Overview of challenges faced by refugees following resettlement in Houston, Texas: a qualitative study at five refugee resettlement agencies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julika Kaplan ◽  
Natalie Lazarescou ◽  
Sally Huang ◽  
Sarah Ali ◽  
Sophia Banu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Refugee Resettlement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Time To Learn

Purpose This paper aims to conduct a qualitative needs assessment to explore the effectiveness of Houston’s refugee resettlement efforts in the areas of employment, health care and education. Design/methodology/approach Using referral sampling, the authors identified refugee community leaders and staff members at the five refugee resettlement agencies in Houston. The authors conducted 29 qualitative interviews with these contacts from February–August 2017. Findings Recently resettled refugees may struggle to find and maintain employment in Houston due to difficulty accessing public transportation. Refugees seeking medical care in Houston often have difficulty navigating the complexities of the health-care system and communicating with their physicians due to language barriers. Finally, refugee children may have trouble adapting to Houston public schools, sometimes because they have limited experience with formal education. This study provided insights into the challenges Houston refugees face during resettlement and these barriers can be mitigated with policies designed specifically to address them. Practical implications The authors recommend decreasing public transportation fees for refugees, supporting programs that donate used vehicles to refugees, expanding access to English as a Second Language classes for refugee children and adults and giving refugees designated time to learn English upon arrival. Originality/value Houston welcomes more resettled refugees than any other American city. However, few studies have explored the barriers refugees face during the resettlement process.

Corporate social responsibility: a case study in the company of urbanization of Curitiba

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ananda Silva Singh ◽  
Eduardo De Carli ◽  
Luiz Aurélio Virtuoso ◽  
Andréa Paula Segatto ◽  
Fernanda Salvador Alves
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Transportation System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the commitment to a corporate social responsibility (CSR) practice developed by Company of Urbanization of Curitiba S/A – URBS, located in Curitiba (Paraná), Brazil. The paper observes the CSR practice developed by the company. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive study that used a qualitative approach was held. The research strategy of the research used consisted of a case study. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, documental analysis and direct observation. These data were further analyzed through the content analysis’ perspective. Findings The organization in question, even without obligation, develops a CSR project that contributes to the formation and awareness of young citizens, comprising ethical, voluntary, economical and legal responsibilities. Research limitations/implications Because of the fact that this is a single case study, the results cannot be generalized, representing only the reality of this case. Practical implications The practical implications of this study lies in the attention toward training of students of public schools, especially in aspects of buses and services usage and care for public equity, factors that even contribute to citizenship and the formation of better people and professionals. This will, in the future, contribute to form citizens that are more aware and who will tend to contribute to adequate usage of the transportation system as a whole, resulting in savings for the organization. Social implications The project analyzed in this study contributes to the formation of better citizens regarding the respect and ethical responsibilities they develop toward the public transportation system. Originality/value This paper demonstrates the commitment to a CSC practice made by a mixed-economy organization that develops this practice to contribute to the formation of citizens of the city. The value of this paper lies in the fact that it shows how CSR practices can be aligned with other practices of organizations, contributing to all stakeholders involved in it.

Public libraries and public primary school literacy: a Kenyan case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 689-701
Author(s):  
Peter Mose
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
School Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Teachers And Parents

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how public libraries have been instrumental in early child school literacy teaching and learning. Most African public schools do not usually afford enough core textbooks and supplementary readers.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative case study in Western Kenya amongst public library staff members, public primary school teachers and parents of library children clients. The following questions were addressed: What is the book situation in public primary schools in the study site? What school-type literacy-related services are offered by the sampled public library? and What are library staff members’, teachers’ and parents’ feelings about the public library services offered? Observations, interviews and document studies were used to collect data. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsPublic schools do not have enough core textbooks and the situation is worse for supplementary readers; the public library branch studied offers critical school-type literacies to school children both at the library building as well as at public schools registered with it; and library staff members, teachers, and parents express positive feelings about the services offered.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a case study whose findings might not apply to the larger situation and the study did not confirm actual literacy benefits of the library services amongst school children by, for instance, conducting literacy tests. The findings are, however, an index to the possible situation in the macro context.Practical implicationsThe relevant stakeholders should find ways of co-opting public libraries as associates of public schools in literacy teaching. This relationship is not straight forward in Kenya.Originality/valueThe findings reported are from original research.

Toward understanding principals’ hiring practices

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mimi Engel ◽  
F. Chris Curran
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Teacher Recruitment ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Chicago Public Schools ◽  
Hiring Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore variation across principals in terms of the number and types of strategies they engage in to find teachers to fill the vacancies in their schools. The practices that the authors consider to be strategic are aligned with the district’s goals and objectives for teacher recruitment. Design/methodology/approach – The authors selected 31 schools from the Chicago Public Schools system through a combination of stratified random sampling and purposive sampling. Through analysis of qualitative interviews with the 31 principals of these schools, the authors explore a range of principals’ hiring strategies and provide brief case examples to illuminate differences in hiring practices across principals. Findings – The authors find that the majority of principals in the sample engage in relatively few of the practices considered strategic. Interestingly, sample principals who engaged in seven or more strategic practices were more likely to work in high schools than in elementary schools. Research limitations/implications – While the range of strategic hiring practices the authors explore provides a starting point for analyzing principals’ hiring practices, it is important to recognize that the list of strategies the authors consider is not exhaustive. For instance, the context of the study did not allow the authors to analyze practices such as the consideration of teacher value-added scores. Practical implications – This study should be replicated in other contexts in order to see whether and how principals’ hiring practices vary by country, geographic location, urbanicity, and other factors. Originality/value – This study is the first, to the authors’ knowledge, to detail principals’ hiring practices in relation to their district’s teacher recruitment plan with the aim of adding to the knowledge base on teacher hiring.

Setting limits in uneasy times – healthy diets in underprivileged families

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kia Ditlevsen ◽  
Annemette Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Preventive Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Parental Feeding ◽  
Migrant Families

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide knowledge on barriers to preventive action on early childhood overweight in non-western migrant families. It investigates the underlying understandings of the parental role in relation to weight control present in health-care professionals and in families. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on qualitative interviews with parents who are engaged in interventions aimed at helping them and their children to adopt a healthier life style, and on interviews with health-care professionals. Findings This study shows that the participating parents, all low SES and living under different forms of insecurity, perceived their parental task for the present as creating well-being for their children, and they were, therefore, reluctant to enforce dietary changes. The health-care professionals, in contrast, considered the need for change through a perspective on future risks. Research limitations/implications The results are based on a rather small sample and the link between insecurity, family dynamics and health practice needs further research. Originality/value The participating parents represented a group that is rarely included in scientific research and the study, therefore, contributes valuable knowledge on health behavior in ethnic minority families. The empirical analysis provides new insights for health professionals regarding the suitability of the universal model of parental feeding styles. It illuminates the implications of implicitly applying this model in health interventions which involve vulnerable categories of parents such as refugees to western societies.

scholarly journals Intersecting social structures and human actors: Ganfoso refugees’ settling experiences and impact on children’s education

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Akua-Sakyiwah
Keyword(s):  
Formal Education ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Head Teachers ◽  
Children's Education ◽  
Children’S Education ◽  
Human Actors

Abstract The myth that Ghana is stable and peaceful, cause many refugees from across Africa and elsewhere, escaping wars from their countries to flee there. Whilst here, refugees face transitional problems in acculturation and settlement, stemming from a lack of education, as many have not had formal education before coming to Ghana. The problem is worsened by an immigration system and a social structure that delays responding to refugees’ needs. With a lack of viable employment to support parents’ settlement needs, these cumulatively function to affect refugee children’s educational attainment. Using ideas from Giddens’ structuration theory as a conceptual framework, the research seeks to understand how immigration rules and other mediated rules at the Ganfoso Refugee Camp, interlacing refugee parents’ acculturation/settlement experiences, impact children’s educational lives. The article uses narratives from teachers/head-teachers, refugee camp management, and a cross-section of community members to highlight how social structures, policy regulation and implementation, combined with issues of refugees’ agency (personal experiences and responses to situation), impact upon their settlement and affect their children’s education. Through qualitative interviews with 69 participants, the article highlight discussions on the effect of institutional barriers to refugees’ experiences, and impact on educational access of refugee children in Ghana.

Transportation costs do matter: simulation study from hospital investment decision

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 560-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olli-Pekka Hilmola ◽  
Ville Henttu
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Simulation Study ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Investment Decision ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Transportation Costs ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transportation Modes

Purpose Most OECD countries will have a considerable challenge ahead with an ageing population and necessary health care produced for retired people. Healthcare costs have increased continuously from the mid-1990’s in Finland, and growth is likely to continue in the future, as the amount of older inhabitants is increasing. Furthermore, transportation of patients and their visitors between homes and hospitals is a large component of the total health carehealth care related costs. This paper aims to estimate transport-related costs and develop ways to decrease these costs. Design/methodology/approach A system dynamics simulation model was developed to examine different scenarios for patients and their visitor transportation to hospitals until the year 2040. Model is driven by age distribution of the region and likely by development of the total population. All parameter values were defined based on real-life observations. Findings Patients’ need to travel to hospitals is likely to continue to grow. In addition, quality of travel will change as older retired people are not willing or able to use their own transportation equipment or public transportation modes – this is the main reason for higher transportation costs of patients. Transportation is typically conducted via taxis, private cars and ambulances. Therefore, it is critical that people from the region are able to access hospital services with short proximity. Research limitations/implications Simulation study is limited to one hospital investment decision in Finland. Distances and population densities as well as transportation mode alternatives differ from more populous regions in the world. Practical implications Research findings stressed the importance of keeping their own hospital operations within the region and placing them in a better location. In an alternative case, where a hospital decision would have been abandoned, total transportation costs during 2012-2040 would have increased by at least the same amount that a new hospital is assumed to cost. Originality/value This research is one of the first from the health care sector, where patient transportation modes and ageing is being dealt with in the context of new investments. Patient transportation is often an overlooked issue, which bears significant costs, especially as people age.

Bridging the gap between documents and practice in medication management “Documents Vitalization”

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 830-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Mohamed Elsheikh ◽  
Mohamed S. Emam ◽  
Sultana Ali AlShareef
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Percent Reduction ◽  
Improvement Strategy ◽  
Frontline Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Sustainable Improvement

Purpose Health care is a complex system, mandating adoption of unrelenting updates of guidelines and best practices. Securing a balanced system of current practice and matching documentation has always been a challenge due to impaired connection between traditional forms of documentation (e.g. policies, procedures, and guidelines) and users. Departmental manuals always find their way back to shelves away from the workplace, and continuous interaction with customers and complexity of business processes hinder timely update and consequently sustainable improvement. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach In late 2014, the corresponding author visited Japan as part of Kaizen benchmark tour that introduced the concepts and applications of “Kaizen,” the Japanese word for continuous improvement, in Toyota factory and health care institutes in Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. Soon thereafter, the authors adopted Kaizen to be the organizational theme for improvement. QPS team launched several initiatives throughout 2015 to improve the quality of documentation. Documents submitted had one thing in common, all participants used flowcharts, diagrams, and even drawings to simplify hard-to-understand processes. This challenge highlighted the utilization of diagrams, well-organized forms, infographics, and other methods to simplify processes and to vitalize documents. Findings Since the hospital utilizes the paper-form prescribing system, prescription errors lead to delays in dispensing time, affecting patient satisfaction in emergency room’s pharmacy. Pharmacy team launched a project using document vitalization as an improvement strategy. Aggregate results showed 16.7 percent reduction in average time per prescription in inpatient pharmacy and 20.0 percent reduction in emergency room pharmacy. Although measurements did not continue over a longer period or were statistically analyzed, they provide a crude indication of possible improvement using document vitalization. Research limitations/implications Lack of a sound measurement system with proper statistical analysis prevented the provision of reliable evidence of improvement. Moreover, lack of previous case studies has been an obstacle. It is the authors’ plan to provide measurable evidence of improvement for multiple projects through measurement of process time, customer and employee satisfaction, the number of process errors, etc. Nevertheless, feedback from users provides a rough indication of possible improvement using document vitalization. It is the authors’ aim to incorporate “document vitalization” into the fabric of documentation process and SFHPM culture. Practical implications Empowerment creates an energy-filled work environment where staff members feel they are the real change factors and are actively contributing to the advancement and success of their organizations (Taylor 2013). This does not mean allowing chaos and unplanned changes to disrupt process flow but rather to leave room for trial and error in a controlled environment and pilot-testing significant changes before generalization. Originality/value The term vitalization itself is a brand new one used in this field, and the authors introduce it for the first time to be a solution that comes from frontliners and can bridge the gap between document and practice. If all document vitalization successes were a tribute to one factor, it would be “empowerment.” Once leaders have the courage to listen to frontline staff voice and allow them to do things differently, the staff members will surprise their organizations with the marvels of their creations.

Working with complex problem behaviors in juvenile institutional care: staff's competence, organizational conditions and public value

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Ahonen ◽  
Jürgen Degner
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Training ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Institutional Care ◽  
College Education ◽  
Professional Experience ◽  
Public Value ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Staff Members

Purpose – Institutional staff encounter juveniles with complex problems (externalizing and internalizing) which calls for adequate formal education/training and professional experience to deliver quality treatment, contributing to an effective organization and increasing public value. The purpose of this paper is to investigate staff's formal education, professional experience and the institutions’ organizational strategies providing knowledge and clinical training to staff. Design/methodology/approach – The study includes staff questionnaires from eight wards (n=102). In addition, 39 in-depth interviews were conducted with management and staff members. Findings – Results show that institutions lack clearly defined target groups, 70 percent of staff members lack college education, 30 percent has never been offered education within the organization, and the vast majority of staff does not feel competent in performing their daily work. Practical implications – The results from this study shed light on an overlooked area in institutions, detention centers and prison settings, and are important to policy makers and governmental organizations responsible for coercive care of juveniles. Originality/value – Unlike previous studies, treatment and detention organizations are emphasized as similar to manufacturing industry and profit organizations, and the results are discussed with departure in organizational theory.

Users’ involvement in the Italian NHS: the role of associations and self-help groups

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 570-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuele Pavolini ◽  
Elena Spina
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Italian Studies ◽  
Italian Case ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Self Help Groups

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to show the importance of considering patients’ and citizens’ associations for understanding users’ involvement in health care systems. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on both qualitative and quantitative data on Italy drawn from various sources (national statistics, own survey data, qualitative interviews). Findings – Although the paper avoids an excessively positive view of the success and frequency of collective patients’ participation, it nevertheless shows that the Italian National Health Care System (NHS) is undergoing important changes in this regard. Voice and co-production among patients, health care services and professionals have become more common and important also because of forms of collective action. Professionals themselves often belong to or promote such associations and groups. The Italian case also shows that voice and co-production tend frequently to merge into a single complex strategy where patients’ requests go along with their direct involvement in health care provision. Social implications – The study provides useful information for policy makers considering the implementation of policies that promote collective action in order to increase an active users’ participation in health care. Originality/value – This is one of the limited number of Italian studies which investigates users’ involvement in the NHS and collective action, thus adding knowledge to the limited research in this field.

scholarly journals The Impact of Informal Education Programs on the Outof- School Syrian Refugee Children in Child-Family Centers (CFCs) in Jordan

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Rami Inkheili
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Education System ◽  
Informal Education ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
The Impact

The significance of this paper lies in shedding lights on the importance of informal education programs as catch up programs to educate those who didn’t have the opportunity to be in schools for different reasons and bridge the gap between them and their peers in schools. Although the study will show how powerful this tool is, it is also worth mentioning that more efforts should be done to enroll those children in public schools and provide them with equal access to the formal education system. This study used pre and post tests that are designed upon the expected learning outcomes from the literacy and numeracy materials prepared by the technical team at Save the Children International. The designed materials, in order to be compliant with the advancement of students in the formal education system were based on the national learning outcomes set by the Ministry of Education in Jordan. The results of the study were excellent enough to show the positive impact of the program as 100 percent of the population scored the passing score in the posttest compared to the zero percent passing the pretest in both literacy and numeracy classes. On the other hand, the study also shows how deprived Syrian children are as a result of the bloody war that harvests not only their souls, but also their future. Finally, it is also worth mentioning that the study also speaks of the pressure on Jordan’s formal education system and the need to support the Ministry of Education meeting the urgent demands of all students nationwide.

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