Exploring the Concepts of Partnership and their Implications for HIV and AIDS Prevention and Care in Two Ghanian Communities

This study was an exploration of the concepts of partnership in the La and Nsawam-Adoajiri communities of Ghana and their implications for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support. Using qualitative data gathering methods, this study sought to discover what is referred to as a partnership, how it is initiated, why it is initiated, the meanings ascribed to it, and its structure and processes in either community. The study further sought to understand how the concepts of partnership in each community could facilitate the development of an effective community-based initiative for HIV and AIDS prevention and care in either community. The study was conducted from a social constructivist perspective using a social ecological framework for understanding factors that influence partnerships in the two communities. The findings of the study revealed that partnership is conceptualized as a group of individuals or organizations working together to achieve a common purpose, in both communities. The findings also revealed two common underlying principles of the concepts of partnership in the two communities, namely, using collaborative advantage to 1) solve individual and common problems, and 2) for mutual aid. A third underlying principle of partnership: using collaborative advantage for group self-preservation, was found only in the La community. The study also revealed that partnerships in the two communities are affected by factors operating at three main levels, namely, the individual, organizational and contextual levels. Partnerships in the two communities are facilitated by personal integrity, good partnership process, shared culture, strong sense of community, and a healthy local economy. Furthermore, partnerships in the two communities are as much about relationships as they are about solving problems. In both communities, people who are working together become “one family”; they take care of each other and provide emotional and material support for each other in time of need. Three models of partnership were identified in this study, namely, 1) the customary model, 2) the adaptive transactional model, and 3) the culturally dynamic model. The first two were found in both communities but the third was found only in the La community. The customary model of partnership was a purely traditional model of partnership that uses traditional processes; the adaptive transactional model was contemporary and uses formal legal/administrative procedures; and the culturally dynamic model was a blend between the customary and adaptive transactional models of partnership. Consequently, this model of partnership combines La traditional practices with Western meeting procedures. Based on the suggestions of research participants from both communities, the culturally dynamic model of partnership was identified as, potentially, the most suitable form of partnership for a community-based initiative for HIV and AIDS prevention and care in either community

Community partnerships: A case study of the Hamilton-Wentworth Supported Housing Coordination Network (Ontario)

Community partnerships are growing in importance as means of improving social service delivery (Boudreau, 1991; MacGillivary & Nelson, 1998; McCann & Gray, 1986; Nelson, Prilletensky & MacGillivary, 2001; Wolff, 2001). Several research studies have identified them as effective means of intervention and for strengthening society (Nelson et al., 2001; Wandersman et al., 1996; Wolff, 2001). In this case study of the Hamilton-Wentworth Supported Housing Coordination Network, information was gathered from the participants in the partnership, documents and participant observation to reconstruct and analyze the partnership story. Current mental health housing policy in Ontario was also analyzed to determine its nature and influence on community initiatives for development. Findings revealed that the network\u27s emergence was facilitated by a collective desire for change, which was expressed through enthusiastic participation and a favorable political climate. The motivations of those who initiated the process, factors that facilitated it and the challenges faced by the group are discussed. As well, the background and nature of current mental health housing policy and its influence on the emergence of the network are discussed

Enhancing Child Care Quality by Director Training and Collegial Mentoring

Abstract Although considerable evidence confirms that a director with good leadership and administrative skills is vital for developing and sustaining a highquality child care program, many directors assume the role with little management experience or training. This paper reports on a training program in Canada that combined a formal curriculum to increase director administrative knowledge and skills with a mentoring component emphasizing peer support and collegial learning, delivered in a way that enabled participants to continue working full time. The participants in each of the 28 locations across the province formed study groups with facilitators and held monthly threehour meetings for a year. During the meetings the participants and their facilitators discussed specific aspects of center administration and their implications for practice. Between meetings participants engaged in selfreflection, shared reflective journals, and worked as a group or in pairs on assignments such as doing a critical analysis of a case study. Graduates showed significant improvement in their administrative practice as measured by the PAS (t[57] = 4.31, p < .001) and in the global classroom quality in their centers as measured by the ECERSR (t[57]= 3.32, p < .01). Eighteen months after graduation, members of all study groups reported ongoing contact with each other (e.g., seeking and receiving assistance and working on joint projects). These reports confirm the program's success in developing local, ongoing director support networks