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    Learning English for a life of choice in New Zealand : a case study of Afghan women refugees' bilingual class experiences in Palmerston North : a research project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development Development Studies, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (The Author, 2015) Hermawan, Erika Soraya
    This thesis looks at the experiences of a group of women refugees learning English as part of their resettlement in New Zealand. The women’s husbands were working as interpreters for the New Zealand Police in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. To ensure their safety after the New Zealand Police were withdrawn, these Afghan families were invited to resettle in Palmerston North, New Zealand. To attain in-depth results, this research report focuses on the women’s efforts to integrate within the social life of New Zealand and their experiences in acquiring English as a tool to their successful resettlement program. A small study was conducted in the context of an English Language Partners’ (ELP) Bilingual English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL)-Literacy class for refugees. Participants for this research were five Afghan women, two ELP’s ESOL teachers, and one of the women’s husbands. The methods used were semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observation, and curriculum analysis. This report is framed within adult pre-literacy education and investigates whether women refugees become empowered through taking literacy classes. Findings show that there are links between language acquisition within the refugees’ resettlement process and personal empowerment. Afghan women’s acquisition of English language skills has brought more personal control over their mobility and has changed relationships with their husbands to some extent since moving to New Zealand. Furthermore, the woman’s learning experiences have brought them to a level where they can move on from ELP to a higher English level class.
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    Gender roles in environmental household waste management : a case study in Palmerston North, New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in the Institute of Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2001) Tiwari, Narayani
    This research examines the roles of gender in environmental household waste management in New Zealand. Gender activities play an important role in environmental household waste management as shown by the Household Survey 2000. The survey result confirmed that a clear understanding of the perceptions of both men and women is required in managing the sustainable environmental household waste management. Educational level, occupational status, and demographic characteristics are key factors in determining household waste management strategies in order to maintain a sustainable environment in New Zealand. This study was carried out in Palmerston North. The objectives were to: Explore the relationship between gender; household waste management and environmental sustainability to identify whether there are gender differences in environmental management practices. In addition this study examines household waste management practices in Palmerston North and to investigate ways of improving household waste management practices in New Zealand. Data analysis was based on 266 households by survey questionnaires. Results showed that household waste management practices are influenced by the demographic factors age, gender, education occupation and income level. The results also show that women, rather than men, handle household waste. Female participation was mostly involved in recycling, composting and landfill activities. The final research results show that: Women's participation was found to be higher than that of men in managing household waste. Demographic characteristics appear to have a direct relation to gender and household waste management. There is a positive relationship between socio-economic status (education, occupation and socio-economic class) and household waste management. Based on the research results, different types of policy implications, suggestions and recommendations are addressed to improve environmental household waste management in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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    Banking on foodbanks for poverty alleviation? : a critical appraisal of Palmerston North foodbanks' development practices : a thesis presented in (partial) fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1996) Leslie, Helen Margaret
    Foodbanks entered New Zealand's voluntary welfare sector in the early 1980s when structural adjustment programmes, introduced by the fourth Labour Government, resulted in an increase in poverty amongst certain groups in New Zealand society and concurrently placed greater responsibility on the voluntary sector for the provision of welfare services. While previous foodbank research has focused on examining the issues related to the utilisation, development and growth of this voluntary welfare provider throughout New Zealand, this thesis aims to take such enquiry a step further by analysing the effectiveness of Palmerston North foodbanks' development practice in the alleviation of poverty in New Zealand society. It achieves this task through the application of a theoretical model utilising contemporary development theories and approaches to the data obtained through fieldwork with four Palmerston North Foodbanks. These are: the Salvation Army Foodbank, the Palmerston North Foodbank, the Saint Vincent de Paul Foodbank and the Saint Mary's Foodbank. The conclusions deduced from this process will show firstly, that development theory (traditionally reserved for the analysis of development practice in developing countries) is appropriate to the analysis of Palmerston North foodbanks' development practice and secondly, that although the majority of these foodbanks display some features of the community development mode of development practice referenced in the theoretical model, the mode of development practice most dominantly used is a relief mode. This relief mode of development practice is ineffectual in the long term relief of poverty. The challenge issued is for foodbanks to move towards the articulation of an alternative development mode of development practice which seeks not only to effectively alleviate the very real poverty experienced by foodbank clients, but also to sustain this alleviation.
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    The nature and role of the extended family in New Zealand, and its relationship with the State : based on a study of a provincial city : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at School of Social Policy and Social Work, Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) McPherson, Mervyl J.
    In New Zealand there is a widespread perception that European/Pakeha do not have extended families in the way that Maori and Pacific Islands' cultures do. Yet in recent years social policy has been moving away from reliance on the state towards increasing reliance on one's self and one's family. This study uses survey research, a focus group, demographic analysis and policy analysis to investigate the nature of the extended family in predominantly European/Pakeha New Zealand, and perceptions of the respective roles of the family and the state. Discrepancies are identified between what families are doing, what people think they should be doing, and what policy assumes they will do. The key factors affecting the supply of and demand for extended family support are identified and the trends in these analysed. These issues are then integrated in order to assess the implications for policy and the impact of policies on families and the intergenerational social contract. This thesis found that the predominantly European/Pakeha society of New Zealand does have extended families, in the modified sense rather than the classical sense, as categorised by Litwak (1965). That is, extended families which are based on egalitarianism and choice rather than power and control, and are characterised by a loose, informal set of kin relationships involving an interlocking set of nuclear families which may be geographically dispersed and economically independent, but are bound by a sense of obligation based on affective relationships and the exchange of mutual aid services. These family networks are not large, and little support extends to the wider family beyond parents, adult children and siblings. Also of concern for policymakers is that approximately a quarter to a third of participants in this study did not have extended family living close enough to provide any kind of practical support. This study also found that while people generally believe in helping family members, they believe this help should be given by choice, not obligation, and that nuclear family and labour force commitments take priority over commitments to the extended family. A further finding is that in the future we will face increasing demand for support from both family and the state, and a declining supply of family support, especially if policies make it necessary for the young elderly to stay in the labour force. Families are unable and unlikely to do more than they are already doing, which is already the bulk of social support. Theorists such as Thomson (1981) have proposed that there will be breakdown in the intergenerational social contract at the macro-level of the state as a result of neo-liberal policies of self-reliance, particularly for younger generations, and policies which have favoured the older generation at the expense of the young. It is concluded from this study that the balance of support towards the young rather than the old at the micro-level of the family is preventing this macro-level breakdown. But if more responsibility is put onto families, this will cause breakdown in the micro-level intergenerational contract and upset the balance. Thus there is a need for increased rather than decreased state support to complement what families are able to do and prevent breakdown in the intergenerational contract at both the micro-level of the family and the macro-level of society.