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Regional Communities (regional + community)
Selected AbstractsTURNING ISOLATION TO ADVANTAGE IN REGIONAL COST,BENEFIT ANALYSISECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 1 2007LEO DOBES Projects in small regional communities are rarely subjected to cost,benefit analysis, partly because of the perceived difficulty and cost of doing so. However, the very isolation of such communities means that well-established analytical techniques used for transport projects can be used to estimate the costs and benefits of government provision of goods and services. [source] Museum Outreach Programs to Promote Community Engagement in Local Environmental IssuesAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 2 2007Ruth 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] Mental health issues and resources in rural and regional communities: An exploration of perceptions of service providersAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2007Merrill Turpin Abstract Objective:,To identify service providers' and community organisations' perceptions of the resources available to support people with mental illness and the unmet needs of this client group in rural Queensland. Design:,An exploratory study was undertaken involving focus group interviews across the study sites. Setting:,Five regional towns in rural Queensland. Participants:,Ten to 14 members were recruited for each of the five focus groups. The groups represented a diverse mix of participants including health and community service providers and representatives from community organisations. Results:,Participants identified gaps in services in relation to health, employment and education, housing and accommodation, transport and social inclusion and health promotion. Inter-service communication and inappropriate funding models were themes affecting service delivery. Conclusions:,Specific service issues of housing and transport were identified to be particularly problematic for people with mental illness across all towns. Intersectoral communication and funding models require further research. [source] The essential stakeholder dialogueCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2002Peter R. Downey Sheffield Hallam University for the last 15 years, I suspect in common with many organizations, has been on a journey. There has been a progression from a serious concern about the institution's impact upon the environment and a sincere wish to minimize that impact to today's position with the recognition that environmental concern alone is not enough. Now it is seen as only one facet of the overall role the university plays in society and, in particular, the immediate regional community. Indeed, the very jargon has changed. There has been a movement from talking about the environment and being ,green' to recognition of the full definition of what is meant and required by ,sustainability'. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [source] Balancing the Need to Develop Coastal Areas with the Desire for an Ecologically Functioning Coastal Environment: Is Net Ecosystem Improvement Possible?RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2005R.M. Thom Abstract The global human population is growing exponentially, close to a majority lives and works near the coast, and coastal commerce and development are critical to the economies of many nations. Hence, coastal areas will continue to be a major focus of development and economic activity. People desire the economic advantages provided by coastal development along with the fisheries and social commodities supported by estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Because of these facts, we view the challenge of balancing coastal development with enhancing nearshore marine and estuarine ecosystems (i.e., net ecosystem improvement) as the top priority for coastal researchers in this century. Our restoration research in Pacific Northwest estuaries and participation in nearshore project design and impact mitigation has largely dealt with these competing goals. To this end, we have applied conceptual models, comprehensive assessment methods, and principles of restoration ecology, conservation biology, and adaptive management to incorporate science into decisions about uses of estuarine systems. Case studies of Bainbridge Island and the Columbia River demonstrate the use of objective, defensible methods to prioritize tidally influenced shorelines and habitats (i.e., riparian forests, marshes, unvegetated flats, rocky shores, seagrass meadows, kelp forests) for preservation, conservation, and restoration. Case studies of Clinton, Washington, and Port Townsend, Washington, demonstrate the incorporation of an ecological perspective and technological solutions into design of overwater structures to minimize impacts on nearshore ecosystems. Adaptive management has allowed coastal development and restoration uncertainties to be better evaluated, with the information used to improve management decisions. Although unproven on a large scale, we think these kinds of methods can contribute to the net improvement of already degraded ecosystems. The ingredients include applied science to understand the issues, education, incentives, empirical data, cumulative impact analysis, and an effective adaptive management program. Because the option of net ecosystem improvement is often more costly than alternatives such as no net loss, commitment by the local or regional community to this approach is essential. [source] Exploratory study examining barriers to participation in colorectal cancer screeningAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2010Johanna S. Paddison Abstract Objective:,To examine the Stage of Change distribution for bowel cancer screening in a regional Australian community and the factors associated with varying positions on the continuum of change. Design:,Survey of a convenience sample. Setting:,Community sample. Participants:,A total of 59 (31 male, mean age = 59) service club members from a South Australian regional community. Main outcome measure:,Self-reported Stage of Change for bowel cancer screening behaviour. Results:,Attributing greater embarrassment and discomfort to bowel cancer screening was associated with earlier positions on the Stages of Change. Perceiving that bowel cancer screening might have positive value for personal health was associated with more advanced positions on the continuum of change. Those who perceived breast and prostate screening procedures to be embarrassing or to cause discomfort were significantly less likely to be participating in bowel cancer screening. No significant relationships were found between bowel cancer screening Stage of Change and worry about vulnerability; personal, family or wider social network case reports of bowel cancer; and the population-level value attributed to the cancer screening procedures. Conclusion:,Bowel cancer screening participation rates are currently lower than those associated with breast and prostate screening. Reducing perceptions of embarrassment and discomfort, increasing awareness of potential health benefits and maximising participation in other screening procedures might increase participation in bowel cancer screening. [source] | ||||||||||