Therapeutic communities and the local community: isolation or integration?

Author(s):  
David William Best ◽  
Gerard Byrne ◽  
David Pullen ◽  
Jacqui Kelly ◽  
Karen Elliot ◽  
...  

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the feasibility of utilising an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model in the context of an Alcohol and Other Drug Therapeutic Community, and to use this as a way of assessing how TCs can contribute to the local communities in which they are sited. Design/methodology/approach – This is a qualitative action research project, based on an evolving model in which key stakeholders from participating sites were instrumental in shaping processes and activities, that is a partnership between a research centre, Turning Point in Melbourne, Australia and two Recovery Services operated by the Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory (TSA). One of these is the Dooralong Transformation Centre on the Central Coast of New South Wales and the other, Fairhaven, is in the Gold Coast hinterland of Queensland, Australia. The project was designed to create “rehabilitation without walls” by building bridges between the treatment centres and the communities they are based in, and improving participation in local community life. This was done through a series of structured workshops that mapped community asset networks and planned further community engagement activities. Findings – Both of the TCs already had strong connections in their local areas including but not restricted to involvement with the mutual aid fellowships. Staff, residents and ex-residents still in contact with the service were strongly committed to community engagement and were able to identify a wide range of connections in the community and to build these around existing Salvation Army connections and networks. Research limitations/implications – This is a pilot study with limited research findings and no assessment of the generalisability of this method to other settings or TCs. Practical implications – Both TCs are able to act as “community resources” through which residents and ex-residents are able to give back to their local communities and develop the social and community capital that can prepare them for reintegration and can positively contribute to the experience of living in the local community. Social implications – This paper has significant ramifications for how TCs engage with their local communities both as a mechanism for supporting resident re-entry and also to challenge stigma and discrimination. Originality/value – The paper and project extend the idea of ABCD to a Reciprocal Community Development model in which TCs can act as active participants in their lived communities and by doing so can create a “therapeutic landscape for recovery”.

Author(s):  
Josep Burch ◽  
Modest Fluvià ◽  
Ricard Rigall ◽  
Albert Saló ◽  
Gabriel Alcalde

Purpose The Roses Citadel is a bastioned fortification that has archaeological remains from the Greek, Roman and medieval periods in its interior. Currently, the area inside the Citadel is used for a wide range of activities; some directly related with the heritage item, others associated with its use as a public space for the town. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the economic interest of charging an entrance fee vs the alternative of free access and offers a framework to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach The proposal is to consider the marginal cost of increasing the number of users and to carry out a travel cost analysis. It is vital to take into account the results of specifically economic analyses, but the evaluations of social policies should also be considered, and should have a considerable weight in decision making. Findings It is proposed that free entry would bring about an increase in the number of visitors and users of Roses Citadel. In turn, this increase would lead to a greater social use of this heritage asset, and a chance for the least privileged sectors of society to use the site more. Financial resources for the maintenance of the asset would not be raised through entry fees, but through contributions relating to the increase in the social consideration of the site. Originality/value In the context of a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of paying an entry fee for heritage assets, the example of Roses Citadel provides several factors for consideration. It shows that payment of an entry fee affects use of the site by society, and particularly by the local community, whereas free access leads to a wide range of opportunities for use.


Author(s):  
Gloria Borona ◽  
Emmanuel Ndiema

Purpose – Archaeological, palaeontological and geological research has been conducted in Kenya for many years. These research efforts have resulted in exceptional depth of understanding of the region's cultural heritage including those with rock art. Unfortunately, very few of the research programmes have engaged communities as active participants in conservation and consumers of the research findings. The purpose of this paper is to report how collaboration between the National Museums of Kenya and the Trust of African Rock Art (TARA) is creating a link between research, conserving heritage and community engagement. Design/methodology/approach – An overview of two rock art tourism community projects undertaken by TARA will reveal that engaging communities and disseminating research findings does not only foster preservation of sites but is critical in transforming rock art sites into economic endeavours whose outcomes are providing alternative livelihoods. Findings – Community engagement remains the only viable way of ensuring long-term conservation of heritage sites going forward. Originality/value – TARA is the only organization conducting this kind of work in the African continent. This case study therefore, provides authentic information on local community involvement as a conservation strategy in the African context.


Author(s):  
Mustafa Doğan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the ecomuseum and solidarity tourism and to measure their impact on community development. Design/methodology/approach The study presented here adopts two methods for collecting qualitative data: in-depth interviews and observations. The total number of village households was 42 and the number of households that hosted tourists in their home was 20. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, qualitative methods were employed in the form of lengthy interviews with 13 residents. Findings The findings indicate that tourism for the Bogatepe Village ecomuseum has focused on a solidarity perspective which has provided significant benefits to the community ensuring local sustainable development. The ecomuseum as a concept and a destination has helped to control tourism and strengthened the impact of solidarity tourism on the local community. Research limitations/implications The research presented here must be seen as exploratory. More generally, further research is needed to look at the possibility of developing this type of tourism in other rural areas and similar regions of Turkey (covering both small and large areas) with an important cultural heritage. Originality/value The combination of the ecomuseum and solidarity tourism can provide a sustainable solution for tourism in rural areas and provide a model in the development of tourism to other villages in Turkey. The question is whether it could also be used in larger rural areas. The study underlines that Bogatepe is certainly worthy of future study.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromi Nakazato ◽  
Seunghoo Lim

Purpose Community currency (CC) is used as a tool for reviving local communities by promoting economic growth and facilitating the formation of social capital. Although the Japanese CC movement has stagnated since mid-2005, a new experiment, Fukkou Ouen Chiiki Tsuka (CC for supporting disaster recovery), was introduced across disaster-damaged areas after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. Previous studies assessing the role of CC in these earthquake-damaged areas are rare; the purpose of this paper is to examine the micro processes of community rebuilding that underlie the transactional networks mediated by one of the experiments, Domo, in Kamaishi. Design/methodology/approach Using transactional records capturing residents’ CC activities during the five-month pilot period before actual implementation of Domo simultaneous investigation for empirical network analysis techniques identify the network configuration dynamics representing the multiple observed forms of social capital in this disaster-affected local community. Findings This study of the five-month pilot for the Domo system revealed: intensive dependence on the coordinating role of core members (i.e. the creation of weak ties), a lack of balanced support among members and the resulting uni-directional transactions (i.e. the avoidance of generalized exchanges), and the reinforcement of previous transactional ties via reciprocation or transitive triads (i.e. the formation of strong ties). Originality/value This study provides guidance for practitioners, researchers, and policy makers on how community residents’ engagement in CC activities could function as a potential tool for generating positive socio-economic effects for local communities in disaster areas.


Author(s):  
Dr. MBONIGABA Celestin

This paper investigated the contribution of NGOs on the local communities’ development in Rwanda, a case of Care International in Bugesera District (2015-2019). Specific objectives were to analyze Care International-NGO activities in Bugesera District; to assess indicators of local community development of beneficiaries from Bugesera District; to find out the relationship between Care International-NGO and local community development of its beneficiaries in Bugesera District. This study analyzed quality of data from respondents through interviews. Quantitatively the study described the contribution of NGOs on local community development in Rwanda. The correlational study was used to show the relationship between two variables. The target population 13,815 beneficiaries of Care International Rwanda, Bugesera District. Sample size was 99 respondents from Care International Rwanda, Bugesera Cluster. Sampling techniques were convenience and purposive sampling techniques. Data collection instruments used questionnaires technique. Data was analysed using the frequencies, descriptive and Pearson correlation tools in SPSS IBM 21.0 version. Findings revealed that there are different activities offered by care International-NGO in Bugesera District include strengthening the capacity for self-help for beneficiaries in Bugesera, confirmed by 90.9% respondents. Care International providing economic opportunity to beneficiaries in Bugesera, confirmed by 72.7% respondents. Findings showed different indicators of local community development of beneficiaries from Bugesera District such as an increased in agricultural and livestock productivity, confirmed by 74.7% respondents. They have food security and promote trade of agriculture products; confirmed by 71.7% respondents. An access to education for citizens and able to obtain school fees to their children, confirmed by 82.8% respondents. Findings showed the relationship between Care International-NGO and local community development of its beneficiaries in Bugesera District presented by p-value equals 0.000 which is less than Alpha (0.01). The level of relationship is r2 = .806** categorized as positive and very strong correlation.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azwindini Isaac Ramaano

PurposeThe purpose of the paper was to explore the latent function of geographic information systems (GIS) in sustainable tourism, community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) and local community development in Southern Africa, broadly Africa, and diverse rural areas elsewhere globally. Hence, significantly liaising with data and literature review on the Musina Municipality natural resource management, livelihoods, and tourism development issues in Limpopo Province, South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes a general literature review, document reviews, focus group discussions and field observations to examine the Musina Municipality's rural, environmental and tourism resources management situations along with African and worldwide pertinent implications. The study benchmarks with CBNRM and GIS in sustainable tourism nature within the Musina Municipality.FindingsThe study reveals a fitter dormant-synergetic link among tourism and agrarian (rural) exercises that GIS along a concept of CBNRM can expand within the Municipality. Hence, the study has presented a necessity for a proper and a GIS-unified tourism approach to permit the local communities in Musina Municipality and towards the entire continent.Originality/valueSeveral rural populations in Southern Africa and Africa broadly dwell in low-income areas; Musina Municipality is no exception. Such environs are rich in natural biodiversity, including tourism entities host regions. GIS, sustainable tourism and CBNRM can create a gestalt of local community development projects within such milieus.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Ajagunna ◽  
Fritz Pinnock ◽  
Robert Kerr

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how “wilderness tourism” is being successfully used to promote tourism development in the economically depressed community of Bangor Ridge in Jamaica. Through this promotion, its sponsor, Sun Venture Tours, has been able to create employment for local residents and in so doing, contribute to community development and poverty alleviation. The company has also been able to demonstrate that local entrepreneurs have the capacity to address issues in their communities with little or no reliance on government. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a qualitative research methodology using both primary and secondary data. The study focuses specifically on Bangor Ridge in Jamaica with Costa Rica and Belize used as comparators. Findings – This paper concludes that the exclusion of heritage assets from the government's development strategies for tourism in Jamaica has resulted in economic and social stagnation and a decline in economic opportunities for rural communities on the island where unemployment and poverty are rife. It argues that there is a strong case for consultation among all stakeholders as to the value of the country's natural assets and the future of tourism in Jamaica. The paper observes that tourism cannot be sustained unless Jamaica's natural assets are preserved and carefully utilized. Originality/value – This paper explores topical issues and provides a case study that clearly illustrates how government could redirect its interest in terms of support to local communities whose assets form the basis for tourism products on the island.


1970 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Nyoman Sunarta

Dependence of local communities on natural resources in the area of ??West Bali National Park (TNBB) showed low conservation awareness of local communities to support the area as ecological tourism resources, and showed lack of participation of the local community because of their powerlessness in decision-making and captures a wide range of benefits or contributions of ecological tourism. This study aims to determine the level of local participation in the development of products and markets of ecological tourism, by using deductive approach.During stage of analysis and synthesis, descriptive method is used to explain the causal link between the study variables. Since 2008, TNBB changed its repressive approach to community development that previously looked into persuasive public relations with BTNBB as " us vs. them " later changed into " we ", especially in the development of ecological tourism product, which is actualized in society called "Manuk Jegeg". Participation of local communities in the development of ecological tourism is not entirely the local community initiatives. So that kind of participation can be classified into functional types of participation. Participation is still a continuation of the existence of an external agent External interests of society. It is seen from the establishment of "Manuk Jegeg" community, where external parties are only facilitating and accommodating the aspirations of the community in decision making.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-17
Author(s):  
Anna Gaynutdinova

The article presents the retrospective of various initiatives of engaging local communities in heritage conservation and management taking place in Russia over the last decades. It gives the analysis of their sources, locations and developments in the light of contextual issues of the contemporary social and political circumstances and their influence to the conservation field. It also represents the summary of more than 50 years-long practice of local community engagement in the conservation of WH property “Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands” from the period before it was designated till present.


Author(s):  
Anna Waligora ◽  
Alona Revko

Urgency of the research. Social entrepreneurship covers a wide range of tasks from area of social policy that should ensure the normal living conditions of the local community. From this point of view, the main task of social entrepreneurship is to improve the well-being of local community and meet its needs by the implementation of social infrastructure services. Target setting. In the paper the hypothesis is formulated that Ukraine has worse conditions for the formation and development of social entrepreneurship than Poland. The study is proved that development of social entrepreneurship in Poland in the light of EU regional policy consists in the support of social enterprises by the state in accordance with the National Program for Social Economy Development, the European Union. Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. Some aspects of social entrepreneurship and community development are covered by the studies of such scientists as J. Defourny, J. Hausner, Jan-U. Sandal, A. Nicholls, G. Keohane, J. Kerlin, O. Pankiv and others. Uninvestigated parts of general matters defining. It should be admitted that there is a problem of state support for social enterprises at the appropriate level in Ukraine. This only deepens the differences between the social enterprises in Ukraine and Poland. It is worth noting that as a consequence of this, social entrepreneurship of Ukraine is more business-oriented than in Poland. The research objective. The study on the social entrepreneurship and its impact on the local community development undertaken at national and regional levels, i.e. on statistical material concerning 22 regions of Ukraine and 16 voivodships of Poland. The study used a comparative method of developing social entrepreneurship in Poland and Ukraine. In addition, the study carried out in the paper was enriched with drawings made on the basis of graphic and cartographic data presentation methods. The statement of basic materials. As part of the research, the concept of social entrepreneurship (prosocial business) was defined, the features of the social entrepreneurship in Poland and Ukraine were analysed, and the ways of the social entrepreneurship development in Ukraine were presented. Conclusions. Based on the results obtained, recommendations were presented to strengthen and develop social entrepreneurship in Ukraine.


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