The Roots of Community Development in Colonial Office Policy and Practice in Africa

This paper looks at the origins of ideas about community development as they emerged during Britain's administration of its African colonies from the 1920s to the 1950s. Significant influences on development policy and practice include changing ideas about state intervention within the British government, international scrutiny from international organizations, US interest in Africa, ideas and activities of missionary societies, technological developments, great leaps forward by key individuals, examples of state‐sponsored mass education schemes in Russia, colonial disturbances, and cataclysmic events such as the Great Depression, the rise of Hitler, and pre‐eminently, the Second World War itself. The evolution of community development ideas in Colonial Office practice will chiefly be illustrated through instructional films. Those which illustrate the argument are a striking example of community development in action because they are a visual medium in a visual age; they were seen as having a pivotal role in mass education schemes; they illustrate through their topics and scenarios what were seen as the hot development issues of the day; they capture the flavour of the period; and because they are a concrete illustration of the continuity of community development schemes in Africa in the colonial and post‐colonial eras.     

Meeting healthcare costs: the case of childhood cancer in Singapore

Social security in Singapore is met by a compulsory personal savings scheme under the Central Provident Fund. Part of these savings go towards the individual's healthcare needs which are met through a spectrum of three schemes – Medisave, Medishield and Medifund, or the '3Ms'. This study examines the effectiveness of the '3Ms' in making healthcare services affordable to families with cancer-stricken children. The extent to which the '3Ms' support costly cancer treatment is an indication of the healthcare financing system's ability to meet diverse healthcare needs. Literature research and interviews with medical social workers and families with cancer-stricken children indicate that the '3Ms' are unable to support these families' medical needs without the help of voluntary welfare organisations. This suggests that there is a need to question a rigid adherence to financial prudence and consider a more flexible healthcare system that is responsive to varied needs.     

Australian public relations: status at the turn of the 21st century

Since its inception, public relations in Australia has grown in professional stature, status, education, research, and practice. As these trends progress, visibility of the profession is becoming steadily more pronounced in the industry, education, and public domain. Over the last two decades the Public Relations Institute of Australia together with its strategic alliances have made many changes, structurally, strategically, and academically towards the professional growth of public relations. This article briefly discusses the views of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and offers a snapshot of two surveys[1] on professional practice and related issues. Although direct comparisons are not meant to be made from these studies, both surveys offer insights into aspects of Australian public relations. Whereas mixed findings and scenarios are evident, and the surveys highlight areas for further development, the profession, with close attention to existing threats, is poised to grow in Australia.Raveena Singh is program director and senior lecturer at the University of Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) and Rosaleen Smyth is senior lecturer and public relations coordinator at Deakin University (Victoria). Both authors are coeditors of the Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal.