THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURALLY-APPROPRIATE MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME FOR BLACK AFRICAN MARRIED COUPLES: OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMMES

Development of knowledge on how to support marriages cross-culturally is necessary to inform appropriate solutions, especially for South Africa, where practical marital challenges amongst Black African married couples who are considered to be high risk are noted. The focus of this narrative literature-informed overview is to provide an appraisal of existing and most effective national and international marriage enrichment (ME) programmes, couples theories and social work models as the basis for the possible development of a culturally-appropriate ME programme for Black African married couples. Findings reveal, among other things: 1) there are no culturally-appropriate and empirically evaluated ME programmes beneficial to Black African married couples in SA; 2) appropriate theory is necessary and available for integration; 3) theories recognise marriage as a system, and therefore acknowledgement of various societal structures is fundamental; 4) existing empirically tested and effective programmes supporting couples theories and social work models are suitable to be adapted to the specific context

Defenition of gear loads engagement with a modified tooth profile

In the report the distribution of the load reducer teeth in engagement are characterized by high gear ratio, while a small value of size and weight. Due to the profile, the load is distributed to several teeth in engagement

Understanding the Experience and Perceived Impact of the Ready Arrive Work Program

The Ready Arrive Work (RAW) program assists high school students from refugee backgrounds to explore vocational learning pathways in a supportive and positive environment. It aims to equip them with a better understanding of employment, workplaces, career planning and the pathways which can lead to a successful career after completing school. Designed by JobQuest and the NSW Department of Education the RAW program targets government high schools in metropolitan and regional NSW. It has been operating in NSW High schools since 2006. For students from refugee backgrounds, careers advice has been consistently identified in policy and research as a point of vulnerability and as an ideal opportunity for intervention. A recent Victorian inquiry into school-based career advising (Parliament of Victoria, 2018) identified numerous issues faced by refugee students including: unfamiliarity with systems of education and work, inadequate knowledge of career options and prerequisites, isolation, trauma, disruptions, lack of connections and mentors, parents’ limited knowledge and accompanying expectations. More than a decade after the RAW initiative and resources were developed, and after rapid expansion of the program beyond its original site, this research aimed to gather an understanding of the perceived impact, enablers and barriers of the RAW program. This qualitative research interviewed 58 stakeholders including school students, school staff, Job quest staff and Raw steering committee, industry and civic partners. Findings indicated that the Ready Arrive Work program was beneficial for students, schools, industry and civic partner organisations. All the ‘impacts’ reported by these stakeholders were positive. This indicates that participating RAW stakeholders hold the program in high regard and the continuation of the program should be prioritised by the NSW Department of Education. Specific impacts were reported by stakeholders for each of the participating groups

TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF MOTHERS’ DREAM, DESIGN AND DESTINY PROCESSES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN A LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT: AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

This qualitative paper promotes the phenomenological understanding of how mothers from a low socio economic environment (LSEE) envision, design and implement their future perspective of their relationship with their children. In this single instrumental case study ddata were collected through two consecutive focus group discussions with twelve purposefully selected participants, utilising the World Café Method and Appreciative Inquiry: 1) to collect data; 2) as a research method that also facilitates change. Findings revealed difficulties envisioning a future and verbalising concepts such as dream, design and destiny. Findings reveal that boundaries are over or under realistic; dreams are clouded by parenting issues, however strong emotional interactions in relationships and wishes to fulfil children’s needs through open respectful communication and friendship exists. Insight is gained that togetherness influences relationships; the present influences the future, especially relating to how discipline is executed. Mothers shared future plans for support. Support needed for possible interventions in building on strengths to promote closeness in their relationships with their children is highlighted

Aspirations and common tensions : larger lessons from the third US national climate assessment

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2015. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Climatic Change 135 (2016): 187-201, doi:10.1007/s10584-015-1530-z.The Third US National Climate Assessment (NCA3) was produced by experts in response to the US Global Change Research Act of 1990. Based on lessons learned from previous domestic and international assessments, the NCA3 was designed to speak to a broad public and inform the concerns of policy- and decision-makers at different scales. The NCA3 was also intended to be the first step in an ongoing assessment process that would build the nation’s capacity to respond to climate change. This concluding paper draws larger lessons from the insights gained throughout the assessment process that are of significance to future US and international assessment designers. We bring attention to process and products delivered, communication and engagement efforts, and how they contributed to the sustained assessment. Based on areas where expectations were exceeded or not fully met, we address four common tensions that all assessment designers must confront and manage: between (1) core assessment ingredients (knowledge base, institutional set-up, principled process, and the people involved), (2) national scope and subnational adaptive management information needs, (3) scope, complexity, and manageability, and (4) deliberate evaluation and ongoing learning approaches. Managing these tensions, amidst the social and political contexts in which assessments are conducted, is critical to ensure that assessments are feasible and productive, while its outcomes are perceived as credible, salient, and legitimate

Writing in Secondary Academic Partners

Writing in Secondary (WiS) Academic Partners is a partnership between the New South Wales Department of Education and the Centre for Educational Research, School of Education, Western Sydney University (WSU). The WiS project was undertaken across secondary schools (n=20) within NSW in 2021 and 2022. The project focused on the improvement in academic writing for Stages 4 and 5 within History; Personal Development, Health and Physical Education; Science and Visual Arts. The impact of WiS on students' writing within these subjects and teachers' pedagogical changes in the teaching of writing are identified in this report