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The youth leadership development program is an opportunity to establish best practices for the development of youth and of the wider community. Based on underpinning research related to social cohesion and social capital, the purpose of this paper is to focus on connectedness is consistent with the work of Putnam (Bowling Alone).

Reflecting the multi-level character of all complex problems and also the need to explore common values, social networks and problem-solving mechanisms, the initial approach was a pre- and post-activity survey for participants, and focus groups with elders and parents. The pilot survey, however, revealed participants were unable to discriminate between the nominated Likert scales. The consequent approach turned to appreciative inquiry involving observational data and selected interviews with a random sample of participants from both gender groups, as well as focus groups with community elders.

The study presents findings from an experiential activity in a youth group to bridge social boundaries. Findings are presented using a social-ecosystem model. Key constructs relevant to a discussion of social cohesion and connectedness are discussed, and the youth development initiative identified bridging capital strategies and noted countervailing forces to engagement and successful integration. Central to effective social development strategies is the need for peer- and community-based initiatives to foster shared responsibility, hope and a sense of significance. The social-ecosystem framework offers a potential and realistic approach to enabling families and community groups to be the foundation of a safe and resilient country.

A single case study, where the pilot survey revealed participants were unable to discriminate between the nominated Likert scales. The consequent approach turned to appreciative inquiry involving observational data and selected interviews with a random sample of participants from both gender groups, as well as focus groups with community elders.

Looking first at the participants in this program, engagement requires challenge and buy-in, much the same as in classroom-based educational strategies. There are some preconditions that vary by gender. For young men, there is a mask that they adopt. As well, there is a rift between fathers and sons – confirmed in the community consultation and a more general inter-generational gap that requires attention. There are competing tensions that emerge at the family, community and societal levels. For example, the prevailing discourse is on acute VE related responses. However, what is needed is a greater focus on building social cohesion. Conversely, if family commitment is an important motive to disengage from VE, then cultural realities such as fractured communities, lack of role models, as well as a lack of suitable knowledge and the infrastructure for people to deal with vulnerable youth makes the whole issue highly problematic.

Central to community-based primary prevention responses and to bridging capital is the need for common values, strong social networks and shared problem-solving mechanisms. Table I presents a summary of key insights and countervailing forces (in italics and with a *) that illustrates a tug-of-war between different stakeholders in the social-ecosystem. This list is not exhaustive, but it provides a formative framework for the deeper exploration of community participation and evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of primary prevention.

An experiential approach to bridging social boundaries based on a youth development program in a refugee community is presented. Findings are presented using a social-ecosystem model was presented. Key constructs include an ecosystem model, and a framework that links social cohesion, capital and connectedness. The study presents ideas to activate bridging capital strategies and highlights countervailing conditions to engagement and development.

This exploratory study attempts to capture some of the principal benefits/factors attributable to service learning/community service projects, from a student perspective.

A sample of 67 males and 83 females (16 graduate, 71 seniors, and 63 juniors) participated in the study.

Students believe that their college experience is preparing them for the job market, that critical thinking has been enhanced, and that their college academic experience has emphasized community service upon graduation.

The results increase one's knowledge of the benefits of service learning since so much emphasis is currently being placed on improving the critical thinking and problem‐solving ability of undergraduate business students.

Practitioners would be interested in understanding the impact that service learning can have on the problem‐solving ability of potential employees. If additional research could advance the proposition that students with service learning experience are generally superior in terms of their problem‐solving skills to students with no similar experience, then evidence of a service learning component on a student résumé suddenly adds value to the employer.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce problem-solving therapy (PST) training to an Ontario health region. The aim of this pilot project was to increase psychotherapy access by training community-based outreach clinicians and to understand their satisfaction with the training program as well as their confidence in applying the principles of PST.

Clinicians from Southwestern Ontario who provide community-based mental health outreach services to older adults were invited to participate in this training opportunity. Selection was based on their existing client base, the geographic area they served, and self-reported foreseeable PST training benefits. Selected individuals received an eight-hour in-person didactic session, eight one-hour case-based learning opportunities, and individual case supervision. Acquired knowledge, perceived confidence in their skills, level of adherence to PST principles in clinical interactions, and satisfaction with the training program itself were measured.

Of the 36 applicants, eight trainees were selected. All trainees completed their training and seven were successfully certified in PST. Trainees indicated a high level of satisfaction with the training experience. According to the evaluation tools, trainee confidence in providing PST significantly increased, though there was no statistically significant change in knowledge.

This study provides the first evidence that PST can be introduced within a regional geriatric mental health service in Canada. The training involved both in-person training, web-based conferencing sessions and a supervisory component. The training lasted 16 hours and resulted in staff skill development in an evidence-based psychotherapy modality.

Understanding bottom-up approaches including local coping mechanisms, recognizing them and strengthening community capacities is important in the process of disaster risk reduction. The purpose of this paper is to address the questions: to what extent existing disaster policies in Nepal support and enable community-based disaster resilience? and what challenges and prospects do the communities have in responding to disaster risk for making communities resilient?

This paper is based on policy and academic literature reviews complimented by field research in two communities, one in Shankhu, Kathmandu district and another in Satthighare, Kavrepalanchowk district in Nepal. The author conducted in-depth interviews and mapped out key disaster-related policies of Nepal to investigate the role of communities in disaster risk management and post-disaster activities and their recognition in disaster-related policies.

The author found that existing literature clearly identifies the importance of the community led initiatives in risks reduction and management. It is evolutionary phenomenon, which has already been piloted in history including in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake 2015 yet existing policies of Nepal do not clearly identify it as an important component by providing details of how communities can be better engaged in the immediate aftermath of disaster occurrence.

The author conducted this research based on data from two earthquake affected areas only. The author believes that this research can still play an important role as representative study.

The practical implication of this research is that communities need to understand about risks society for disaster preparedness, mitigation and timely response in the aftermath of disasters. As they are the first responders against the disasters, they also need trainings such as disaster drills such as earthquakes, floods and fire and mock practice of various early warning systems can be conducted by local governments to prepare these communities better to reduce disaster risk and casualties.

The mantra of community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) is community engagement, which means the involvement of local people to understand and prepare against their local hazards and risks associated with disaster and haphazard development. CBDRM approaches motivate people to work together because they feel a sense of belongingness to their communities and recognize the benefits of their involvement in disaster mitigation and preparedness. Clearly, community engagement for disaster risk reduction and management brings great benefits in terms of ownership and direct savings in losses from disasters because the dynamic process allows community to contribute and interchange ideas and activities for inclusive decision making and problem solving.

This research is based on both primary and secondary data and original in case of its findings and conclusion.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new qualitative method that is theoretically underpinned by cognitive anthropology. This research strategy is introduced to further advance the understanding of complex green consumer behavior – in this case life‐cycle analysis.

This paper examines the contextual aspects of problem‐solving behavior of green, environmentally concerned consumers. Cognitive anthropology develops a different, yet complementary, understanding of consumer cognition to a psychological approach. Through the concepts of practical thinking and bricolage, cognition and behavior are conceptualized on a contextual basis. Such an approach encourages a reassessment of how consumer research has traditionally conceptualized problem framing, information search, information processing and related concepts. The paper draws upon in‐depth, qualitative interviews with a wide range of green consumers from both the UK and Germany.

The findings provide some interesting clues regarding the nature of information search and information processing. In the sample, the green consumers of the top clusters were able to see and retrieve life‐cycle information as it was offered by a shopping context and it was this context, as it is perceived by the bricoleur that ultimately limits information search and processing. Within the “objective” bounds of a choice context, skilful practical thinking and bricolage was shown in different degrees amongst the clusters, with considerable creativity shown in “seeing” life‐cycle information.

Given that the research outlined in this paper is mono‐paradigmatic, it is suggested that a future avenue for research in green consumer behavior would be the use of a multiple paradigm approach.

The paper outlines a stepping approach to marketing communications directed towards the green, or potentially green consumer, suggesting that some form of community based social marketing program might be a useful educational tool given the findings presented.

The introduction of a new research strategy – cognitive anthropology to the study of green consumer behavior.

Mainstream offender treatment programmes are mainly inaccessible to offenders who have learning disabilities, which may mean those convicted of offences either receive inappropriate treatment or no offender treatment at all. There is developing, but patchy, provision of community‐based specialist offender treatment for people who have learning disabilities. This paper seeks to describe the evolving process of developing the Good Thinking! course, a group‐based offender treatment programme which aims to help address this need.

The Good Thinking! course comprises 23 two‐hour sessions run once a week in a community setting. It is based on the premise that people who commit offences are often trying to meet ordinary life goals through anti‐social means. It aims to help participants identify and understand their goals, develop the social skills necessary to attain them and teaches a problem‐solving strategy for more complex problems.

This paper describes the process of developing the course material, providing the course and adapting it in light of feedback from participants, referrers and carers. A description of the course and a case study are provided. Insufficient data have been produced to enable a formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the Good Thinking! course; as more data are generated, the team plan to achieve this.

The paper aims to inform and encourage clinicians and commissioners working in this field to increase the availability of specialist community‐based treatments for offenders who have learning disabilities.

The purpose of this paper is to extend previous scholarly writing on community service‐learning (SL) initiatives by looking beyond their use in the not‐for‐profit sector to their potential use in community‐based small businesses.

A rationale for the appropriateness of using SL projects in small businesses is provided, and distinctions drawn between small business SL projects and student internships. A case study involving a strategic management project in a community‐based small business is presented.

The findings support the usefulness of SL initiatives in small businesses. Benefits to the students include an enhanced understanding of course material, improved learning through the transparent information sharing and experience of the small business owner, increased confidence in strategic management skills, and greater appreciation of community, environmental, and ethical concerns. Benefits to the small business owner included receipt of customized, onsite services that circumvented opportunity, and financial costs associated with other consultation or training options, an unbiased and well‐rounded strategic audit, and receipt of an alternate perspective on the business that would not otherwise be available.

Future research should explore the use of SL projects in a broader range of undergraduate business courses and continue to develop pragmatic frameworks for initiatives involving small businesses. Factors associated with small business engagement in SL and outcomes for business owners should also be investigated.

Practical information on the implementation SL initiatives in community‐based small businesses is provided, along with guidance on dealing with potential risk management concerns related to non‐conflict of interest, confidentiality, and liability.

Previous approaches to SL have focused almost exclusively on partnerships with not‐for‐profit agencies. This paper supports the usefulness of SL initiatives in for‐profit, community‐based small businesses.

This paper contextualizes the political/economic environment in which Toronto attempted to implement community‐based policing. The analysis examines two specific restructuring projects, the Robbery Reduction Initiative and Central Field Command’s implementation of Crime Management. These projects reveal the service’s use of community policing as both a vehicle for and philosophy by which to underpin structural and operational reform. Moreover, they are clear examples of the manner in which reform initiatives, and particularly the imperative to implement community policing, were woven together in an effort to operationalize an effective policing model.

In College Learning for the New Global Century, the National Leadership Council of Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) argue for a liberal education for all students because “(i)n an economy fueled by innovation, the capabilities developed through a liberal education have become America’s most valuable economic asset.” (LEAP, 2007). The Business for a Better World Center and the School of Business at George Mason University endorse this view and have applied the liberal education approach to the study of business. This paper aims to explore the current environment of business education, the role of liberal education and the school’s programs and their benefits.

This paper relies on a case-study approach.

In this paper, the authors explore how George Mason University’s School of Business brings a liberal education approach to business education and draws on a combination of high impact practices, such as first-year seminars, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, collaborative assignments, undergraduate research, community-based learning, internships, capstone courses and projects and diversity and global learning (Kuh, 2008). Mason’s experience demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of this integration.

This case study provides unique insight into how business schools can integrate a liberal education approach into business education with successful results. As such, the paper contributes to the growing body of research on the benefits of liberal arts and business education models as a means of addressing global goals and provides a valuable case study to understand better the necessity of integrative, interdisciplinary learning.

This study aims to investigate how and to what extent structural network properties affect dyadic negotiation behavior in tourism destination ecosystems. Specifically, this study addresses negotiation behavior in terms of problem-solving and contending, because these two key strategies reflect the integrative and distributive aspects of dyadic interactions.

This study relies on network data and dyadic survey data from nine mountain tourism destinations in Southeastern Norway. The structural network properties the authors research are triadic closure – the extent to which a dyad has common ties to other actors – and structural equivalence – the similarities in networking patterns that capture firms’ competition for similar resources. In addition, the authors also study a possible effect of relationship duration on negotiation behavior.

Triadic closure and relationship duration have positive effects on problem-solving, and structural equivalence tends to decrease problem-solving, although the effect is inconsistent; none of these three independent variables was found to affect contending negotiation behavior.

This study shows that a dyad’s structural network embeddedness has implications for negotiation behavior. Further research is encouraged to develop this theoretical perspective.

This study is a pioneering investigation of how structural network properties affect dyadic negotiation behavior in ongoing coproducing relationships in real-world destination ecosystems.