A People-Focused Systems Approach to Sustainability.

Creating organizations that promote human and ecological flourishing (i.e., sustainability) is a key challenge for contemporary societies. Here, we offer a people-focused systems approach to organizational sustainability based on an action research project conducted at Western Springs College/Nga Puna O Waiorea, a bicultural high school in Aotearoa New Zealand. The project ran from 2008 to 2018 and drew on the values and skills of community psychology and environmental education to build what we call a "sustainable social system" (SSS). In 2018/19, we conducted interviews with 23 key people involved in sustainability efforts at the school and analyzed the minutes of 46 meetings of the school's Sustainability Panel. We used a complex systems approach to produce a map of the core people, purpose, infrastructure, and activities components and sub-systems in the SSS, as well as its emergent properties of a sustainability culture and identities. We describe the historical trajectory of the SSS and discuss seven features that we consider of particular significance in contributing to its growth and resilience. We then offer steps toward a people-focused SSS led by insiders with sustainability values. These include establishing a democratic and inclusive sustainability network, and attempting to integrate sustainability with the organization's essential activities.

Engagement and Mentor Support as Drivers of Social Development in the Project K Youth Development Program.

Youth development programs can achieve positive social outcomes, however studies comparing the influence of different program components are rare. Structural equation modeling of longitudinal, multilevel data (N = 327) from Project K, a multi-component youth development program, assessed how experiences of engagement or support in each component affected social outcomes. Participants reported significant gains in social self-efficacy and sense of community after the program. Engagement in the outdoor adventure and support during the mentoring partnership components significantly contributed to observed social gains, while engagement in the community service component did not. Results confirm youth development programs can positively influence adolescent social development, while highlighting the importance of moving beyond "black box" investigations in order to maximize program impact and efficiency.

The Impact of the Project K Youth Development Program on Self-Efficacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

A key issue for youth development programs is whether the learning they provide is transferred to participants' daily lives. It is also important that they are effective for the diverse range of participants they attract. This study used a randomized controlled trial design to measure the impact of Project K, a New Zealand-based youth development program, on academic and social self-efficacy. Project K combines a 3-week wilderness adventure, a 10 day community service component, and 1 year of mentoring to promote positive growth in 14-15 year olds with low self-efficacy. At baseline, the evaluation included 600 Project K (46 % female) and 577 Control participants (48 % female) and revealed that Project K was effective in improving both social and academic self-efficacy from pre- to post-program with effects being sustained 1 year later. Parents' perceptions of changes in the participants' interpersonal skills supported these findings. Differential program effects were found across participant subgroups, particularly 1 year after program completion. The implications of these differences are discussed.

Program theory-driven evaluation science in a youth development context.

Program theory-driven evaluation science (PTDES) provides a useful framework for uncovering the mechanisms responsible for positive change resulting from participation in youth development (YD) programs. Yet it is difficult to find examples of PTDES that capture the complexity of such experiences. This article offers a much-needed example of PTDES applied to Project K, a youth development program with adventure, service-learning and mentoring components. Findings from eight program staff focus groups, 351 youth participants' comments, four key program documents, and results from six previous Project K research projects were integrated to produce a theory of change for the program. A direct logic analysis was then conducted to assess the plausibility of the proposed theory against relevant research literature. This demonstrated that Project K incorporates many of the best practice principles discussed in the literature that covers the three components of the program. The contributions of this theory-building process to organizational learning and development are discussed.

Understanding change in recycling and littering behavior across a school social network.

Understanding how communities change requires examining how individuals' beliefs and behaviors are shaped by those around them. This paper investigates behavior change across a large social network following a recycling intervention in a New Zealand high school community. We used a mixed methods design, combining focus group data with social network analysis from two waves of a questionnaire that measured friendship networks; recycling and littering behaviors; perceived behavioral norms; and teacher, friend, and parent encouragement for these behaviors. Recycling behavior increased significantly over the course of our study. Supporting the importance of social networks in this context, both littering and recycling behavior showed clear social clustering. Further, the degree of change in an individuals' littering and recycling behavior across time was predicted by friends' prior behavior. Focus group data provided insight into students' perceptions of social interactions and how these contributed to littering and recycling behavior.

Explicit and implicit self-enhancement biases in drivers and their relationship to driving violations and crash-risk optimism.

Previous research has found that drivers tend to consider themselves superior to their peers on both driving ability and driving caution, as well as judging themselves as at less risk of a crash (crash-risk optimism). These studies have relied on explicit measures by getting drivers to respond to written items. The current study measured 158 New Zealand drivers' explicit and implicit attitudes towards their own driving attributes in comparison with others. Implicit attitudes were measured using a computer-based reaction time task, the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Both explicit and implicit self-enhancement biases were found in driver ability and driver caution. Implicit biases were considerably stronger than explicit biases and men demonstrated stronger self-enhancement biases in driving ability than women. Explicit and implicit ratings of driving ability and explicit ratings of driver caution predicted crash-risk optimism. Explicit and implicit ratings of driving caution predicted a measure of driving violations. The implications for safety interventions and research on drivers' mental processes are discussed particularly in regard to the ability of implicit measures to bypass social desirability effects.

Eating and activity: the importance of family and environment.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: The aim of this paper was to examine the eating behaviours, physical exercise and television viewing of secondary school students, and to investigate their relationship with parental monitoring and family cohesion. METHOD: The study was conducted at a secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2005. Questionnaires were administered to 433 students aged 13-16 years, spanning Years 9, 10 and 11. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and correlational analyses were used. RESULTS: Overall, boys and younger students reported eating more 'unhealthy' foods. Frequency of buying own food (which 59.5% did at least twice a week) was strongly correlated with eating 'unhealthy food' (r=0.50). Parental monitoring (PM) and family cohesion (FC) were significantly positively related to participants' reports of eating breakfast and eating healthy foods, and significantly negatively related to reports of buying own food and eating unhealthy foods. Most (65.5%) reported exercising at least three times a week, boys more than girls. Exercise rates were moderately correlated with eating healthy food and weakly related to PM and FC. Television viewing was related to eating unhealthy food. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents who buy their own food make many 'unhealthy' food choices. Healthy eating and, to a lesser extent, exercise and reduced television viewing are related to increased levels of parental monitoring and family cohesion.

Reductions in driver speed using posted feedback of speeding information: social comparison or implied surveillance?

Reducing driver speed has an essential role to play in traffic safety. This study measured the effect of a roadside sign, in a 50 km/h zone, that consecutively displayed one of three messages: The average speed at the site: this message was designed to induce "social comparison" whereby drivers may reduce their speed in order to comply with the behaviour of the majority. A warning that drivers' speeds were being measured: this was intended to imply surveillance whereby drivers may reduce speed in order to avoid possible enforcement action. A combination of both messages, to see if both together would have a greater effect than either alone. The speed of drivers travelling along a busy urban road (11,500 cars daily in each direction) was measured using inductive loop detectors. The proportion of drivers travelling 60 km/h or less increased with all three messages, suggesting that both social comparison and implied surveillance are mechanisms by which driver speed may be reduced. However, the speed reductions were not as great as in previous studies of feedback signs. This may be due to differences in the existing safety culture.

Self-enhancement, crash-risk optimism and the impact of safety advertisements on young drivers.

In Study 1, young drivers (aged between 16 and 29 years, N = 314) rated their driving attributes relative to their peers. They also rated their likelihood of being involved in a crash relative to their peers (crash-risk optimism), their crash history, stereotype of the young driver, and concern over another health issue. A self-enhancement bias was found for all items in which self/other comparisons were made. These items formed two major factors, perceived relative driving ability and perceived relative driving caution. These factors and perceived luck relative to peers in avoiding crashes significantly predicted crash-risk optimism. In Study 2, an experimental group of young drivers (N = 173) watched safety advertisements that showed drinking and dangerous driving resulting in a crash, and a control group (N = 193) watched advertisements showing people choosing not to drive after drinking. Each group then completed the self/other comparisons used in Study 1. The same factors were found, but only driving caution significantly predicted crash-risk optimism. The experimental group showed more self-enhancement on driving ability than the control group. In both studies, men showed substantially more self-enhancement than women about their driving ability. Implications for safety interventions are discussed.

Follow-up study of a school-based scalds prevention programme.

This paper describes the follow-up evaluation of a school-based scalds prevention programme designed to teach children about scalds hazards and encourage safe family practices. It involved two classroom sessions and a homework exercise that targeted five safety practices. The programme was taught to 28 classes in 14 schools in Waitakere City, New Zealand by Public Health Nurses (PHNs). Children (n = 116) aged 10-11 years from three of the schools in ethnically diverse, low/middle-income areas were assessed for their knowledge of scalds hazards 1 year after the programme. They recalled a mean of 7.46 out of 10 hazards, which was almost equivalent to children in an earlier evaluation who recalled 7.62 hazards immediately after the teaching. Altogether, 65-79% of children reported that each of the four safety items provided were at least temporarily used as intended, with 29-55% reporting that they were still in use 1 year later. Interviews with children's parents (n = 18) indicated that the majority of their hot water practices were not optimally safe prior to the programme and that many had adopted the suggested practices. While the PHNs were positive about the programme, they suggested teachers could deliver it as part of the school curriculum.

Life on the seesaw: a qualitative study of suicide resiliency factors for young gay men.

While considerable research has highlighted the factors that increase gay youth suicide risk, there has been much less emphasis on protective factors. Using grounded theory methodology, we explored the suicide resiliency in eight young gay men in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Common themes emerged, including positive social norms and conditions, high levels of support, identification with role models and high self-esteem. These were integrated with "known" risk factors to form the Seesaw Model of Gay Male Suicide. This model demonstrates that the balance between risk and resiliency may be the key to gay suicide. Depending on the balance of these factors, youth might either be resilient, attempt suicide, or teeter somewhere in between. The current findings indicate that gay youth suicide prevention requires efforts to increase resiliency factors for this group.

An evaluation of four types of railway pedestrian crossing safety intervention.

This study evaluated a programme of interventions designed to reduce the incidence of illegal and unsafe crossing of a rail corridor at a city station by boys on their way to and from the adjacent high school in Auckland, New Zealand. The boys were observed crossing before, during, and after implementation of each intervention; in addition, surveys were carried out before and after the programme to discover the boys' attitudes. Rail safety education in school, punishment for every unsafe crossing (continuous punishment), and punishment occasionally for unsafe crossing (intermittent punishment) were associated with significant decreases in unsafe crossing compared with that observed prior to any intervention. General communications about rail safety were not associated with significant decreases in unsafe crossing. When interventions were examined consecutively, unsafe crossing was significantly reduced between the communications and education phases, and even more so between education and continuous punishment, but there was no statistically significant difference in frequency of unsafe crossing between continuous and intermittent punishment. It was concluded that punishment may be more effective in reducing unsafe behaviour in this type of situation than targeted education, and is much more effective than communications to heighten awareness.