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Community Engagement (community + engagement)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	31%
Psychology	22%
Humanities and Social Sciences	22%

Selected Abstracts

Serving in College, Flourishing in Adulthood: Does Community Engagement During the College Years Predict Adult Well-Being?

APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 1 2010
Nicholas Bowman
Colleges and universities are placing a renewed emphasis on the importance of service and community engagement. Although the short-term effects of these college experiences are fairly well understood, little is known about the long-term impact of college volunteering and participating in engaged forms of learning (e.g. service-learning). This longitudinal study examines 416 participants during their freshman year of college, their senior year, and 13 years after graduation. Results show that both college volunteering and service-learning have positive, indirect effects on several forms of well-being during adulthood, including personal growth, purpose in life, environmental mastery, and life satisfaction. Specifically, these college experiences are associated with subsequent behaviors (adult volunteering) and attitudes and values (prosocial orientation), which in turn are positively associated with well-being. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [source]

Museum Outreach Programs to Promote Community Engagement in Local Environmental Issues

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 2 2007
Ruth Lane
Ideas of ,community' and ,community voice' have been mobilised in collaborative programs developed between the National Museum of Australia and the Murray-Darling Basin Commission since 1992. This collaboration is set within a broader context of changing ideas and practice around governance, community and environmental issues. The recent Murray-Darling Outreach Project (MDOP), a series of museum outreach projects with regional communities aiming to increase community engagement in local environmental issues in the Murray-Darling Basin, is specifically examined. Evaluation research on the MDOP found that the approach to program development significantly shaped the types of voices, range of issues presented and the nature of the communicative forums established. The potential impacts on online audiences are discussed along with broader implications for government agencies involved in community partnerships. [source]

Survey of Community Engagement in NIH-Funded Research

CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010
Nancy E. Hood M.P.H.
Abstract Community engagement is an innovative and required component for Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, the extent of community engagement in NIH-funded research has not been previously examined. This study assessed baseline prevalence of community engagement activities among NIH-funded studies at a large Midwestern university with a CTSA. An online survey was e-mailed to principal investigators of recent NIH-funded studies (N = 480). Investigators were asked to identify what types of community engagement activities had occurred for each study. Responses were received for 40.4% (194/480) of studies. Overall, 42.6% reported any community engagement activities. More collaborative types of engagement (e.g., community advisory board) were less common than activities requiring less engagement (e.g., sharing study results with community members). Studies with more collaborative community engagement were less likely to be described as basic or preclinical research compared to all other studies. Given NIH's inclusive call for community engagement in research, relatively few NIH-funded studies reported community engagement activities, although this study used a broad definition of community and a wide range of types of engagement. These findings may be used to inform the goals of CTSA community engagement programs. Clin Trans Sci 2010; Volume *: 1,4 [source]

ETHICAL PROBLEMS IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN ACUTE EPIDEMICS: THE PFIZER MENINGITIS STUDY IN NIGERIA AS AN ILLUSTRATION

DEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 1 2010
EMMANUEL R. EZEOME
ABSTRACT The ethics of conducting research in epidemic situations have yet to account fully for differences in the proportion and acuteness of epidemics, among other factors. While epidemics most often arise from infectious diseases, not all infectious diseases are of epidemic proportions, and not all epidemics occur acutely. These and other variations constrain the generalization of ethical decision-making and impose ethical demands on the individual researcher in a way not previously highlighted. This paper discusses a number of such constraints and impositions. It applies the ethical principles enunciated by Emmanuel et al.1 to the controversial Pfizer study in Nigeria in order to highlight the particular ethical concerns of acute epidemic research, and suggest ways of meeting such challenges. The paper recommends that research during epidemics should be partly evaluated on its own merits in order to determine its ethical appropriateness to the specific situation. Snap decisions to conduct research during acute epidemics should be resisted. Community engagement, public notification and good information management are needed to promote the ethics of conducting research during acute epidemics. Individual consent is most at risk of being compromised, and every effort should be made to ensure that it is maintained and valid. Use of data safety management boards should be routine. Acute epidemics also present opportunities to enhance the social value of research and maximize its benefits to communities. Ethical research is possible in acute epidemics, if the potential challenges are thought of ahead of time and appropriate precautions taken. [source]

Community engagement for counterterrorism: lessons from the United Kingdom

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, Issue 4 2010
RACHEL BRIGGS
This article explores the development of community engagement within the UK's strategy to tackle international terrorism linked to and inspired by Al-Qaeda, commonly known as CONTEST. It focuses mostly on the ,Prevent' strand of the strategy which seeks to prevent radicalization towards violence, reduce tacit support for violence, and increase the resilience of communities to tackle radicalization and extremist messages themselves. Community engagement for counterterrorism also relates to certain aspects of the ,Pursue' strand of CONTEST, and these are highlighted. The article outlines the case for a community-based approach to counterterrorism and outlines a number of the key developments in its emergence from 2005 onwards. It analyses the performance of this aspect of the counterterrorism strategy, pointing to a number of shortcomings in relation to the establishment of partnerships, the integration of the approach, capacity shortfalls at the local level, and the wider challenges of a hostile political and media environment. Written as the new UK coalition government announces a review of the ,Prevent' strategy, it offers a number of recommendations for the future direction of this area of policy. It calls for an overhaul in working styles, a focus on people rather than projects, and the need to draw a much clearer line between downstream and targeted ,Prevent' work and the broader and longer-term community development work, with the latter encapsulated within the government's Big Society Programme and aimed at all fragile communities, not just Muslims. [source]

Survey of Community Engagement in NIH-Funded Research

Pursuing community forestry in Liberia

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2009
Jennifer N. Lamb
Abstract While Liberian forests are a biodiversity hotspot and integral to the livelihoods of indigenous communities, 14 years of conflict forestry turned this national asset into a source of economic inequality and corruption in an extreme example of a ,natural resource curse'. Moreover, overharvesting of timber through the conflict period has endangered community livelihoods and raised concerns regarding resource sustainability from international conservation organizations. Since the end of conflict in 2003, the Liberian government has forged international partnerships to create a reformed policy framework balancing commercial, conservation and community (the three Cs) interests. In an effort to contribute to the larger body of work on the role of natural resource management institutions in the creation and fostering of the resource curse, this paper offers a case study of timber in Liberia. We feel that an in-depth understanding of the Liberian case clarifies the challenge of timber as an extractive commodity and how the institutional framework can be shaped to provide a positive contribution to economic development. The discussion focuses on the historical development of Liberian land and forest tenure institutions that lead to poverty, ecological degradation and conflict. Tracing the more recent implementation of the three Cs, this paper analyzes the current conditions of community engagement and outlines critical steps to be taken for Liberia to escape further resource driven cycles of conflict. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

The UCLan community engagement and service user support (Comensus) project: valuing authenticity, making space for emergence

HEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 4 2007
Soo Downe BA (Hons) RM MSc PhD
Abstract Objective, To develop and evaluate service user, carer and community involvement in health and social care education. Background, Despite the high policy profile of involvement issues, there appear to be no published accounts of schemes that have used a systematic whole-faculty approach to community engagement in health and social care higher education. Focus of this paper, The set up and early development of a faculty-wide community engagement project. Setting and participants, Staff from the faculty of health in one University, local service users and carers and community group project workers and local National Health Service (NHS) and public sector staff. Design, Participatory action research including document review, field notes, questionnaires and interviews. Analysis, Thematic analysis. The emerging themes were tested by seeking disconfirming data, and through verification with stake-holders. Results, Prior to the study, there were examples of community engagement in the participating faculty, but they occurred in specific departments, and scored low on the ,ladder of involvement'. Some previous attempts at engagement were perceived to have failed, resulting in resistance from staff and the community. Despite this, an advisory group was successfully formed, and project framing and development evolved with all stake-holders over the subsequent year. The four themes identified in this phase were: building accessibility; being ,proper' service users/carers;moving from suspicion to trust: mutually respectful partnerships as a basis for sustainable change; and responses to challenge and emergence. Conclusions, Successful and sustainable engagement requires authenticity. Many problems and solutions arising from authentic engagement are emergent, and potentially challenging to organizations. [source]

Community engagement for counterterrorism: lessons from the United Kingdom

Species conservation on human-dominated landscapes: the case of crowned crane breeding and distribution outside protected areas in Uganda

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
William Olupot
Abstract Species primarily dependent on habitats outside protected areas have to cope with the direct pressure of human utilization or harassment, and the indirect pressure of habitat modification. In Uganda, wetlands mainly used by cranes occur mostly outside protected areas. The country's wetlands are however under heavy modification, and this and other pressures are thought to have reduced crane populations to 10,30% of the number in the early 1970s. From January 2005 to January 2006, we assessed the status of crane breeding and distribution in the country. Breeding and foraging sites were assessed through a nationwide newspaper survey, and visits to wetlands. We established occurrence of 21 nests during the study period, and crane use of 27 out of 30 districts surveyed. Crane harassment and trapping were common during breeding, as was crop damage by cranes. This is the first attempt to show the distribution of crane breeding outside protected areas throughout the country. In addition to maintaining suitable breeding habitat, survival of cranes in Uganda lies in part in community engagement and punishing crimes related to hunting and destruction of nests. Résumé Les espèces qui dépendent principalement d'habitats situés en dehors des aires protégées doivent supporter la pression directe de l'utilisation ou du harassement humains, et la pression indirecte de la modification de l'habitat. En Ouganda, les zones humides que les grues fréquentent le plus souvent se trouvent en dehors des aires protégées. Les zones humides du pays subissent pourtant de lourdes modifications, et ceci, entre autres pressions, est censéêtre ce qui a causé la réduction des populations de grues à 10,30% de ce qu'elles étaient au début des années 1970. De janvier 2005 à janvier 2006, nous avons évalué le statut de la reproduction et de la distribution des grues dans le pays. Les sites de reproduction et de nourrissage ont étéévalués grâce à une étude dans tout le pays via les journaux, et à des visites des zones humides. Nous avons pu établir la présence de 21 nids au cours de l'étude, et la fréquentation par les grues de 27 des 30 districts étudiés. Le harassement et le piégeage des crues ont été fréquents pendant la reproduction, comme l'étaient les dommages causés aux cultures par les grues. Ceci est la première tentative pour montrer la distribution de la reproduction des grues dans le pays en dehors des aires protégées. En plus du maintien d'habitats favorables à la reproduction, la survie des grues en Ouganda repose en partie sur l'implication communautaire dans la conservation des grues et sur le renforcement des mesures de sanctions contre les crimes liés à la chasse et à la destruction des nids. [source]

Globalization, Societal Change, and New Technologies: What They Mean for the Future of Adolescence

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 1 2002
Reed W. Larson
Nations around the world are undergoing rapid changes that are altering the nature of adolescence in their societies. This volume examines current trends in adolescent experience across nations, with the objective of identifying emerging problems and opportunities in adolescents' preparation for adulthood. This introduction reviews methods used by futurists and how these methods are applicable to adolescence, and provides an overview of some of the macrochanges that are shaping the societies in which adolescents of the future will live. The macrochanges considered include demographic trends, globalization, trends in government, and changes in technology. Subsequent articles in this volume examine how these and other changes are altering adolescents' transition to adult work, preparation for adult interpersonal lives, civic and community engagement, and health and well-being. The final article focuses on social policy and is followed by a conclusion with the main points and trends in the volume. [source]

Graduate education and community engagement

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR TEACHING & LEARNING, Issue 113 2008
KerryAnn O'Meara
Windows of opportunity for integrating community engagement throughout the doctoral career are offered in this chapter along with a description of the knowledge, skills, and value orientations needed for future faculty to become engaged scholars. [source]

Role of Ethics Committees, Ethics Networks, and Ethics Centers in Improving End-of-Life Care

PAIN MEDICINE, Issue 2 2001
Myra Christopher BS
This article chronicles the work of Midwest Bioethics Center, several community-state partnerships, and other local and national initiatives to determine their proper role and appropriate contribution. Professional education and development, institutional reform, and community engagement are areas of concern because ethics committees, networks, and centers sponsor workshops and conferences on palliative care for healthcare professionals, hold public forums, develop advance care planning projects, and provide expertise to legislators and other policymakers. The leading edge of the work being done by ethics committees, networks, and centers appears to be using continuous quality improvement methods, specifically the development of quality indicators, to promote accountability in end-of-life care reform efforts. This work is something that ethics committees can and should take on. [source]

Serving in College, Flourishing in Adulthood: Does Community Engagement During the College Years Predict Adult Well-Being?

Museum Outreach Programs to Promote Community Engagement in Local Environmental Issues

Addressing the Population Burden of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Problems: A Primary Care Model

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2000
Peter L. Appleton
A model for primary care child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services is presented, the overall goal of which is to reduce population burden of CAMH problems. The theoretical orientation of the model is based on ecological systems theories. Features of the model include: local population outcome measures; small area service focus; primary-care-based CAMH specialists; a locally comprehensive service framework based in primary care (schools and general practices); and an explicit process of community engagement. The model is illustrated by reference to a primary care CAMH service (currently the subject of a controlled trial) in Flintshire, North Wales. [source]

Public sector refraction and spectacle dispensing in low-resource countries of the Western Pacific

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
Jacqueline Ramke
Abstract Background:, Given that uncorrected refractive error is a frequent cause of vision impairment, and that there is a high unmet need for spectacles, an appraisal of public sector arrangements for the correction of refractive error was conducted in eight Pacific Island countries. Methods:, Mixed methods (questionnaire and semi-structured interviews) were used to collect information from eye care personnel (from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu) attending a regional eye health workshop in 2005. Results:, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu had Vision 2020 eye care plans that included refraction services, but not spectacle provision. There was wide variation in public sector spectacle dispensing services, but, except in Samoa, ready-made spectacles and a full cost recovery pricing strategy were the mainstay. There were no systems for the registration of personnel, nor guidelines for clinical or systems management. The refraction staff to population ratio varied considerably. Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu had the best coverage by services, either fixed or outreach. Most services had little promotional activity or community engagement. Conclusions:, To be successful, it would seem that public sector refraction services should answer a real and perceived need, fit within prevailing policy and legislation, value, train, retain and equip employees, be well managed, be accessible and affordable, be responsive to consumers, and provide ongoing good quality outcomes. To this end, a checklist to aid the initiation and maintenance of refraction and spectacle systems in low-resource countries has been constructed. [source]

Survey of Community Engagement in NIH-Funded Research

Making the Case for Selective and Directed Cultural Adaptations of Evidence-Based Treatments: Examples From Parent Training

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, Issue 4 2006
Anna S. LauArticle first published online: 3 NOV 200
With prevailing concerns about the generalizability of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) in real-world practice settings, there has been increased attention to the potential of cultural adaptations of treatments to ensure fit with diverse consumer populations. However, it could also be argued that there has been insufficient dissemination and evaluation of our existing EBTs with minority populations to warrant and guide adaptation efforts. This article discusses a framework (a) for identifying instances where cultural adaptation of EBTs may be most indicated, and (b) for using research to direct the development of treatment adaptations to ensure community engagement and the contextual relevance of treatment content. Ongoing work in the area of parent training is highlighted to illustrate key issues and recommendations. [source]