Browsing by Author "Jacobs, Eric L."
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Item A brighter future : recommendations for the capacity building of the development sector in sub-Saharan Africa(Southern New Hampshire University, 2008) Stuart, Stephanie Mealman; Palakurthi, Puneetha; Jacobs, Eric L.Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the poorest and least developed regions in the world. A lack of development capacity and the flight of human capital hamper the region's development efforts. The SCED is a leader in the field of community economic development and has recently made the decision to expand their academic and professional training programs throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The SCED's limited knowledge of the needs of development practitioners and the composition of the development sector in Sub-Saharan Africa is limiting its capacity to offer demand-driven capacity building programs to help build the region's development sector. This paper provides a comparison of CED and LED, examines the evolution of LED and explores the role of NGOs. The paper presents training program needs, methods of evaluation and best practices for capacity building. This paper recommends that to ensure the achievement of the long-term outcomes the School must design training programs which incorporate local experts as facilitators and context-specific curriculum which trains for the full life-cycle of skills needed by practitioners. Program-related activities must include training of trainers within the sector, partnerships with reputable local academic and development organizations and a longitudinal evaluation tool which measures learning and impact on the sector. (Author abstract)Item Growing Home Co-op : refugee micro-farm cooperative(Southern New Hampshire University, 2008) Veler, Jody; Jacobs, Eric L.Growing Home is a pilot program designed to create living wage employment for refugees resettled in the area of Trenton, New Jersey. This project in partnership with the County of Burlington, New Jersey (BURLCO) and Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSMNJ) will assist refugees in the development of a worker-owned farm cooperative. The intention of this cooperative is to develop a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture on a ten acre portion of farmland leased to the cooperative by Burlington County Community Agriculture Center which will produce organic vegetables for retail sales. The Cooperative will utilize a unique method of intensive growing called SPIN-Farming (Small Plot Intensive.) The Cooperative will enable refugees who are currently low income due to an inability to obtain living wage employment, become business owners, while fostering a supported work environment. This will be the first worker owned cooperative in the State of New Jersey, the first farm to utilize the SPIN-farm method and the first CSA to be developed on public property in the state. (Author abstract)Item How economic, social service and housing policies impact homelessness : a case study of Manchester, New Hampshire(Southern New Hampshire University, 2006) Jacobs, Eric L.; Camayd-Freixas, YoelHow do economic and housing policies affect a City? Homelessness is a reflection of the impact that a city's economic, housing and social service policies has on its residents. Manchester has limited amounts of affordable housing, living wage jobs, and a limited and stigmatizing social service network. On the positive side, Manchester has obtained three reports that could change its policy and value systems that impact on its housing dilemma. The City of Manchester's homeless population is affected by many different trigger factors that have created a housing crisis and homelessness. These include: 1. Economic development policies that influence a person's ability to afford or obtain permanent housing. 2. Service delivery policies that either prevents homelessness or assist people who, due to lack of skills and knowledge, are unable to maintain their housing. 3. Housing policies that influence the spectrum of available permanent housing opportunities. This report examines the existing residual policies of Manchester and how, the adoption of certain policy recommendations can create an institutional social welfare system that co-exists within a developmental model. (Author abstract)Item How island and community wind projects can stimulate sustainable economic development through energy independence: Isle au Haut, Maine, USA.(Southern New Hampshire University, 2012-12) Michaud, Gilbert L.; Jacobs, Eric L.Resting in Maine's Penobscot Bay, the island community of Isle au Haut is one of only fifteen remaining year round island communities along the state's seacoast. Unfortunately, the community's electric rates are upwards of six times state and national averages, in a time where Isle au Haut is experiencing employment troubles, general poverty, and a senescent population. This study considers a locally-owned renewable energy project in the effort to engage community members on the planning and evolution of wind development. Specifically in the form of a cooperative arrangement, the Isle au Haut Energy Cooperative project proposal aims to diagnose the feasibility of pursuing wind power development on the island to provide an alternate solution to the area's current expensive and unreliable power sources, and combat some of the town's largest societal concerns for the future. By striving to be a leader in the rural green economy, the proposal's focus is to stimulate community involvement and community change to preserve the island's way of life while enhancing economic opportunities and the social well-being of the area. Via the market based community economic development approach, the democratic governance structure of the cooperative promotes collective action in the attempt to increase energy security and provide financial benefits to the geographically challenged municipality of Isle au Haut, Maine, USA. (Author abstract)Item Lowell foreclosure prevention program(Southern New Hampshire University, 2008) Carvalho, Francisco J.; Jacobs, Eric L.The proposal is to create a Foreclosure Prevention Program in Lowell, Massachusetts. The challenge facing many home owners with adjustable rate and sub prime mortgages is compounded by the current real estate market. Many home owners with these types of mortgages owe more than the property is currently worth. Lowell enjoys great ethnic diversity. This diversity introduces increased vulnerability for many people who are not familiar with or connected with traditional lending services. The homeowners at risk fall into three categories: 1. Those who have not yet purchased a home but are likely targets. 2. Those who have a mortgage in good standing but face increased riskas the interest rates adjust. 3. Those who have mortgages in default This program goal is to achieve the following outcomes: Those who have not yet purchase will be encouraged to attend an approved, pre-purchase home buyer training program. Refinancing options will be promoted to those with risky loans that are still in good standing. For those already in default, the creation of information resources to provide foreclosure process education and possible legal options. (Author abstract)