Homeless People Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The problem of homelessness in America is growing dramatically. It's a problem that can strike anyone when you least expect it. Therefore you should address this as a major crisis that affects our society. I feel as Americans we should come together to create solutions to end a growing epidemic of homeless people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Statistics show people living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless. Economically they are at a higher risk of losing what little they already have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade. They are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. They are approximently 40% of people who are homeless. In rural areas the largest group of homeless people are families, single mothers, and children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a 1998 survey of 30 cities, it was found that the homeless population was 53% African-American, 35% Caucasian, 12% Hispanic, 4% Native-American, and 3% Asian (U.S Conference of Mayors1998). The ethnic makeup of homeless population varies depending upon geographic location.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homelessness and poverty are closely linked. Poor people commonly are unable to pay for housing, food, child care, health care, and education. Choices must be mad when only their income covers some of these necessities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poor employment opportunities for a large number of the work force increases poverty. Falling incomes and less secure jobs which offer fewer benefits leads to additional financial strain on already financially burdened people. The connection between impoverished workers and homelessness can be seen in homeless shelters, many of which house significant numbers of full time wage earners. A survey of 30 U.S cities found that almost one in five homeless people are employed (U.S Conference of Mayors 1998). Thus, for many Americans, work provides no escape from poverty and homelessness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fewer public assistance is another reason of increasing poverty and homelessness. Until it's repeal in August 1996 the largest cash assistance program for poor families with children was the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The elimination and cut ... ...nd services are important and needed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are a lot of things that can be done at shelters and other service agencies that is greatly appreciated. For instance filing, sorting clothes, cutting vegetables, etc. Let them know how you can help out and for how long.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some possible tasks are: working at a shelter, helping build or fix up houses or shelters, food drives, reading to the homeless, and just by involving others to help out too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the efforts are being made in volunteer work, material help is needed also. The end to homelessness is a long road. In the meantime, homeless people and people running the programs need help every day. Some items that would be great to donate are: clothing, household products, support a homeless person of family, raise funds for a program, give directly, help homeless contact loved ones, and encourage your job to hire homeless people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Efforts to ensure jobs that pay a living wage and have good benefits, your help and others, affordable housing, and access to health care will bring and end to the problem of homelessness.

Criminology Reaction Paper

Lea Harebells Guest Speaker Reaction Paper Principles of Criminology When I began listening to guest speaker, Marie Allen, I knew all the given information on heroin was going to be very informative and important. Vive heard many lectures on how drugs affect a person and what kind of life drugs create for someone. Although, when listening to Marie Allen, I realized that this information was going to be much different than other lectures. What I didn't know was that the Marie Allen was truly going to put an impact on my heart and in my life.Marie Allen presented he class with more knowledge and factual information on heroin then any website or television show could ever tell you. There were many things about heroin and heroin addiction that I have never heard before this presentation. Learning that heroin use usually begins in middle school, 7th and 8th grade, really surprised me. I couldn't imagine seeing such a young person addicted to this awful drug. When I heard this, I remembere d that I have a niece who will be starting 8th grade this year and eventually there may come a time that she is offered to try this drug.I feel that now that I know more information on heroin and addiction that I will be able to pass it onto her so if and when that time comes, she will make the right decision. I have also learned that addiction to heroin does more damage to a person than most drugs; it not only creates addicts but it paralyzes them and their lives. We learned that when a person is addicted to heroin they are not the person they use to be. These people become untrustworthy, and their physical and mental health declines terribly.The effects of heroin go deeper than the surface affecting things such as a persons weight, coordination, and heart rate. Towards the end of Marie Allen's presentation, she informed us about many of the people who have lost their lives to heroin. It was devastating to hear about how many people, and many children, who have lost their lives to this drug. The last thing Marie Allen showed us was a video. This video showed a girl when she was very young until she was in her late teens. At the end of this video we found out that the girl was Marie Allen's daughter.What Marie Allen said next was probably one of the most heart wrenching things I have ever heard. She went on to tell us about her daughter and her life long addiction to heroin. We heard about her struggle to fight the addiction, and the many times she thought her daughter was finally free from the drug. Marie Allen then went on to tell us how her daughter was not able to break free from the drug and she was no longer with us. My heart truly went out to Marie Allen. Hearing this information was definitely an overwhelming moment for me.I have eared so many stories about people who have been addicted to drugs and have not lived to see the rest of their lives, although I have never actually met someone who knew someone addicted to this drug or any drug. In my life I have never been in the situation to see someone go through drug addiction. To meet someone whose daughter suffered from drug addiction made me put addiction into a whole new perspective. After hearing and seeing this presentation from Marie Allen, I feel that I am more interested in what these drugs are doing to people and how they are effecting our country.The last time that I heard a presentation or lecture on any type of addiction or drug use, I was probably in the first years of high school. Before this presentation began I was wondering what the speaker would talk about that I didn't already know. I have been taken back by this presentation and the information that Marie Allen provided us with. I have nothing but respect for Marie Allen and everything she has been through. Now that I have heard this presentation on heroin, I definitely have a new outlook on drugs and addiction.

Cmi 5002

CMI LEVEL 5 UNIT 5002 Assignment [pic] Simon Butterfield Table of contents Sectionpage number Introduction3 Be able to identify and select sources of data and information4-5 What is information? 4 Be able to analyse and present information to support decision making6-9 What is Decision Making6 Decision making styles6 Decision making model6 Group Decision Making8 Risks to Group Decision Making8 Decision making tools9 Be able to communicate the results of information analysis and decisions 10-13 Dangers and Barriers11 Methods of Communication11 Improving Communication12 Chairing Meetings13 Reasons for Ineffective Meetings13 Meetings I Attend13 Difficult People14 Negotiation14 Do’s and Don’ts of Negotiation14 Closing Statement15 Bibliography15 Introduction The following report is going to explain about decision making in my workplace, it is going to be split into 3 major bodies. Identifying information, analyse the information and communicate the results. Decision making can take time for some decisions to be made, others will take no time at all as we make them every day, unknown to us, every minute of every day we are making management decisions without knowing it. We are going to concentrate on larger decisions to be made, not every day issues, Decision making is all about gathering information, anlysing it, understanding the pros and cons of each path to be taken and deciding which to take to get where you need to go, some steps are easier if shared with others within the team. Be able to identify and select sources of data and information What is information? According to your dictionary online (http://www. yourdictionary. com/data), data can be defined as facts or figures to be processed; evidence, records, statistics, etc. rom which conclusions can be inferred and information in a form suitable for storing and processing by a computer. Data is basically statistics based on information. Data only becomes information when it is processed to be meaningful, processed for a reason and understood by the recipient. Within my establishment I have various possibilities of which information is gained, Most of the information I need to make a decisio n is available fairly easily, this is available on the internet within BAE systems. Lets take a scenario – my team has a bank of pipes to fit within the pressure hull of the submarine. The information needed is from isometric and arrangement drawings that show were in the correct place these pipes will go, the drawings are available from DIPS a section that issues all drawings to BAE personnel. There are two types of drawings one is an arrangement and there are isometrics. Arrangement drawings give most of information needed to install the pipes, like how they joint together e. g. lange, weld or screwed fittings ETC, it also shows which pipes connect to each other, within the backing sheets the information given is the corporate part numbers of all identified fittings and things needed to fit the system. The isometrics show each pipe separately, showing the pipes dimensions, bend data and datum’s giving exact information to the individual pipe. All this information is just the first part of info needed to fit the system, as well as these drawings, othe r information is needed, process instructions on how the best practice to set a pipe up for welding, clipping a grade 1 pipe system ECT. This information is also gained from the internet, from a part called the process library. This information is used to do the job as that is the way it should be done and there is no deviation from this, it should be followed to the letter to get it the job done right. As well as the process instructions, as a technical team we have to use standards, thease are from standards of fitting clips down to standards of shock clearance. Some are written and some are Pictorial see below [pic] All of the information needed is on the BAE internet. All the standards and process instructions are freely available, for everyone to use. To do the scenario as mentioned at the beginning, all of the above information is selected and used as it is part of the process flow and what is needed to do the job correctly. The drawings that are received from DIPS are subject to different classifications, most if not all are restricted due to there content, every employee has signed the official secrets act before being employed within BAE submarine solutions and know that thease are to stay within the company and not to be distributed to outside sources. Once thease drawings have been used they need to go back to the place of issue to be disposed of in the correct way. Be able to analyse and present information to support decision making What is Decision Making? Decision making is the cognitive process leading to the selection of a course of action among variations. Every decision making process produces a final choice (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Decision_making). Good decision making is an essential skill for career success generally. If you can learn to make timely and well-considered decisions, then you can often earn well-deserved success. However, if you make poor decisions you are more likely to be in trouble and not asked again. Decision making styles There are 3 main decision making styles which include the following: 1. Autocratic – decisions made predominantly by the manager 2. Democratic – decisions based on discussions by the manager and others involved 3. Participative – these are decisions made predominantly by those Below is a decision making model showing steps to be taken [pic] Step 1: Identify the decision to be made. You realize that a decision must be made. You then go through an internal process of trying to define clearly the nature of the decision you must make. This first step is a very important one Step 2: Gather relevant information. Most decisions require collecting pertinent information. The real trick in this step is to know what information is needed, the best sources of this information, and how to go about getting it. Some information must be sought from within yourself through a process of self-assessment; other information must be sought from outside yourself-from books, people, and a variety of other sources. This step, therefore, involves both internal and external â€Å"work†. Step 3: Identify alternatives. Through the process of collecting information you will probably identify several possible paths of action, or alternatives. You may also use your imagination and information to construct new alternatives. In this step of the decision-making process, you will list all possible and desirable alternatives Step 4: Weigh evidence. In this step, you draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it would be like if you carried out each of the alternatives to the end. You must evaluate whether the need identified in Step 1 would be helped or solved through the use of each alternative. In going through this difficult internal process, you begin to favour certain alternatives which appear to have higher potential for reaching your goal. Eventually you are able to place the alternatives in priority order, based upon your own value system. Step 5: Choose among alternatives. Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative which seems to be best suited to you. You may even choose a combination of alternatives. Your choice in Step 5 may very likely be the same or similar to the alternative you placed at the top of your list at the end of Step 4 Step 6: Take action. You now take some positive action which begins to implement the alternative you chose in Step 5 Step 7: Review decision and consequences. In the last step you experience the results of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has â€Å"solved† the need you identified in Step 1. If it has, you may stay with this decision for some period of time. If the decision has not resolved the identified need, you may repeat certain steps of the process in order to make a new decision. You may, for example, gather more detailed or somewhat different information or discover additional alternatives on which to base your decision Group Decision Making The benefits and problems with group decision making below: Benefits |Problems | |Pooling ideas together |Conflict could arise through disagreement | |Covering all eventualities |Too many options on offer | |Improving the likelihood of acceptance at |Decisions could be slowed down | |high levels as the whole team have | | |agreed | | |Ability to build on various suggestions |Accountability as no one person is | | |responsible | |Prevent rushing into decisions that may | | |be regretted later | | |Give more scope for creativity | | An example of group decision making, would be in my IWT (integrated work team) meeting, if an issue came up regarding a piece of work within the plan that can’t be fit, we, as a team would talk about it, planners team leaders and myself would make a group decision weather to move it to the right in the plan, split it up or add some more kit to the activity. Risks to Group Decision Making Some managers find it difficult to make decisions, especially if there is a high level of risk involved in them. Some risks are as follows: †¢ Making unpopular decisions or getting it wrong can leave you open to criticism by others †¢ Getting it wrong causes other problems for some people because they like to be liked by their colleagues. †¢ Some decisions will have a financial penalty such as going over budget or losing money. To minimize risk you need to gather information that may give you some indication of what might go wrong. The riskier the decisions the more information required. Main Risk |Minimising Risks | |Something will prevent you implementing |Get quality information on which to base | |your decision |your decision | |The risk that your decision will not |Be rigorous with your decisions making | |produce the effects you expect | | | |Always have a contingency plan | | |Don’t introduce risks by delaying the | | |implementation of your decision | Decision making tools In order to make effective decisions there are some tools and techniques that may help. Some decisions making tools I use include the following: †¢ Brainstorming – this helps generate lots of ideas. †¢ Mind Mapping – this is a tool I use after I have carried out a brain storm. It is on the mind map I can organise my ideas better and allow structure to decision. These tools are good when we need to do something different, as most of our work is mapped out for us a shown on page 4, when we have a challenging decision to make brain storming is useful to get ideas down and evaluate each one separately finding its advantages and disadvantages. Be able to communicate the results of information analysis and decisions In business no matter how hard people try there are always barriers that can prevent us from communicating effectively. Organisations that fail to do well often suggest that their failure is due to the inability to working around the barriers. Communication is so important in business and all barriers should try to be worked around to ensure an effective, efficient business. To communicate affectively the language should be understandable to the receiver and in a format that is easy to translate. Information should only be transmitted to those who really need in and at a time that would be most useful. Communication is the sharing between groups of two or more people to reach a common understanding. Communication involves making sure you communicate clearly so others understand your ideas, suggestions, instructions and requests. Communication allows the following: †¢ Understanding your work situation †¢ Quickly making decisions and solving problems †¢ Respond to situations as they change †¢ Improve relationships between others The model shown below is illustrates effective communication: Sender – this is the person or group wishing to share information †¢ Message – the information that a sender wants to share †¢ Encoding – translating a message into understandable symbols or language †¢ Noise â€⠀œ anything that hampers any stage of the communication process †¢ Receiver – the person or group for which a message is intended †¢ Medium – the pathway through which an encoded message is transmitted to a receiver †¢ Decoding – interpreting and trying to make sense of a message [pic] [pic] Dangers and Barriers Some experts claim that people like to spend 85% of your time engaged in some form of communication and that ineffective communication damages organisational performance. There are many barriers to communication which include: †¢ Noise 13 †¢ Assuming the receiver has the information †¢ Assuming the receiver understands the message †¢ The receiver assuming that the sender meant rather than checking †¢ The receiver deliberately misinterprets the message because they do not like its content The sender deliberately sends a misleading message Communication within BAE tends to contain jargon. Jargon is words or abbreviat ions that are rarely understood by people that aren’t familiar with or that are new to the company. E mails tend to be sent around camp that are cascades of information from the senior management team to the supervisors and then to everyone else. Some of the information contained in the e mails have abbreviations that not everyone understands or that aren’t explained properly. Trust is so important within BAE. It is difficult to communicate with a person if you feel you can’t trust them especially if the information is sensitive. The senior management team sometimes have very strong views and ideas about certain aspects of the business. This can become problematic if they chose not to listen to the thoughts of people working on the next level. By not listening and taking things on board this may cause a bit of tension and unhappiness within the work force. Methods of Communication Spoken methods of communication involve people actually speaking and often supplies you with an instant response. In some circumstances it is possible to see the person you are communication with for example in a meeting. The most common methods of spoken communication I use at work and their advantages and disadvantages are detailed in the table below. Verbal Method |Advantages |Disadvantages | |Telephone |I can talk to someone |Unfortunately on the phone | | |directly and get an answer |the person needs to be at | | |right away. |their desk to take the call I can’t see the | | | |person’s | | | |face when I tal k to them. | | | I can’t gauge their body | | | |language and facial expressions. | |Meetings |Allows me to provide |I need to be chairing the | | |information to a few |meeting to ensure I get | | |people at the same time |what I need from the | | |rather than individually |meeting | | |which saves time. It people to discuss the |Lack of attendance by key | | |information together in an |players can hold up the | | |open forum |decision making process | | |Decisions can be made by |Meeting can over run | | |more than one person |which means decisions | | | |may be rushed. |Face to Face |This gives me both verbal |I need to locate the person | | |and non verbal feedback |before I can talk to them | | |immediately |The person may allow | | |I can get undivided |themselves to be side | | |attention from the person |tracked by other things if it | | |There is no details of what |is not a formal meeting | | |happened when the face | | | |to face discussion took | | | |place. | | Improving Communication Ways in which we can improve communication between each other are: †¢ To improve the detail and content in information sent out so that people don’t get confused and understand the information correctly †¢ Ask people in meetings as things come up if they are all happy and understand Improve working relationships with line managers so that a trust can be built †¢ Listen to and discuss issues and problems with the senior management team †¢ Encourage feedback to the senior management team by all staff Chairing Meetings What are meetings? According to the online dictionary, meetings can be defined as an assembly or gathering of people, as for a business, social, or religious purpose. Advantages and Disadvantages of Meetings There are many advantages and disadvantages to meetings, which are outline below: |Advantages |Disadvantages | |You an get ideas and exchange information with lots of people at |Wasting valuable time that could be used | |once |better elsewhere | |You can make decisions |Costing a lot of money to get people together | |People can join in |A way of managers avoiding difficult | | |decisions | |You can get to know people better |Assign to already overworked people | |You can get people to work together | | | You can promote team spirit | | Reasons for Ineffective Meetings Meeting are often considered to be ineffective for the following reasons: †¢ No agenda is produced so people don’t really know what is going †¢ This tends to lead to meetings running over time †¢ People are often unprepared †¢ Nothing particularly interesting gets decided upon Meetings I Attend The meetings I attend are: IWT – this is where I chair the meeting to look forward into the plan to iron out any issues within my team, there is a wide variety of personnel there from planners, team leaders, engineering, materials and projects, from this meeting people will get issued with actions for them to fulfill. 3-4 BUTT meeting – this is chaired by my area manager to discuss our next milestone when we combine unit 3 to unit 4 of the submarine, we discuss issues that arise and that may impact on not doing our planned work. Difficult People If there is someone that has an issue that has arisen from the meeting that isn’t specific but they want to talk about it there and then I ask them to talk to me off line because it isn’t relevant to all at the meeting. By doing this I can stick to my agenda timings so as not to overrun. If one or two people star arguing about something I ask simply say we are wasting time and ask a new question to someone else in the meeting to change focus. Negotiation The process of negotiation has traditionally been described as hard bargaining and often is based on hidden agendas and power struggles. These days there is a partnership approach based on understanding and trust with the objective of obtaining a win-win situation where both parties are satisfied. In order to negotiate successfully, the very first thing to do is write down a plan or an agenda with clear objectives but be aware that negotiations rarely follow to plan. Other things to consider are: How you might react to the other parties’ arguments †¢ Have an ideal outcome or position †¢ Make sure that there is a trustworthy atmosphere – this just helps †¢ Ensure the relevant people are there Do’s and Don’ts of Negotiation |Do’s |Don’ts | |Start with friendly introductions |Interrupt the other person | |Listen actively |Reveal your walkway position | |Be prepared to ompromise |Talk too much or too little | |Be prepared to take a break |Make it personal | |Talk solutions not problems |Ignore the other person’s point of view | |Ask open questions |Be afraid to walk away | |Change the package not the price |Accept something you will regret later | Closing Statement There a many ways to gain information make decisions on it and then communicate it out, a couple of easy ways is to – gain all information facts and figures, get as many people to decide who and what is relevant and communicate it in the most sutible form as possible so everyone can understand what decision has been made or being communicated. Bibliography Online Dictionary http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Decision_making http://www. direct. gov. uk/en/RightsAndResponsibilities/DG_10028507 Cmi 5002 1. Understanding the links and differences between management and leadership 1. 1 Discuss the concept of leaders as effective managers Leadership and management go hand in hand but is not the same thing, but are linked and compliment each other. There has been debate about the difference between leadership and management. With some believing there is no distinction, while others that they should be separated in two defined roles. A common definition is: Management is about the day to day running of a function and getting the right people and resources in the right place with a focus upon implementation.Leadership is about creating a vision for that function and gaining peoples commitment by strategic direction. (NHSBT 5013 Workshop booklet) Effective management deals with resources, finances, time management and the coordination and control over these elements. Managers set goals and focus on reaching their targets. Have good organizational skills and will place people in roles to ge t the job the task complete. Have detailed planning taking into account adverse events that could prevent them completing task or achieving target. If the outcome gives worse results than expected an effective manager will look to provide a solution.Effective leadership deals with the people their opinions, behaviour and attitude. They will inspire and engage people to follow them and vision. Focus is on building relationships with people around them, can be an effective part of team and lead it at the same. Effective leaders teach others, learn themselves and are able to admit mistakes righting wrongs and apologising quickly. They can adapt to issues and problems if they arise, confronting reality and issues head on. Leaders will develop trust and subsequently is able to practise accountability, holding themselves and others accountable along with responsibility for results.How managers and leaders motivate their people to work or follow them is one of the main differences. By defi nition managers have subordinates and have a transactional style. The manager telling them what to do and with reward staff will do as asked. Where as leaders have followers, and following is voluntary. Managers plan details, focus on objectives, targets and managing the work. Manager tells and looks for and wants results, leader sells the idea or vision looking for achievement. With managers result focused, short term results can be high.However longer term, without development, motivated and inspired staff there will be a lack of innovation. Ultimately the team or organisation will be static and their performance will never excel. An example of this from NHSBT: 2008 new systems and processes were implemented with limited input from users (shop floor). Results improved for a short term. However there was no continuous improvement, development, innovation or feeling of ownership. Staff and donor (customer) satisfaction, motivation dropped with targets and objectives not reached.Alte rnatively without a management style or focus, day to day performance and results can suffer with only longer term vision strategy focused upon. 1. 2 Discuss the concept of leaders as effective managers Leadership fundamentals: †¢Have a clear vision or purpose of the future †¢Lead through the change to reach that vision †¢Shows commitment, loyalty and enthusiasm for the organisation. And is able to generate these same qualities in their people. †¢Listens to their people †¢Empowers staff and creates confidence for them to perform their role but also for them to explore how to perform better.Majority of leaders in organisations are also in managerial roles. Having an understanding and being able to perform aspects of both roles can be advantageous as managers and supervisors need leadership abilities. Managerial style is good for task achievement, setting goals, focusing on the processes. For this reason, managers to be successful leaders would have to develop a style that is not natural for them. Moving from transactional to situational style, using supportive behaviour, knowing the team and staff motivators.If managers cannot adapt a leadership style when required then staff will become unengaged and have low morale. Not recognising their own role in the organisation or the vision of organisation and where it wants to be. Managers are often seen as risk-averse and opportunities can be missed. Leaders will not rule out opportunities because of barriers and will consider risks to overcome these barriers and get things done. It is seen as easier to acquire managerial skills as they are based on processes and real situations that can be seen. Leadership skills require development of personal qualities which can be hard to quantify.An effective manager is respected for the role they play but an effective leader is often remembered long after they or their people are no longer in their roles. 1. 3 Evaluate the balance needed between the dema nds of management and the demands of leadership. Have a clear focus on vision and aims. Understand where the organisation/team is and wants to be. Evaluate what needs to change i. e. NHSBT efficiency with cost of blood unit to hospitals need to be reduced. Could the change be in the culture of the team or of the organisation? Analysis if the organisation, team or people are currently in the position to adapt to change.Do they have the commitment, motivation and drive. PESTLE analysis is a tool that can be used to help evaluate the demands of management and leadership needed for the organisation. Help to make decisions and understand the wider environment in which they operate. By understanding these environments it is possible maximise opportunities and minimise risks. PESTLE stands for – Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, and Environmental. Using this tool as part of decision making process helps to evaluate styles required, for example: Persuasion â₠¬â€œ Tell or Sell Commitment or ControlProactive or Reactive Approach – Sets direction or plans details Achievement or results Knowing yourself, people, organisation and factors that influence the task, team or individual will enable the correct balance to be made. An organisation requires both effective management and effective leadership to be successful, this can be difficult to find, but these attributes can sometimes be found in the same person. 2. Understand leadership principles that support organisational values. 2. 1Evaluate the role of the leader in contributing to the creation of the organisation’s vision, and in its communication to others.A leader has a vision or has same beliefs in meeting the organisations vision. Has the drive and commitment to move their vision forward despite often encountering barriers. Has integrity and inspires trust in that their people follow as they believe it is the right thing to do. A leader innovates, develops, positively en couraging people to do it right and better. Leader will understand and be clear on the vision. Understands where organisation and people are. Considers capabilities and realism, especially with resources such as people time and finances.Leader can use Situational Leadership style (Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership model), developing people or organisation through stages depending on starting point and maturity (S1 immature through to S4 maturity). (Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership model), S1 – Directing telling S2 – Selling S3 – Participating S4 – Delegating Communicating the vision, the leader will enthuse their people to work towards the goal. Will listen and consult, conveying their ideas, but also encouraging ideas and innovation. Review and revise if required on a regular basis to check understanding.Will tailor communications and actions as they understand people and their motivators. Motivate all to contribute, encourage and su pport to achieve their best and deliver results with continuous improvement. 2. 2Evaluate how personal energy, self –belief and commitment impact on leadership styles Personal energy – Channelled correctly into motivating and being enthusiastic about the vision. Can lead by example with this positive energy. Energy helps with the inner drive to reach goals and a determination to overcome barriers. If not channelled correctly can be seen as stressful (nervous energy).Balance required so the leader can be seen as driven but calm and considered, evaluating and listening to staff. Personal energy, commitment and self belief enable leaders to tackle issues that others may not see or want to tackle themselves. Self belief, commitment and inner drive gives and shows the strength and perseverance that they will and can move vision forward. Communicate this self belief so people follow because they believe it is the right thing to do and not ego driven. Self belief needs to sho w confidence in self and organisation but with humility so not seen as arrogance without chance of compromise or willingness to listen.Self belief often shows an honesty, allowing people to see where the leaders stands. Commitment and resilience to persevere, commitment should be realistic but unrelenting. Keep commitments, say what you are are going to do, then do what you have said will be done. Self belief and commitment allows a leader to be own person and to do the right thing. A leader will also encourage their people to be their self, develop self and their ideas. 2. 3Identify how empowerment and trust through ethical leadership impact on organisational practice.Ethical leadership – organisation to balance its vision/purpose with needs and feelings of staff, customers, suppliers, stakeholders and local communities. Responsibility for environment be it through sustainability, wildlife, natural resources, culture, heritage, fair trade. Acting with and showing integrity a nd transparency. Organisation needs to consult with these groups, giving them influence and empowerment in direction of organisation. Modern times, society and opinion has changed where public not only demand a high quality service but also ethical principles.Leaders, along with traditional business aims, need to create a framework of trust to the general public. Organisations cannot be seen as disreputable (i. e. , banking crisis), unfair to suppliers, lack of care or responsibility to staff. Leaders need to understand altruistic reasons – we do good things, so to shop or use our services is a good thing. This understanding helps to shape policies and strategy. Leaders should demonstrate respect, care and show that they care for others (be they staff, customers, suppliers or other stakeholders). Showing dignity to people and all roles.Ethical leadership can create transparency for an organisation, telling the truth in a way so people can easily understand and nurture a cultu re of being open and authentic. 3. Be able to understand and apply leadership styles to achieve organisational objectives. 3. 1 Distinguish between two different leadership styles The approach using Hersey and Blanchard (as seen in 2. 1) situational leadership styles model, is that there are four main leadership styles: †¢Directing †¢Coaching †¢Supporting †¢Delegating Situational leadership is choosing the right style for the right people.Not just using one style but changing to suit maturity of people and team and the situation. Directing (Telling) Style This is generally one-way communication from the leader. Telling exactly what is to be done by individuals, how to do it , where to do it and why they should do it. This style centres on getting the task done. Delegating The leader is still involved with decisions, but responsibilities and processes are handed to team and individuals. The leader will monitor and evaluate progress. Style centres on the people/tea m and development to work independently.Both styles are effective in used in the correct situation and with the right people: Directing style is often used with new staff or teams, they may lack all skills required and are unable to take responsibility for the task. However they are willing and enthusiastic to work at task. Delegating – As people or team become experienced and able to do the task. They become comfortable in their own ability to perform role well. They are then also able to take responsibility for this task. 3. 2 Assess the practical value of a leadership style to a manager in chieving organisational objectives Leadership style has a direct impact on organisation and its success. Leaders shape the culture, values and motivation within organisation. A leader does not have to be at the top of the organisation with leadership styles and qualities able to seen throughout. Successful leaders no matter what level all have one thing in common. They influence those ar ound them to gain maximum benefits from their resources. Important not to limit or restrict leadership style, being able to adapt styles to where your staff, team, organisation are, is key. 60 feedback is an excellent tool to help understand where you are and any development needs they may want to strengthen. Strengthening links between leaders/managers and staff. Helping to improve understanding of staff/team needs and their perception of their leader/manager. A self awareness to understand yourself and how you react to people and how they react to you is required. Some individuals will thrive on being given targets and tasks, while others may require the metaphorical, arm around them to feel supported.Developing self and people will give empowerment, higher motivation and innovation, creating engagement through listening and consultation. Questioning style allows staff to find and be guided to find own solutions. Play to strengths while looking to work on and improve weaknesses. A leader using a transformational style will look to change those they lead. This style does not simply use personality (charismatic) or reward and bargaining (transactional) to persuade people. Transformational style will use knowledge, expertise and a vision to engage with followers and gain buy in from followers that often remains long after the leader has left.Transformational leadership style allows followers to develop, change and to adapt. This embeds a culture of staff looking to innovate and change, allowing the organisation to be prepared and unfazed to any future changes, adapting as the social environment changes. 3. 3 Discuss situational variables likely to influence the choice of a leadership style A leadership style required can be determined by variables other than the maturity of staff, team or organisation. PESTLE analysis (Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, Environmental) is often used to evaluate the organisation’s environmental influe nces.It is then possible to audit the current environment and expected future changes, putting the organisation in a strong position to adapt to change or looking at taking advantages over competitors. To make decisions and plan for the future, organisations need to understand the environments in which they operate. By understanding these environments it is possible to maximise opportunities and minimise any threats to the organisation. Understanding the risks associated with the market they are operating in, its growth or decline and the need for the product or service.Leaders can then evaluate potential and direction of organisation. An example recently of where leadership and not adapting or taking a leadership style within an organisation, has failed is Jessop’s. By not adapting (using a transformational or Situational style) and understanding changes in the differing environments and factors around them. They failed to change and develop, too many high street shops with overheads and failed to take advantage of on line services which its competitors had done (Technology).Timescales in which task or objectives are required to be met will also impact on leadership a style. A quick implementation or turn around may generally require a more directing approach to meet a short term goal. Where as a long term strategic change will require an engaging leadership style. Inspiring others to follow and buy into the vision and making this a shared vision, supporting and developing individuals while also consulting and evaluating progress, moving forward together.

Examine Family Diversity and the Life Course

Examining Family Diversity and the Life Course Many years ago, Parsons studied families from different type and decided that through structural differentiation, the multifunctional extended family became the nuclear family, and made a point of focusing on this type of family. Marxism also made this mistake, as well as feminism. What these approaches didn’t take into account was that there are many other types of family out there, which is even truer in contempary society. This essay will attempt to asses the extent of this diversity, and the explanations of it.The first approach I will talk about is the new right. They are a very controversial collective with very right wing ideas. Charles Murray believes that family diversity is a bad thing, and that lone parent families are detrimental to society. 90% of families are patriarchal. He argues that this causes delinquency in young boys, as they have no male role model to aspire to, so they look to the streets to find one instead . This process creates and underclass who are dependant on the welfare state. However, there are people that would disagree.Feminists argue that there is very little evidence that matriarchal lone-parent families cause delinquency, and that actually they are a positive thing because they encourage and portray the growing independence of woman. Another issue the new right have with diversity is that family diversity encourages a dependency culture. They are ague that any type of family that is unstable such as reconstituted families, lone-parent families and cohabiting families present a risk of dependency on the welfare state.This is extremely detrimental to society as the welfare state is a ‘perverse incentive’; it takes money from those who work hard, gives money to those who do nothing, and allows fathers to avoid their duty as breadwinners. The neo-conventional family, a term coined by Chester, takes a slightly different look at diversity. Whereas he agrees that the re has certainly been an increase in diversity, he does see this increase as large, or as a bad thing. The nuclear family is still the dominant family type, considering is still account for 56% of families. Most marriages continue till death, ohabitation is just a step before marriage, and births outside marriage have indeed increased, but most of them are jointly registered. He also points out that we can’t presume that all families considered diverse are permanent, and rather we go through a life cycle of families. We live in a nuclear family whilst young, cohabit before marriage, live in a nuclear family after marriage, then live alone after divorce, with many other steps in-between. Another point he makes, and defines the term neo-conventional with is that many families now have dual earners, where both spouses work.There are some issues with this though. The new right would argue that whereas the nuclear family still accounts for the majority of families, that number is declining and may slip into a minority in coming years. Feminists would say that whereas many families are indeed dual earners now, Chester ignores the emotional and domestic labour that women do. The rapports also have their view on diversity. They disagree with Chester in that diversity is actually very widespread, and also very important unlike the New Right’s perspective.They attempt to define diversity by splitting it into 5 different groups: Organisation diversity which focus on how roles are distributed among the family; some families have joint conjugal roles, whereas some have one wage earner and one domestic labourer. Cultural diversity takes into account ethnic, religious and cultural differences. For example, some the majority of white British households are nuclear, whereas most afro-Caribbean families are single parent. Social class diversity implies that income can affect your family.Middle class families are more likely to interact with their children than wor king class families. Life-stage diversity. Where we are at in our life course will affect diversity. University students are likely to live in a family at all, whereas those who are in their 30s are more likely to be in a nuclear family. The final factor is generational diversity, which means that generations will affect diversity. Younger generations are more likely to cohabit than older ones. All of the above approaches are modernist perspective. They look at diversity through one lens and attempt to apply a structure to it.An argument against all of the above approaches is post-modernism. This approach believes that we make our own choices about family life and relationships, and that it is wrong to assume that that there is a best family type for society. It tried to look at the family from the perspective of the individual, and relies more on meaning that statistics. Post-modernists would argue that the new right ignore the benefits of diversity, and say that the nuclear family is the best for society, when we need to look at the needs of the individual instead.They would say that Chester ignores the extant of diversity and focus too much on trying to reinforce the nuclear family’s presence. Finally, they would agree with the rappoports that diversity is a good thing, but reprimand them for trying to structure diversity, when it needs to be looked at from each individual’s perspective. Giddens, a post-modernist, argues that contraception had allowed marriage to be more about meaning and love rather that purely about reproduction, and that feminism has led to better job opportunities and education.He says that both of these points have led to greater choice and equality in society. The new right would agree that contraception is a good thing as it has potentially lowered that number of lone-parent families, but would argue that the freedom it brings has undermined the stability of family. Giddens would agree with this, but that this risk is w orthwhile if it meets the individuals need, and leads to a purer family. Beck, another post-modernist, builds on the idea of risk in the family. The greater choice we now have has moved us away from tradition in two ways.We now have greater gender equality due to feminism, and a greater individuality because of an increased self interest. The new right would disagree with beck as well, and argue that this increased self interest means that we may put out interests ahead of those who need them more such as children, which can undermine their future. Stacey complied some case studied she carried out on a number of Californian women, and found that there may be another type of family that other sociologists hadn’t noticed yet. Many of these women rejected tradition family values, divorced their husband, and then remarried.This new family is based on the connection between the woman, and the wife of the woman’s ex-husband. They had formed a financial and domestic partnersh ip. Stacey calls this the divorce-extended family. Chester may argue that whereas this may well be going on, than this isn’t a type of family at all and that it’s rather just two nuclear families that have some contact, which would support his view of the nuclear family’s stability. Points from both modernist arguments and post-modernists can be taken into account. It is becoming increasingly apparent that diversity is growing.Whereas the new right believe this is a bad thing, they fail to realise that diversity is actually better in some cases where empty-shell marriages where children are used as scapegoats for their parent’s anger. On the other hand they may have a point, because divorce rate in decreasing, and people are getting married for love more than anything now so the nuclear family seems to be an increasingly stable environment. This occurrence of this stable environment is decreasing though, meaning that Chester’s point may not be as v alid as he thinks, and this decrease means that family diversity is increasing which supports the postmodernist view.

Religion, Poverty and Wealth

All Christians believe that the world and everything in it have been created by God. They believe that the world is holy, special, divine, worthy of respect and honour. ‘The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. ‘ Psalm 24:1-2 Because ‘the earth is the Lord's', Christians believe they are stewards or caretakers. They should be committed to the proper management of the world and its resources.Since the earth has been delegated to people by God they have to manage it esponsibly and productively for the sake of both their own and subsequent generations. The following bible quotes tell us that everything belongs to God. God made the mountains, the sea, dry land and the skies. They also show that God's creation reveals his greatness: ‘For the Lord is the great God ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬: In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. T he sea is his, for he made it, and his hands form the dry land' Psalm 95:3-6 Christianity teaches us that God is the God of nature, as well as of religion.God made the physical universe, sustains it, and still pronounces it good. God is interested in, nd looks after his creation. ‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. ‘ Genesis 1 Christians believe that God made human beings to be like himself. ‘So God created man in his own image ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬: male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Genesis 1:27-28 Human beings are godlike beings made in Gods likeness and possessing capacities which distinguish them from the animal creation. Since God is interested in the arth, so should the Christian want to care for all that God has made. God tells man to look after the earth and Christians believe they have a responsible task in God's plan for creation. God tells man they should care for the world and Christians believe that they should look atter it because ne nas given it to them. Theretore they should respect it and protect it.As well as caring for the earth, Jesus taught his followers to love God with all their heart, and to love their neighbours as themselves. In Matthew 19:16-21 Jesus told a rich, young man that if he wanted eternal life he should love his neighbour as imself, which included selling his processions and giving to the poor. Love of God cannot be separated from love for humanity. Christians try to live their lives by this rule. Christians believe they should take what they say and sing in church, in to their everyday lives, so that it affects all of their life, at home, work, school etc. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. ‘ Jame s 1:27 Christians should truly love their neighbours and should be concerned for their total welfare: the well being of their soul, their body, and their community. Christians look to Jesus for an example for their lives. Jesus humbled himself and became weak and vulnerable to serve people. He healed the sick, feed the hungry and was a friend to the dropouts. He said he did not come to be served but to serve.Therefore if the Christian models his or her life on Jesus, it will involve entering into other people's worlds. Jesus was moved with compassion by the sight of needy human beings and Christians follow this example. Faith and love go together for Christians: ‘Faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action is dead ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬:l will show you my faith by what I do. ‘ James 2:17-18 This implies that the Christian should show their faith by loving and serving others. ‘If anyone has material possessions and seize his brother in need but has no pity on him, ho w can the love of God be in him. 1 John 3:17 These verses give an example of how Christians should lay down their lives for others – to help those in need. When Jesus was asked to define what he meant by ‘neighbour', he told the well known parable of the good Samaritan which is found in Luke chapter 10. Jesus paints the scene of a man lying mugged by the side of a road. Two kind of religious leaders, a priest and a Levite pass him without stopping. The audience expect a third person to come by and help the victim who will be an ordinary layman, a fellow Jew. But Jesus surprises them. The third man is a Samaritan, an enemy.Jesus shows that loving your neighbour means acting when you meet a person in need, even it it is an enemy or an inconvenience to you. Jesus tells the people not to sit about debating who counts as your neighbour but to go out and be a good neighbour as the need arises. Christians believe that their neighbour is not Just the person who looks like them, but people of all races throughout the world who are all bound together in the human family. Jesus bases this love for enemies on the example of God. As the creator God, involved with every detail of the universe, he does not discriminate between deserving and undeserving human beings.

Student Working During the School Year

Research has shown that the number of students who decide to work during the school year is increasing every year. Students who try to combine their studies with working life can be affected in different ways. There are many reasons why high school students should not have part-time jobs. Some of the most important are premature exposure to older adults, losing academic focus, and developing a taste for money early. The first reason why high school students should not work is that they will be early exposed to older adults. When teenagers interact with adults in working environment, they can be manipulated because older adults are people with more experiences about life. Older adults often have lives and more complicated backgrounds, so they do not have the same interests and activities, that these teenagers have. As a result, older adults can influence adolescents negatively. For instance, these teenagers can be encouraged to use drugs or alcohol, have sexual lives early or solve problems with violence. All these factors can produce physical and mental changes and affect the teenagers goals. Besides, premature exposure to older adults, working students can also lose academic focus. When teenagers work, they do not have enough time to handle their school responsibilities because they often feel tired and fatigued. This situation can affect concentration and memory, which are essential parts of school performance. Therefore, students can fail their classes, get low GPAs or drop out of school entirely. Some parents encourage their children to work to appreciate the value of money. It is true that children need to learn how they can manage money wisely. However, teenagers need to be encouraged to study because they should be aware that education is very important to achieve success. Teenagers need to be motivated to appreciate more the permanent value of education than the fleeting value of money, Because nowadays many companies require workers with high GPAs, adolescents need to focus on their studies early. If they achieve appropriate school performance, they will have more opportunities to get better jobs with good salaries in the future. In conclusion, high school students should not have part-time jobs in order to avoid premature exposure to adults, losing academic focus, and developing a taste for money early.If teenagers worry about their education, they will have one of the best tools to achieve success.

The Importance of Warming Up Prior To Playing Golf Essay - 1

The Importance of Warming Up Prior To Playing Golf - Essay Example When observing the game of golf one has to wonder what preparation and strategy take place prior to one actually stepping onto the course to play. To the eye of an observer, golfers tend to appear to approach the sport with a calm aloofness and confidence. Even with this restrained countenance, there is certainly a set of masterful skills at work as well as preparation to take on a game that requires an inordinate amount of focus for success. Strategic preparation and pre-game warm up contribute to this confidence. Though the game of golf appears a relaxed and laid back sport it also in its own right can be intense, requiring great focus, physical endurance, and excellent visualization skills. So it is one must know what to do to prepare physically to garner this focus and perform at peak performance on the course while avoiding injury.Warming up prior to a game of golf not only enhances flexibility, it prevents injury and improves one's’ game. By warming up ones’ body otherwise tight muscles are stretched and lengthened decreasing the chance of pulling and straining while allowing for optimum performance during ones’ swing. In today’s society, golfers range in ages from teens up to seniors. Certainly, as we age our flexibility decreases and our bone structure changes creating greater challenges physically. Age does not necessarily have to be a detriment to one’s game. It is the approach and preparation that must change. One must treat the body as a finely tuned instrument.