Moving Forward: Negotiating Self and External Circumstances in Recovery

This article presents a framework for understanding the concept of recovery from serious mental illnesses and other life struggles. The framework is based on findings from a longitudinal, qualitative study that involved in-depth interviews with 28 people who experienced serious mental health challenges. The purpose of this article is to clarify the concept of recovery by presenting a grounded theory analysis of the components of recovery. The framework recognizes the experiences of struggle constructed through the words of study participants and captures four main components of recovery: a) a drive to move forward, b) a spiral of positive and negative changes, c) the context of recovery, and d) a dialectical process of ongoing negotiation between self and external circumstances

Working for work: A program evaluation

Working for Work: Intercultural Job Support Groups is a new program in the Waterloo Region of Southern Ontario providing immigrants and refugees to Canada assistance in finding employment. Having started in October of 1991, Working for Work operates within a support group setting and encourages participation from group members. The program also advocates on behalf of immigrants and refugees. This is most notably demonstrated through the organization of work placements which offer group members direct contact with Canadian employers. There are two general goals of the program: (1) to increase the employability of group members, and (2) to increase group members’ sense of support in dealing with employment-related stress. In my opinion, there is a need for a program like Working for Work in the Waterloo Region. The changing Canadian immigration reality away from traditional European sources contributes to employment barriers (e.g., racial discrimination, lack of English or French language skills) experienced by many immigrants. Working for Work offers a unique employment service in a region experiencing unusually high levels of unemployment. The program attempts to address some immigrant employment barriers while also emphasizing the strengths that immigrants already possess. ln this thesis the early stages of the program, Working for Work were evaluated (the first two of the program’s four support groups). Through the evaluation process it was my intention to establish an ongoing evaluation process for the program’s future. The evaluation of Working for Work adopted a non-experimental approach. That is, there were no control or comparison groups. Rather, the evaluation emphasized the experience of the research participants within the program. Four characteristics defined the evaluations of Working for Work. (I) The evaluation used a participatory approach encouraging input from the program\u27s stakeholders. (2) The evaluation considered both processes and outcomes. (3) The evaluation was formative in nature. That is, through the evaluation process the program developed and changed to meet the needs of the research participants. (4) The evaluation included both qualitative and quantitative information. Multiple methods were used to gather information from the research participants (group members, staff, and the volunteer advisory committee). Quantitative methods included an initial assessment interview of potential group members, personal progress reports filled out by group members during the group sessions, and a follow-up questionnaire administered two months after the group\u27s completion. Qualitative methods included observation of 50% of the group sessions, weekly group feedback from the group members during the group sessions, review of program documents, individual interviews with 12 group members, and a staff/advisory committee focus group interview. Evaluation information is summarized according to live qualitative themes: the activities of the program are described first; this is followed by a description of the group members; issues regarding the relationship between the program’s stakeholders are discussed next; an assessment of the program\u27s goals is followed by recommendations for the program’s improvement. Overall, the evaluation information suggests a positive appraisal of Working for Work. In terms of increasing the employability of group members the program helped members to (l) improve their job search skills, (2) increase their awareness of job-related options, (3) recognize and respond to employment barriers, and (4) contact potential employers. Twenty of the 25 group members found employment-related activities (e.g., school, work placement, full-time job). In terms of increasing a sense of support among group members, the program: (1) allowed group members to help each other in their job search, (2) increased the awareness in members of how to deal with stress, (3) created an environment to develop supportive relationships, and (4) gave members hope of finding a job. However, there are areas in which Working for Work could improve. Recommendations are given according to curriculum content, group process, and program structure. In keeping with the intent of establishing an ongoing evaluation of Working for Work, l outline the evaluation plans for the future of the program. To conclude, I mention the contributions resulting from Working for Work\u27s evaluation. Contributions are outlined according to (I) my personal learning (including issues regarding evaluating community-based programs), (2) what Working for Work has gained (both within and outside the group setting), and (3) the transferability of information to other related programs (both in terms of increasing employability of immigrants and in providing a sense of support)

Breathing life into theory: Illustrations of community-based research – Hallmarks, functions and phases

There is a growing interest in the area of research that engages communities. Increasingly, this community-based research (CBR) approach to research is being seen as a catalyst for social innovation, for public policy improvements, for solving complex community issues, and for promoting democracy in which local knowledge is valued in building local solutions. This emerging interest in engaging communities in research (both within and outside academia) brings both successes and challenges.The purpose of this article is to summarise the theory underlying community-based research and to illustrate that theory with Canadian case examples of research studies conducted by the Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR). The article begins by reviewing the hallmarks, functions and implementation phases of community-based research, which are rooted in academic tradition. Three case examples are presented to illustrate the main hallmarks of CBR. The intention is to clarify community-based research by reflecting on iterative theory through practice and practice through theory.Keywords: community-based research, community-university research, knowledge production, knowledge mobilisation, community mobilisation, research for societ

Assessing excellence in community-based research: Lessons from research with Syrian refugee newcomers

In this article, we critically reflect on three Syrian refugee research projects that were conducted simultaneously in Ontario, Canada, in order to: (1) strengthen the community system of support for refugee newcomers; (2) address social isolation of Syrian parents and seniors; and (3) promote wellbeing of Syrian youth. Our purpose in this article is to demonstrate a tangible way of assessing research projects which claim to be community-based, and in so doing gain a deeper understanding of how research can be a means of contributing to refugee newcomer resilience. Our assessment of the three studies was done through the reflective lens of the Community Based Research Excellence Tool (CBRET). CBRET is a reflective tool designed to assess the quality and impact of community-based research projects, considering the six domains of community-driven, participation, rigour, knowledge mobilisation, community mobilisation and societal impact. Our assessment produced four main lessons. The first two lessons point to the benefit of holistic emphasis on the six categories covered in the CBRET tool, and to adaptability in determining corresponding indicators when using CBRET. The last two lessons suggest that research can be pursued in such a way that reinforces the rescue story and promotes the safety of people who arrive as refugees. Our lessons suggest that both the findings and the process of research can be interventions towards social change. The diversity of the three case examples also demonstrates that these lessons can be applied to projects which focus on both individual-level and community-level outcomes

A Comprehensive Evaluation Framework for Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations: Values, Conceptualization, Design, and Action

This article provides a framework for the evaluation of mental health consumer/ survivor organizations that consists of four main components: (a) participatory processes, (b) conceptualization of the activities and outcomes at the individual and systems levels of these organizations, (c) the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods for examining activities and outcomes, and (d) dissemination and action. We assert that these components form a comprehensive and holistic framework for evaluating mental health consumer/survivor organizations; we illustrate how these components can be put into action through a case study of four mental health consumer/survivor organizations in Ontario; and we reflect on the lessons that we have learned in conducting this evaluation

Sharing Power and Knowledge: Professional and Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Researchers Working Together in a Participatory Action Research Project

In this article we document and reflect on the process and outcomes of consumer/survivor researchers\u27 involvement in a community mental health research project. The study used a participatory action research approach that challenges traditional assumptions of how to conduct research. Research roles and relationships were reexamined by both professional and consumer/survivor researchers. Four values were central to the research process: consumer/survivor empowerment, supportive relationships, learning as an ongoing process, and social justice. The benefits of this value-driven approach were seen in terms of positive impacts on the lives of individual researchers and also in the quality of the research itself. Our reflections on the research process have led us to see the importance of building relationships as a means to share power and knowledge among professional and consumer/survivor researchers

Life beyond Refuge: A System Theory of Change for Supporting Refugee Newcomers

Canada is internationally recognized as a leader in welcoming refugee newcomers. However, there is limited evidence about how well refugee newcomers fare after arriving in Canada, and the effectiveness of resettlement services and supports. A system theory of change was developed to guide assessments of complexity across the refugee-serving sector that seek to investigate refugees’ lived experiences and evaluate practice across multiple levels. This article describes the process of developing the system theory of change, Life Beyond Refuge, and the implications for community-level practice, public policy, and ultimately, resettlement outcomes for refugee newcomers.Le Canada est reconnu internationalement comme un chef de file dans l’accueil des nouveaux arrivants réfugiés. Cependant, il y a peu de données sur la manière dont les réfugiés se portent après leur arrivée au Canada et sur l’efficacité des services et des soutiens à la réinstallation. Une théorie systémique du changement a été développée afin de guider les évaluations de la complexité dans le secteur des services aux réfugiés qui cherchent à examiner les expériences vécues des réfugiés et à évaluer les pratiques à plusieurs niveaux. Cet article décrit le processus d’élaboration de la théorie systémique du changement Life Beyond Refuge et ce qu’elle implique pour la pratique au niveau communautaire, les politiques publiques, et, enfin, le bilan de la réinstallation des nouveaux arrivants réfugiés

Artificial Lighting as a Vector Attractant and Cause of Disease Diffusion

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, epidemiologists have considered electrification to be a positive factor. In fact, electrification and plumbing are typical initiatives that represent the integration of an isolated population into modern society, ensuring the control of pathogens and promoting public health. Nonetheless, electrification is always accompanied by night lighting that attracts insect vectors and changes people's behavior. Although this may lead to new modes of infection and increased transmission of insect-borne diseases, epidemiologists rarely consider the role of night lighting in their surveys. OBJECTIVE: We reviewed the epidemiological evidence concerning the role of lighting in the spread of vector-borne diseases to encourage other researchers to consider it in future studies. DISCUSSION: We present three infectious vector-borne diseases-Chagas, leishmaniasis, and malaria-and discuss evidence that suggests that the use of artificial lighting results in behavioral changes among human populations and changes in the prevalence of vector species and in the modes of transmission. CONCLUSION: Despite a surprising lack of studies, existing evidence supports our hypothesis that artificial lighting leads to a higher risk of infection from vector-borne diseases. We believe that this is related not only to the simple attraction of traditional vectors to light sources but also to changes in the behavior of both humans and insects that result in new modes of disease transmission. Considering the ongoing expansion of night lighting in developing countries, additional research on this subject is urgently needed.National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brasilia, Brazi

On the use of parataxonomy in biodiversity monitoring: a case study on wild flora

International audienceMonitoring programs that assess species-richness and turnover are now regarded as essential to document biodiversity loss worldwide. Implementation of such programs is impeded by a general decrease in the number of skilled naturalists. Here we studied how morphotypes, instead of species, might be used by unskilled participants (referred to as “volunteers”) to survey common plant communities. Our main questions were: (1) Can morphotypes be used as a robust estimator of species-richness (alpha-diversity) and assemblage turnover (Beta-diversity)? and (2) What is the robustness (reproducibility and repeatability) of such methods? Double inventories were performed on 150 plots in arable Weld margins, one by a non-expert using morphotypes, the other by a taxonomist using species. To test the robustness of morphotype identiWcation among participants, 20 additional plots were surveyed by eight volunteers using the same protocol. We showed that (1) the number of morphotypes identiWed by unskilled volunteers in a plot was always strongly correlated with species-richness. (2) Morphotypes were sensitive to diVerences among habitats but were less accurate than species to detect these diVerences. (3) Morphotype identiWcation varied signiWcantly within and between volunteers. Due to this lack of repeatability and reproducibility, parataxonomy cannot be considered a good surrogate for taxonomy. Nevertheless, assuming that morphotypes are identiWed with standardized methods, and that results are used only to evaluate gross species-richness but not species turnover, parataxonomy might be a valuable tool for rapid biodiversity assessment of common wild flora