Empowering Pathways is a unique guidebook that outlines a holistic faith based approach to congregational health and wellness. The book provides interventional strategies, helpful tools, and techniques that are designed to assist Christian churches with practical methods to establish or transform a congregational health and wellness ministry. A ten step process for establishing a ministry, the composition and characteristics of the wellness team, and the strategic planning process is presented with graphic illustrations and examples. Other relevant health data on many chronic diseases is provided in an easy to follow format. Detailed guidelines on acquiring knowledge of health-care support services that are designed to prevent, detect, and treat illness are included. Also, the book is a useful personal health reference guide for parishioner and their families in pursuing advocacy, empowerment, and support for one another. Strategies and methods to take control of your health while making appropriate lifestyle changes are discussed. The book discusses the importance of preparing for health care visits and the advantages of forming a partnership with your health-care. Other practical information to optimize your health experience is outlined. Empowering Pathways emphasizes that preserving our health and faith are high priorities. As Christians, we often concentrate on our spiritual needs and neglect the condition of our mind and body. It is important to acknowledge Gods concern for the whole being of the Christian. God desires us to be strong in mind, body, and spirit; therefore, protecting and preserving our health and well-being is an act of appreciation to Him. The Christian church plays a significant role in connection our faith, health, and engagement. This book is a helpful and concise reference guidebook that will inspire and encourage Christians individually and collectively. The author has used her knowledge of congregational health and wellness and other ministry responses to reflect on the love Jesus demonstrated in His ministry of healing.

Included in this book are messages that are evidenced based yet written for practicing and pre-service educators, and for those who want to mentor a young person. It offers hands-on, practical advice to improve teaching, mentoring, and learning outcomes in our most challenging urban school environments and with our most challenged youth. The personal stories and vignettes throughout the work brings a true sense of reality to the messages presented. The primary call in this manuscript is for more personal connections with students, beyond notions of a student's culture. The book promotes the extending of culturally relevant pedagogical practices to personally relevant pedagogy. This book is written to better prepare practicing and pre-service educators, and mentors, interested in improving teaching and learning outcomes in our most challenging urban school environments and with our most challenging youth. The appendices offer additional opportunities for reflective practices designed to create more depth regarding topics of culture, identity, presence, and intentionality.

Violent conflicts today are complex and increasingly protracted, involving more nonstate groups and regional and international actors. It is estimated that by 2030—the horizon set by the international community for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals—more than half of the world’s poor will be living in countries affected by high levels of violence. Information and communication technology, population movements, and climate change are also creating shared risks that must be managed at both national and international levels. Pathways for Peace is a joint United Nations†“World Bank Group study that originates from the conviction that the international community’s attention must urgently be refocused on prevention. A scaled-up system for preventive action would save between US$5 billion and US$70 billion per year, which could be reinvested in reducing poverty and improving the well-being of populations. The study aims to improve the way in which domestic development processes interact with security, diplomacy, mediation, and other efforts to prevent conflicts from becoming violent. It stresses the importance of grievances related to exclusion—from access to power, natural resources, security and justice, for example—that are at the root of many violent conflicts today. Based on a review of cases in which prevention has been successful, the study makes recommendations for countries facing emerging risks of violent conflict as well as for the international community. Development policies and programs must be a core part of preventive efforts; when risks are high or building up, inclusive solutions through dialogue, adapted macroeconomic policies, institutional reform, and redistributive policies are required. Inclusion is key, and preventive action needs to adopt a more people-centered approach that includes mainstreaming citizen engagement. Enhancing the participation of women and youth in decision making is fundamental to sustaining peace, as well as long-term policies to address the aspirations of women and young people.

This book explores the multiple pathways from scholarships for international study to positive social change. Bringing together studies from academic researchers, evaluators and program designers and policymakers from Africa, Asia, Latin and North America, Europe, and Australia, the book compiles the latest research and analysis on the policy, practice, and outcomes of international scholarship programs. Contributions examine the broad trends in sponsored overseas study, program design considerations, the dynamics of the immediate post-scholarship period and the impact of scholarships on international education and development. Particular attention is focused on assessment and evaluation, the complexities of selecting awardees, the dynamics of returning home and concerns about brain drain and the state of knowledge and research on long-term outcomes of international scholarships with social change aims.nt>

Empowering the New Mobility Workforce: Educating, Training, and Inspiring Future Transportation Professionals enlists a multidisciplinary roster of subject matter specialists who identify the priorities and strategies for cultivating a skilled workforce for the rapidly changing transportation landscape. Transportation employers will need to hire 4.6 million workers—1.2 times the current transportation workforce—in the next decade. The book explores how leaders in education, industry and government can work together to create an ecosystem that facilitates learning and upskilling for emerging and incumbent transportation workers. Readers will learn how to conduct labor market analyses and develop competency models to adapt their workforce. This book will empower readers to establish ongoing communities of practice that cultivate sustainable career pathways that respond to ever-evolving socioeconomic trends and transformational technologies. Provides a comprehensive assessment of the new technologies and consumer attitudes driving change in personal vehicle, mass transit, active transportation, and goods movement, both domestically and internationally Identifies the career pathways, experiential learning models, and types of curriculum needed to prepare emerging professionals to develop and operate transportation systems of the future Emphasizes, through case studies, innovative practices emerging in public- and private-sector transportation organizations Draws on key work conducted in the United States and around the world, acknowledging the increasing interconnectedness of transportation systems between countries, economies and social networks that transcend national boundaries

These readings offer critical perspectives and practice applications to define and illustrate an empowerment method of social work. The organizing theme, pathways to power, focuses on how people acquire and maintain power. This book goes beyond traditional practice perspectives to include methods that emphasize social justice, environmental contexts, strengths, and collaborative partnerships with clients and others. The authors of each chapter speak directly with the reader to present their concepts, reflections, and practice examples. Their voices, whether telling personal stories or conveying professional experiences are compelling; they draw readers into the material and help readers understand the context from which their view of social work practice evolves. This book covers key theoretical perspectives, including contextual social work, social justice, multicultural competence, and social constructionism. Practice methods exemplifying empowerment social work feature policy practice, community action research, self-directed group work, grassroots community change, organizational redevelopment, community collaboration, and strengths-based approaches.