The Kharkiv oblast: a fragile stability. OSW COMMENTARY NUMBER 172/03.06.2015

Kharkiv oblast, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the Donbas region, and which shares a 315-km stretch of Ukraine’s border with Russia, was one of the regions where attempts were made to kindle separatist sentiments during the spring of last year. Some central government buildings were briefly occupied by pro-Russian demonstrators who declared a ‘Kharkov People’s Republic’, but efficient countermeasures by the Ukrainian institutions of force quickly calmed the situation in the region. However, the oblast still remains a target for acts of sabotage, which are probably directed by Russian secret services. Nevertheless, the situation in the region is now stable, both in terms of public sentiment and local politics. The main competitors in the arena of local politics are Hennadiy Kernes, the mayor of Kharkiv, and Arsen Avakov, the current head of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry. Despite many years of hostility, neither of the politicians appears to have initiated a power struggle as yet – Kernes retains his influence on the city council, and Avakov controls the local security services.

Illinois property tax rate & levy manual /

Description based on: Feb. 1991.

Illinois tax rate and levy manual /

Mode of access: Internet.

Tennessee trabajadores: Global wage arbitrage comes home to roost

In the 1980s, the American meat industry began restructuring both its domestic production methods and the distribution of its processing facilities. Many meat and poultry processing facilities have since been relocated into small rural communities. The red meat industry was once highly-paid and unionized, but now work in both meat and poultry processing is a dangerous, low-paid manufacturing job, heavily reliant on immigrant workers who must turn to local social services to supplement their wages and benefits. In an attempt to discover the manner in which the social relations of a specific locale may be enmeshed with global production, this research explored perceptions of social power and alliances after a rural community became host to a foreign workforce employed by the local poultry processing plant. On-site semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen local residents, and a content analysis of the community newspaper was undertaken. ^ The research found that as new production relations were inserted into the community, the society continued to reproduce and social relations remained relatively unchanged. The community's cultural standards and social infrastructure dictate that residents are respectful of authority, extend Christian charity to those less fortunate, and are generally accepting of a community known for low wages, low taxation, and low standards of education. Hegemonic ideologies seem to dictate the goals and beneficiaries of social power, and residents are unable to name any power vectors even in the face of sustained community support of, for example, the company that introduced the immigrant labor into the community. While there are indications of displeasure with the influx of immigrants appearing in the newspaper and the interviews, there are tangible examples that the community was proactive in welcoming the immigrants into their community. Thus, given that the last time elements of the community united around an issue was in the mid-1970s and no other issue has evoked any type of tangible struggle since then, there is no indication that any social alliances will be formed in reaction to changes in the community wrought by the globalization of its economy. ^

Capacidades estatais para implementação de políticas públicas em ambientes federativos: o caso do Programa Bolsa Família

This thesis aims to understand the extent to which state capacities of state governments explain the effectiveness of the implementation of Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) in the Northeast, adopting the implementation of the theory as the main theoretical lens and more specifically the concept of state capacity. Methodologically is a study of public policy evaluation, and categorized as a process of evaluation study or implementation. Given the specificity of the object is classified as a multi case study research covering the states of Sergipe, Rio Grande do Norte and Bahia. In addition to using secondary data, the study used semi-structured interviews with members of Intersectoral Committees responsible for the actions of PBF and the Cadastro Único at the state level, composed of representatives of the areas of the state government of Social Welfare, Education and Health. the main findings related to technical and administrative capacities and policies were found: infrastructure with weakness in human resources, technological and financial resources; intra-governmental coordination with boundaries between PBF and Unified Social Assistance System , and the actions of conditionality of health and Health Unic System Basic Attention; intergovernmental coordination carried out mostly by the distance limitations of displacement and incipient regional decentralization of actions; based monitoring in the municipalities of lower performance and from the parameters placed by the federal government and political capacities; representative political system is hardly accessed by instances of program management; minor social participation and low articulation with related issues advice to PBF; audit control by any outside agencies. The thesis concludes that depending on the capabilities found implementing weaknesses are not unique to the program's actions, but from the very institutional capacity of the systems in which it operates that are the Unified Social Assistance System, the Health Unic System and the Educational System. In other words limitations of their own state capacities of the state governments and the municipal governments of each territory, such as quantitative insufficiency and qualification of human resources, financial and institutional resources, lack instance promoting decentralization (Intergovernmental and intra-governmental) as well the weakness or absence of a network of local social services are also factors that explain the program management performance and state capabilities of arrangements formed by states and municipalities in the PBF, only to partially deal with the complexity of joints involving Implementation of the program with regard to inter and intra-governmental action.

Capacidades estatais para implementação de políticas públicas em ambientes federativos: o caso do Programa Bolsa Família

This thesis aims to understand the extent to which state capacities of state governments explain the effectiveness of the implementation of Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) in the Northeast, adopting the implementation of the theory as the main theoretical lens and more specifically the concept of state capacity. Methodologically is a study of public policy evaluation, and categorized as a process of evaluation study or implementation. Given the specificity of the object is classified as a multi case study research covering the states of Sergipe, Rio Grande do Norte and Bahia. In addition to using secondary data, the study used semi-structured interviews with members of Intersectoral Committees responsible for the actions of PBF and the Cadastro Único at the state level, composed of representatives of the areas of the state government of Social Welfare, Education and Health. the main findings related to technical and administrative capacities and policies were found: infrastructure with weakness in human resources, technological and financial resources; intra-governmental coordination with boundaries between PBF and Unified Social Assistance System , and the actions of conditionality of health and Health Unic System Basic Attention; intergovernmental coordination carried out mostly by the distance limitations of displacement and incipient regional decentralization of actions; based monitoring in the municipalities of lower performance and from the parameters placed by the federal government and political capacities; representative political system is hardly accessed by instances of program management; minor social participation and low articulation with related issues advice to PBF; audit control by any outside agencies. The thesis concludes that depending on the capabilities found implementing weaknesses are not unique to the program's actions, but from the very institutional capacity of the systems in which it operates that are the Unified Social Assistance System, the Health Unic System and the Educational System. In other words limitations of their own state capacities of the state governments and the municipal governments of each territory, such as quantitative insufficiency and qualification of human resources, financial and institutional resources, lack instance promoting decentralization (Intergovernmental and intra-governmental) as well the weakness or absence of a network of local social services are also factors that explain the program management performance and state capabilities of arrangements formed by states and municipalities in the PBF, only to partially deal with the complexity of joints involving Implementation of the program with regard to inter and intra-governmental action.

The intersectorial approach in providing guidance and school support. The perspective of counsellors, tutors and principals

The provision of guidance and educational support requires joint work and the collaboration of different professionals and institutions, especially when we face complex problems that require a high level of specialization and the combination of knowledge from different areas. The research has aimed to examine the proximity of the institutional system of guidance and support to school in nine Autonomous Communities, to the intersectorial approach of counselling. We present the results of a descriptive study using the survey method, which allows knowing the opinions of counsellors, tutors and principals of Primary and Secondary Compulsory Education about the collaboration with the local public services (social, health, education, and employment) in the specialized support to students and schools. The final sample consisted of 9732 subjects who were selected from a random sampling proportional to the size of the subpopulations of each Autonomous Community. Results indicate how, in general terms, there is collaboration among the school and the local public services, although not as frequently as it would be desirable. In the same way, the professionals that were interviewed believe that the collaboration with social and educational services is quite adequate, but the assessment is not as positive when health and employment services are analysed. Finally, taking into account the different professionals considered, tutors from both educational stages are the ones that show a higher degree of satisfaction with the collaboration between the school and the local public services, except in the case of social services.

Mediação na redução de riscos e minimização de danos na toxicodependência: práticas e desafios

Trabalho de Projeto apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação de Paula Frassinetti para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Intervenção Comunitária, especialização em Educação Para a Saúde

Copernicus. Product User Manual In Situ TAC products

This guide describes the data product files from the Copernicus Marine Environment (CMEMS) In Situ Thematic Centre, what data services are available to access them, and how to use the files and services.

Home and group-based implementation of the "Growing Up Happily in the Family" program in at-risk psychosocial contexts

"Growing Up Happily in the Family" is a program to prevent child maltreatment targeted at parents of children aged 0-5 years old in at-risk psychosocial contexts. The program is delivered via either a group-based or a home-visit format. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of various implementation components in the home and group versions on changes in parental attitudes about child development and education. At-risk and non at-risk parents participated in the group-based (196 participants in 26 groups) and home-visit (95 participants) versions of the program delivered through local social services. We analyzed program adherence, adaptations, participant responsiveness, quality of delivery, and implementation barriers as predictors of changes in parental attitudes. The results showed that greater program adherence, better quality of delivery and participant responsiveness, and positive climate predicted changes in parental attitudes in both formats. Therefore, it is important to take into account the quality of the implementation process when testing the effectiveness of early group-based and home-visit interventions in at-risk families.

Living Adolescence in Family" parenting program: adaptation and implementation in social and school contexts

Adolescence is a developmental period that implies a series of rapid changes that might complicate the role of parents. This study evaluates changes in parental monitoring and the strategies to solve family conflicts reported by parents who participated in the "Living Adolescence in Family" program in local social services and school centers. In addition, the study analyses the moderating role of family and facilitator variables that may affect the final results. The participants were 697 parents attending the social services (438 in the intervention group and 259 in the control group) and 1283 parents from school centers (880 in the intervention group and 403 in the control group). The results showed that families from local social services decreased the amount of control and improved monitoring in education and leisure spheres as well as self-disclosure whereas the families coming from school centers improved supervision in leisure and in self-disclosure. In addition, both groups of families improved their strategies for solving family conflicts, increasing the use of integrative strategies and decreasing the use of dominant strategies. There were differences across contexts: the results of the program in the social services context differed according to the participant and professional profiles whereas program results were more homogeneous in the school context. In sum, the program appears to be an efficient work tool, both for the professionals who work with at-risk families with adolescents and for the teachers who make use of the program for families with children at risk of early school dropout.

Horizontal fiscal equity: a theoretical contribution with an application to the portuguese municipalities.

Doutoramento em Economia.

Le rôle des organismes communautaires dans le développement économique local : le cas de Côte-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Les changements économiques des dernières décennies telles que la mondialisation et la libéralisation des marchés ont modifié la structure des entreprises et les flux d’échanges, et ce en affectant l’organisation du territoire. Les services gouvernementaux, appuyés des organismes communautaires, ont réagi en développant diverses stratégies à l’échelle locale. Ainsi, ils répondent à une variété de besoins socioéconomiques et s'adaptent aux changements dans les quartiers montréalais. Sur le plan économique, diverses organisations favorisent l'entrepreneuriat local par diverses actions et stratégies. Cette recherche s'intéresse au rôle et aux effets des organismes communautaires dans le développement et la consolidation de petites entreprises via leur rôle sur la viabilité et la vitalité des entreprises dans l’un des arrondissements les plus hétérogènes de Montréal. Spécifiquement, elle s’intéresse à l’effet de ces actions sur le développement entrepreneuriale locale dans l’arrondissement de Côte-des-Neiges/ Notre-Dame-de-Grâce à cause de son caractère hétérogène sur le plan ethnique, sur le plan socio-économique et de ses particularités géographiques. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que la viabilité des entreprises est à la base de la majorité des actions et stratégies déployés par les organismes de soutien. Pour ce qui est de l’enracinement des entreprises, il y a beaucoup d’externalités liées au marché qui influencent les décisions du lieu d’établissement et de relocalisation et qui sont hors de portée des actions des organisations. Globalement, nous pouvons dire que Montréal est une ville résiliente. En effet, l’organisation du milieu communautaire permet, malgré quelques lacunes dans les stratégies de promotions et de répartitions des tâches, un soutien adéquat aux entrepreneurs. Du travail reste à faire afin de valoriser l’entrepreneuriat comme métier auprès de la population et encourager les universitaires à auto-entreprendre.

Future challenges in day-care centre food services : will benchmarking help?

Purpose – The aim of this study is to identify the methods used by providers to evaluate their food services and identify elements of their service that would benefit from adopting a benchmarking system.

Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 food services providers and key informants in day-care settings in Surrey.

Findings – Few providers formally evaluated their service provision and most had not considered benchmarking their services against other food service providers. Factors such as food variety, food quality, cost and environment have been identified as issues that could be benchmarked and may benefit from the adoption of this process.

Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted only in one country – in the UK – further research is needed into the evaluation practices of other local authorities. The benchmarking model that has been developed by the authors needs to be applied in a food service setting to establish its usefulness to food service managers.

Practical implications – A model has been developed from the outcome of this research, which could aid evaluation processes for food service providers to identify aspects of the service in need of improvement.

Originality/value – There has been little research conducted on the evaluation of food service provision for older people, especially for congregate meals. This paper provides a model, that food service providers may find useful, to identify areas of their food services that are suitable for benchmarking.