Child protection is becoming an increasingly significant topic at present. Being closed systems, families cannot be checked regarding the environment, which parents raise their children in, and how this environment affects children. As a result, a number of cases of domestic violence and child abuse pass unnoticed.
To avoid the instances of family violence, the Glassboro community (Glassboro, NJ) has created the Together Youth Shelter, where runaway, homeless and/or neglected children are provided with required help on a regular basis. Since the center has been doing perfectly, its example can be used to improve the work of numerous similar centers that face issues with delivering efficient services to the community.
The Time to Lend a Helping Hand Has Come: Together Youth Shelter
About the Together Youth Shelter: Stability as the Top Priority
Appealing to families in order to address their issues and solve the rates of child negligence in the community is an incredibly challenging task. Defining conflicts in such a closed system as family is barely possible. However, helping parents find common language with their children, as well as prevent the rates of child abuse, it still possible, as the evidence provided by Together Youth Shelter shows.
Together Youth Shelter and government
Though being a government-funded and government-supported organization, Together Youth Shelter restricts the effect of government on its performance to a minimum. It is imperative that local issues and dilemmas should be resolved on a local level; otherwise, the solutions to the problems will trigger even more drastic effects (Kelly & Lewis, 2009, p 192).
Financial issues and their solution
As it has been stressed, the organization was founded on the money taken from the budget and is, therefore, governmentally funded. The given specifics of the Together Youth Shelter, unfortunately, often define the quality of the services that children receive at the center.
Because of the necessity to sustain not only the given center, but also a bunch of other welfare related organizations, not to mention other issues like state entrepreneurship, budget for education issues, assistance provided to senior citizens, etc., the money provided for Together Youth Shelter often allow for only meeting the bare necessities.
Therefore, it begs the question whether the Together Youth Shelter organization should derive its money from outside donators. While the given decision will cause lack of stability in funding, it will also allow for a greater budget to be approved.
Reviews from trusted sources
Though having been created quite recently, the Together Youth Shelter already has a number of grateful people, whose family issues have been resolved owing to the efforts of the Together Youth Shelter employees. It is remarkable that not only adults, but also children send letters of gratitude to the Together Youth Shelter staff, showing how great a difference the organization is making in the lives of the Glassboro residents.
For example, there has recently been a discussion of the organization’s efforts, which was spurred by a teenager, whose needs have been addressed at the center: “I want to become more engaged in the community and the city of Camden” (Dreams achieved, n. d.). Adults, in their turn, often thank the Together Youth Shelter for its assistance: “The moment I entered Mother Child I was focused on improving myself and my situation” (Focused on success, n. d.).
Thus, as far as its mission goes, Together Youth Shelter is clearly making a difference in the today society by raising the issues that are traditionally swept under the rug, such as family violence in the community. To embrace the effect that the Together Youth Shelter has had on the community throughout its existence, it will suffice to say that without this organization, the community would have been torn apart by family conflicts.
A Human Service Organization from My Perspective
The effect that the Together Youth Shelter organization has on the Glassboro community is truly amazing. Therefore, the Together Youth Shelter is worth taking as an example to create more similar family-oriented organizations. However, as efficient as Together Youth Shelter’s services are, they still can use some improvement.
Setting and intervention
It seems that the most reasonable setting for an organization aimed at help children and families is the one that encourages people to share their feelings, emotions and fears. Therefore, I would prefer to create a homelike, cozy setting for a human service organization.
Cultural implications
The importance of taking cultural issues into account cannot be overestimated. While the mechanisms that trigger harmony in a family are similar in all cultural settings, the guidelines for setting the environment for family peace and consent may vary depending on the cultural and ethnical background of the families that the organization in question counsels.
Therefore, it is crucial that cultural diversity should be promoted in the organization setting. Thus, people belonging to different nationalities, ethnicities or cultures can be provided with the services that they need to improve their family relationships.
Conclusion: Trying to Reach out to All Those Concerned
There is no need to stress the significance of such organizations as Together Youth Shelter. Helping children deal with family issues, it provides the foil for children’s personal growth, at the same time enhancing family values in the community.
By using the lessons that Together Youth Shelter teaches, an average youth center can encourage both children and adults to work on their relationships towards understanding and happiness.
The project is dedicated to people’s attitudes towards the issue of premarital sex. The purpose of the report is to find out the similarities and differences in people’s treatment of the issue. The research aims at finding out whether people’s age, education, ethnicity, gender, and other demographic data have a common or divergent impact on their attitude to premarital sex. The theory is that the level of education and age impact people’s opinions about premarital sex. The hypothesis of the project is that adult females are more likely to disapprove of premarital sex than other age and gender groups.
Methodology
To obtain the data necessary for the project, I did a survey. I prepared a questionnaire consisting of 19 questions: 6 questions regarding their personal data, 8 questions regarding their attitude to premarital sex, and 5 questions about their premarital sex experience (1 question about having the experience and 4 questions for those who answered positively the first one). The type of survey was true or false. The participants were required to enter their demographic data (age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital/living status, sexual orientation, and education). Then, they were suggested 8 questions that were aimed at finding out their attitude towards the issue. The questions were created in such a way which allowed to find out whether people felt positive or negative about premarital sex and why they felt so. The third block of questions was to be answered by those who admitted having practiced premarital sex.
The survey did not require the participants to reveal their names, phone numbers, or addresses. It was designed for purely informational purposes and was completely anonymous. Since most of my friends and family felt uncomfortable taking the survey, I had to find other respondents to obtain twenty completed questionnaires. I distributed the survey among the visitors to a local café and park, and I obtained several participants’ answers via the internet.
The average age of the participants was 36 years old, the youngest being 17, and the oldest being 63. Half of the participants were female, and the other half were male. 16 participants reported straight sexual orientation, and 4 were homosexual (three males and one female). 5 participants were at high school, 1 was at college, and 14 people finished a university (2 of them had a Bachelor’s degree, 8 had a Master’s degree, and 4 obtained a Ph.D. level). What concerns ethnicity, 10 respondents were white Americans, 6 were African Americans, 3 were Asian, and 1 was European. The participants’ marital/living status was reported as a single for 6 people, in a relationship – 3 people, married – 8, and divorced – 3 people. The variety of demographic data allowed to obtain the results from different populations, which gives more reliability to the obtained outcomes.
The results were analyzed and synthesized to find the common and divergent opinions concerning the issue.
Results
65% of respondents disapproved of premarital sex, among them 46.15% males and 53.84% females. However, only 35% of the participants are being judgmental about the issue of premarital sex.
72.72% of respondents at the age of 17- 33 (the “millennials”) reported their disapproval of premarital sex, but 45.45% of those disapproving it admitted practicing it.
55.55% of respondents at the age of 41- 63 reported their disapproval of premarital sex, but 100% of them admitted practicing it. Out of this age group, 50% females expressed their disapproval and 50% females were not against it.
25% of participants reported that their attitude towards premarital sex was impacted by family upbringing. 60% of males considered premarital sex beneficial for the future family, whereas only 20% of females reported the same.
None of the respondents considered premarital sex the main cause of sexually transmitted diseases. 20% of females considered premarital sex the major reason for undesired pregnancy and abortions.
The average number of sexual partners reported by respondents between 17 and 33 years old was 3, and for the respondents between 41 and 63 years old, it was 3.77.
55% of respondents were or had been married. Out of these, 72.72% practiced premarital sex. 36.36% male and 9.09% female respondents who were or had been married said that premarital sex could cause mistrust among the partners if they lost virginity to other people. 20% of respondents had married or planned to marry their first premarital sex partners. 42.8% of females and 37.5% of males regretted having practiced premarital sex. Out of the females, 66.66% of younger respondents (17-31 years old) and 33.33% of older (41-60 years old) regretted having practiced premarital sex.
10% males and 20% females admitted the negative impact of premarital sex on their decision to marry the partner. 20% males and 5% females admitted the positive impact of premarital sex on their decision to marry the partner. 45% did not report any impact.
Discussion
According to the General Social Survey results, people tend to change their attitudes towards premarital sex (Kraft). Over the last fifty years, the number of those who do not disapprove of it rose from 29% in the 1970s to 58% in 2012 (Kraft). In my report, 65% of people feel negative about the issue. However, only one-third of the respondents feel judgmental. Furthermore, many of those who disapprove of premarital sex admitted having practiced it. 55.55% of female participants between 40 and 61 years old disapproved of premarital sex. This result does not coincide with the hypothesis about adult females being more likely to disapprove of premarital sex than other age and gender groups. However, such result is common in other studies. According to research performed by Elias et al., people’s permissiveness of premarital sex is higher in the younger age (131). A study by Wright supports this idea and reports that young people are less opposed to premarital sex, and the tendency is growing (89).
Fernández-Villaverde et al. argue that the youth’s attitude to premarital sex is not connected with church’s or parents’ influence as long as contraceptives allow young people to avoid undesired pregnancy (27). However, a quarter of my respondents admitted that they felt the family impact when forming their attitude to premarital sex.
Elias et al. mention that married people are less permissive of premarital sex than single people (132). The results of my questionnaire agree with this argument as many of the married respondents reported their negative attitude of premarital sex. Some of them regretted having practiced it, and some even considered it a serious barrier to trust between spouses.
According to Ghebremichael and Finkelman, there is a higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among women engaging in premarital sex (61). However, my survey showed that neither female nor male respondents considered these two issues connected. This controversy signifies the importance of increasing the population’s literacy concerning STDs. The same thing concerns the abortion rates. While the survey participants do not tend to associate premarital sex with unwanted pregnancy and abortion, Teferra et al. report a high level of abortion among young women (2).
The hypothesis of the project was not justified. Among the participants of the survey, older females did not report higher disapproval of premarital sex. The results of the survey are contradictory to the findings of some research articles. This situation can be explained in two ways. For one thing, people’s attitudes tend to alter very fast and frequently. Thus, the data incorporated in the current project is more modern. However, there may be another explanation of the divergences. The number of participants in the current project was much smaller than the number of people surveyed for the articles discussed.
Works Cited
Elias, Vicky L., et al. “Long-Term Changes in Attitudes Toward Premarital Sex in the United States: Reexamining the Role of Cohort Replacement.” Journal of Sex Research, vol. 52, no. 2, 2015, pp. 129-139.
Fernández-Villaverde, Jesús, et al. “From Shame to Game in One Hundred Years: an Economic Model of the Rise in Premarital Sex and Its De-Stigmatization.” Journal of the European Economic Association, vol. 12, no. 1, 2014, pp. 25-61.
Ghebremichael, Musie S., and Finkelman, Matthew D. “The Effect of Premarital Sex on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and High Risk Behaviors in Women.” Journal of AIDS and HIV Research, vol. 5, no. 2, 2013, pp. 59-64.
Teferra, Tomas Benti, et al. “Prevalence of Premarital Sexual Practice and Associated Factors among Undergraduate Health Science Students of Madawalabu University, Bale Goba, South East Ethiopia: Institution Based Cross Sectional Study.” PanAfrican Medical Journal, vol. 20, no. 209, 2015, pp. 1-11.
Wright, Paul J. “Americans’ Attitudes Toward Premarital Sex and Pornography Consumption: A National Panel Analysis.” Archives of Sexual Behavior, vol. 44, no. 1, 2015, pp. 89-97.
Subculture can be defined as a group of people with a certain culture that is different from the major culture in which they belong. In most cases, a subculture is in opposition to the dominant culture and the members of a subculture belong to a specific category such as the youth who seek recognition through unique behavior that is mainly a counterculture of the main culture in which they belong.
Subcultures may arise as a result of groupings according to race, class, gender, language, and fashion among other factors. The members of a subculture are distinctive from the main culture due to their unique style in fashion, religion, authenticity, mannerisms, and language. However, trends that make subcultures unique may be commercialized such that the subculture may disappear or be swallowed by the mainstream culture. Sometimes the subcultures are so strong that their members seek to be associated with the rest of the group in a very unique manner such as listening to music that belongs or is associated with that subculture. Some subcultures avoid commercialization through various ways such as reinventing their definitive styles such as social style rather than music and fashion that are more commercialized.
In this piece of work, the factors that shape the youth subcultures are going to be discussed separately although they have a closer relationship. The factors include Gender, race, and class.
Gender
Gender plays a major role in youth subcultures, at the youthful stage gender is dominant and boys and girls have distinct lifestyles that are oriented to each other’s recognition. Girls behave in a way that they attract the opposite sex, the boys and the boys too behave towards recognition not only to the girls but also to their peers. Masculinity in boys is a common feature and each man wants to be noticed as capable of doing what men can do. A characteristic youth subculture emphasizes male dominance, focal attraction as well as masculinity values. (McRobbie, 1991)
Women, on the other hand, engage in promiscuity for example in the hippy culture to be able to get attention from men or to be incorporated in these cultures. This lifestyle of the subculture leads to continuous crises with the main culture as their behaviors are considered a social decay and hence they are always condemned creating a social conflict with the rest of the society. Subcultures of youth men are more popular in most cases and most girls want to be associated with them.
For example from texts and images, it was clear that girls fought to be associated with the teddy boy subculture, the dancing in the elephant and castle as well as their pictures appearing in the background of the news picture. However, the working-class girls did not establish themselves with the teddy boy subculture due to their social class as working-class women. (McRobbie, 1991)
Subculture in girls and boys differed as girls preferred certain dressing modes that are emphasized through media. The spending trends for boys and girls also differed as they had different needs in dressing, perfumes, foods, etc. In joining the teddy boy subculture, the girls had the freedom to interact freely with the boys though they take caution over sexual exploitation by the boys. Consumption of some items o4 goods in a certain subculture is restricted for use at certain places, for example, the application of cosmetics was not allowed at home by parents but they become acceptable with time.
Their use was only in the streets, dance halls, clubs and not at home and school. In a subculture for example Rastafarian subculture, the consumption of marijuana among the youth is not acceptable in society and hence it is done in privacy as it is considered to be a drug abuse practice.
Practices in the hip-hop culture that has hit the streets in the modern world have led to boys adopting female styles such as hair plaiting, ear-piercing among other practices. This subculture has been well accepted by both sexes and girls feel good when associated with the men in this subculture. (Taylor, 1993)
Class
When we talk about class we mean the social class to which one belongs. The youth subcultures are shaped by their social classes. Some subcultures are specifically for a certain class of people and this is based on their social class. The street machinery that was a subculture of youths going to the streets to show off their cars and skills in motor machinery was specifically for the elite class and the middle class. The showing off of skills in driving and classy cars was done by youths in all categories, the teens and the youth in their twenties and thirties. The subcultures also have a mode of communication and communicate with each other in a specific language, for example, slang.
Their cars are symbolic of their power, they show it the way they have styled up their cars they even go ahead and open their car bonnets to show their machine power. For those with fake cars fear to open their bonnets and when the police come over for inspection there are those with no confidence about their machine’s identity and they have to take off for cover from police. (Forester, 1999) People of different classes have different lifestyles according to their financial status and social status in society. The subcultures are a result of socialization. They occur due to the mode of socializing, the place of the meeting which is exclusively for a certain class of people. (Stratton, 1992)
Race
It’s universally accepted that culture changes from one race to another though this does not mean that a particular race has a homogeneous culture that encompasses the whole race. People in a subculture are directed by their race. Youths in every racial group have a subculture although subculture crosses racial boundaries. This racial subculture is forced by religious believes, the culture of the race from which they come. Asians, Americans, and Africans as well as Arabs have subcultures that are guided by their race. In the United States for example where there is a mixture of blacks and whites, they have different subcultures that are determined by their race.
There are youth cultures that are common to all races but within the subcultures, there are distinct practices that do not apply to all the youths because of their race. The race is mostly determined by the main culture which is stronger than the subculture. Youths despite having subcultures apart from the main culture, still have some attached values to the main culture which is guided by their race. In a school students tend to identify themselves with a certain group of a similar race hence forming a subculture. The youth also feel secure when established to a subculture of their race as it does not raise so much diversity from the society and the parents at home.
Conclusion
The subcultures of youth are common in the adolescence age where teenagers look for identity. They want to know who they really are and they, therefore, seek this identity in these subcultures as they are at a very crucial stage of development. On most occasions, the youth seek to counter the main culture of the older generation.
In teenagers, the subcultures are also influenced by social; class as well as race and gender. Although in a school setting the teenagers or the youth may have a common subculture oriented to interests in football, music, and lifestyle.
References
Bilton, T. et al (2002). Introductory Sociology. 4th ed. (Palgrave: New York).
Forrester, L. (1999). Street Machines and Showing Off, (Tasmania: Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies).
McRobbie, A. & Garber, J. (1991). Girls and Subcultures, (London: Macmillan Education).
Stratton, J. (1992).The category of youth and youth culture theory, (Perth: W.A. Black Swan Press).
Taylor, S. (1993). Feminist perspectives on youth subcultures, (Tasmania: National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies).
White, R. D. & Wyn, (2004).Youth Identity and Culture, (South Melbourne: Oxford University Press).
Negative moral influences such as temptation or desire to cheat, steal or lie may arise either because of environmental influences or circumstances. The environmental influence may be the society one lives in or the social and professional acquaintance. The circumstances may arise due to the environmental influence or by one’s choice of actions.
Environmental Influence
A social being has to interact with different type of people from all walks of life. These people who have different upbringing and priorities in life react to situations in different manner. It is not necessary that what one considers appropriate is approved or accepted by another individual. The religion, culture and civil laws are different for sections of the society. Therefore what is condemned in one society may be approved and accepted in another society. While polygamy, remarriage, extramarital relationship and flirtation may be considered normal social behavior by religion or culture, in the modern society the federal laws are defined for a dignified society. The greatest protection against what one considers as a negative moral influence is:
If the federal laws do not allow certain actions then it is so for the benefit of an individual and the society. Therefore these actions are prohibited. If cheating, stealing and lying are punishable then don’t do it.
If your parents, teachers and elders have told you that certain behavior is wrong then you must not indulge in it.
If your religion considers an act as a sin then don’t commit it.
There may be circumstances when the environmental influence is strong but an act is against one’s own viewpoint then one must consider all pros and cons. What shall be the consequences of the act, the social, physical and financial factors?
It is also important to consider the impact of one’s actions on the other person and the society.
Advice of the most trusted family and friends and guidance from the faith are crucial when negative influence is strong enough to alter one’s viewpoint. Contemplation about one’s own goals and priorities and the impact of the environmental influence is necessary.
Circumstances
An individual has to participate in the social and professional activities of the society one lives in to earn livelihood. This participation involves day-to-day activities and long-term goals set by/for the individual. The negative influences are the situations that arise as a blockade in pre-defined course of action or to distract one’s attention. The moral impact of these circumstances can either annihilate or boot self-esteem. Foresight about the result of action can help choose the course of action in these circumstances. If there are circumstances that inhibit seeking personal advice then assistance and solution to problems can be found from examples of others behavior in similar circumstances. Both fiction and non-fiction examples can be found in books, movies and on internet. The result of every action may not be same, one’s own choice guided by the protections against negative influence as mentioned above are the best way to handle life situations.
Conclusion
To conclude, the support from family and friends, awareness about social, professional and civil laws of the native place, social and education background and spiritual faith provide strength, guidance and knowledge to make right decisions in order to combat the negative moral influence. Contemplation before action helps in resolution of problems.
It is impossible to imagine the modern world without phones and messaging. The new technology penetrated even in Youthline help rooms. In her article, Haxell (2014) uncovers the way New Zealand young people seek help and receive emotional support. The author clearly explains the background of SMS messaging related to crisis hotlines and states that this type of communication confidently prevails over calls and e-mail inquiries. Such vital indicators of communication between support and youths in crisis, such as accessibility, friendliness, and relevance, are evaluated. The excerpts of real conversations are analysed properly, thus leading to the conclusion that a text medium can serve as an effective means of emotional support only in case all of the mentioned indicators present in a conversation.
Considering the importance of the raised theme, it is necessary to identify the target audiences for which it would be of interest. In this regard, the dissemination strategy would be developed, including such audiences as practitioners, young people along with their parents, and academic researchers. A range of potential barriers to sharing the results of the article would be considered as well. It also seems essential to provide a critical evaluation of the suggested dissemination strategy to reveal its applicability to modern practice.
Target Audiences of the Dissemination Strategy
The research by Haxell (2014) can be, first of all, important and interesting to practitioners. Taking into account that they are primary support providers, they may be interested in how to enhance their performance and offer the most relevant support possible. The exploration and utilisation of new knowledge related to modern technology can make their support closer to youths, in particular, to their concerns and problems. Pascal and Bertram (2013) argue that the dissemination strategy is something more than just seminars, video presentations, and other similar activities. It is rather a way to engage practitioners in the study findings, thus transforming practice. Indeed, consultation and training along with workshops appear to compose more comprehensive tools to share the findings (Mcdavitt et al. 2016). It is significant to ensure access to the study through peer-reviewed journal articles and web-based materials.
The study discovers the application of new technology, the use of which becomes an integral part of the nowadays environment. Both young people and adults one way or another are involved in technology use. Therefore, the identified study can be employed to come up with corresponding solutions in the field of counselling and psychology (Silverman & Patterson 2014). In the wider context, the practitioners of different communities and countries may implement technology into their practice, thus adjusting emotional support to the modern realities and agendas encountered by youths. In this connection, a series of technology-driven conferences appear to be the most relevant way to disseminate the findings to practitioners.
Speaking of the researchers’ interest in the results of the article under discussion, it is possible to note that they may elaborate on the ideas developed by the author as well as challenge them and ponder over the further research questions. To share the findings of the mentioned article, the dissemination method associated with journal articles can be used. For example, various youth counselling and psychology journals may be contacted, including Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Journal of Counseling & Development (JCD), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, and so on. At this point, it is beneficial to embrace the global scientific society because the results may be of interest and relevant to scholars from all over the world. The above strategy can be achieved through publication in both print and online journals (Delgado & Humm-Delgado 2013). Besides, plenty of credible print journals tend to initiate their online versions, thus realising both options for readers.
Another potential dissemination method focusing on researchers may involve book chapters. According to Robb (2014), books collect useful information, covering a range of studies in one source. Such a format allows scholars to access different information on the same theme that contributes to the multi-faceted perception of the situation. Furthermore, books present the veridical information the importance and reliability of which are to be authenticated before publication (Silverman & Patterson 2014). The fact that the majority of books can be accessed through the Internet, be it online purchase or e-book, and also promote comfort and appropriateness of dissemination.
Young people and their parents constitute one more group that can be interested in the research results. This audience is impacted by technology more than other groups that were described above. Therefore, it is appropriate to disseminate the results through blogs, social media, and mass media. For many young people, it is quite difficult to speak about their problems with their parents or peers that only deteriorate their crisis. Nowadays, youths tend to socialise more in web space with people they have never seen. In a sense, it is much easier to share problems with strangers who are less likely to criticise a person (Curry et al. 2014). Thus, youngsters try to resolve their problems by seeking necessary information online, and the results of the study published online can turn their attention to SMS messaging with an emotional support team. They can find it more comfortable to share concerns, typing in their habitual slang and acquiring an understanding supporter able to speak the same language.
Parents are also engaged in the online environment as they read news and find the required information there on a daily basis. The findings reported by mass media and social networks would undoubtedly be of interest for parents and may serve as an enlightener of the theme, making them more attentive to their children. The information presented in the form of blogs is typically short, focused, and practical, which makes readers subscribe and read all the updates to be in the know.
Potential Barriers
Among the barriers to the above dissemination strategy, there can be different obstacles specific to every dissemination method. For example, journal articles frequently require expensive library subscriptions and take a long time to be published. It can also be difficult for non-scholarly persons to understand the language used by journals (Robb 2014). The mentioned challenges can be addressed by timely funding and an accurate selection of vocabulary. As for conferences, their initiation can be too expensive. At the same time, they are able to cover only a limited number of people due to location and time. The solution is to conduct online video conferences that can be accessed remotely. The online means of dissemination present a risk of simplification of the messages to be conveyed. Furthermore, the online space is usually too critical of scholar studies that may cause some controversy. However, it is possible to overcome these barriers by adjusting the language of the message and addressing criticism. As for ethical considerations, it is necessary to admit that some opposing opinions and attitudes may occur and consider them with respect to ensure the comfort of the target audience.
Critical Evaluation of the Strategy
The ethical considerations are to be followed before, during, the ad also after the research because they serve as a guarantee that none of the respondents was offended or confused by either the research or its results. The mentioned assumptions are to be met accurately by the researchers by pinpointing all the issues regarding ethics. In particular, confidentiality terms are to be clearly explained to respondents to make them aware of voluntary participation and consent. The purpose of dissemination is to describe findings in an open manner, making it clear that data received from interviews was processed and analysed. Continuing these considerations, the dissemination strategy that was outlined earlier in this paper appears to be rather ethical and sensitive to the specified audiences.
The dissemination plans expressed in the previous section appear to be realistic because they focus on the existing options that are proved to be effective in sharing of other topics. The mentioned methods are specific, achievable, and beneficial. For instance, the academic researchers, operating in the corresponding field, would receive evidence-based method to continue investigations, enlarge them, and consider the situation in the context of a certain environment. The journal articles and book chapters are the most credible resources to collect information because they are widely regarded as the so-called gold standard of knowledge (Burch & Heinrich 2015). These methods of dissemination allow comparing different information on the subject of one topic. It goes without saying that every community has its own peculiarities that need to be taken into account while rendering assistance to young people. In other words, academic scholars would be able to develop the theme to identify potential gaps and address them in prospective studies.
The benefits of the assumed dissemination methods related to practitioners are also evident. They lay in the fact that it is a practical value that can be gained from the results and then applied to real setting is of interest for practitioners (Clark, Flewitt, & Hammersley 2014). Besides, conferences can bring different persons serving as a platform for the exchange of ideas and experience together. The collective discussion of findings preceded with their presence may lead to the identification of gaps or, otherwise, strengths of the study. The real-time discussions, on the contrary to print replicas, provide more opportunities to develop the theme and collect ideas for implementation (Ruxton 2014). It is also crucial to point out that online means of information dissemination may also be advantageous for practitioners. For example, social networks may publish brief results of the study, thus attracting the attention of practitioners to read the whole article and consider its implementation.
As it was mentioned earlier, the message revealed by the author of the article can be disseminated to parents and their children through mass media and social networks. Such an approach is likely to bring adults and young people closer to each other so that the first ones would be able to understand the latter in an in-depth manner, penetrating into their vision of a specific problem and its meaning to a particular young person. In effect, the emotional support would become more sensitive, responsive, and pertinent. Furthermore, social networks, blogs, and mass media embrace wide populations and report information faster than, for instance, journals or books. However, it is of great importance to filter information and present it in the language that would be easy to understand and interpret.
As a result of the above online dissemination, young people would be given access to valuable information and understand that they can inquire support in the manner they found comfortable and admissible. Certain problems they cannot communicate to their environment would receive a chance to be resolved with some help of professional practitioners (Taylor & Abramowitzb 2013). The awareness of the fact that they can seek support to address crisis would mean that they are not alone and always may be understood and directed on their life journey.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be emphasised that the proposed dissemination strategy implies that each of the considered audiences possesses its own needs and interests. In this regard, it was assumed that each of them should be reached in an individual manner. In particular, researchers can be reached through journal articles and book chapters while practitioners and parents along with their children through conferences and social and mass media, respectively. Each of the mentioned methods is valuable and relevant to a certain audience, corresponding to its needs and agendas. In spite of the fact that some barriers may occur while disseminating the findings, it is possible to address them to some extent. All in all, it is critical to make sure that information would reach the relevant audiences in an appropriate manner.
Reference List
Burch, P & Heinrich, KJ 2015, Mixed methods for policy research and program evaluation, Sage, New York.
Clark, A, Flewitt, R & Hammersley, M 2014, Understanding research with children and young people, Sage, London.
Curry, SJ, Grossman, DC, Whitlock, EP & Cantu, A 2014, ‘Behavioral counseling research and evidence-based practice recommendations: U.S. preventive services task force perspectives’, Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 160, no. 6, pp. 407-413.
Delgado, M & Humm-Delgado, D 2013, Asset assessments and community social work practice, Oxford UP, New York.
DePoy, E & Gitlin, LN 2013, Introduction to research: Understanding and applying multiple strategies, Elsevier, St. Louis.
Haxell, AJ. 2014, ‘On becoming textually active at Youthline, New Zealand’, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 144-155.
Mcdavitt, B, Bogart, LM, Mutchler, MG, Wagner, GJ, Green, HD, Lawrence, SJ, Mutepfa, KD & Nogg, KA 2016, ‘Dissemination as dialogue: Building trust and sharing research findings through community engagement’, Preventing Chronic Disease, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 38-52.
Pascal, C & Bertram, T 2013, Module Reader Chapter 17.
Robb, S 2014, Module Reader Chapter 15.
Ruxton, S 2014, Module Reader Chapter 16.
Silverman, RM & Patterson, KL 2014, Qualitative research methods for community development, Routledge, New York.
Taylor, S & Abramowitzb, SJ 2013, ‘Dissemination of psychosocial treatments for anxiety: The importance of taking a broad perspective’, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, vol. 27, no. 8, pp. 802-804.
At midnight of 27 June 1969, few New York City police officers raided Stonewall Inn, which was a gay bar in Greenwich Village. A false warrant was served to the bar for selling illegal liquor and customers were asked to leave. This led to an upheaval and many movements, like the feminist supporters and the hippie movement advocating sexual liberation came into being.
Gay Liberation Front
In accordance to the Stonewall documents, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was formed during this time, which believed that homosexual women and men had the same rights as their straight sisters and brothers. This was the first time that thousands of homosexual people raised their voice in protest to the injustice which existed towards them in New York City. It was formed by an innovative group of people who believed that until and unless the present social establishments are abolished, homosexual men and women will never be able to attain absolute sexual liberty. They wanted to be exactly who they are and if required create new public relations and forms. They believed that since their oppression is due to sex they must properly understand the different sex roles and their meaning. They also believed that every lesbian and homosexual solely survived in misery and not tolerance or patience. Not only was their kindness questioned, but their employment was made tenuous and their choice of housing restricted. They wanted the homosexuals to understand and make others understand that their being homosexual means that they are emotionally attached to their own sex.
The Homophile Youth Movement
The Homophile Youth Movement (HYMN) was also formed during this time, it believed that until, and unless homosexual people themselves took some action, their intolerable situation will not improve. They did not rely on the various government agencies to improve their condition, as they were aware that nothing was being done to help them. They wanted everyone to understand their position.
This understanding was demanded from the authority and society too. Society disapproves such attractions and the authority works in favor of the society thus forming a nexus to oppress the homosexual movement. Thus, when they say things like “oppression,” “freedom,” “revolution,” or “equality,” it means that they want a recognition of their sexual preferences and they demand their rights to be maintained and sustained by the law and the society as a whole. To put it in simple terms, their demand was to be treated as a fellow citizen and not discriminated on the parameters of sexual orientation.
The Student Homophile League Manifesto
As a result, they formulated a strategy. The Student Homophile League Manifesto was one of the most radical manifestos of all times. They believed that homosexuals were harassed to oppress the minorities, like the hippies, blacks and other radicals of society, and make them powerless. They assumed that their fate was also linked to the minorities and only through common struggle could they achieve victory. All the homosexuals and bisexuals supported the young students, hippies, Spanish-Americans, feminists, blacks and other victims of discrimination. They also asked for the support of these groups in return. They declared heterosexual standards to be immoral and demanded equality. They demanded that homosexuals develop their own esthetics and ethics, and consider themselves a part of a better community.
The Manifesto also demanded that all limitations on sex between people of any orientation, sex or age be removed regardless of place and money matters. They also wanted removal of censorship. They also urged the churches to support them and authorize homosexual liaisons between agreeing partners. They did not bother about a clean and good image in the public, but we’re more concerned about the youth. Since it was also the time of the war in Vietnam, they did not support the causes of the war and completely rejected it. They refused to participate in the war and support the war machines which could, in the future, be used against them. They also opposed to obtaining security authorization for the homosexuals as it meant contributing to the machines. This movement continuously engaged in political struggles in all directions. They wanted the homosexuals to see how cruel the society had become toward them.
Conclusion
The actions taken paid off quite well. Carl Wittman indicated in 1969 that due to the action taken it as possible the group consciousness has evolved and he further indicates that in future it would grow and that would be a better world to live in and today we know most of it has come true. The society and the law is much open to this cause of the movement and homosexuals are treated equally as citizen and can exercise the rights of the citizen without fear.
Works Cited
Stonewall Documents; “Homophile Youth Movement Flier”
Young people often become victims of violent actions because of the criminals’ superiority in power. The focus on the armed self-defense is one of the choices made by a young person while facing the risk of being assaulted. From this point, the person’s decision to own a gun and use it for self-defense in dangerous environments is based on the analysis of a range of effects of such a problematic decision. In spite of the fact that the intended and fatal shootings are discussed as the most critical consequences of using guns in dangerous environments and situations, a young person should risk owning guns because of such positive effects of the decision as the possibility to prevent the criminal threat and harm, compensate the inequality in forces, and sustain the psychological comfort.
The main negative consequences of owning a gun and using it in unusual situations are the intended and fatal shootings. Although the death of a criminal as a result of using a gun for self-defense is often classified as the necessary action for the victim’s protection, the consequences of the case can be discussed as negative in the legal, financial, and psychological contexts. According to Cousins, those people who killed the aggressor should realize the real cause of the person’s death (Cousins 340). As a result, a victim who protected oneself with the help of a gun can become conscience-stricken and even depressed. However, speaking about the psychological value of such a possible effect of owning a gun, it is important to state that the use of a weapon can be the only chance for a young person to protect oneself and save the life in dangerous environments.
Therefore, the main positive effect of owning a gun is a clear opportunity to prevent the criminal threat directed toward a young person and reduce the risk of much possible harm. Since the situation of owning a gun is risky, it is important to pay much attention to the ways of preventing and reducing a threat based on using many tools and techniques other than guns. However, there are many situations when traditional ways to prevent conflicts do not work. Thus, Hasselstrom states that it is important to use the same tactics as criminals use in order to succeed in dangerous situations (Hasselstrom 355). From this perspective, the main tactic which can be used by a victim is the focus on fearing the criminal. According to Hasselstrom, a gun can be discussed as a “response in the same language,” which is used in the situation when criminals attack weak victims (Hasselstrom 357). Therefore, the use of a gun by a young person provokes fear, and the chances to reduce the risk of a crime increase significantly. Protection from the possible assault can be considered as the main effect of owning a gun by young men and women.
The next positive effect of owning a gun and demonstrating it in a lot of dangerous environments is a chance to compensate for the inequality in relation to the balance of the victim and the criminal’s forces. In order to prevent a crime, it is necessary to change the balance of power observed in a dangerous situation (Hasselstrom 358). A young person can choose to use a gun when a criminal attacks him or her, and the use of a weapon can be demonstrated in the form of an attempt to brandish a gun or in the form of the actual shooting. According to Kleck, the “display of the weapon could deter the unarmed party from further escalation of hostilities” (Kleck 118). It is important to note that this rule also works for frightening the armed criminals because they often do not expect that victims can demonstrate significant repulse. Consequently, the forces of criminals and victims become balanced because their roles in the conflict are shifted. Thus, the focus on balancing the powers is the next main effect of owning a gun to use it in conflicts with strangers or criminals.
One more consequence of owning a gun is the young person’s psychological comfort and the increased sense of security, which are important for all human beings. The fact of owning a gun provides a person with a feeling of security, which is necessary to act consciously and reasonably in many challenging and risky situations. Therefore, the understanding of the fact that a person owns a gun and that he can use it legally often leads to such positive effects as the psychological comfort, feeling of safety, reduction of the fear, and the increased dignity. Hasselstrom states that guns are good in those situations when politeness cannot work appropriately, resolving a problem (Hasselstrom 358). As a result, the young person should understand that he or she has the right to self-defense, and the use of guns leads to increase chances of protecting one’s life. Furthermore, there are dangerous environments and situations when owning a gun, a person can protect oneself not only from criminals but also from animals. The source of aggression can be different and owning a gun, a person can feel security and avoid being frightened.
The situation of owning a gun by a young person can result in a lot of various effects, which can be both negative and positive, depending on the character of the situation, on the severity of the conflict, and on the responsible attitude of the gun owner. Although the use of guns can lead to the death of an aggressor, a young person should risk using a gun in order to protect security. While owning a gun, a person can prevent harm because of demonstrating the opportunity to protect oneself. The next consequence of owning a gun is the opportunity to overcome many disparities between a criminal and a victim observed in dangerous environments. The final positive effect of focusing on guns is the increased dignity and confidence, as well as the reduced fear because of understanding the possibility for effective self-protection.
Works Cited
Cousins, Norman. “Who Killed Benny Paret?” Patterns for College Writing. Ed. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 339-341. Print.
Hasselstrom, Linda. “A Peaceful Women Explains Why She Carries a Gun”. Patterns for College Writing. Ed. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 354-359. Print.
Kleck, Gary. Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America. New York, NY: Transaction Publishers, 2005. Print.
Communities all over the world have over the years faced similar but vexing challenges. The issues vary from poverty, disease, and inequities in racial or tribal lines, food insecurity, crime, indiscipline among many others. Numerous efforts have been engaged in I bid to alleviate human suffering resulting from the challenges as well as trying to tackle these challenges. This paper describes my personal contribution to making my community a better place for my peers.
Background
I am an Asian American and throughout my life I have lived both in China as well as America. I have observed that the Asian Economies have been developing at a very high rate prompting migration of people to and from the world’s biggest economy (the U.S) for trade as well as the acquisition of skills required to drive the economies. Interaction among the Asians and Americans has thus been inevitable.
Of great concern have been the uniqueness and the great difference between the Asian and the American cultures. China and other Asian countries are visibly conservative whereas American cultures are more liberal. In general the great differences can be seen mainly in three aspects namely religion, the family and the government structure.
Hurdles encountered by migrants especially the youth in trying to adapt to foreign cultures have been numerous. Individualism is prominent in the American culture in that one does that which pleases him with little regard to others’ opinions so long as he/she is within the confines of law. This is unlike the Asians who are more collective in the way they handle themselves. Also great respect is accorded to older people in Asian cultures where the young even refer to strangers as uncles and aunties unlike in the U.S where they refer to older people by their names. The family is also very central to Asians than Americans. Children work hard to please their parents and not to fulfill their dreams as the Americans do.
All these and other differences have over the years been the basis of some conflicts and misunderstandings between Asians and Americans. Discussion topics like the military expenditure in China as compared to that in America, the free speech society available in America and not China kept crossing my mind as I pondered on what to do.
I felt compelled to take an initiative in bridging the gap. Narrowing the differences between these two people would be of priceless service to both China and the U.S. My passion to smoothen the relations between Chinese and American teens had been born.
Clearly, I understood that the best way to do this would be to seek interesting ways of sharing information from both parts of the world mainly on the lifestyles and culture. With this information the people would better acknowledge and tolerate each other to form more cohesive bonds through better understanding.
The Chinese American Youth Forum
I started thinking of ways of availing this information to the teenagers. I thought the best way would be to create an unbiased platform, on which teens from both countries would share their experiences, views and opinions freely.
Facebook had by then become the common mode of interaction for young people. I decided to create a page on Facebook where teens from both cultures would remotely meet and exchange ideas. The page got very popular among teens. It was an exciting fun page but the fun was cut short in August 2009 when the Chinese government banned Facebook. This greatly frustrated my efforts but did not kill my dream. I created a website named www.cn-usforum.com. Cn-usforum stands China-US forum
The website is to be launched officially in the course of this month. It is led by a group of four students who would offer their free time to promote monitor and improve interphase of the website. Two of them are in China while the other two are in the U.S. I may be busy having just completed my ACT exams and still undertaking SAT but I feel I have to do this for my community. My ultimate goal in establishing the new website is to bridge the economical, cultural, social and racial gap between my home country China and the U.S as well as ensuring that the youth embrace diversity and communication.
The website has well established forums which offers a platform for young Chinese and Americans to discuss and share on a wide variety of issues mainly relating to culture and as well as other activities. A recent debate about the high school schedules got me really excited. Strong arguments came forward on the unfairness and strictness of the Chinese High School Timetables. They are viewed by most Americans as being too overloaded while others give them credit for the good performance of Chinese students in Mathematics and sciences. Personal experiences have been shared and commented on by a host of other participants. Users can post topics, reply, and even start a poll within the website. They can also display portraits depicting various aspects of their society such as the African Americans, sports and music. A new page tailored for elementary and middle school children has also been developed to incorporate even younger members in the site.
Future Prospects
I plan to expand membership of the forum as well as greatly increase the discussion forums to cover a wider scope while incorporating various events starting with the 30 hours famine project in November. The project which is being supported by World Vision will seek to raise awareness on the famine situation in parts of China as well as seek ways of helping the affected. It is the first of its kind in China. I also wish to have at least 50 portraits on display by the end of the year mainly done by Chinese teens.
My vision may be broad and even overboard but step by step, I will be able to significantly improve relations between Chinese and Americans. By focusing on the youth I intend to ensure that in future, people from the two cultures will bond easily and feel free to relate with each other for their own benefit as well as that of the contemporary society. If they can embrace each other by focusing on their similarities instead of their differences, then I believe the world will be a much better place and my dream will have been fulfilled.
Every member of the community has a role that they can play to reduce the levels of violence among the youth. This paper is a study of the activities that the members of the community can engage in to assist this process. It also highlights ways of ensuring that children are not exposed to violence. Finally, the paper looks at how the community can ensure that the methods that are employed are effective.
Initiatives that will assist in rectifying the problems
Some of the actions that can be used to deal with gang activity among the youth include primary prevention programs where the law enforcement can collaborate with school administrations to teach the students about the dangers and effects of joining gangs. Others include secondary preventive initiatives which usually involve early intervention programs for young children (Howell, 2010). In these programs, children between the ages of 7 and 9, who display antisocial and disruptive behavior are identified and trained towards better childhood development skills (Howell, 2010). Moreover, there is an aggressive replacement training that usually targets youth who display excessively aggressive behavior whereby they undergo anger control and moral reasoning training (Howell, 2010).
How can the negative effects of violence on children be lessened?
The adverse effects that children suffer when they are exposed to violence can only be dealt with if the avenues to which they are exposed to violence are checked and regulated. For instance, the school authorities can ensure that their teachers are well equipped and trained to identify quickly and deal with incidences of bullying in school (Berson, Hernon, & Persall, 2012). Also, many children are exposed to domestic violence, and this means that social service workers also have a role to play to ensure the rescue and rehabilitation of these children. In addition, children should also be educated on the importance of and how to forge healthy relationships with the people around them (Berson et al., 2012). This will help in dealing with any misleading information that they may have gathered from the environment or the media.
Do you believe that there should be a limitation on the violent video games children are permitted to play?
Yes. I do. Recent research done by psychologists has shown that the more children are exposed to violent video games, the more they develop aggressive behavior towards those around them and also, a decrease in pro-social behavior like empathy and kindness (American Psychological Association, 2015). Even though it is not the only risk factor, researchers have concluded that video games do increase the chances of young people engaging in criminal activities. This alone is proof that exposure of children to video games that encourage violence has an inimical effect on them, and this should, therefore, be reduced if they are also to be dissuaded from engaging in gang activities.
Type of assistance will you ask from the community as a whole
Community initiatives usually bring together a wide array of stakeholders like religious organizations, schools, law enforcement agencies, business entities, public health agencies, etc. (Schwartz, 1996). Each of these players, therefore, has a role to play in reducing the gang violence levels in the society. For example, the schools could structure programs in which the students are taught non-violent ways of resolving the conflict. The public health organizations on their part could organize programs for helping affected youth to recover from substance abuse while the business entities could come together to avail employment for young people, which would erase the need for the youth to join gangs.
What role will the department itself take?
The role of the police department is to observe the statistics and patterns of youth involvement within the community and come up with ways of identifying high-risk areas using this information (Spergel, 2007). By doing so, the department can ensure that the distribution of police officers is done according to the information that they have received. This will ensure that sufficient protection is provided in the high-risk areas. Also, the information that they gather with regards to the crimes that are committed by gangs can be shared with relevant project’s youth workers and probation officers so as to help them in their endeavors of rehabilitation and reform (Spergel, 2007).
How will you measure the effectiveness of your plan?
There is a need for initiatives that are put in place for measuring whether or not the plans that have been put in place are reducing the levels of gang violence among the youth. These initiatives need to be structured in such a way as to hold the different players accountable for the various responsibilities that they have undertaken under the plans (McCarthy, 2014). These initiatives should also allow the players to review the measures that they take so that they can align them to the particular gang violence problems in their areas of operation (McCarthy, 2014).
Conclusion
The community plays a critical role in assisting the police department to deal with violent activities among the youth in the community. There are certain activities that expose children to violence and therefore contribute to them children joining gangs in the neighborhood. It is evident that the input of an entire community is vital to deal with any social ill.
The foster care system is an arrangement that help the youths who are unable to live harmoniously with their families by providing them with temporary care in other homes. These youths often leave the foster care after attaining the age of 18 years. The young people who are transitioning out of the foster care system have always had a challenge due to economic and social issues that accompany their long periods away from home in the placement centers. This is particularly because most are placed in these homes when they are very young and grow up until their adolescence (Goerge, 2002). As a result of their experiences, these youths stand a higher risk for poor educational results, health difficulties, and lack of stable employment, homelessness and early parenthood among others. Different organizations and government initiatives have given this issue more attention in the past few years where the future of these youths has been given serious prospects. This is because the high numbers of young people who age out of foster care system every year are exposed to lack of family and economic support. According to recent research, these numbers which may be about 25,000 are faced by economic hardships especially due to scarcity of employment (Goerge, 2002). These problems have led to the necessity of occupational therapy in the foster care systems where they enable the young people aging out of foster care to deal with these issues.
Statement of the problem
The current trend and beliefs among various people is that these youths are vulnerable even as they enter into adulthood (Collins, 2001). The purpose of this report is to provide important information on youths transitioning out of foster care especially focusing on occupational therapy. The report enables occupational therapists to gain the knowledge on the reason why young teenagers who are already in foster homes run away from these homes. This information will be of benefit to occupational therapy practitioners since they will manage to come up with effective therapy strategies in order to assist the teenagers to deal with mental and emotional struggles that they face. This will enable them to stick in these foster care systems without running away so that they can benefit from their services. In addition, the study also enables them to understand the risky behavior s and their relationship with the foster care stay. This is because these behaviors are major causes of health problems which affect these teenagers.
Objectives
The objectives of the research are to:
Evaluate the struggles that the teenagers living in foster care face, making them decide to run away from these homes.
Identify the strategies that occupational therapy practitioners can use in order to help the teenagers deal with the struggles, whether mental or emotional as they transit out of foster care system.
Identify the role of the different organizations and the government in assisting the young people in their transition from foster care in order to deal with social and economic hardships.
Significance of the study
This study will be significant since it will:
Increase the understanding of the social and economic struggles that the young people transiting out of foster care systems face.
Increase the knowledge on the importance of occupational therapy to children living in foster care and especially those transiting this system.
Improve literature on the importance of coming up with effective strategies to deal with problems that the youths face as they adopt to the new life out of foster care system.
The current trend in most states where the numbers of children who are being placed in foster care homes are increasing has brought the need for occupational therapy. This is because these young individuals are faced by various issues related to health, behavior and adaptive issues. There has been evidence that youths leaving the foster homes face problems once they are left on their own. As a result, the occupational therapists who deal with these children are tasked with the responsibility of educating the young people aging out of foster care systems. This is to empower them with living skills that will enable them to be successful in their lives by living independently. The occupational therapists also involve these youths in both formal and informal education. With the knowledge they acquire, they are able to make meaningful goals in life (Goerge, 2002).
Occupational therapists can also empower the young people transiting out of foster care systems by helping them to pursue their educational goals (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008). The other problem that these young people find themselves in after aging out of foster care system is lack of consistent employment. According to most occupational therapists, the ability of an individual to develop and even maintain behaviors related to work is a life process that begins from early childhood. They also believe that by these youths taking part in various activities and work, they tend to live more healthy lives.
Literature Review
The young people who grow up in foster care systems are faced with various challenges that other young people are not exposed to. Firstly, these youths are faced with emotional and mental issues while still living in the foster homes. This is because before these children are placed in the foster care system, most have experienced neglect and abuse among other difficulties. As a result, some of these youths even end up running away from the foster care systems. This is because these young people lack the option of turning to their families for assistance since most of these families are not functional. In addition, the crises that most of them face are not solved effectively, making them engage in risky behavior (Mech, 1994). These behaviors sometimes expose them to heath difficulties. These young people end up suffering from their health difficulties due to lack of accessing the health services consistently. This is because some of the foster homes do not pay enough attention to the health issues of the children who are placed under their care.
Secondly, once these young people leave the care centers, they are confronted with the harsh reality of economic and social hardships. Due to the gap between the small wages they earn and the high cost of living, most of these young people aging out of foster care system are becoming homeless at a high rate. Studies have shown that among the high number of youths leaving the foster care system after attainment of 18 years, 13 percent of them end up being homeless. This is because most are facing underemployment where they receive earnings that are below poverty line. Comparing them with those who have grown up in normal family lives, these young people earn much less than them. In addition, the young people who are transiting out of foster care progress slower in the job market than other youths (Collins, 2001).
Conceptual practice model guiding the research project
The research in its attempt to come up with a solution of dealing with issues that young people transiting out of foster care homes have implemented two important models of research. These are the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and practice of social justice. The Model of Human Occupation which was established by Gary Kielhofner have been utilized by various occupational therapists in explaining various issues related to involvement of occupations and how health issues among the young people leaving the foster care system come up. MOHO has a feature of being client-centered where it focuses on the needs of the individual involved, both physical and emotional needs (Forsyth & Keilhofner, 2006).
This model views occupation as a procedure that organizes the individual’s physical and emotional being by organizing his or her mind and body thus, giving the individual’s the identity he or she possesses. According to MOHO individuals pick up behaviors that they learn in association with a specific social identity. The young people transiting out of foster care homes are faced with challenges since the society around them do not have high expectations of them. This makes these individuals pick up behaviors that are not in line with the virtues of the society since they have no one to encourage them to behave in the right manner.
Young people in foster care benefit from participating in occupations that enable them be involved in community activities. This is through taking part in educational activities and work among others. This enables these individuals to develop as complete individuals due to their achievement of maturity in activities of daily living, educational and emotional life. However, some of the homes that these individuals are placed at neglect their health conditions. Studies have shown that children under foster care exhibit high rates of mental, behavioral and even adaptive problems. A large percentage of young people transiting out of foster care systems have had a psychiatric disorder at one time in their life (Hodges & Kim, 2000). As a result, these individuals are faced with health issues that affect their behaviors.
The environment that these individuals live in is not always friendly. This is because their societies do not give them the appropriate experience to acquire the necessary life skills. In addition, during their stay in foster homes these individuals sometimes lack role models in their lives (Leslie et al, 2000). This is because the study that was taken by Leslie et al (2001) showed that the individuals who had role models in their lives were those who had permanent home addresses, a good social connection and a stable employment.
The project of understanding the situation of youths transitioning out of foster care has led the occupational therapy practitioners to experiment with the model of social justice. Social justice is a process which aims at involvement of all individuals within the society in order to assist or meet the needs of all members of the society. It focuses on empowering all members of the society to take it as their responsibility to help others in order to benefit all members. This model is very relevant in the area of foster care because it removes the renowned notion of naming the children who are placed under foster care system as different from those who live with their families (Paul-Ward, 2009). In addition, there are various issues that the individuals who are placed in foster care face making them not measure up to the development of others in various areas of life (Tickle-Degnen, 2002). This is because these children are sometimes transferred from one home to another, thus; they lack a consistent environment where they can learn skills that can allow them to live independent lives. Social justice helps the society to eliminate the issues that keep off the children in foster care from the mainstream society due to various emotional and economic situations they face. The studies that have been undertaken in the last two decades have indicated that a large number of these children have difficulties as they transit from foster care systems since they lose their eligibility to get services from their respective states (McMillen & Tucker, 1999). This exposes them to difficulties like homelessness, access to consistent employment and incarceration among others.
The adoption of social justice as the model by used occupational therapy practitioners will be effective to assist these young individuals as they are able provide services that are relevant to these children. This is because in order to help these youths, any institution willing to help these individuals need to assist them to acquire independent living through improvement of educational prospects and employment results. In addition, this model allows these individuals to base their services on the needs of these teenagers in order to promote their development.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2008). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process, (2nd ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 625–683.
Collins, M. E. (2001). Transition to adulthood for vulnerable youths: A review of research and implications for policy. Social Service Review, 75, 271-291.
Forsyth, K. & Keilhofner, G. (2006). “The model of human occupation: Integrating theory into practice.” In Duncan, E. A. S. (ed). 2006. Foundations for practice in occupational Therapy, 4th Edition. London: Elsevier Limited.
Goerge, R. M. (2002). Employment outcomes for youth aging out of foster care. University of Chicago. Web.
Hodges, K., & Kim, C. (2000). Psychometric study of the child and adolescent functional assessment scale: Prediction of contact with the law and poor school attendance. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 287–297.
Leslie, L. K. et al. (2000). Children in foster care: Factors influencing outpatient mental health service use. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24, 465–476.
McMillen, J. C., & Tucker, J. (1999). The status of older adolescents at exit from out-of-home care. Child Welfare, 78, 339–360.
Mech, E. V. (1994). Foster youths in transition: Research perspectives on preparation for independent living. Child Welfare, 73, 603–623.
Paul-Ward, A. (2009). Social and occupational justice barriers in the transition from foster care to independent adulthood. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63, 81–88.
Tickle-Degnen, L. (2002). Client-centered practice, therapeutic relationship, and the use of research evidence. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 56, 470–474.