scholarly journals Using Community-Impact Internships to Broaden AFU Commitment on Campus

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 552-552
Author(s):  
Andrea June ◽  
Carrie Andreoletti

Abstract Ongoing efforts to support Age Friendly University (AFU) principles must be campus-wide and include commitment from upper administration, faculty, staff, and students. This presentation will describe the leveraging of a new community-based collective partnership to develop a student internship model at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) that could be used across campus to create a deeper investment in the AFU initiative. We will discuss the valuable collaboration with the Connecticut Healthy Living Collective, an emerging hub of state, regional and local agencies and organizations dedicated to healthy aging in communities throughout our state. The presenters will describe the process of establishing the Matter of Balance internship in psychological science with the support of our dean, knowing that it would eventually serve the broader AFU mission. We will highlight the value this intentional effort offers at multiple levels and how it might be replicated on other AFU campuses.

Author(s):  
Peter Doehring

AbstractThe present study explored the shift from understanding to intervention to population impact in the empirical research published in this journal at five points of time over 40 years since the release of DSM-III. Two-thirds of the more than 600 original studies identified involved basic research, a pattern that is consistent with previous analyses of research funding allocations and that did not change over time. One of every eight studies involved intervention research, which occurred in community-based programs only about one-quarter of the time. These gaps in intervention research and community impact did not improve over time. The findings underscore the need to broaden the training and experience of researchers, and to re-consider priorities for research funding and publication.


Author(s):  
Gavin Silber ◽  
Nathan Geffen

Brandon Huntley was granted asylum in Canada earlier this year based on the argument that whites are disproportionately affected by crime in South Africa. The decision was generally condemned, but it did receive support from various groups and individuals including Afriforum, the Freedom Front and James Myburgh (editor of Politicsweb). In this article we show the flaws in Huntley's argument by presenting evidence from several sources that demonstrate that black and poor people are disproportionately the victims of violent crime in South Africa. We are concerned that painting whites as the primary victims of South Africa's social ills is unproductive, ungenerous and potentially hampers the appropriate distribution of resources to alleviate crime. Furthermore, in order to move the debate on crime in South Africa into a more productive direction, we also describe the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) – a relatively new community based organisation that aims to mobilise communities around improving safety and security for all in South Africa, regardless of race or income. Campaigning for novel pragmatic and coordinated community and government responses to the broader lack of safety and security in the country, the SJC focuses on the introduction and development of basic infrastructure and services as a means of reducing crime.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-408
Author(s):  
Anamica Batra ◽  
Richard C. Palmer ◽  
Elena Bastida ◽  
H. Virginia McCoy ◽  
Hafiz M. R. Khan

Objective. In 2015, only half (48%) of older adults in the United States (≥60 years) reported engaging in any kind of physical activity. Few studies examine the impact of evidence-based programs when adopted in community-based settings. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of EnhanceFitness (EF) upto 12-months. Method. EF was offered to older adults in South Florida. A total of 222 EF classes were offered between October 2008 and December 2014. Program consisted of a 1-hour session held three times a week. Even though participation was required for 4 months, 1,295 participants continued the program for at least 1 year. Results. All participants showed significant improvement in outcome measures. A mean change of 1.5, 1.7, and 1.9 was seen in number of chair stands at 4, 8, and 12 months (p < .001), respectively. The number of arm curls performed improved from 16.8 at baseline to 18.8, 18.8, and 19.2 at 4-, 8-, and 12-months, respectively. Participants improved their up-and-go time by decreasing from 9.1 (baseline) to 8.7 (4 months) to 8.6 (12 months; p = .001). Discussion. Randomized controlled trials are commonly used to determine the efficacy of an intervention. These interventions when disseminated at the population level have the potential to benefit large masses. EF is currently offered at more than 700 locations. This tremendous success of EF brings attention to an important question of continuous monitoring of these programs to ensure program consistency and intended outcomes. The model used by the Healthy Aging Regional Collaborative could be replicated by other communities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-37
Author(s):  
Cheryl Cowan ◽  
Kalyn Mumma ◽  
Johnny Nguyen ◽  
A.J. Faas

Abstract Universities and community-based organizations partner to provide benefits to students and to communities where universities are situated. We examine the core elements of a successful partnership in a case study of an ongoing collaboration between San José State University (SJSU) and Japantown Prepared, a community-based organization whose mission is to advance disaster preparedness at the household and community level within San José, California’s, historic Japantown. We demonstrate these core elements of success through a discussion of the development and execution of several projects designed to build capacity within Japantown Prepared and provide real-world experience for Organizational Studies students at SJSU. We conclude that the relationship between SJSU and Japantown Prepared meets the core elements of a successful partnership and provide further suggestions for its continued success.


Author(s):  
Judy Leong ◽  
Sou Hyun Jang ◽  
Sonia K Bishop ◽  
Emily V R Brown ◽  
Eun Jeong Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in the USA among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) over the age of 65. Healthy Eating Healthy Aging (HEHA), an evidence-based heart health program, can provide culturally appropriate nutrition education to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Community-based organizations (CBOs) are optimal settings to implement community-based programs. However, there is inadequate research on how evidence-based interventions like HEHA are implemented in CBOs. This study examined processes that facilitated the implementation of HEHA among CBOs serving older AAPIs. Twelve representatives from CBOs that implemented the HEHA program were recruited to participate in a semistructured interview. All the participants were CBO directors or senior managers. A semistructured interview guide was created and informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to capture how HEHA played into the five domains of CFIR: (a) intervention characteristics, (b) outer setting, (c) inner setting, (d) characteristics of the individuals, and (e) process. Data analysis captured themes under the CFIR domains. All five CFIR domains emerged from the interviews. Under intervention characteristics, three constructs emerged as facilitating the implementation of HEHA: (a) the participant’s beliefs around the quality of the HEHA program and its ability to promote healthy eating, (b) HEHA’s adaptability to different AAPI subgroups, and (c) perceptions of how successfully HEHA was bundled and assembled. Under outer setting, the participants described the community’s need for healthy eating programs and how the HEHA program meets that need. Four constructs emerged under inner setting: (a) the CBO’s structural characteristics and social standing in the community; (b) resources dedicated to the implementation and ongoing operations, including funding, training, education, physical space, and time; (c) the culture of the CBO; and (d) the participant’s commitment and involvement in marketing, promotion, and implementation of HEHA. Under characteristics of individuals, participants’ described their desire to learn the content of HEHA and deliver them successfully. Under process, participants described strategies to engage relevant individuals to facilitate HEHA implementation. The interviews with CBO representatives provided insights into CFIR domain constructs that facilitated the implementation of HEHA. CBOs are key settings for community health education. Understanding processes that lead to the successful implementation of evidence-based interventions among CBOs is critical for accelerating the dissemination and implementation of best practices.


Author(s):  
Peter B. Ohlms ◽  
Lance E. Dougald ◽  
Hannah E. MacKnight

As bicycling and walking have become more integrated into transportation agencies’ processes of planning, design, and operations, some state, regional, and local agencies have established nonmotorized data collection programs of varying scopes and with varying methods. The purpose of this study was to identify ways to plan and implement a nonmotorized count program in Virginia, and the scope included reviewing existing U.S. national-level guidance and examples from state departments of transportation (DOTs) other than Virginia’s to determine the most effective ways of implementing such a program. Study tasks included synthesizing the literature to obtain relevant information with regard to nonmotorized travel monitoring programs, practices, and technologies, as well as obtaining information from representatives of three states through interviews of public agency staff and researchers involved in each state’s program. The study found a large volume of recent research on the topic of nonmotorized travel monitoring. The study concluded that the practice of nonmotorized travel monitoring has evolved and expanded in recent years; that many commercially available counting technologies exist and have been evaluated; that the practice of nonmotorized travel monitoring, as with motorized travel monitoring, has several aspects beyond purchase and installation of automatic count equipment; and that several states are developing nonmotorized count programs and have begun putting their data to use. The findings provide a foundational resource for state DOTs that are considering developing state-level counting programs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 854-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Ward ◽  
Anne Pousette ◽  
Chelsea A. Pelletier

Although the benefits of maintaining a physical activity regime for older adults are well known, it is unclear how programs and facilities can best support long-term participation. The purpose of this study is to determine the facilitating factors of physical activity maintenance in older adults at individual, program, and community levels. Nine semistructured interviews were conducted with individuals aged 60 years and older and long-term participants (>6 months) in community-based group exercise at a clinical wellness facility in northern British Columbia, Canada. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via inductive thematic analysis. Themes identified as facilitators of physical activity included (a) social connections, (b) individual contextual factors, and (c) healthy aging. Older adults are more likely to maintain physical activity when environments foster healthy aging and provide opportunity for social engagement.


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