Resources Available to Aspiring Business Entrepreneurs

This project will attempt to uncover the resources that are available to all types of aspiring entrepreneurs, whether they be sole proprietors, partnerships or corporations. The means of assistance that exist are sometimes not as easily identified as others or may not come to mind immediately. Many local, state, and federal government agencies aim at aiding entrepreneurs, as do business consultants, trade associations, literary works, education classes, online computer networks, and seminars. Often, some of the not-so-widely-known services are overlooked or neglected when they could be utilized by the user in endless ways. By not only identifying these resources but also by providing means of contact, it is my hope that this paper will aid business people in every field. This inspiration is founded on my own hopes to eventually pursue the field of entrepreneurship. Identifying such useful resources and familiarizing myself with the opportunities associated with start-up businesses will hopefully benefit not only myself but others as well

The Following Sea: Cultural Perceptions and Knowledge on Traditional Sailing in Sāmoa

Traditional Polynesian voyaging techniques, which rely solely on the surrounding natural environment, have been undergoing a revival in the past 50 years. This study examines the Aiga Folau o Sāmoa, or the Sāmoa Voyaging Society, a modern entity which accurately undertakes traditional sailings around the world, and the cultural perceptions and knowledge on traditional voyaging lore and techniques in Sāmoa. Research efforts included primary interviews, visits, participant observation, as well as secondary sources. The study investigated not only how traditional sailing techniques enabled a watercraft to be navigated accurately over the open sea but also current cultural knowledge and perceptions of this information in present-day Sāmoa. The study revealed that most of this knowledge lies with the Aiga Folau o Sāmoa. Currently the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture (MESC) is documenting words in the Sāmoan language pertaining to sailing culture, however this has not been finalized for publication. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has also published a draft of an education module on traditional voyaging in the Pacific, but it too remains in draft form and has yet to be implemented

Illuminativa - The Resonance of the Unseen

This practice-led creative arts thesis investigates the metaphysical notion of light as an activating principle and how this is subjectively experienced. Light is phenomenologically explored as a catalytic agent that is interactive yet ephemeral, influencing perception and consciousness. Light is also the research tool used to capture, develop and articulate personal discoveries through designed environments. Philosophically, the research is founded upon the medieval spiritual concept that illumination is a key transformational aspect of our cognitive journey (Bonaventure, 1996; Hayes, 1996; McAdams, 1991; Miccoli, 2001; Schumacher, 2009). This process begins with a sensory experience from making, and leads through philosophical thought to wisdom. In metaphysical terms, light may be understood as a connective agent and a force that provides stimulus and developmental capability. Of particular interest within this context is lumen, described as a state where archetypal light activates beings and radiates through them. This threshold between metaphorical and visible light is explored from the personal perspective of the contemporary artistic researcher. By conceiving material arrangements as sedulous yet unstable conjunctions of texture and light, I seek to creatively apprehend the vestiges of the unseen. As the observer and the observed, I am physically immersed in these experimental arrangements, actively probing and apprehending the deliquescent relationship between making, an embodiment in light and the conscious self. As resonant moments surface, these are captured as photographic documents. Selected images are then reorchestrated as a filmic narrative of sensory expression. Light then carries this projection within a designed installation, engaging viewers through an embodied experience of their own. The aim of this research is to invite a discourse on the potential of light, its generative manifestation and its tangible influence on our creative consciousness within contemporary artistic practice

In Würde zu sich stehen : Konzept und Wirksamkeit eines peer-geleiteten Programms zu Offenlegung und Stigmabewältigung

Background: Due to the stigma associated with mental disorders, many people with mental illness face the difficult choice whether to disclose their illness to others. (Non-)Disclosure is a key reaction in coping with stigma. Disclosure as well as non-disclosure have risks and benefits, depending on the environment and the individual. Methods: "Honest, Open, Proud" (HOP; German: ,In Würde zu sich stehen'/IWS) is a peer-led group program to support people with mental illness in their disclosure decisions. It is not HOP’s aim to make participants disclose, but to support a well-informed and empowered decision. Results: Currently three RCTs, with several others underway, show HOP's positive effects in terms of reductions in stigma stress, disclosure distress, self-stigma, or depressive symptoms. Adolescent participants reported better quality of life, recovery, and attitudes to help-seeking. Adaptations for different diagnoses and age groups have been developed. Conclusions: HOP appears to be a feasible and effective program to support people with mental illness in their disclosure decisions and in their coping with stigma. Future developments and public health implications are discussed

In Würde zu sich stehen : Konzept und Wirksamkeit eines peer-geleiteten Programms zu Offenlegung und Stigmabewältigung

Background: Due to the stigma associated with mental disorders, many people with mental illness face the difficult choice whether to disclose their illness to others. (Non-)Disclosure is a key reaction in coping with stigma. Disclosure as well as non-disclosure have risks and benefits, depending on the environment and the individual. Methods: "Honest, Open, Proud" (HOP; German: ,In Würde zu sich stehen'/IWS) is a peer-led group program to support people with mental illness in their disclosure decisions. It is not HOP’s aim to make participants disclose, but to support a well-informed and empowered decision. Results: Currently three RCTs, with several others underway, show HOP's positive effects in terms of reductions in stigma stress, disclosure distress, self-stigma, or depressive symptoms. Adolescent participants reported better quality of life, recovery, and attitudes to help-seeking. Adaptations for different diagnoses and age groups have been developed. Conclusions: HOP appears to be a feasible and effective program to support people with mental illness in their disclosure decisions and in their coping with stigma. Future developments and public health implications are discussed