tyd aan populistiese geskiedenis blootgestel word, hulle 'n verhoogde historiese bewussyn "binne" of "buite" skoolverband sal aantoon nie, selfs al sou so 'n intervensie dit weI ten doel he om so 'n bewussyn te verhoog. 'n Beduidende bevinding is dat daar 'n saak uitgemaak kan word vir 'n reeds bestaande historiese bewussyn wat in verband staan met die veranderlikes van klas en geslag. In plaas daarvan om die vlakke van historiese bewussyn te verhoog het die intervensie die gevolg gehad dat lank bestaande houdings, persepsies en oortuigings oor mense, die gemeenskap, die verlede, die he de en die toekoms, na die oppervlak beweeg het. Die intervensie het dus daarin geslaag om hierdie komplekse lae veranderlikes en verwante faktore wat persepsies en houdings beinvloed, na die oppervlak te bring. In die lig van die kompleksiteit hiervan, is daar ook tot die gevolgtrekking geraak dat 'n empiriese studie van historiese bewussyn onder jongmense oor 'n beperkte tyd deur middel van intervensie riskant is, indien nie van min waarde nie.

A third of youth in the United States are currently classified as overweight, which is impacted by the low rates of youth that meet daily physical activity recommendations. Engaging in physical activity contributes to healthy body weight and physical fitness, both of which have positive health consequences. Participating in physical activity not only aids in positive health outcomes, but research indicates that it also has a positive relationship with and effect on youths’ cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes. The majority of researchers conducting meta-analyses examining the effect of physical activity on youths’ cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes have excluded single-case design research from the data analyses. Excluding these types of designs from syntheses of the research may create an inaccurate account of the effect of physical activity on youths’ cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes. The current study addressed these issues by conducting a meta-analysis of single-case design studies over approximately the past 50 years to add to the current understanding of the effect of physical activity on youths’ cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes. Additionally, moderator analyses were conducted on numerous participant, intervention, and study characteristics that were deemed important, as indicated in the literature review. The effect size of physical activity on youths’ academic and behavioral outcomes was determined by utilizing hierarchical linear modeling of the included 81 time series from 15 single-case design studies. There were not enough data to calculate the effect size on youths’ cognitive outcomes. Significant effect sizes were found that indicate physical activity has an effect on increasing youths’ desirable behaviors (e.g.on task behavior and social skills) and decreasing youths’ undesirable behaviors (e.g. self stimulation, self-injurious behaviors, and off task behavior; ES = 1.83), as well as, increasing work completion, (ES = 2.01). No moderating effects were found other than the type of single case design moderated the effect on youths’ behavioral outcomes. The current study is important for decision makers in schools when deciding whether to increase or decrease particular students’ time spent in physical activity. Additionally, the results of the study are pertinent to other practitioners who work with youth, parents, and for youth themselves so that they can utilize physical activity interventions to help with appropriate behaviors and work completion.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
As primary caregivers (such as residential youth-care workers) are the first teachers of children and spend much more time with the child than any other service provider, educational psychologists need to implement programmes that include primary caregivers in actively working with the youth in their care. This calls for educational psychologists to gain a rich understanding of the experiences of youth-care workers in order to work collaboratively in rehabilitating youth at risk within the youth’s ecosystem. The study attempts to explore the experiences of youth-care workers in residential facilities, using the ecosystemic perspective. A proposed outcome of the research is to contribute to the skills and interventions educational psychologists can use in collaborating with and supporting youth-care workers in residential facilities to rehabilitate youth who are at risk successfully. Qualitative research within the interpretive/constructivist paradigm was employed as the research design. Research was based at two residential facilities in an outlying area of Cape Town, from which four youth-care workers and two youths were drawn as a sample. The data was collected through six semi-structured interviews, observations over a 10-month period at one of the facilities, and photographs of youth-care workers and children. The review of literature and the findings of this research uncovered many experiences that appear to typify residential youth care. These experiences include the multifaceted nature of the role that youth-care workers fulfil in a residential facility; three types of emotional affect experienced by youth-care workers working in facilities; the significance of healthy youth-care worker-child relationships and the importance of these relationships in the successful rehabilitation of youth at risk; and the levels of support and training required in order to perform the task of successfully rehabilitating youth at risk in residential settings.

This project explores the impact of the services provided by the "Early Start" program at Inland Regional Center. Text includes cover letter, survey form, and informed consent form in Spanish and English.

Most schools that serve learners who come from disadvantaged areas and backgrounds face unusually difficult challenges. These schools experience poor performance and disciplinary problems, and teachers lack motivation and commitment. This study explores the role of leadership and management in the schooling of at-risk learners at Pandu Primary School. This school accommodates learners mostly from Hafo, a township characterised by poverty with a high crime rate. However, in spite of these factors school inspectors and advisory teachers perceive the school to be successful. The school uses an abundance of energy and unusually high levels of human effort in a very focused way to improve the teaching and learning standard. The study found the co-existence of apparently conflicting management and leadership approaches in managing and leading the school. Strict control used in the school to make teachers work hard is an element of classical organisational theory, with its emphasis on span of control or number of workers supervised. Policies with strict rules are in place to create a calm atmosphere and serve as directives for teachers and learners. On the other hand, constructivist approaches – such as instructional leadership, transformational leadership, collegial model of management and open systems – are also clearly evident in the findings. Instructional leadership is evident in the emphasis on improvement of classroom practice. Elements of transformational leadership are seen in that the principal motivates the teachers and serves as a role model. The school also has some features of the collegial model of management, and can be described as an open system. Thus, by drawing on management and leadership approaches informed by different traditions and philosophies, the school succeeds against severe odds.

This study works with Rotary Youth Exchange to investigate the role of predeparture intercultural training in preparing students to study abroad so that they 5 positively integrate their experience to become interculturally competent people. The Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) along with an intercultural background survey were administered to each student during the first one to four months of his or her exchange to measure his or her intercultural competency development and to learn li about the student's intercultural background. Developing explicit evidence for the role of intercultural training through this study proved unsuccessful because of the students' Jack of knowledge about the subject. However, through analysis of students' answers to decipher the quality of training received and comparing that information to the students' IES scores, the vital role of intercultural training in predeparture orientation is implied.

The purpose of the study was to compare the relative benefits of treating at-risk students, those considered to be potential dropouts, by separating them into special classes at a separate facility—a pullout program—versus having them remain in regular classes with periodic supplemental counseling based upon individual needs—a mainstream program. To carry out the purpose of the study, students enrolled in the two types of treatment programs were compared in respect to retention in school, attendance, academic achievement based upon pretest and posttest scores, report card grades, and attitude toward school.

Closing the achievement gap has been a national conversation for several decades and a priority for educators and researchers. By looking closely at one school which is showing exceptional success with closing the achievement gap for low income students and English language learners, this study seeks to understand how school personnel and parents view after-school activities and ways in which those activities may be impacting students who are making significant gains in spite of the achievement gap. After-school activities have been shown to bring many positive outcomes for students. That said, there is much that we do not yet know about what takes place at the intersection of schools and after-school activities. To maximize after-school opportunities for disadvantaged students and use or redirect existing resources most effectively, we need to ask and understand how schools perceive their role vis-à-vis after-school activities. We also need to explore how school personnel and parents perceive access and barriers to participation in after-school activities. Using secondary data from a large on-going study, this case study asks how one school understands engagement with after-school providers to bolster those students who may have the most to gain from such enrichment in the form of the many opportunities after-school resources can offer. This study will contribute to our understanding of how after-school resources can support success for low income and English language learners.

Service provision in both adult and juvenile correctional settings is an understudied phenomenon. Research has evaluated the use of evidence-based practices (EBP) in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse among adults and juveniles. Young, Farrell, Henderson and Taxman (2009) highlight the role of organizational factors including climate and culture, opportunities for staff training, resources, administrator attitudes and interagency collaboration in the application of EBP in correctional settings. The Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) aims to provide services to youth under the guise of EBP. Literature in the field of juvenile justice is limited in scope in areas of organizational factors, which are likely to influence the allocation of mental health treatment to youth. This study addressed this gap in existing research by using thematic analysis of focus group data with 28 OYA employees representing seven facilities. Data on 594 youth is offered to illustrate the variability of youth characteristics in OYA facilities. Facility data reflective of youth management and operations is presented to suggest context for staff observations and perceptions of how youth are identified for treatment. Results indicate staff knowledge about treatment and consistency in training along with frequency of organizational change affect climates in which treatment recommendations are made. Findings from this study will be beneficial to OYA as they attempt to meet the growing needs of mental health populations and address ongoing changes to agency staff, culture and climate. Implications from this study will contribute to literature on treatment service provision in juvenile correctional settings.

This collective case study explored the impact of a later-in-life learning disability (LD) diagnosis on women in poverty. The study focused on the perspectives of four women who were not identified with LD as children but accessed assessment services as adults receiving Oregon's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). All four reported painful awareness of learning differences as youths; as adults they voluntarily engaged in a "labeling event," furthering a process toward personal transformation and enhanced well-being initiated by their own awareness and curiosity. The women described critical social and emotional support systems and relationships that helped them integrate understanding of the LD construct, education and employment opportunities that came in the wake of the diagnosis, and decisions made regarding disclosure. Self- determination theory and interpersonal neurobiology undergird reflections on narratives and themes. Recommendations for practice include providing low-income women assessed with LD (1) access to an LD specialist; (2) case planning and case management with a strength-based focus; and (3) assistance working with the public schools for those who are parents. The study underscores the significant services provided by Oregon DHS to low-income women with learning disabilities who have not been identified by K-12 school systems and recommends that DHS undertake further quantitative and qualitative research in collaboration with a research institution.

This study is about young people (age 11-16) with diabetes. Based on fieldwork in a paediatric diabetes centre in Scotland, it describes the ways diabetes is lived and done by young people, their health carers and insulin pumps. This enactment is contrasted with other ways of doing diabetes, as observed on short fieldwork trips to paediatric centres in Brussels, Gothenburg and Boston. I explore the dynamics of diabetes care on two levels. I consider the interaction between health carers and patients. Comparative data from various paediatric centres make apparent how culturally and socially informed approaches towards adolescence, health and illness shape both care practices and patients' experiences, resulting in different medical outcomes. Concretely in the Scottish centre, a non-hierarchical holistic care approach by health carers emphasizing quality of life over health, informs the young people's perspective on diabetes. Being a free adolescent takes priority over managing diabetes, with the results of ill health and possible future complications. The existing dynamics in this care framework change as a third actor enters the scene: the insulin pump, a pager-sized technological device continuously attached to the body. I explore the balancing act between young people and their pumps. As the adolescents actively engage with their pumps not to search for better health but rather to pursue a better quality of life, the guiding question becomes: how can a technological device for insulin injection double as a tool towards a desired identity and a different illness? This work then, can be read as a concrete case study of how a uniform technological device is embedded and used in a specific cultural and social context. It can also be read as an argument for a re-orientation of paediatric diabetes care in the Scottish centre: care centred on collaboration and inclusion rather than focused on merely containing underlying conflict (between adults and adolescents, diabetes and life, health and quality of life). Centres in Brussels, Gothenburg and Boston, and the insulin pump concretely, show how collaboration can lead to good health and quality of life. To leave us to wonder: is 'doing diabetes differently' synonymous with 'doing a different diabetes'?

Students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience decreased academic and social-emotional outcomes when compared to their peers without disabilities. Self-determination, positive psychology, and cognitive theories of learning offer suggestions for improving these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop The Personal Strengths Intervention (PSI) and investigate its impact on levels of self-determination and the social-emotional functioning of postsecondary students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. PSI integrates key elements of self-determination, positive psychology, and cognitive theories. ADHDA multiple baseline design with seven participants was used to examine the intervention effects over time. Results indicate PSI demonstrates content, face, and social validity. The results from the examination of the impact of participation in PSI on self-determination and social-emotional levels were inconsistent. Visual analyses, effect sizes, and multilevel modeling of the time series data indicated there was little to no intervention effect across participants. However, results from the visual analyses and effect sizes revealed there were some intervention effects for particular participants. For participants who demonstrated intervention effects, effects ranged from small to large for self-determination dependent variables and small to moderate for social-emotional dependent variables. Pre- post-assessment results indicated there was an increase in self-determination and positive affect associated with participation in PSI. There were no changes in subjective well-being or negative affect. Results from a longitudinal qualitative trend analysis and final interviews with participants indicated improved self-determination and social-emotional levels. A discussion of possible explanations for the finding and implications is included. Suggestions for future research are provided.

This thesis offers a critical assessment of anti- child trafficking discourse, policy and practice, using a case study of the situation in Southern Benin. It seeks to achieve two main goals. First, to transcend the reductiveness of the dominant paradigm around child trafficking, including dominant representations of it and prevailing policy approaches to dealing with it. Second, to complicate the simplistic nature of much of the academic literature that explains the existence and persistence of this dominant paradigm. Based on 14 months of multi-sited fieldwork, the thesis demonstrates, first, that the institutional narrative of ‘child trafficking’ misrepresents what would be better understood as adolescent labour migration in Benin, and second, that mainstream policy approaches to tackling this fail to account for the sociocultural or political-economic conditions that underpin it. The thesis suggests that this can be interpreted as a result of the power of three framing orders of discourse – ‘Apollonian Childhood’, Neoliberalism and that of the Westphalian State – which structure both what ‘trafficking’ can mean and what can be done about it. The thesis suggests that the material and power structures of the anti-trafficking discourse- and policy-making field are such that, even where individuals within it reject both the dominant paradigm and its (and the field’s) framing orders of discourse, little space exists for them to construct meaningful alternatives. The result is a degree of formal and representational stability, hiding practical hybridity. The conclusion is offered that, while anti-trafficking discourse is presumed to be accurate and while antitrafficking policy is justified in terms of its contribution to ‘beneficiaries’, theprinciple achievement of both is the depoliticised reproduction of the institutions, orders of discourse and political-economic context within which they are constructed.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study set out to research the influence of a local non-state actor on the role and authority of the state, in the domestic environment. Accordingly, the research problem focused on the impact of a domestic actor on the association between the state and the society. This study only focused on the state at the level of local government and the impact of one specific actor, organised criminal groups, on social control by the state. Thus, state-society relations were discussed in this context. In order to guide this study, the main and two supportive research questions were stated as follows: What is the impact of organised crime on the social control by the state? What are the power dynamics between local governance, criminal agents and society? Has the state become criminalised at the level of local government, as a result of the activities of organised crime, and if so, to what extent? The state thus functioned as the dependent variable and organised criminal groups as the independent variable. The theoretical foundation of this study was located in state-society relations, and specific reference was given to the work of Migdal (1988) and his analysis of state social control, pyramidal and weblike societies. Furthermore, a neo-pluralist view of the state was followed. A conceptualisation of the criminalisation of the state was provided, as the criminalisation of the state was regarded as one possible impact of organised crime on the state. In order to analyse the criminalisation of the state, a framework was constructed from four main avenues of empirical observation. In order to answer the research questions, a case study research design and a predominantly qualitative methodology was selected. As a case, the City of Cape Town was selected and Manenberg, located on the Cape Flats, as the site for the research. A case study research design created the opportunity to describe the context in detail and to connect the micro level of analysis to the macro level; thus, it provided insight on the research topic that enabled the researcher to expand/build theory. The field research process occurred over a period of three months using a triangulation of methods: Key informant interview, small group discussions and observation with three categories of respondents. These three categories included: Community members of Manenberg, organised criminal groups and agents of local government and local governance. In order to set the stage for the empirical analysis, a contextualisation of the dependent and independent variables were provided. It was stated that there is a lack of a universally agreed upon definition of organised crime, and as a result, a conceptualisation of organised crime was generated for this study. It was further argued that the majority of literature treats organised criminal groups and organised criminal gangs as two separate concepts, despite the fact that there are more similarities than differences. Thus, for the purpose of this study, a conclusion was reached that the difference is inconsequential. The development of organised crime in South Africa and an examination of the historical development of the gangs on the Cape Flats were described. With regards to the dependent variable, the context was provided for an analysis of local government in South Africa. The demographical and operational features of the municipal area of the City of Cape Town were explained, with specific reference to safety and security elements. The primary data collected was analysed according to the indicators of social control (compliance, participation and legitimacy), as identified by Migdal (1988). In addition, the framework to analyse the criminalisation of the state at the level of local government was applied on the case study. Based on the analysis, a different system, to what was described by Migdal (1988) in his narrative of a triangle of accommodation was found to be in operation in Manenberg on the Cape Flats. It was confirmed that there is the presence of a weakened state and accordingly, a weblike society, where social control is fragmented between local government and the criminal community. However, in this weblike society a system of local power dynamics exists between the criminal community, social community and local agents of governance, where dyadic collaboration occurs between all three the actors. However, despite the collaboration, the criminalisation of the state does not occur, but rather the statification of the organised criminal community, as it provides goods and service to the social community. The main findings can be summarised as: If a state lacks extensive social control and a rival authority has claimed a level of social control, this will not necessarily lead to the further weakening of the state, as a result of a system of power dynamics in place, where collaboration between the social community, the criminal community and local agents of governance occurs. This system is kept in place by: On-going efforts by the state to maintain (or regain) compliance, participation and legitimacy; corrupt agents of the state (specifically in the security sector); a level of operational ease that exists for the criminal community (and the interweaving of the criminal community in the social community) and a relatively strong society that acknowledges the benefits of criminal activities for the social community, but also recognises the authority and control of the state.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel om die uitwerking van 'n plaaslike nie-staatsrolspeler op die rol en gesag van die staat in die plaaslike omgewing te ondersoek. Vervolgens fokus die navorsingsvraag op die impak van 'n plaaslike rolspeler op die verhouding tussen die staat en die samelewing. Die studie fokus op die staat op plaaslike regeringsvlak en op die impak van een spesifieke rolspeler, georganiseerde misdaadgroepe. Staat-samelewing-verhoudinge is dus teen hierdie agtergrond bespreek. Om die studie te rig, is die hoof- en twee ondersteunende navorsingsvrae soos volg gestel: Wat is die impak van georganiseerde misdaad op die sosiale beheer van die staat? Wat is die magsdinamiek tussen die plaaslike regeringsvlak, kriminele agente en die samelewing? Is die staat gekriminaliseer op plaaslike regeringsvlak as gevolg van die resultate van georganiseerde misdaadbedrywighede en, indien wel, in hoe 'n mate? Die staat vorm dus die afhanklike veranderlike en georganiseerde misdaadgroepe die onafhanklike veranderlike. Die teoretiese begronding vir hierdie studie is gevind in staat-samelewing-verhoudinge en die werk van Migdal (1988), spesifiek sy analise van staat-sosiale beheer en piramiede- en webvormige samelewings, word genoem. Verder is 'n neo-pluralistiese beskouing van die staat ingeneem. 'n Konseptualisering van die kriminalisering van die staat word verskaf, aangesien dit voorsien is as een moontlike impak van georganiseerde misdaad op die staat. Ten einde die kriminalisering van die staat te ontleed, is 'n raamwerk opgebou uit vier hoofrigtings van empiriese observasie. 'n Gevallestudie is as navorsingsontwerp gebruik om die navorsingsvrae te beantwoord, met hoofsaaklik 'n kwalitatiewe metodologie. As 'n geval is die Stad Kaapstad gekies, met Manenberg op die Kaapse Vlakte as die terrein vir die navorsing. Die gevallestudie-navorsingsontwerp het die geleentheid geskep om die konteks in detail te beskryf en die mikrovlak-analise met die makrovlak-analise te verbind; derhalwe het dit insig verskaf wat die navorser in staat gestel het om teorie (uit) te bou. Die veldwerkproses het oor 'n tydperk van drie maande deur drie metodes plaasgevind: onderhoude met sleutelinformante, kleingroepbesprekings, en observasies met drie kategorieë respondente. Hierdie drie kategorieë is gemeenskapslede van Manenberg, georganiseerde misdaadgroepe, en agente van plaaslike regering en bestuur. Ten einde die empiriese navorsing op te stel, is 'n kontekstualisering van die afhanklike en onafhanklike veranderlikes verskaf. Dit is gestel dat daar 'n gebrek is aan 'n universeel-aanvaarde definisie van georganiseerde misdaad, en as gevolg hiervan is 'n konseptualisering vir hierdie studie gevorm. Daar is verder geargumenteer dat die meerderheid literatuur georganiseerde misdaadgroepe en georganiseerde misdaadbendes as twee aparte konsepte hanteer, ten spyte daarvan dat hierdie groeperinge veel meer ooreenstem as verskil. Vervolgens is die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat die verskil nie betekenisvol is nie. Die ontwikkeling van georganiseerde misdaad in Suid-Afrika en 'n ontleding van die historiese ontwikkeling van bendes op die Kaapse Vlakte is beskryf. Rakende die afhanklike veranderlike, is die konteks verskaf vir 'n analise van plaaslike regering in Suid-Afrika. Die demografiese en operasionele kenmerke van die munisipale area van die Stad Kaapstad is uiteengesit, met spesifieke verwysing na veiligheid- en sekuriteitselemente. Die primêre ingesamelde data is ontleed aan die hand van die indikatore van sosiale beheer (nakoming, deelname en legitimiteit) soos deur Migdal (1988) gedefinieer. Verder is die raamwerk om die kriminalisering van die staat op plaaslike regeringsvlak te ontleed, op die gevallestudie toegepas. Op grond van die analise is daar bevind dat 'n ander stelsel as wat Migdal (1988) in sy narratief van ‟n driehoek van akkommodasie beskryf het, in Manenberg op die Kaapse Vlakte voorkom. Dit is bevestig dat daar 'n verswakte staat voorkom en, vervolgens, 'n webvormige samelewing, waar sosiale beheer gefragmenteer is tussen die plaaslike regering en die kriminele gemeenskap. In hierdie webvormige samelewing bestaan egter 'n stelsel van plaaslike magsdinamiek tussen die kriminele gemeenskap, die sosiale gemeenskap en plaaslike regeringsagente, waar diadiese medewerking tussen al drie die akteurs voorkom. Ten spyte van hierdie samewerking, kom die kriminalisering van die staat egter nie voor nie, maar eerder 'n verstaatliking van die georganiseerde misdaadgemeenskap, aangesien dit goedere en dienste aan die sosiale gemeenskap verskaf. Die hoofbevindinge kan soos volg saamgevat word: As 'n staat nie uitgebreide sosiale beheer het nie en 'n mededingende gesag het 'n vlak van sosiale beheer opgeëis, sal dit nie noodwendig lei tot die verdere verswakking van die staat nie, as gevolg van 'n stelsel van magsdinamiek wat in plek is waar medewerking tussen die sosiale gemeenskap, die kriminele gemeenskap en plaaslike agente van bestuur voorkom. Hierdie stelsel word in plek gehou deur aaneenlopende pogings deur die staat om nakoming, deelname en legitimiteit te verkry (of terug te kry), korrupte staatsagente (spesifiek in die sekuriteitsektor), 'n vlak van operasionele gemak wat vir die kriminele gemeenskap bestaan (en die vervlegting van kriminele gemeenskap en die sosiale gemeenskap), en 'n relatiewe sterk samelewing wat die voordele van kriminele aktiwiteit vir die sosiale gemeenskap erken, maar so ook die gesag en beheer van die staat.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main goal of this thesis was to better understand the role and function of the focus schools project in the Western Cape, to explore the reasons for their emergence in 2006, and to locate the policy initiative within historical and policy developments around vocationalism in the province. The study focused in particular on how one focus school experienced the roll-out of this policy decision, what the impressions of the learners and educators at a case study school were, and also how officials attached to the Western Cape Education Department described the emergence and implementation of the policy. Further goals of the study were to contextualize the policy process that led to this form of provision, and to conceptualise how this fitted in with educational development issues in the province. A brief backdrop of historical developments and its role in the education of communities in the Western Cape, particularly the coloured community, was provided to contextualize the policy initiative. The main contribution of the thesis is its description and analysis of policy documents and the viewpoints of a range of people connected to a new provincial initiative, focus schools, with regard to what a focus school is meant to achieve and how it is experienced. Data was collected by studying a range of unpublished policy documents, and to link these to interviews conducted with departmental and district officials, educators, learners, and one principal in relation to one case study school. The study showed that focus schools were regarded mainly as a form of vocational education provision to accommodate the desire of the Western Cape economy for intermediate skills in the mid-2000s. It illustrated how the focus school band has run its own unique course within educational structures since 2006, and highlighted how they have fulfilled their goal of getting more learners from historically disadvantaged communities into further study or into positions that better serve the needs of the local economy. The thesis suggested that the policy focus of getting learners into higher education seemed misguided and contrary to the goals of vocational education provision. This policy confusion was further highlighted by learners interviewed in the study who noted that they would have preferred to follow a more academically-based path. Few believed they could either get to university (as claimed by policy officials) or into a viable employment poisition by following a vocational route at school.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van die tesis was om ´n beter begrip van die rol en funksie van die fokusskool-projek in die Wes-Kaap te verkry, die redes vir die ontstaan van hierdie skole in die jaar, 2006 te ondersoek, asook om die beleids-inisiatief binne die historiese en beleidsontwikkeling rondom beroepsonderwys (vocationalism) in die provinsie na te speur. Die navorsing konsentreer hoofsaaklik op hoe een fokusskool die implementering van die beleidsbesluit ervaar, en in hoe ´n mate die leerders en die opvoeders verbonde aan die gevallestudie-skool die onderwysvoorsiening beleef. ´n Gedeelte van die ondersoek gee ook die sieninge van sleutelpersone in die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement weer. Verdere doelwitte van die ondersoek was om die beleidsproses wat gelei het tot hierdie onderwysvoorsiening te kontekstualiseer, en om dit te konseptualiseer in hoe ´n mate dit inpas in die opvoedkundige ontwikkeling binne die provinsie. ´n Kort agtergrond skets van die historiese ontwikkeling en die rol wat onderwys in die gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap, spesifiek die van die bruin (kleurling) gemeenskap was aangebied om die beleids-inisiatief te konseptualiseer. Die belangrikste bydrae van die tesis is die beskrywing en analise van beleidsdokumente en die standpunte van 'n verskeidenheid van mense wat betrokke is by die nuwe provinsiale inisiatief, fokusskole, met betrekking tot wat fokusskole beoog om te bereik en hoe dit beleef word. Inligting was versamel deur die bestudering van 'n reeks van ongepubliseerde beleidsdokumente, en dit verbind met onderhoude wat gevoer was met departementele- en distriks-amptenare. Opvoeders, leerders, en 'n skoolhoof verbonde aan een gevallestudie skool was ook ondervra. Die navorsing het getoon dat fokusskole ´n vorm van beroepsonderwys is om die strewe van die Wes-Kaapse ekonomie vir intermediêre vaardigheidsvlakke te verhoog. Die planne was gedurende die middel 2000´s in werking gestel. Die navorsing het ook getoon dat die fokusskool-projek sy eie unieke verloop binne die onderwys strukture sedert 2006 gehad het. Die ondersoek het ook getoon dat die strewe om meer leerders uit die historiese benadeelde gemeenskappe sover te kry om verder te gaan studeer of posisies te vervul om die plaaslike ekonomie te bedien, nie so suksesvol is soos die beleid dit vooruitstel nie. Die tesis stel voor dat die beleidsfokus om leerders na hoër onderwys te lei, misleidend is en teenstrydig is met die doelwitte van beroepsonderwys. Die verwarring wat deur die beleid veroorsaak was, was verder belig deur die leerders wat onderhoude mee gevoer was. Die leerders se mening is dat hulle liefs verkies om die meer akademiese-gebaseerde weg te volg. Min van hulle het geglo dat hul weg oop is na hoër onderwys soos wat amptenare van die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement beweer of dat beroepsmoontlikhede daar is nadat hy beroepsonderwys in fokusskole gevolg het.

The study focused on the challenges of teaching at-risk learners at secondary schools. A qualitative investigation based on interviewing and observation was conducted with sixteen teachers teaching at-risk learners. Findings revealed that pre-service teacher training does not prepare teachers adequately to teach learners at risk constructively. Findings also revealed that at-risk learners have no control over themselves due to lack of parental support as parents show no commitment and support for their children’s education. Interventions to counter challenges with teaching at-risk learners relate to applicable preservice teacher training to engage with at-risk learners constructively and continuous in-service teacher training as professional development to empower teachers to engage with at-risk learners appropriately. At-risk learners must value second-chance education opportunities with schools ensuring that a supportive school culture prevails. The study contributes to the discourse on effective teaching practices to support at-risk learners for acceptable academic attainment.
Educational Management and Leadership
M. Ed. (Education Management)

Text in Afrikaans. Abstracts in Afrikaans, English and Zulu
This study explored how nine adolescent learner-participants with cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities responded to an emotional support programme (EOP) of 20 intervention sessions, aimed at developing their emotional intelligence. The research study highlighted the utilisational value and importance of emotional intelligence, which is associated with problem-solving skills, career success, selfactualisation, stress management and the like. The rationale for compiling the EOP was in accordance with the rationale for the research study, being embedded in diverse learning needs, support for learners, and the design of learner opportunities. The study focused among others on the development and implementation of an EOP based on Bar-On as conceptual model (2000), together with the five core competencies of social and emotional learning (SEL), namely: responsible decision-making, emotional self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills. The Lions Quest SEL-programme, Skills for Adolescence, formed the basis of the EOP, although the researcher had to adapt it for her learner-participants’ special educational needs. The EOP was further extended with the knowledge obtained through the literature study regarding emotional intelligence and adolescence, and was aligned with the aims of the South African school curriculum in respect of emotional intelligence skills, as stated in the aims of the subject Life Skills. The researcher’s embedded, mixed-method research design allowed the larger qualitative component to include the smaller quantitative component, so that the specific phenomenon could be understood from different participants’ perspectives. Qualitative data was collected by means of metaphor interviews and collage activities. The quantitative research component of the study refers to the standardised Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV) together with the researcher’s own structured questionnaire. The researcher did not interpret the data obtained from the quantitative data collection instruments in isolation, but used it to expand and verify the results of her qualitative generated data. The integrated data results of the learner-participants brought the answer to the research problem: most of the adolescent learner-participants with special educational needs who had participated in the EOP, did indeed benefit through their involvement, and their emotional intelligence (the phenomenon under scrutiny) had improved.
Die studie ondersoek hoe nege adolessente leerder-deelnemers met serebrale en fisieke gestremdhede op ’n emosionele ondersteuningsprogram (EOP) van 20 intervensiesessies reageer met die doel om hulle emosionele intelligensie te ontwikkel. Die benuttingswaarde en belangrikheid van emosionele intelligensie word deur die navorsingstudie uitgelig. Hoë emosionele intelligensie word geassosieer met probleemoplossingsvaardighede, werksukses, selfverwesenliking en streshantering, onder andere. Die rasionaal vir die samestelling van die EOP stem ooreen met die rasionaal vir die navorsingstudie en is gevestig in uiteenlopende leerbehoeftes, ondersteuning aan leerders, en die skep van leergeleenthede. Die studie fokus op die samestelling en implementering van ’n emosionele ondersteuningsprogram (EOP) gebaseer op Bar-On (2000) se konstruk van emosionele intelligensie as konseptuele model van die studie saam met die vyf kernbevoegdhede van sosiale en emosionele leer (SEL), naamlik: verantwoordelike besluitneming, emosionele selfbewussyn, selfbestuur, sosiale bewussyn en verhoudingsvaardighede. Die Lions Quest SEL-program, Skills for Adolescence, vorm die grondslag van die EOP, alhoewel die navorser baie aanpassings vir haar leerder-deelnemers se spesiale onderwysbehoeftes moes maak. Die EOP is verder uitgebrei deur die kennis wat die navorser tydens die literatuurstudie ingewin het ten opsigte van emosionele intelligensie en adolessensie, en sluit aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolkurrikulum-doelwitte wat verband hou met emosionele intelligensie-vaardighede soos uiteengesit in die doelwitte vir die vak Lewensvaardighede. Die navorser se ingebedde, gemengdemetode-navorsingsontwerp laat toe dat die groter kwalitatiewe komponent die kleiner kwantitatiewe komponent insluit, sodat die spesifieke fenomeen vanuit verskillende deelnemers se perspektiewe verstaan kon word. Kwalitatiewe data is deur middel van die metafooronderhoud en collage-aktiwiteit ingesamel. Die kwantitatiewe navorsingskomponent van die studie verwys na die gestandaardiseerde Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV) tesame met die navorser se eie gestruktureerde vraelys. Die navorser het die data wat sy uit die kwantitatiewe datainsamelingsinstrumente verkry het, nie net in isolasie geïnterpreteer nie, maar dit ook gebruik om die resultate van haar kwalitatief-gegenereerde data uit te brei en te verifieer. Die geïntegreerde data-resultate van die leerder-deelnemers bied die antwoord op die: die meerderheid van die adolessente leerderdeelnemers met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes wat aan die EOP deelgeneem het, het inderdaad gebaat by hulle deelname, en hulle emosionele intelligensie (die fenomeen wat ondersoek is) het verbeter.
Ucwaningo luhlola ukuthi ngabe ukuzibandakanya kwabafundi abangabadlalindima abayisishiyagalolunye abasesigabeni sobubhungu/sobutshitshi abakhubazeke ngokwengqondo noma ngayiphi indlela emzimbeni baphendule kanjani kuhlelo oluxhasa ngokommoya (emotional support programme) kumihlangano engama- 20 yokunceda, ehlose ekuqiniseni ubuhlakani bommoya. Isifundo socwaningo siveze ukubaluleka kokusebenzisa kanye nokubaluleka kobuhlakani bommoya, okuhambisana namakhono okuxazulula izinkinga, impumelelo yobizo lomsebenzi, ukuzibonakalisa, ukulawula ingcindezi yengqondo kanye nokunye. Isizathu sokuhlela i-ESP sasihambisana nenhloso yesifundo socwaningo, esitholakala kwizidingo zemfundo ezahlukahlukene, kanye nokuhleleka kwamathuba omfundi. Ucwaningo lubheke hlangana nokunye nokuthuthukiswa kanye nokusetshenziswa kohlelo lwe-ESP olususelwa ku-Bar-On njengemodeli yegama (2000), kanye namanye amacebo abalulekile amahlanu ohlelo lokufunda kwabantu kanye nokufunda ngokwemizwa (SEL), wona yilawa alandelayo: Ukumelana nezinqumo ozithethe, ukwazi imizwa yakho, ukuziphatha ngokwakho, ukuxwayiswa komphakathi kanye namakhono okwenza ubudlelwano. Uhlelo lwe- Lions Quest SEL, Skills for Adolescence, akha isisekelo se-ESP, yize umcwaningi kwakufanele aluguqule lolu hlelo ukwenzela ukuba luhambisane nezidingo ezikhethekile zemfundo yafundi abadlala indima. . Uhlelo lwe--ESP lwaqhubeka nokukhuliswa ngolwazi olwalutholakala ngocwaningo lombhalo wobuciko obumayelana nobuhlakani bokusebenzisa imizwa kanye nesigaba sobutshitshi/sobubhungu, kanti lolu hlelo lwaluhambisana nezinhloso zekharikhulami yezikole zaseNingizimu Afrika mayelana namakhono okusebenzisa obuhlakani bokusebenzisa imizwa, njengoba kushiwobkwizinhloso zesifundo samaKhono Empilo (Life Skills). Isakhiwo somcwaningi esequkethwe, sohlelo-oluvangene locwaningo siye savumela isigaba esikhulu socwaningo olugxile kukhwalithi (qualitative) ukuba sixube isigaba esincane esigxile kumanani (quantitative), ukuze kuzwisiseke uhlelo oluthize ngokwemiqondo yabadlalindima abehlukahlukene. Idatha yohlelo lwequalitative yaqoqwa ngokusebenzisa izinhlolombono zokungathekisa kanye nemisebenzi yokuhlanganisa imifanekiso eminingi. Isigaba socwaningo olugxile kumanani sichaza uhlelo olufanayo lwe--Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQi:YV) kanye nemibhalo yemibuzo ehlelwe wumcwaningi. Umcwaningi akazange achaze idatha etholakele kumathuluzi okuqoqa idatha encike kumanani yodwa, kodwa le datha iye yasetshenziselwa ukukhulisa kanye nokuqinisekisa imiphumela yakhe eyakhiwe ngokwendlela yekhwalithi. Imiphumelo ehlangene yedatha yomfundi ongumdlalindima ilethe impendulo kwinkinga yocwaningo: Iningi labafundi abadlala indima abasesesigabeni sobubhungu/sobutshitshi abadinga imfundo ekhethekile abazibandakanye ohlelweni lwe-ESP, ngempela baye bazuza ngokuzibandakanya kwabo, kanti-ke izinga labo lokusebenzisa ikhono lobuhlakani bemizwa buye bathuthuka kakhulu (the phenomenon under scrutiny).
Inclusive Education
D. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)

碩士
國立雲林科技大學
創意生活設計系
104
The youths in career can be generally divided into two groups, employees and entrepreneurs. A person’s career direction is a cumulative result of his/her academic experience, social environment, and life background. In the Taiwanese educational system, it is hard to predict if a youth can put what he/she has learned into practice and find a job consistent with what he/she specializes in after graduation, which indicates the imbalance between “knowledge-oriented education” and “ambition-oriented education”. With the popularization of the higher education, the youths have faced an increasingly competitive employment market and a social phenomenon featuring downward flow. This is the consequence of educational speculation, and those who suffer the most from the problem are the youths who have just started their career life. With the transformation of the Taiwan’s economic structure, the agriculture, industry and service industry in the early stage as well as the six emerging industries the government gave priority to in 2009, including biotechnology, green energy, quality agriculture, tourism, medical care and cultural creativity, have begun to focus on the development of such social issues as the security of rural food, the care for the elderly, green environment, and cultural preservation. In recent years, the publicity of the education on entrepreneurship for youths as well as the responsive policies released by the government has underlined the emphasis on the development of youths. The government’s support has created a new opportunity for the entrepreneurship of youths. The main duty is to use design thinking to solve social problems through the practice of social design. This study is an action research on the restoration of the idle fields of the Camphor Office in Jiji Township. According to the observation, the local humanistic culture has development potential but lacks integration and cultural roots. Therefore, this study took the young entrepreneurs who had received the education on entrepreneurship for youths and those who had participated in the government’s promotion policy as the subjects. Through an in-depth interview, this study got to know their practical experience and provided actual reference cases for the youths who wanted to start a business, with the hope of exploring how the youths adopted the practice of social design to address social problems through innovation and entrepreneurship. According to the analysis of the results, (1) long-term social observation and practice have positive effects on the innovation and entrepreneurship of youths; (2) the social design-oriented entrepreneurship mode is different from the traditional industries because it adopts a unique organizational form and features more common participation, public interest, resource sharing, flexible dialogue, and the cooperation among many parties; (3) the obstacles in the social design-oriented entrepreneurship can be roughly divided into “public sectors”, “related partners”, “undertakings” and also “force majeure”; (4) the experience sharing of the interviewees revealed the entrepreneurship vision of “benefiting the whole world”. As the social psychology of bilateral exchange, interpersonal network is built on mutual trust and respect. However, entrepreneurs face different problems in their new business, so they should follow their heart and pursue their original dreams.

Social capital refers to material and symbolic resources that are accessed through social relationships and used for purposive actions. Conceptualising social capital as having four archetypal forms provides planners with an analytic and heuristic tool for considering the different resources that community and government actors bring to various projects and social endeavours. These forms of social capital are called bonding social capital (based on intra-community relationships), bridging social capital (based on extra-community relationships), institutional social capital (based on relationships established by the formal and informal institutions of society) and synergistic social capital (based on relationships between state and civil society actors). This quadripartite model of social capital was found to be useful in analysing the different socially embedded resources which were applied to housing initiatives for two distinct communities of people in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. One case looked at a seniors care home established for elderly Chinese people by a community-based organisation (CBO) known as the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society (S.U.C.C.E.S.S.). The second case examined community housing for adults with developmental disabilities that was supported directly by family members and a CBO called Mainstream Association for Proactive Community Living (MAPCL) and indirectly by an informal group known as the Parents Support Group for Families of Mentally Handicapped Adults. In both cases, the housing initiative relied on resources that were accessed through the intra-community ties of people united by a common ethnicity or interest in supporting adults with developmental disabilities. Necessary inputs for developing and sustaining the housing initiatives were also found in extra-community ties with the wider community and internationally-based professional associations; relationships with government actors at the municipal, provincial and federal levels; and predictable societal relationships established by legislation and norms of behaviour. A four-part model of social capital additionally serves as a planning tool to identify a broader range of resources and possibilities for policy intervention and to remind planners they work with multiple publics, must adopt a critical approach to community involvement and coproduction and should encourage governments to be active in shaping the institutional environment and engaging with individuals and community groups.