社区老年学习社团发展的支持策略研究

社区老年学习社团，是推动社区教育发展的重要主体，也是老年人继续社会化的主要形式。但多数社区老年学习社团的发展，由于缺少专业师资，活动平台有限，管理模式单一等问题存在，制约着社区教育的发展。新形势下，社区老年学习社团的发展，要立足于专业化，从发挥老年人自身主动性出发，优先为老年学习社团建立导师工作室，引导社团成员开展志愿服务，培育社团实践基地，组织社团成果展，为社区老年学习社团搭建“以学促学”的可持续发展路径。     

“Working with COW”: Social Work Supporting Older Women Living in the Community

ABSTRACT

Australia, like all developed Western countries, is experiencing a demographic shift resulting in an increasing proportion of the population being over the age of 65 years. Contrary to stereotypes, the vast majority of older people live independently in communities. This article explores the potential of social work practice informed by community development principles to enable socially disadvantaged older women to live in vibrant and supportive communities, in which they feel safe and are able to access the support services they need. It argues that participation in social action not only builds older women’s well-being but also enables them to become (or continue to be) agents for social change in local communities. Adopting a community-based research methodology, this article draws on a decade of community development practice with the Concerned Older Women’s (COW) Group. This data suggests that community development practice based on participation, empowerment, and social action founded on respectful relationships may accrue significant benefits to individuals and the broader community. This social work practice creates the social conditions to facilitate older women’s capacity to work collectively to achieve social change, challenging ageist stereotypes.     

Coping Strategies and Relapse of Substance Abusers: A Case Study of the Therapeutic Community Program in Indonesia

The present study examined the ability of people with substance‐dependence problems to cope with stressful events and refrain from resuming alcohol drinking and the use of drugs. This study specifically examined the length of time that substance abusing‐residents spent in a state‐owned, residential‐based therapeutic community program at Lembang‐Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. A study sample of 68 residents completed a questionnaire with four sections. The results of this study showed no significant differences in the scores rating the coping behavior of the residents according to the length of stay in the program. This study also found no significant differences in the Coping Behavioral Inventory scores of the residents according to the level scores of total Coping Strategy Inventory. It is important for social workers to understand the relationship between the length of stay of residents and their ability to cope so that they can effectively engage in intervention work with individuals with substance‐dependence issues who participate in the therapeutic community.     

The politics of community arts: quilting the power and identity of women

This article attempts to articulate and re-validate the unique social contributions of marginalized and working women to their communities and to society-at-large, contributions which tend to be obscured if not forgotten, given the global dynamics of exclusion as they are at work in the capitalist society of Hong Kong. It looks at how a group of disenfranchised women workers renegotiate their identity, reclaim their dignity and regenerate social power through a community arts project ‘Quilting the Power and Identity’; that is, how through these creative but powerful actions, their transformation from a transient state of imposed victimhood into active agency could be made possible.     

中国社区建设：问题与方向

社区的真正本质是社区精神。人们通过参与社区生活,形成对自己生活和工作社区的认同。中国社会有着自己独特的历史和人文生态环境,它的社区发展和社会结构与西方有着明显区别,中国的社会组织没有得到充分发育,政府在社区发展中起主导作用,社区建设应该培育居民的共同体意识,并针对特定的社会问题（诸如无家可归、失业下岗、家庭照顾、贫困等）。     

The Cycle of Bias in Health Research: A Framework and Toolbox for Critical Appraisal Training

Recognizing bias in health research is crucial for evidence-based decision making. We worked with eight community groups to develop materials for nine modular, individualized critical appraisal workshops we conducted with 102 consumers (four workshops), 43 healthcare providers (three workshops), and 33 journalists (two workshops) in California. We presented workshops using a “cycle of bias” framework, and developed a toolbox of presentations, problem-based small group sessions, and skill-building materials to improve participants' ability to evaluate research for financial and other conflicts of interest, bias, validity, and applicability. Participant feedback indicated that the adaptability of the toolbox and our focus on bias were critical elements in the success of our workshops.     

城市“社区性”量表构建研究

在当代社区研究中,“共同体”社区是否存在一直是学界争论的焦点。笔者认为,问题的关键不在于“是否存在”,而在于“以哪种形式存在”。本文提出了以“社区性”这一概念来描述一个社区的“共同体”特性。在相关文献的基础上,笔者构建了一个量表来测量“社区性”,以上海市社区调查的实证数据对其进行信度与效度检验;又使用该量表将上海市的社区划分为六大类,并分析了不同类型社区的特性。     

Adolescent sexuality and premature parenthood: role of the Black church in prevention

The issues of sexuality and premature parenthood with the background of the Black experience in the United States are discussed. According to a 1986 study, 40% of US girls get pregnant at least once before the age of 20. In 1981, 45% of teenage pregnancies were terminated, and in 1982, 46% of girls 14-19 years old had had sexual intercourse. The gap between Black and White adolescent women regarding sexual intercourse has essentially disappeared, indicating that the underlying causes of teenage pregnancy are social not racial. The costs of adolescent childbearing are huge: in 1985 the public cost was at least 16.65 million dollars. In response to this crisis, many states have been searching for effective solutions enlisting clinics, schools, and social service agencies. The Black church has been a central institution within the Black community, in the forefront of many social changes with the ability to mobilize congregations and the community. Therefore, the cooperation of social service agencies, community groups, and the religious community could be fruitful in preventing adolescent pregnancies and childbearing. Such a venture would first require understanding the processes of adolescent development, self-esteem, socialization, relationship building, gender differences in physical and psychological changes, and moral development. A 1986 Gallup poll showed that 74% of 13-15 year old youth said that religion was one of the most important influences in their lives, indicating that they would be perceptive to moral reasoning. However, the fear of genocide was significant among the Black population (39%) when birth control and family planning programs were mentioned. This had to do with their brutal treatment in the past and coercive sterilization proposals to reduce welfare rolls. To overcome such fears and still prevent adolescent pregnancy, the Black church should organize workshops for parents and adolescents about sexual development, birth control, and the consequences of sexual activity with a view to postponing sexual activity and parenthood.     

Impact of the Village Model: Results of a National Survey

ABSTRACT

Villages are a relatively new, consumer-directed model that brings together older adults in a community who have a mutual interest in aging in place. These membership organizations provide social and civic engagement opportunities, volunteer provided support services, and referral to vetted community providers to achieve their primary goals of promoting independence and preventing undesired relocations. This cross sectional survey of 1,753 active Village members from 28 Villages across the US measured members’ perceived impacts in the areas of social connection, civic engagement, service access, health and well-being, and ability to age in place. Results showed that involvement in the Village was a key factor associated with greater perceived impacts. Over half of members perceive that the Village has improved their sense of connection to others and their feeling that they have someone to count on. Though younger members in better health were more likely to perceive impacts in social connections, results suggest older women, living alone with some disability may be the most likely to experience improved health, quality of life, and mobility. The implications for social work practice are discussed.     

The Millhill

This study reports on discharged patients' experiences of care at a therapeutic community - The Millhill. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire and interviews. The focus of the study is on the former patients' own experiences of The Millhill and their present state. The majority report positive changes when they compare how they feel today with how they felt just prior to admission and just after discharge. Eighty-five percent claim that the major problem which led them to seek treatment is less serious today than it was when they were admitted to The Millhill. Compared with other inpatient care, the interviews showed that treatment at The Millhill was based on long-term individual treatment plans and that those undergoing treatment were treated as "individuals", whereas treatment in the psychiatric wards was more like "storage" and medication and those undergoing treatment were treated as "patients".     

Results of an Intervention to Reduce Perinatal Depression Among Low-Income Minority Women in Community Primary Care

Abstract

With little past research on interventions to reduce perinatal depression among minority women, we tested a multicomponent psychosocial intervention that spanned the puerperium. We recruited 187 low-income African American and Hispanic women from three innercity community health centers. Women with depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to a multicomponent psychosocial intervention or to the usual health center social services. The two intervention conditions were equally effective in reducing depression. Lack of difference may be due to the similarity of the two treatment conditions and logistical barriers in delivering full “doses” of the specialized intervention. Continued research to identify characteristics of effective interventions during pregnancy and postpartum is recommended.     

Enhancing Social Support for Migrant Families: A Case Study of Community Services in a Shanghai Urban Village and Implications for Intervention

Recent years have witnessed the growing emphasis of the Chinese central government to develop community services as a method of building communities and strengthening social solidarity. With the increased involvement of multi‐generation households in China's internal rural‐to‐urban migration, however, little is known about what community services are available for migrant families. Nor do we know much about how such services can enhance social support for migrants, which is crucial for their psychological well‐being in managing the ongoing challenges that arise from migration and further integration into cities. This article presents a case study conducted in Shanghai where social services are emerging in a few urban villages. We begin with a brief background on China's rural‐to‐urban migration and the emergence of urban villages, followed by a discussion of community services and social support for Chinese migrant families. We then document existing services in an urban village to explore how they can influence migrant families' social support. Drawing on the perspective of service providers, we highlight the effects social work interventions can have on improving social support for migrant families. Finally, we propose an intervention framework based on multi‐dimensions of social support, emphasizing an integration of formal and informal social support through community services for migrant populations.     

Effects of a Therapeutic Community on Korean Substance Abusers in Prison

ABSTRACT. This study tested the effectiveness of a therapeutic community (TC) intervention on imprisoned Korean substance abusers. Volunteer participants from 2 Korean prisons were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 24) with the TC intervention or a control group (n = 24) with optional supportive sessions. Pretest and posttest data were collected on measures of abstinence self-efficacy and problem-solving skills. Participants in the TC intervention showed significant increases in abstinence self-efficacy and problem-solving skills, whereas those in the control group did not. The differences in abstinence self-efficacy for the TC were found for 2 of 3 subscales: Problem-Solving Confidence and Approach-Avoidance Style but not Self-Control. Further study is needed to replicate these findings with larger Korean prison populations and to establish the relationship between these skill dimensions and subsequent drug use and criminal recidivism for this population. Nevertheless, the findings suggest potential benefits of using a TC intervention with imprisoned Korean substance abusers.     

Urban community in China: service, participation and development

With the rapid urbanisation and population growth in the cities, the People's Republic of China has recognised the importance of community development based on an ever-increasing demand for social services. In 1994, the Chinese government adopted community service as an alternative way of providing the supplemental safety net in urban areas. Along with this top-down approach, resident-initiated activities, participation and grassroots organisations at the community level are growing at an incredible pace. Using a case study, this study explores the context and aspects of community services, participation and community development in a Chinese urban community. Results indicate that China's reformed market economy and welfare system presses ordinary urban people to reconnect to the local community to ensure welfare security and quality of life. Community participation in China has rediscovered the path of community development and re-interpreted the top-down and bottom-up approaches in the context of community services.     

Multiculturalism and social cohesion: A Japanese community’s perceptions of “being Australian”

Based on a large‐scale survey conducted with parents from Japanese language schools in Sydney in 2015, this paper aims to review multiple dimensions of social cohesion in the Japanese ethnic community in Australia. Looking at several indices such as economic, political, and cultural integration, the paper describes the social profile of the Japanese ethnic community, questioning the generic perception of the community as a coherent body of middle‐class migrants in Australia. This was achieved through a comparative analysis with outcomes of a national survey of the Australian population on social cohesion and draws attention to the ways in which a particular sense of social cohesion with Australian society is constructed by Japanese migrants. The study found a differentiated sense of belonging to the local community, country of residence (Australia), and nation of origin (Japan). It found communal diversity in the Japanese community resulting from there being a majority of women migrants who were part of cross‐border marriages and their children living in multicultural family circumstances. It was concluded that this configuration within the community leads to advocacy related to a re‐identification as a possible ethnic group of migrants that should be recognized in an inclusive migration settlement policy in Australia.     

Discourses of community: challenges for social work

The ambiguity of community allows it to be a space for a vast range of imposed and 'organic' social reproduction functions, and an accessible site for meaningful collective action, but it also has the potential for disempowerment. The breadth of the concept of 'community' allows for it to be critiqued as ephemeral or as romantic fiction, but also used and exploited by government. It is because it retains such power to evoke reaction and contest that we need to understand the power that drives it, and the ideological purpose for which it may be used or misused. The notion of discourse immediately becomes useful. We can recognise competing discourses of community, and examine how they are used politically. We can recognise ways in which social work can engage with community discourses of empowerment rather than control. The article will explore a number of discourses and examine their usefulness for practice.     

论社区共同体生成的政府培育主导路径

本文通过对朝阳区的实证研究,表明我国现阶段社区共同体的生成路径是政府培育主导。它的出现是历史发展的必然结果:在建国初期的单位共同体下,人们不仅缺乏结社传统,而且形成了对政府的依赖心理,致使我国社区共同体生成的主导方式一直是政府生成路径。但在现阶段,政府生成路径已经发生转变,变成了政府培育主导,而不是单位共同体下的政府控制主导,这体现了社区建设的发展方向是社区自治而不是社区控制。     

Practice Evaluation of Community Initiatives for Social Service Delivery in a Deprived Neighborhood in Scotland

ABSTRACT

Improving social service in local communities is a complex undertaking. Over the past few decades, the performance and sustainability of community initiatives have been questioned, while such factors as a lack of funding, insufficient community involvement, unsatisfactory community service, and lack of awareness of the impact of community initiatives have restricted community development. From a case study of community operations in Scotland, this article provides insights into how social service delivery is organized in the absence of public capital. This study utilized data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with a sample of 76 participants from a deprived area in Scotland, including community management team members (n = 6), local residents (n = 52) and community partners (n = 18). The findings illustrated how participants of all ages, local organizations, policy makers, funders and media came together to create a cohesive and responsive community environment. Residents' needs and funders' demands were identified. Results further revealed that a Community Partnership Mechanism helped strengthen the social service network and create flexible social services. Service benefits included improved resident wellbeing in the context of less government intervention. Future implications include suggestions for government and other stakeholders involved in community reform to focus on service recipient skill building and tracking changes between the indicators and service provision.     

Child protection social work and men's abuse of women: an Irish study

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study of the response of social workers within a community care setting, in a large Dublin suburb, to cases involving men's abuse of women. This research aims to focus on what child protection workers do regarding this abuse, and what they say about what they do, thereby giving readers a sense of the action taking place in this social work team. The data, generated from both qualitative and quantitative methodological research, reflects this aim, as it taps into the working model of responses to men's abuse of women held by social workers, and identifies what influences that, thereby reflecting the realities and constraints of everyday work. At the time the research was carried out (2000), the results confirm that the prevalence of cases involving men's abuse of women on this team was in line with international findings. This research revealed an absence of a team policy, an agreed definition of intimate violence in this context and agency practice guidelines, and illuminated how these gaps act as a deterrent to effective intervention. This paper explores some of the ethical and practical dilemmas that may arise for child protection social workers intervening in cases where the abuse of women by men is present. Recommendations arising from this research identify a need for a clear policy and best practice guidelines for social work staff in relation to this abuse.     

The Older Woman:

Interviews were conducted with 302 elderly persons residing in two ethnic urban communities to determine their problems as well as their needs for diverse community services. Sex and living arrangements were found to be critical mediators of the demand for and use of various services. A greater proportion of women than men (particularly women living alone) reported needs for household, self-maintenance, and community services. Older women living alone were also more likely to report that they had experienced neighborhood problems. Implications for designing community-based services to better meet the needs of older persons in diverse living situations are discussed.