A Model Partner

Tom Stacey has a lot to think about these days. The bees for one. He hasn't seen any but he keeps hearing them, buzzing in the fridge at work, in the overhead lights, in the test equipment in the factory where he has spent the last fifteen years of his working life. They seem to be getting louder and more insistent. Then there is his search for Sarah McCarthy. Sarah was his first love when, as a teenager, he travelled around the country in the back of a horsebox with his grieving grandfather. But perhaps it isn't the bees or the past which is the problem. Perhaps it is his loneliness. Twenty-two dates with Happy Couples dating agency and nothing to show. Relationships are all about the details and there are just not enough boxes to tick on the agency's personal profile form. Armed with a wax model and a list of criteria, Tom sets out on a quest to create a personal profile to find his ideal match. On his journey, he meets people just like him, warm but unable to show it, lonely and unable to remedy it, the lost, the misplaced and the damaged.

Congregations are increasingly developing partnerships as a way of engaging directly in global missions. One of the most common ways they do this is forming relationships with congregations in other parts of the world. This book looks at the reasons that churches seek out missions partners, how the partnership phenomenon developed, and what beliefs, concepts, structures, and practices inform the healthiest mission partnerships. With insights drawn from a survey of churches from across the country and around the world, this book provides data-driven insights to guide the practice of international congregational partnerships.

Filled with rich case examples, this pragmatic book provides a complete toolkit for couple-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The book presents guidelines for planning and implementing evidence-based treatment for diverse couples. It explains how to assess relationship functioning as well as the strengths and needs of each partner and the sociocultural factors that shape their experiences. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and research, the authors demonstrate ways to tailor CBT for couples struggling with partner aggression; infidelity; sexual problems; financial issues; parenting conflicts; depression, anxiety, and other individual problems; and more. Therapists of any theoretical orientation will find tools they can easily incorporate into their work with couples. More than 20 ready-to-use client handouts discussed in the book are available to download and print.

"Stephens' important and timely book provides an urgently needed and insightful synthesis of the previously fragmented field of community health psychology. A wide range of case material from both rich and poor countries is framed within a skilfully articulated set of debates around core issues of theory, practice, research and ethics. This text should be compulsory reading for all practitioners and students of health promotion." Professor Catherine Campbell, Health, Community and Development Group, London School of Economics Can the health of individuals be improved through community health programmes? How can community health promotion programmes be more effective? How is health awareness measured and evaluated? In recent years, health promoters have focused their attention not just on individual lifestyle change, but on daily social and physical conditions that surround the individual. They are now looking towards lifestyle change based on community or socially-based interventions. This book argues for the importance of theoretical explanations that inform investigations of the social context of daily life, the social relations that affect opportunities for healthy lives, and the needs of communities. Examining theories from a critical and values oriented perspective, it looks at current theories of health and health promotion, and discusses why health inequalities exist. The book includes a practical grounding, using examples of community health promotion practice, such as community arts and local community models, based on material and research from Britain, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and South America. The media's role in health promotion is also investigated, drawing on current media theory and examining media representation and the public's interpretative response. Issues surrounding the evaluation of health promotion programmes are also discussed. Health Promotion: A Psychosocial Approach provides a critical and theoretical basis for practice in social and community approaches to health promotion. It is key reading for postgraduate students of health psychology or community psychology, as well as qualified practitioners in public health areas who are developing theory based community programmes.

Processes and Foundations for Virtual Organizations contains selected articles from PRO-VE'03, the Fourth Working Conference on Virtual Enterprises, which was sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and held in Lugano, Switzerland in October 2003. This fourth edition includes a rich set of papers revealing the progress and achievements in the main current focus areas: -VO breeding environments; -Formation of collaborative networked organizations; -Ontologies and knowledge management; -Process models and interoperability; -Infrastructures; -Multi-agent approaches. In spite of many valid contributions in these areas, many research challenges remain. This is clearly stated in a number of papers suggesting a new research agenda and strategic research roadmaps for advanced virtual organizations. With the selected papers included in this book, PRO-VE pursues its double mission as a forum for presentation and discussion of achievements as well as a place to discuss and suggest new directions and research strategies.

Studies the case of Formula 1® to show how businesses can achieve optimal performance in competitive and dynamic environments.

For those starting a business in early years childcare, having a passion for the job is important. But sustaining a business successfully takes more than natural enthusiasm. Many childcare businesses struggle due to lack of formal training or confidence in the business world. This accessible and practical guide shows exactly how to develop your organisation, leading to success within the competitive market and ultimately a higher quality childcare service. Jacqui Burke reveals what parents really want from professional early years childcare, and the core marketing, finance and management skills needed to realize these ideals. Studying what businesses have done right and wrong to date, the book includes example activities and market-savvy checklists that clearly show how to analyse your organisation, master day-to-day management, attract new customers, and take your business to the next level. With invaluable advice on how to better the experiences of your children, parents and staff alike, this guide will help you make your organisation stand out from the crowd.

Identifies and describes specific government assistance opportunities such as loans, grants, counseling, and procurement contracts available under many agencies and programs.