Determinants of family planning clinic performance in Cebu City, the Philippines.

This study explores the effect on family planning clinic performance of (1) staff attitudes, (2) the strategy employed to implement the program, (3) the organization of the clinic, and (4) the characteristics of the staff and clients. The initial sample consisted of twenty-nine clinics in Cebu City, in the Philippines. Six clinics from this sample were selected for in-depth study, based on clinic performance and type. Data collected included interviews with all family planning staff members at each of the six clinics. While correlations are used to establish the relationships among variables, most of the analysis presented is qualitative. Staff attitudes are found to be important predictors of clinic performance, and to offer insight into the complex relationships among culture, communication and the acceptance of family planning. Positive staff attitudes toward clients, co-workers, the job, and the clinic are all associated positively with high clinic performance, as is positive treatment of clients. Findings about strategic factors are less straightforward, and require alternative interpretations. Organization of the clinic emerges as an important aspect, although organizational style does not necessarily predict clinic performance. Despite predictions to the contrary, no associations are established between staff and client characteristics and clinic performance. On the basis of these findings, a number of recommendations are proposed. Many of these recommendations focus on changing the training of supervisors, clinic staff and outreach workers, particularly in regard to interactional skills. Others point out criteria that should be evaluated in the hiring process. Still other recommendations identify factors that are unrelated to program results, and urge that they should not be considered in program planning. Finally, the findings and recommendations are reconsidered in light of an update of the family planning program in the Philippines. By 1990, a series of changes in the population planning program were having a negative effect on program implementation and results. Nonetheless, some clinics have been able to improve past performance despite an unsupportive larger organizational climate. This study closes with observations and questions about how program effectiveness can be strengthened when national policy becomes less supportive of program goals.Ph.D.DemographySocial SciencesSocial workSociologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/128624/2/9116109.pd

Feminist Mentoring and Relational Cultural Theory: A Case Example and Implications

Social work educators who identify as feminists often find themselves feeling isolated in the academy and longing for connection. Connection is emphasized in Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), a theory of human development that emphasizes the perspective that individuals grow in relationship with one another. The authors apply RCT to membership on the Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (Women\u27s Council), within the Council on Social Work Education. This perspective has explanatory value and can be used to help plan for and facilitate beneficial mentoring experiences. Implications for research and for use in other contexts are considered

The Application of Relational Cultural Theory to Mentoring of Feminist Academics

Drawing upon the Stone Center Relational Cultural Theory, presenters will explore the significance and power of mentoring episodes in sustaining and enriching feminist social work educators. Social work educators who identify as feminists often find themselves feeling isolated in the academy and longing for connection (Logan & Finn, 2011). The need for mentoring relationships for women in academia, in particular, has been voiced by scholars in a range of disciplines such as geography, counseling psychology, and social work (Moss et al., 1999; Rayle et al., 2006; Wilson, Valentine, & Pereira, 2002). Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), developed in the 1970s, is basically a theory of human development that emphasizes the perspective that individuals grow in relationship with one another and that both parties benefit ( Jordan, Kaplan, Miller, Stiver, & Surrey, 1991; Miller, 2004). RCT has expanded and can be applied to all human interactions, with cultural contexts being a necessary consideration in understanding these connections. Applying the lens of RCT to mentoring interactions highlights the benefits of such relationships to both parties. These encounters may be serendipitous and unexpected and are not always understood or appreciated in the moment. Over time and upon reflection, however, these episodic encounters may provide a \u27safety net\u27 for those involved. It is important to articulate clearly not only the benefits of relational mentoring episodes but also the components of such relationships, so that this information can be shared and used to mentor both faculty colleagues and students who need support within the academy

What About Women? Historical Perspectives on the Cswe Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (Women\u27s Council)

The Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (WC), a volunteer committee of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), has a 37-year history. This article presents an overview of the WC from the late 1960s to September 2006 and acknowledges the needs, status, and contributions of women in social work education. Drawing on primary and secondary data sources, the authors articulate two central themes: (1) organizational development of the WC, and (2) contributions of the WC to social work education and practice. The mission and work of the WC remain relevant today, because there is still a need to monitor and advocate for equity for women in social work education

Challenges, Changes, and Impact of the Council on Social Work Education Women\u27s Council: An Update

This article highlights the contributions of the Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (Women\u27s Council) as well as the role and status of women in social work education. For this historical analysis update, the authors drew on several primary and secondary data sources. The first major theme was organizational development (e.g., organizational commitment, strategic planning, and sustainability). The second major theme was contributions to social work education (e.g., furthering the knowledge base, influencing accreditation standards, and monitoring equity). These major themes and subthemes remained constant from the previous publication on the history of the WC (Alvarez et al., 2008), underscoring the resilience, commitment and persistence of the WC to keep a sharp focus on infusing feminist perspectives into social work education