Working with gambling problems in the Chinese community : development of an intervention model : experiences of Chinese Family Life Services of Metro Toronto

Gambling in the Chinese Community first appeared around 700 B.C. Some forms of gambling have become so intertwined with one's social life that they are considered acceptable, even healthy hobbies. Culture plays a definite role in shaping one's perception of both gambling and help-seeking behaviour. Subsequently, these factors would affect an individual's readiness to change. A cross-cultural counselling framework is presented to provide some guidelines on the sociocultural factors that have to be considered in determining culturally appropriate intervention approaches and strategies. Attention is also drawn to the importance for human service providers to examine their own cultural values and to identify any differences which may affect the worker-client relationship. On a practical level, a step-by-step and incremental approach should be used for goal setting. The central role of the family is acknowledged and is considered to be a unit of change. Strategies that provide clear and concrete guidelines as well as those that have a limited timeframe are deemed to be culturally more appropriate for Chinese-Canadian clients. In addition, group work with both psycho-educational and supportive components should be used. Cultural experiences and the personal expectations of the clients are the primary factors in determining treatment outcome. Treatment effectiveness is assessed according to the client's overall sense of well-being. Apart from changes in the gambling behaviour, satisfaction in family relationships and individual mental health are considered valid indicators with which evaluation of treatment outcome and progress can be made.Ministry of Health of the Government of Ontario; the Chinese Family Life Services of Metro Toronto; the University Settlement Recreation Centr

Planning context and urban intensification outcomes: Sydney versus Toronto

There is a lack of knowledge about effective implementation of intensification policies. The paper concentrates on the intensification experience of Sydney, Australia, and Toronto, Canada. Historical narratives, which document intensification efforts and outcomes since the 1950s, paint different pictures. For much of the period, Sydney adopted a medium-density strategy sustained by public-sector incentives and regulations. In Toronto, in contrast, the focus has been on high-density developments driven mostly by market trends. Lately, however, the Sydney intensification strategy has shifted to high-density projects. The paper concludes by drawing out findings that are relevant to intensification policies in the selected metropolitan regions and elsewhere: the ubiquity of NIMBY reactions; the importance of senior government involvement because less sensitive to anti-density NIMBY reactions; the possibility of framing intensification strategies in ways that avoid political party confrontation; and the role of major environmental movements in raising public opinion support to intensification