Social Assistance Services Research Articles

Programme evaluation – Case work with families and children in Riga

Since 2003, the professional social work has been acknowledged as a professional occupation. In compliance with the Social Service and Social Assistance Law (further – Law), local municipalities are responsible for carrying out individual work with families and children, where there are negative preconditions for the development of a child.The city of Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest municipality with the broadest spectrum of experience in providing social assistance and social services. Riga can boast with the two-levelled organisation of social work: direct social work with a client is carried out at Riga Social Office; however, social assistance and its programme administration is the responsibility of Welfare Department of Riga.Data show that especially during the period of economic crisis and after-crisis period the number of clients of social workers – families – has markedly increased. If back in 2008, up to 3063 families needed social assistance and social services; in 2011, the number of families in need of such assistance had already reached 3216. This indicates the steady growth of social work in Riga.In 2011, social services and social assistance to 3216 families was provided with the help of 66 social workers. The total number of people served reached 11,947 persons; the number included 7.565 adults and 4.868 children. These families frequently suffer from depression, alcoholism, drug addiction; they are exposed to potential risks of poverty and family violence, as well as may develop criminal cases. Those families where any of the above mentioned risks are present suffer from dysfunctional familial relationships. One of the services provided to such families is individual case work. The service helps families with children to define, solve or lessen social problems by developing the resources of the involved individuals and by employing various systems of assistance. The number of social service workers in Riga Social Office is rather unchangeable; however, clients with problems of multiple and complicated nature increase.Evaluation is a crucial part of every professional activity. It is not a rare case that in Latvia the evaluation of the provided service means formally defining what has been done, for example, the number of consultations provided during face to face meetings and over the phone, the number of visitations, the number of the produced informative letters, the number of the services provided or the number of cases per social worker a year.The aim of the study is to evaluate the quality of the case work system in providing social assistance. The research involved the unity of all the activities undertaken by a social worker when focusing on case work. Quality assessment criteria were defined for the sake of carrying out the research.

BELEDİYELERİN SOSYAL POLİTİKA UYGULAMALARI ÜZERİNE BİR DEĞERLENDİRME: MALATYA BELEDİYESİ ÖRNEĞİ

The1980s with the phenomenon of globalization has brought the debate over decentralization. Globalization is reshaping public administration. The globalization process is strengthening local governments. Local governments in the process of globalization, democratization in addition to providing administrative efficiency and economic efficiency are also important tools. New management with an understanding of social policy in the context of local government is seen to have changed. This process of change in our country as well as the local administration and public management policies and social policies affect local governments. Municipalities, they have to fulfill a very important role and responsibilities are equipped with. In this study of municipalities in Turkey, their role and responsibilities in the implementation of social policy are discussed. Examples of studies carried out as part of the Municipality of Malatya were examined. In this context, Malatya Municipality, social services, social assistance, education, health and housing services to be analyzed within the framework of their activities were studied. According to the findings of the study, they were installed on the implementation of the social policy of the municipalities has increased duties and responsibilities. Services provided over the years has experienced a significant increase. In contrast, there have also been some decline in social services. The reasons for this decline has tried to put forward. They have been brought against a number of solutions. More effective and efficient ways to deliver services have been sought.

A First Approach to the Cost of a Basic Social Benefit

AbstractThe Social Security System in Spain is significantly broader and more complex than in other EU countries. One of its problems is that it was not created as a single whole. Instead of this, there are different kinds of social assistance service depending on the region, so there is a real need to reduce the complexity of these schemes and homogenise the benefits paid out in a general basic social benefit. In this paper we propose a new approach to universal basic protection benefit (called Basic Social Benefit) as a way of unifying and rationalising the different grants and economic aids currently available in Spain in order to cover the basic needs of all citizens. This is the first study made in Spain in calculating the lump sum of a basic social benefit for the whole population. For this, we use Quantile Regression (QR) to calculate the principal variables that explain the minimum vital expenditures of Spanish citizens. We also show the total financial cost of this measure for Spain in 2010 and a projection of the cost for the next 12 years.

Qualitative perspectives toward prostitution's perceived lifestyle addictiveness

The aim of the present study was to provide a phenomenological perspective of individuals who actively engage in street-level prostitution and identified a lifestyle addiction associated with their activities. We interviewed 25 women who were incarcerated in American county jails (at the time of interviews) for prostitution crimes. The transcripts were analyzed for themes that represented the shared consensus of the research participants. Four negative psychological dynamics related to prostitution. First, participants described accounts of physical and emotional violence which they experienced at the hand of clients and others involved in the lifestyle. Second, interviewees explained an extreme dislike for their actions relating to and involving prostitution. These individuals did not describe themselves as being sexually addicted; sex was means to a desired end. Third, participants described how prostitution's lifestyle had evolved into something which they conceptualized as an addiction. As such, they did not describe themselves as feeling addicted to sex acts - but to lifestyle elements that accompanied prostitution behaviors. Finally, participants believed that freedom from prostitution's lifestyle would require social service assistance in order to overcome their lifestyle addiction. The results show that, although the prostitutes repeatedly and consistently used the term "addiction" when describing their lifestyles, they did not meet the DSM-IV-TR criteria for addiction. Rather, they shared many of the same psychological constructs as do addicts (e.g., feeling trapped, desiring escape, needing help to change), but they did not meet medical criteria for addictive dependence (e.g., tolerance or withdrawal).

Women's Associations and the Emergence of a Social State: Protection for Mothers and Children in Buenos Aires, 1920–1940

AbstractThis paper examines the women's association movement in Buenos Aires between 1920 and 1940, and its connection with the emergence of a social state. Subsidised by the state, associations led by upper-class women provided a significant number of social assistance services to mothers, working women and children, and had a notable impact on the design of social policy. While historiography concurs that by 1930 the significance of this charitably oriented women's movement had started to decline, being replaced by public welfare services, this paper seeks to question such a conclusion by analysing three of the most important women's social welfare associations in the period and showing how, having become the maternal face of the state, they retained a central role in the provision of social assistance until well into the 1930s, thus helping to prevent the state from becoming a ‘colossal bureaucratic machine’.

Regional social integration and free movement across borders: The role of social policy in enabling and preventing access to social entitlements by cross-border movers. European Union and Southern Africa compared Integración social regional y la libre circulación a través de las fronteras: el papel de la política social para permitir y evitar el acceso a los derechos sociales de sujetos

Social policies are central to regional social integration. This article addresses this with the European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It considers the part that access to social security, social assistance, health and education services play in facilitating free movement within regions. The article shows that in the EU the formal reality of free movement is substantially curtailed by problems with the portability of and access to social benefits. In SADC migrants' access to social protection and social services show remarkable similarity to the EU. Access to social assistance is missing in both regions for some movers. Given the symbolic nature of the “no recourse to public funds for migrants“ mantra of national social policies in both regions the article concludes that a policy and funding response at the regional or even global level is required if regional social integration is to be enhanced through social policy. Spanish Las políticas sociales son fundamentales para la integración social regional. Este artículo aborda este precepto en la Unión Europea (UE) y la Comunidad de Desarrollo de África Austral (SADC), considerando que los servicios de acceso a la seguridad social, a la asistencia social, a la salud y a la educación juegan un papel en la facilitación de la libre circulación entre regiones. El documento muestra que en la UE la realidad formal de la libre circulación se ve sustancialmente reducida por problemas con la portabilidad y el acceso a las prestaciones sociales. En la SADC el acceso de los migrantes a la protección social y a los servicios sociales muestra una marcada similitud con la UE. En ambas regiones, el acceso a la asistencia social no existe para algunos sujetos. Dado el carácter simbólico del mantra de las políticas sociales nacionales en ambas regiones de "no recurrir a los fondos públicos para los migrantes", el trabajo concluye que se requiere una respuesta política y definanciación a nivel regional, o incluso mundial, si se pretende mejorar la integración social regional a través de la política social. French Les politiques sociales se situent actuellement au cœur de l'intégration sociale régionale. Ce document aborde ce e question dans le cas de l'Union européenne (UE) et de la Communauté de développement d'Afrique australe (SADC). Il considère le fait que, l'accès à la sécurité sociale, aux services sociaux, à la santé et à l'éducation participe de manière effective à la libre circulation des personnes au sein des régions. Le document montre que dans l'UE, la réalité formelle de la libre circulation est considérablement restreinte par des problèmes liés à l'adaptation et à l'accès aux prestations sociales. L'accès des migrants à la protection sociale et aux services sociaux au sein du SADC montre des similitudes remarquables avec l'UE. L'accès à l'aide sociale est absent dans les deux régions pour certains transfrontaliers. Compte tenu de la nature symbolique du «non recours aux fonds publics pour les migrants" appliqué dans les politiques sociales nationales de ces deux régions, cet article conclut qu'une politique et une réponse financière élaborée au niveau régional ou même mondial sont nécessaires si l'on souhaite que l'intégration régionale sociale soit renforcée par la politique sociale.

How network operators can enhance Ambient Assisted Living applications through Next Generation Networks

Within the technological framework of Information and Communication Technologies ICT, consumers are currently requesting multimedia services with simplicity of use, reliability, security and service availability through mobile and fixed access. Network operators are proposing the Next Generation Networks NGN to address the challenges of providing both services and network convergence. Apart from these considerations, there is a need to provide social and healthcare assistance services in order to support the progressive aging in the elderly population. In order to achieve this objective, the Ambient Assisted Living AAL initiative proposes ICT systems and services to promote autonomy and an independent life among the elderly. This paper describes the design and implementation of a group of services, called “service enablers”, which helps AAL applications to be supported in NGN. The presented enablers are identified to support the teleconsulting applications requirements in an NGN environment, involving the implementation of a virtual waiting room, a virtual whiteboard, a multimedia multiconference and a vital-signs monitoring presence status. A use case is defined and implemented to evaluate the developed enablers' performance.

Some Thoughts on the System of Tasks of the Local Autonomies Related to the Organisation of Personal Social Care

In the modern post-industrial societies services are becoming the greatest part of the economy, and through the reallocating role of state – even after the millennium changes – the role of the services organised by the communities is exceptionally high. One of these services is the social care granted by the state and (its parts) the local governments. In my article I summarise the roles of local communities and local governments of some European and non-European states in the organisation of social care. The practical and theoretical legal terms of social assistance and personal social services are presented as well as the general characteristics of models (settlement or regional municipality based) of the organisation of the services. There is also a short description of general financing issues.

Neighborhood Defenders Program: An Evaluation of Maryland’s Holistic Representation Program

This article provides insights and lessons learned from the Neighborhood Defenders Program (NDP) established by the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in 2006. The NDP is a holistic representation model that uses interdisciplinary teams of lawyers, social workers, law clerks, support staff, and college interns to provide legal representation while assisting clients with social and economic concerns such as reentry, housing, employment, immigration, mental health, and education. Clients are eligible for social service assistance from the NDP indefinitely, even after their legal case has been resolved. First, the authors provide an overview of holistic criminal defense and a description of the NDP. This is followed by a brief description of evaluation methods and a report of the main findings, which are based on interviews, focus groups, and observations with clients, attorneys, social workers, support staff, and families or guardians of clients. Last, the authors provide concluding thoughts and recommendations based on these findings that may help others who seek to establish or improve existing holistic criminal defense practices. It is the authors’ goal to contribute to dialogue around holistic criminal defense programs to maximize benefits to clients and to avoid or mitigate any harm.

Factors Induced the Insured Persons For Treatment in ESI Dispensaries

PCP plays very significant role in the field of distance education (DE). The PCP is organizing to solve distance learning problems. Advancement of new technologies, online tutorials, Personal Contact Programme (PCP) makes distance education more flexible. PCP is organizing for the counseling and guidance of learners. An attempt has been made in this paper to study learner’s attitudes tow Social security may generally be defined as protection provided by the society to its members against providential mishaps over which a man has no control. This protection is provided through Employees’ State Insurance Corporation of India. Social security measures vary from country to country, but the following common features are necessary for a scheme to be designated as social security: i) The aim of the scheme must be either to give curative or preventive medical care, or to guarantee income in case of involuntary loss of all or a large part of income from work or to grant additional income to persons with dependents. ii) The system must be instituted by legislation, which attributes certain individual rights to or imposes definite obligations upon a public, partly public or autonomous organization. iii) A public, partly public or autonomous organization, must administer the system. iv) The benefits or services are provided in three major ways: social insurance, social assistance and public service. The present study has been undertaken to examine the performance of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. More specifically, the study attempts to study the factors induced the insured persons for treatment in ESI dispensaries. ards PCP in distance education. To what extent PCP are suitable and beneficent according to their attitudes with gender difference. Random sampling technique has been used in selection of the sample of distant learners. The result shows that there is significant difference between attitude towards PCP among male and female distant learners. The out comes are derived after the filled up questionnaire received from students of distant IGNOU study Centre (AMU) in the academic year 2011 and 2012.

Tocando o Intangível: Explorando Efeitos de Programas Sociais nas Dimensões Menos Tangíveis da Pobreza

This paper presents some results of a survey that intended to identify effects of social protection programs - more specifically cash transfer and social assistance services - on less tangible dimensions of poverty. The survey, conducted in Belo Horizonte city/MG, has a quantitative and qualitative approach. In this way, was developed a survey applied in 608 families, and focus groups with staff of the Reference Centers of Social Assistance (CRAS), and families assisted by these services. Based on a literature that focuses on the various dimensions that make up the poverty phenomenon, we considered the changes that occur in families receiving Bolsa Familia that, besides the benefit, are in touch with social care services developed in CRAS. The results of both quantitative and qualitative stages realize that the effects of the interventions are different for the different strata of families: those exposed to more systematically social care services have different answers, regarding the psycho social effects, compared with the group that receives only income transfer. Finally, some issues are problematized concerning social intervention ways and the chances of fighting poverty through social welfare policies.KEYWORDS: Poverty, social assistance policy, psycho-social effects, conditional cash transfer programs, social care services.

Fiscal Decentralisation in the Netherlands: History, Current Practice and Economic Theory

Fiscal Decentralisation in the Netherlands: History, Current Practice and Economic Theory

The System of Long-Term Care in Poland

In the field of social protection, Poland belongs to the EU group of countries with the family-based welfare model, what is extremely visible for the long-term care where family is the main care provider for elderly individuals with limitations in activities of daily living. At the same time the proportion of elderly in the coming decades is projected to be among the highest in the European Union, what raises questions on the design of the long-term care. For the moment the system is highly unregulated and disintegrated between social assistance and health care services. But it is the health sector that concentrates policy debate with a proposal of an introduction of nursing insurance. In the social sector, the significant changes that were favorable to LTC services development were introduced by the law on the social assistance (2004) and family benefits (2003) widening the scope of care available at home and in adult day care centers. But still provision of services is insufficient and a market of private services, paid out-of-pocket rapidly develops. It seems that main problems of the long-term care development in the future will be raising demand against insufficient resources and diversified priorities of the health care system.

Risk Factors for Dating Violence Among Adolescent Females Presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Department

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among the adolescent population is an increasing concern. This study was designed to assess the prevalence, associated risk factors, and best ways to identify IPV among teens presenting to a pediatric emergency room. This prospective, convenience study was conducted in a busy, pediatric emergency department. Young women, aged 15 years to 21 years, presenting with any chief complaint were enrolled. Adolescents completed a verbally assisted survey, and responses were recorded. Surveys consisted of three sections: demographic information, an eight-item date violence screening tool, and a risk factor assessment tool. Teens who screened positive for IPV were offered immediate social services assistance. Analysis was performed to compare youth risk factors between young women who were screened positive and negative for IPV. All eight of the date violence screening questions were reviewed to analyze whether a set of questions were consistently positive in all the teens who were screened. A total of 246 of 270 (91%) approached were enrolled. The prevalence of IPV was 36.6%. Many of the risk-taking behaviors assessed correlated with dating violence. The most significant included having tried alcohol (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; confidence interval [CI], 1.3-4.4), having ridden in a car with a partner who was doing drugs (OR, 2.4; CI, 1.1-5.0) or alcohol (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0-6.3), fighting with peers (OR, 3.5; CI, 1.6-7.8), and history of sexually transmitted disease (OR, 2.2; CI, 1.2-4.2). Four questions were identified that detected 99% of positive screens for adolescent dating violence. IPV among female adolescents presenting to a pediatric emergency department is high. Certain risk-taking behaviors are correlated with adolescent dating violence. Four specific questions, if asked in this setting, can capture teens at risk.

Voices from the periphery: Prospects and challenges for the homeless youth service sector

As a result of its focus on transitionally-aged youth (16–24), the homeless youth service sector finds itself on the periphery of both the children's service sectors, represented by children's mental health, child welfare, education and youth justice, and the adult service sectors that seek to address the varying needs of adults for social assistance and mental health services. Based on an extensive literature review and a series of interviews with service providers, stakeholders and youth within this sector, in the Central East Service Region of the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, the authors synthesize core themes and issues that help to situate the current prospects and challenges facing this sector. Feedback from informants positioned the concept of “relationship” as a central feature of both service provision and service use on the part of youth. The Central East Region is a mixed urban, suburban and semi-rural region situated in close proximity to Canada's largest urban centre, Toronto. With a population of nearly 2 million, the Region is often perceived as diverse, encompassing a series of highly affluent commuter communities, relatively isolated rural and small town communities and urban working class communities. While social issues such as homelessness and poverty have long been recognized in urban communities, they have only recently been acknowledged as community concerns in the geographically large suburban areas of this region.

Controlling Violent Offenders Released to the Community: An Evaluation of the Boston Reentry Initiative

Despite the high level of funding and policy interest in prisoner reentry, there is still little rigorous scientific evidence to guide jurisdictions in developing reentry programs to enhance public safety, particularly for managing those who pose the greatest safety risks. The Boston Reentry Initiative (BRI) is an interagency initiative to help transition violent adult offenders released from the local jail back to their Boston neighborhoods through mentoring, social service assistance, and vocational development.This study uses a quasi-experimental design and survival analyses to evaluate the effects of the BRI on the subsequent recidivism of program participants relative to an equivalent control group. The authors find that the BRI was associated with significant reductions—on the order of 30 percent—in the overall and violent arrest failure rates.

RESULTS OF POST-KATRINA NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND CANCER.

Purpose of the Study Patients with sickle cell disease (SSD) and cancer have special needs; continuity of care is necessary to ensure their continued well-being. Patients with these disorders treated at Children9s Hospital of New Orleans were surveyed to determine special needs identified by their experiences pre-/post-Katrina in 2005 and to identify measures that could be instituted to ensure care and continuity of care in similar disaster. Methods Used A post-Katrina needs assessment survey was administered to 84 patients attending clinics at the Children9s Hospital of New Orleans. HIPPAA requirements were met and parents/patients were assented prior to participation in the study. Summary of Results The ratio of males to females was ≈1:1. Respondents were 37% black, 55% white, and 4% Hispanic. Fifteen percent were SSD patients, whereas 53% were cancer patients (30% had other miscellaneous diseases). Most individuals stated that they had known their destination prior to leaving New Orleans with an evacuation plan. Seventy-seven percent left town; at the time of the survey, 79% were at their pre-Katrina location. No change in hospitalization or emergency room usage was reported post-Katrina, but parents9 overall perception was that their children were not as healthy as before Katrina. Distances for travel to clinic were greater post-Katrina. Sixty percent of those surveyed did not have any difficulty in getting health care during the evacuation period. Those who had difficulty gave the following reasons: inability to reach/find their New Orleans provider; lack of information about resources that were available; need for Web site information from their health care provider; and a lack of Social Services assistance. Sixty-nine percent reported emotional or psychological problems in their children post-Katrina, although not all had sought psychiatric attention. Supportive services identified as needed were transportation assistance, housing assistance, respite care for their children with health care needs, and assistance in finding health care providers in their new location. Conclusion The degree of need was perhaps not as great as expected for these patients having serious and at times chronic illnesses. Parents usually reported no discontinuity of care but did need supportive services, which might not have been available. Efforts are now being made to ensure that these needs are met in the event of a future catastrophic event.

Perfil de instituições asilares no município do Recife, PE, Brasil

Resumo O rápido envelhecimento da população brasileira observado nas últimas décadas requer uma nova rede de serviços de assistência social e de saúde destinados aos mais velhos. O estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar as instituições asilares cadastradas no município do Recife, em termos quantitativos, segundo distribuição espacial por Região Político-Administrativa, natureza, condição de contribuição mensal por parte do usuário, público-alvo e vagas disponíveis. As informações de interesse incluíram dados primários e secundários registrados em questionário semi-estruturado. Das 27 instituições localizadas, duas se recusaram a participar. Resultados em termos de distribuição espacial, duas estavam situadas na RPA1; quatro na RPA2; nove - RPA3; sete - RPA4; duas - RPA5; uma - RPA6. Quanto à natureza, duas eram públicas, doze privadas, oito filantrópicas, duas mistas e uma sem fins lucrativos. Em relação à contribuição mensal, quatro eram totalmente gratuitas, em nove recolhia-se até um salário mínimo (SM); em oito, de 1 a 2 SM; em quatro, de 2 a 3 SM. Quanto ao público-alvo, uma se destinava ao atendimento masculino de forma exclusiva, oito acolhiam só mulheres e dezesseis eram mistas. Em relação às vagas disponíveis, quinze instituições comportam até 30 idosos; sete, até 60 idosos; duas, até 90 idosos e uma acima de 90 idosos. Conclusão face ao número reduzido de instituições, bem como ao número de vagas disponíveis, sugere-se a necessidade de reestruturar a rede de assistência asilar no município.

On the recent extension of price and production statistics to health and education

The paper examines the recent extension of price and production statistics to health, social assistance services and education. In the first part of the paper it is emphasised that using net prices instead of gross prices, as for the European harmonised consumer price index, is inaccurate. The index is thus partly hybrid and inconsistent. The second part of the paper explains why, even if quality is a significant issue, production measures should not rely on the user's changes of condition. It should rather be based on supplied quality. The paper then describes and discusses two complementary ways to estimate quality changes.

The Yellow School Bus Project: Helping Homeless Students Get Ready for School

In this time of widespread reductions in welfare and social service assistance, communities need to find creative ways to help their neediest members. Ms. Vissing describes a model collaborative effort in Durham, New Hampshire, that preserves the dignity of homeless students. AS THE END of summer approaches and the first days of school draw near, most young people look forward to going shopping for new clothes and supplies. They arrive at school in their new shoes and clothes, carting backpacks stuffed with new binders, pens, pencils, crayons, and shiny protractors. Unfortunately, this is rarely the experience of homeless students. Homeless parents struggling to make ends meet can't afford the pens, loose-leaf paper, and other supplies their children need for school, let alone new polar-fleece sweaters or capri pants. Most homeless students must make do with hand-me-downs, secondhand clothes, and last year's jeans and tops. And, while parents may believe that the schools provide the supplies that their children will need, the kids know better -- if you don't have your own supplies, you either have to borrow them or do without. Even though homeless students may look forward to the start of the school year as a time of new beginnings and an opportunity for a fresh start, just walking through the door on the first day can be intimidating. Homeless students may fear that, without nice new clothes or well-stocked backpacks, they will not be accepted by their peers or, worse, will be targets of ridicule. More important, homeless students are almost certain to be at a disadvantage when it comes to doing the required schoolwork. It's a challenge for many homeless children to do their homework without access to home libraries or Internet-accessible computers, but some have difficulty even doing in-class work because they don't have the necessary supplies. As a result of federal welfare reform, state budget woes, and the recent economic downturn, welfare and social service assistance has been reduced at the same time as the number of homeless and needy children has grown. There has also been a decrease in charitable contributions to the needy in many communities, as some donors have shifted their contributions to assist victims of terrorism, and others simply have less money to give. In addition, many people concentrate their giving at the holidays, contributing food at Thanksgiving or coats and toys at Christmas. And, while these gifts provide blessed relief to parents of children in need, people generally forget that one of the most important days of a child's year is that first day of school. THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUS PROJECT The Yellow School Bus Project (YSBP) was created to provide homeless children with the supplies and clothes they need to succeed in school and feel good about themselves. When given these gifts, the children receive the explicit message that they are smart and worthwhile. They also receive the implicit message that there are people in the community who are invested in their success and who will help them. Based on our experiences in developing the YSBP, we recommend that others seeking to replicate the program in their communities develop organizational support, identify the need in the community, and create giving opportunities that connect donors to the children as much as possible. 1. Develop organizational support. Undertaking a public service endeavor that may become an integral part of a community's service infrastructure -- with families, schools, and shelters counting on it - - requires ongoing organizational support. The Yellow School Bus Project works best when multiple organizations -- religious, civic, fraternal, business, and nonprofit -- share sponsorship. In Durham, New Hampshire, the decision to create the YSBP as a joint endeavor grew out of communication between the director of the nonprofit Baboosic Center for Child and Community Development and the mission boards of local religious organizations that were looking for a community service project. …