Community Service Organizations Research Articles

'About time!' Insights from Research with Pride: a community-student collaboration

Research with Pride (RwP) was a community-student collaborative initiative to promote and build capacity for community-based research exploring health and wellness in lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) communities. The event took place at University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) in September 2009, and engaged over 100 students, community members and academic researchers in a full day of discussion, learning and networking. RwP was initiated by a group of graduate students in Health Promotion who identified a gap in resources addressing LGBTQ health, facilitating their further learning and work in this area. By engaging in a partnership with a community service organization serving LGBTQ communities in downtown Toronto, RwP emerges as a key example of the role of community-student partnerships in the pursuit of LGBTQ health promotion. This paper will describe the nature of this partnership, outline its strengths and challenges and emphasize the integral role of community-student partnerships in health promotion initiatives.

Learning Interdisciplinarity

The authors explore the challenges inherent in traversing the multiple boundaries between sociology and social work, and the academy and the community, by examining a service learning course on hunger and homelessness taught by two sociology professors and two social workers on the staff of a community service organization. The authors draw on instructional team meetings and correspondence, observation of class sessions, and formal and informal course evaluations to analyze three “moments”: the planning process, a pivotal class session, and students’ final presentations. They found that both their teaching and students’ learning were enriched by disciplinary differences in knowledge claims, the design and utility of qualitative research, and the process of drawing conclusions from, and making arguments using, qualitative data. The authors conclude that experiential learning has value beyond providing students hands-on experiences. It can also provide a laboratory in which students and instructors can explore the similarities and differences between sociology, social work, and other disciplines.

Developing cessation interventions for the social and community service setting: A qualitative study of barriers to quitting among disadvantaged Australian smokers

BackgroundSmoking rates remain unacceptably high among individuals who are socially disadvantaged. Social and community service organisations (SCSO) are increasingly interested in providing smoking cessation support to clients, however little is known about the best way to assist disadvantaged smokers to quit in this setting. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to quitting within the conceptual framework of the PRECEDE model to identify possible interventions appropriate to the social and community service setting.MethodsSemi-structured focus groups were conducted with clients attending five community welfare organisations located in New South Wales, Australia. Thirty-two clients participated in six focus groups. A discussion guide was used to explore the barriers and facilitators to smoking and smoking cessation including: current smoking behaviour, motivation to quit, past quit attempts, barriers to quitting and preferences for cessation support. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis techniques.ResultsParticipants were current smokers and most expressed a desire to quit. Factors predisposing continued smoking included perceived benefits of smoking for stress relief, doubting of ability to quit, fear of gaining weight, and poor knowledge and scepticism about available quit support. The high cost of nicotine replacement therapy was a barrier to its use. Continual exposure to smoking in personal relationships and in the community reinforced smoking. Participants expressed a strong preference for personalised quit support.ConclusionsDisadvantaged smokers in Australia express a desire to quit smoking, but find quitting difficult for a number of reasons. SCSOs may have a role in providing information about the availability of quit support, engaging disadvantaged smokers with available quit support, and providing personalised, ongoing support.

Partner or perish? Exploring inter-organisational partnerships in the multicultural community aged care sector

Given an Australian national and state policy agenda that continues to promote collaborative work, many community organisations are attempting to engage in partnerships with mixed results. This paper reports on a qualitative study conducted to explore the experiences of existing partnerships between organisations and small community groups who deliver community based support services to older people from culturally diverse backgrounds. In particular, this study sought to identify the key factors that facilitate and hinder the formation, maintenance and effectiveness of partnerships within the ethnic and multicultural community aged care (EMCAC) sector. Fourteen participants representing nine community and health service organisations located in the Melbourne metropolitan area took part in semi-structured interviews. Participants reported that partnerships between organisations are necessary and beneficial within the EMCAC sector. Organisational capacity, access to information and guidelines, and the inequality experienced by smaller organisations were key issues identified by participants. Increasing organisational capacity and reducing the inequalities experienced in partnerships may be addressed via training and education about the nature of partnerships, as well as by advocating for increased resources to smaller ethno-specific organisations. Further investigation is required to examine whether not engaging in partnerships will deem an organisation unsustainable in the longer term.

Interracial Activism in the Los Angeles Community Service Organization: Linking the World War II and Civil Rights Eras

Through the lens of the Community Service Organization (CSO), this article explores the emergence of Los Angeles ethno-racial communities' political activism and what enabled their success in a difficult Cold War climate. The CSO's creation in 1947, when it became the first enduring civil rights organization for the largest urban Mexican-origin population in the United States, is striking since historical narratives generally assume the Cold War crushed meaningful civil rights change. The CSO complicates this declensionist narrative. Its success stemmed in part from its reliance upon interracial networks that sustained it in its early years. The CSO reveals links between different racial and ethnic communities, in three different eras—the World War II, Cold War, and civil rights eras—that made the emergence and persistence of such activism possible.

The Unity Council at 40: A Pioneering Community Development and Service Organization (1967–2007)

The Spanish Speaking Unity Council (Unity Council) is a community development nonprofit organization that was established in 1964, during the civil rights movement, by a group of community members who wanted to ensure the political representation of the Latino community. Over its 45-year history, the Unity Council has grown into a $12 million community development organization that delivers a range of programming, including social services and employment training as well as facilitating the development and support of local businesses, low-income housing, and neighborhood improvement activities. The history of the agency presents the multiple challenges and rewards associated with development in an underserved community and an example of the important role that leadership plays in the growth of a nonprofit.

Brief Report – A qualitative study about smoking cessation with clients of community service organisations that work with disadvantaged families

To determine whether clients of community service organisations (CSOs) that work with disadvantaged families consider the organisation to be a suitable avenue for the delivery of smoking cessation assistance, and to explore clients' knowledge and attitudes on smoking, and barriers to quitting. Seven focus groups were undertaken with clients from CSOs that work with disadvantaged families. Participants were asked questions on effects of smoking on health, barriers to quitting smoking and whether CSOs could provide smoking cessation support. Note-based analysis was undertaken to identify issues. Participants view CSOs as an acceptable avenue to provide support to quit smoking. Participants had misconceptions about the effects of smoking on health and the desire to quit smoking was not a priority among many participants. There is a need for smoking cessation support to be integrated into CSOs for disadvantaged families as clients are unlikely to seek support elsewhere.

Delivering smoking cessation support to disadvantaged groups: a qualitative study of the potential of community welfare organizations

Reaching disadvantaged groups for smoking cessation represents a significant challenge. Not-for-profit community service organizations (CSOs) represent a promising setting for the delivery of quit smoking support to disadvantaged smokers. However, their potential has not yet been explored. This qualitative study examined the acceptability of community service-delivered smoking cessation care. In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with 8 managers, 35 staff and 32 clients of CSOs between December 2008 and March 2009 in New South Wales, Australia. Discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis techniques. Quantitative surveys were also conducted to explore preferences for cessation support. Results showed that the acceptability of providing and receiving cessation support in the community service setting was high. Staff perceived the provision of quit support to be compatible with their role but reported barriers to providing care including competing priorities, insufficient resources and inadequate staff training. Brief intervention approaches were preferred by managers and staff, while financial incentives and access to free or subsidized nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were desired by clients. The community service setting represents a promising access point for engaging disadvantaged smokers for cessation and further research exploring the effectiveness of support delivered in this setting is clearly warranted.

A Volunteer Citizen-Servant Pilot Program Using Tailored Messages to Empower Alabamians to Live Healthier Lives

This study examines the use of tailored messages as a learning tool to volunteer citizen servants to promote health and empower Alabama citizens to live healthier lives. Descriptive data of formative and summative questionnaires were analyzed from convenience sampling in this study, which encompassed 12 months. Researchers formed unique partnerships among community service organizations (CSO), faith-based organizations (FBO), author affiliated school of nursing, and community organizations to implement Healthy People 2010 goals. The program provided "health information stations" to focus on delivery of monthly culturally relevant messages to meet the health needs in the community. This program provided tailored health messages to 11 CSO and FBO. Outcome measures include an increase in health promotion knowledge, desire for furtherance and expansion of programs, and improved contacts within the community. The results from this study provide achievement of overall program goals, suggestions for improved evaluation strategies, implementation plans, and examples of specific topical messages.

Integrated strategic partnerships between business and not-for-profit organisations: A case study from New Zealand

This paper examines strategic partnerships between businesses and a not-for-profit organisation using an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) theoretical lens. The case study method is used to generate insights into a successful partnership between an internationally branded B2B organisation and a not-for-profit community service organisation. In-depth insights from the case suggest that such a partnership operates at an integrative and strategic level for both organisations. Rather than being conceptualised as a tactical sponsorship arrangement we suggest that such partnerships are worthy of more research to understand their role in generating competitive advantage and brand value within an overarching IMC programme.

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Why carers of frail older people are not using available respite services: an Australian study

The purpose of this study was to explore the limiting and motivating factors that influence carers' use of respite services and the ability of currently available respite services to meet the needs of carers of frail older people. The development of community carer support services, their availability and usage and the common barriers that affect or impact on carers' use of community services in general and respite services in particular need to be examined to ensure they meet client needs. A qualitative descriptive approach informed by critical social theory was used to expose the inequities inherent in community services. A qualitative examination of carer relationships with respite services was informed and guided by critical theory. Sixteen carers took part in four focus groups. A purposeful sampling strategy was adopted to engage with carers not currently using respite services. Study participants were recruited from a state-wide carer support organisation and a community service organisation in Queensland, Australia. Three themes emerged from the data: 'Commitment' characterised by reciprocity, role definition and role frustration, 'Needing Help' discussed in terms of trust, confidence in service, fear and resistance, and 'Support' discussed in relation to informal networking, misinformation and lack of knowledge. This study improves our understanding of the caring role, its significance in carer's lives and how this shapes their formal service expectations and use. The findings suggest that further investigation of the factors involved in carers' service expectations and service-seeking is warranted to develop a deeper understanding of how care giving influences the ways carers seek help from formal services. Service delivery changes towards a model of care, which engages and promotes user control and fosters genuine participatory relations between informal and professional carers may improve uptake of respite services.

Improving Home-Based Hospice Understanding and Use of the National Incident Management System for Emergency and Disaster Preparation and Response

Critical to an organized and successful emergency response is having a plan based on the framework used exclusively by community and national emergency service organizations, that is, the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Standardization is vital so that diverse types of organizations can work in harmony to respond to emergencies. NIMS provides the opportunity for this standardization. Home-based hospices are generally unaware of NIMS and its value during a multiagency response to an incident. Care should be taken to revise emergency and disaster preparation and response plans to reflect the national standard.

How to buy a medical home? Policy options and practical questions.

In this paper, we describe a range of payment options to support the PCMH, identifying their conceptual strengths and weaknesses. These include enhanced FFS payment for office visits to the PCMH; paying additional FFS for "new" PCMH services; variations of traditional FFS combined with new PCMH-oriented per patient per month capitation; and combined capitation payments for traditional primary care medical services as well as new medical home services. In discussing options for PCMH payment reform we consider issues in patient severity adjustment, performance payment, and the role of payments to community service organizations to collaborate with the PCMH. We also highlight some of the practical challenges that can complicate reimbursement reform for primary care and the PCMH. Through this discussion we identify key dimensions to provider payment reform relevant to promoting enhanced primary care through the patient centered medical home. These consist of paying for the basic medical home services, rewarding excellent performance of medical homes, incentivizing medical home connections to other community health care resources, and overcoming implementation challenges to medical home payments. Each of these overarching policy issues invokes a substantial subset of policy relevant research questions that collectively comprise a robust research agenda. We conclude that the conceptual strengths and weaknesses of available payment models for medical home functions invoke a complex array of options with varying levels of real-world feasibility. The different needs of patients and communities, and varying characteristics of practices must also be factors guiding PCMH payment reform. Indeed, it may be that different circumstances will require different payment approaches in various combinations.

AUSON Making a Health Promotion Connection

Background: Health disparities between Caucasians and African Americans are present in the Healthy People 2010 indicators. Tailored Messaging has been shown to be effective in community settings where participants have the same values. Purpose: To improve the health status of African American Alabama citizens who give of themselves as volunteers to help others by better lifestyle choices, thereby creating a “ripple effect” that will allow them to continue and potentially expand their good works in the community. Methodology: To establish partnerships of Auburn University School of Nursing with faith-based and community service organizations to facilitate access to a cadre of organized volunteers who are their member volunteers actualizing their organization's mission. This study employed tailored messaging, research translation, and health literacy best practice strategies to provide persons with culturally relevant health promotion self care information via Health Information Stations in the organization's meeting facility Healthy People 2010 Ten Leading Health Indicators were used to provide topical information that could be used to make informed lifestyle choices that foster an improved quality of life. A self care model, PIECE, was used to address the health promotion information delivery focus: Physical, Intellectual, Environmental, Cultural, & Emotional Health. Findings: This program has provided health tailored messages to 12,000 people in 11 community service organizations and faith-based organizations Outcome measures include an increase in health promotion knowledge, desire for furtherance and expansion of programs, and improved contacts within the community. Summary Concluding Statement: Evidence based practice can guide tailored message topical selection through use of data that indicates disparities in health care and what particular health topics affect each sub- population. Public health must ensure that messages are cultural relevant in the message and the delivery method for best health promotion. This study developed tailored messaging that was culturally relevant to meet the needs of the rural Alabama African American population.

Integrating smoking care in community service organisations to reach disadvantaged people: Findings from the Smoking Matters project

smoking rates among very disadvantaged populations groups are much higher than for the general Australian population. Smoking makes a significant contribution to the reduced health and material well-being experienced by these groups. Community service organisations have been suggested as a promising setting to provide smoking cessation support for disadvantaged people, but few initiatives have explored the feasibility of this strategy. the project involved work with five non-government community service organisations as demonstration sites for the integration of smoking care. Sites were offered staff training, smoking-care resources and policy support to address tobacco in the service environment and in their work with clients. Pre-and post-training surveys were undertaken with training participants and a follow-up survey was conducted after three months. Survey questions assessed staff members' confidence, knowledge and skills to address smoking, as well as changes in staff practice. the response rate for the surveys before and after the training sessions was almost 100%, with 63 of the 64 participants providing post-training surveys. The response rate of the three-month follow-up survey was approximately 50% with 34 respondents. Findings indicate that staff did develop confidence, skills and knowledge to address tobacco issues. Some organisations made changes to policy, such as introducing designated smoking areas and providing financial support for clients and staff to quit smoking. Practice change was evident among some staff, particularly in addressing smoking as part of routine case management and use of the 5A's brief intervention framework. the project findings lend support to the view that community service organisations could play a role in providing smoking care to disadvantaged people.

Adoption, fostering, permanent care and beyond Re-thinking policy and practice on out-of-home care for children in Australia

The papers published in this special issue of Children Australia were originally presented at a two day symposium held in Melbourne on 26 and 27 November 2009. The symposium, Adoption, fostering, permanent care and beyond: Re-thinking policy and practice on out-of-home care for children in Australia, was jointly convened by the Department of Human Services (DHS), Victoria and the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University in conjunction with the History of Adoption in Australia project (Monash University 2009).The event was a partnership between professionals working in this area and university researchers. Each group brought different perspectives and imperatives to the table. For DHS and the sector, the immediate frame of the symposium was the major policy statement Directions for out-of-home care, announced in May 2009 by the Victorian Minister for Community Services after consultation with community service organisations and young people living in care (DHS 2009a). It announces a framework for change which incorporates action on seven fronts or ‘reform directions’. These are to support children to remain at home with their families; to provide a better choice of care placement; to promote wellbeing; to prepare young people who are leaving care to make the transition into adult life; to improve the education of children in care; to develop effective and culturally appropriate responses to the high numbers of Aboriginal children in our care; and to create a child-focused system and processes (DHS 2009a). The driving principle informing the reforms is to ensure that policy and service provision are centred on the needs and interests of children and young people, and to ensure that young people are consulted as to what their needs are (rather than assumptions being made by adults as to their needs).

More than experiential learning or volunteering: a case study of community service learning within the Australian context

Community service learning is the integration of experiential learning and community service into coursework such that community needs are met and students gain both professional skills and a sense of civic responsibility. A critical component is student reflection. This paper provides an example of the application of community service learning within an undergraduate health unit at the Queensland University of Technology. Based on survey data from 36 program participants, it demonstrates the impact of CSL on student outcomes. Results show that students benefited by developing autonomy through real world experiences, through increased self‐assurance and achievement of personal growth, through gaining new insights into the operations of community service organisations and through moving towards becoming responsible citizens. Students expect their CSL experience to have long‐lasting impact on their lives, with two‐thirds of participants noting that they would like to continue volunteering as part of their future development.

Building bridges between refugee parents and schools

This interview study examines the way practitioners in Wisconsin public schools created conditions to facilitate refugee parent involvement. Practitioners’ perceptions of barriers to refugee parents’ school involvement are explored as well as the strategies used to promote meaningful parent involvement. Interviewees included nine school practitioners who worked closely with recently arrived Hmong students. The findings of the study suggest school practitioners considered the following barriers to refugee parent involvement: (1) language proficiency; (2) time constraints due to family socio‐economic status and traditional family structures; (3) deferential attitudes towards school authority. Strategies viewed as useful to the interviewees included: (1) creating a parent liaison position; (2) tapping into existing community service organisations; (3) providing parent education programmes. While the findings illuminate ways school practitioners and policy‐makers may better facilitate transitions of recently resettled refugee students into host communities, our discussion challenges school practitioners and policy‐makers to question an absence of community control in traditional conceptions and enactments of parental involvement. Further, we raise concerns over technical rational approaches to social integration of refugee families and critique a colonial discourse of ‘helping’ these vulnerable communities.

Reciprocal accountability

PurposeThis paper attempts to replace the understanding of public sector accountability as a linear and hierarchical process with one in which accountability occurs within a network of social relationships. It associates the former approach with the introduction of New Public Management principles in Australian public administration. It investigates the effect of this on the ability of Australia's indigenous people both to access democratic accountability as citizens, and to develop their community organisations as service providers.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on field experience with aboriginal community organisations and critical assessment of the literature on this aspect of Australian public administration.FindingsThe paper finds that New Public Management approaches in Australian public administration have not led to greater political accountability but the reverse. As a disadvantaged, culturally distinct minority, aboriginal people are the subject of, rather than partners in, accountability regimes which mire their community service organisations in reporting requirements at the expense of practical activity. In some respects Aborigines are dealt with as individual citizen/clients, at other times as a disadvantaged minority group, and third, as culturally distinct polities. Each of these approaches implies different forms of accountability both by Aborigines to the state and by the state to them.Research limitations/implicationsThis analysis is inherently interpretative rather than exclusively empirical. However, greater efficiency as well as culturally appropriate outcomes can be found by instituting regional regimes of reciprocal accountability.Originality/valueThe analysis of developments in public administration is rarely brought to bear on Australian indigenous affairs.