The Impact of a Not-for-Profit Organization: Examining How Kids Dance Outreach is Guided by its Mission Statement

Kids Dance Outreach (KDO) is a not-for-profit organization that provides accessible, high-quality dance arts education to children in Indianapolis. Its mission is to positively impact the lives of all children through joyful dance programs that inspire excellence, instill confidence, encourage teamwork, and applaud persistence. In an effort to study its impact on the community, this thesis examines how the organization is guided by its mission statement and how it lives out this mission through its staff, stakeholders, and programming. For my research, I went on site visits to observe a KDO class in action, and conducted interviews with several individuals who are either members of KDO who work to live out its mission, or are connected to the organization and have experienced its impact. To successfully examine how KDO fulfills its mission, I connected the information gathered from interviews and observations to each quality within the mission: inspiring excellence, instilling confidence, encouraging teamwork, and applauding persistence

The Effect of an Elastic Eccentric Extensor Mechanism on Hamstring Function

Hamstring strains have a long recovery time, a high rate of recurrence, and are very common injuries in sports. Fatigue, improper warm-up, previous injury, strength imbalance, and poor flexibility have all been linked to hamstring injuries. Initial treatment of the hamstring typically consists of rest, ice, compression, elevation, and pain relief. However, no optimal treatment regimen has been developed based on carefully designed clinical trials. This study tested fourteen college-aged male and female subjects. Their gait was recorded using video tracking software with and without an elastic band (Theraband® Akron, Ohio) attached to the anterior surface of their waist and proximal tibia utilizing 1.5 inch white athletic tape (Johnson & Johnson© New Brunswick, New Jersey). With the results, a one-way, repeated measures ANOVA was conducted with the factor being the use of an elastic band and the dependent variable being angular velocity and its associated angle of flexion. The results for the repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant time effect, Wilk’s Λ = 0.512, F (1,13) = 12.414, p = 0.004. The results from our study show that angular velocity increased earlier in the range of motion than when the subject was not wearing the band. In order for the patient to control the leg, the hamstring muscle would have to assume more eccentric load. From this increased eccentric load, we can assume there would be an increase in eccentric strength and a decrease in injuries

Implicit and explicit personality in work settings : an application of Enneagram theory

Research in the field of personality is fragmented, with few attempts to unite the isolated models into a sensible whole. A type approach to personality can provide a level of analysis more conducive to viewing personality as an integrated whole. This thesis aimed to investigate the theoretical and practical application of the Enneagram personality typology. Study 1 involved a survey of over 400 Enneagram-aware respondents. Participants completed a questionnaire containing measures of three personality models (Big Five Traits, Schwartz's Values and Implicit Motives), as well as job attitudes and cognitions (Internal Work Motivation, Job Satisfaction, Job Involvement, Organisational Commitment, Turnover Intention, Job Self-efficacy and Perceived Stress). Most of the hypothesised relationships between the Enneagram and other models were supported, indicating that the Enneagram types describe coherent patterns of conscious and unconscious personality. The Enneagram predicted job attitudes and cognitions at an equivalent level to the values and motives models, though not as well as the Big Five. The general psychological literature and medical research indicate that greater selfawareness is associated with increased well-being and better coping strategies. However, the role of self-awareness in the workplace and its associated outcomes has not been extensively investigated. In Study 2, 80 volunteers took part in one of two workshops designed to improve their self-awareness: an introduction to the Enneagram or training in self-awareness tools. Participants completed questionnaires before and after the workshop in a switching replications design. The questionnaire measured the Reflection and Rumination aspects of self-awareness as well as job attitudes (Job Satisfaction, Internal Work Motivation, Job-related Well-being) and Coping Behaviours. Participants were also asked to describe the effect of the workshop in their own words to allow for qualitative analysis. Reflection was positively correlated with Well-being and Rumination was negatively correlated with Job Satisfaction. Self-awareness was also associated with increased use of Coping Behaviours. Participants reported a wide range of influences such as improvement in understanding of themselves and others, and increased confidence. The Enneagram typology is a useful tool for researchers, providing an integrative framework for models of explicit and implicit personality. For the occupational psychologist, it can predict job attitudes and provide a structure improving employee self-awareness and the associated benefits.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Thermotolerance of an inactivated rabies vaccine for dogs

This study provides the first robust data that the antibody response of dogs vaccinated with Nobivac® Rabies vaccine stored for several months at high temperatures (up to 30 °C) is not inferior to that of dogs vaccinated with vaccine stored under recommended cold-chain conditions (2–8 °C). A controlled and randomized non-inferiority study was carried out comparing the four-week post vaccination serological responses of Tanzanian village dogs inoculated with vaccine which had been stored at elevated temperatures for different periods of time with those of dogs vaccinated with the same product stored according to label recommendations. Specifically, the neutralizing antibody response following the use of vaccine which had been stored for up to six months at 25 °C or for three months at 30 °C was not inferior to that following the use of cold-chain stored vaccine. These findings provide reassurance that the vaccine is likely to remain efficacious even if exposed to elevated temperatures for limited periods of time and, under these circumstances, it can safely be used and not necessarily destroyed or discarded. The availability of thermotolerant vaccines has been an important factor in the success of several disease control and elimination programs and could greatly increase the capacity of rabies vaccination campaigns to access hard to reach communities in Africa and Asia. We have not confirmed a 3-year duration of immunity for the high temperature stored vaccine, however because annual re-vaccination is usually practiced for dogs presented for vaccination during campaigns in Africa and Asia this should not be a cause for concern. These findings will provide confidence that, for rabies control and elimination programs using this vaccine in low-income settings, more flexible delivery models could be explored, including those that involve limited periods of transportation and storage at temperatures higher than that currently recommended

General practitioners' views of clinically led commissioning: cross-sectional survey in England.

OBJECTIVES: Involving general practitioners (GPs) in the commissioning/purchasing of services has been an important element in English health policy for many years. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 handed responsibility for commissioning of the majority of care for local populations to GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). In this paper, we explore GP attitudes to involvement in commissioning and future intentions for engagement. DESIGN AND SETTING: Survey of a random sample of GPs across England in 2015. METHOD: The Eighth National GP Worklife Survey was distributed to GPs in spring 2015. Responses were received from 2611 respondents (response rate = 46%). We compared responses across different GP characteristics and conducted two sample tests of proportions to identify statistically significant differences in responses across groups. We also used multivariate logistic regression to identify the characteristics associated with wanting a formal CCG role in the future. RESULTS: While GPs generally agree that they can add value to aspects of commissioning, only a minority feel that this is an important part of their role. Many current leaders intend to quit in the next 5 years, and there is limited appetite among those not currently in a formal role to take up such a role in the future. CCGs were set up as 'membership organisations' but only a minority of respondents reported feeling that they had 'ownership' of their local CCG and these were often GPs with formal CCG roles. However, respondents generally agree that the CCG has a legitimate role in influencing the work that they do. CONCLUSION: CCGs need to engage in active succession planning to find the next generation of GP leaders. GPs believe that CCGs have a legitimate role in influencing their work, suggesting that there may be scope for CCGs to involve GPs more fully in roles short of formal leadership