Social Work Interviewing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Work Interviewing Skills - Essay Example The role that social workers play in improving the lives of socially challenged people cannot be undermined. Their responsibilities include working with specifically identified people from all ages who need support due to a wide range of dilemmas and guide them professionally to manage their own lives. In order for social workers to determine the scope and root cause of a client’s problem, they must have acquired the necessary skills to interview and solicit appropriate responses to enable them to apply uniquely designed interventions. For this particular endeavor, a 15-minute interview with an adult client diagnosed to be addicted to cocaine was developed with the purpose of setting goals for the intervention with the client and assisting the client to develop his skills in problem solving. In this regard, this essay is written to discuss responses to the following questions: (1) how did information from the literature/research on goal setting and intervening inform the contents of your interview? (2) How did the purpose and profession of social work inform your practice in this interview (support your discussion with evidence from the literature and examples from the video)? And (3) how were your strengths and area for development as a social worker shown in the interview (provide examples). The life of action requires more than analytical intelligence. It is not enough to have an idea and be able to evaluate its worth. Social workers are tasked with the responsibilities for the achievement of goals, the accomplishment of results, and the solution of problems. It is therefore a critical step to understand theoretical concepts underlying goal setting to serve the following purposes: assist social workers and clients in ensuring that they agree on the identified problems and â€Å"the changes that must occur to produce a suitable outcome†, to validate and empower the client through appropriate

Online college education vs traditional Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Online college education vs traditional - Essay Example The internet revolution has also affected the educational sector. There are many sites which offer online courses especially at the college level and higher. It would be rare to find a university in the U.S. that has no internet connection and reasonable technology infrastructure. However, the use of the internet in classroom teaching is not as widespread as the use of the internet for information, entertainment, communication, and research (Scagnoli, 2005). With the internet the barriers of time and space have been ended. Online education is internet enabled technology driven education that allows you to study anytime, anywhere, as per your convenience. Online education is one of the ways of imparting effective education to the aspiring people, residing anywhere in the world. This has helped people to pursue and advance their learning process, without messing up with their professional responsibilities and duties. Online learning helps to increase the educational experiences irrespe ctive of age and geographical diversity. The World Wide Web empowers the University to deliver training and critical information to its wide spread student base no matter where and what time zone the users are in. The students just access their training materials or start studying whenever they want from home or from office. Online education gives the students the flexibility to go through the programme content at the time that is most convenient to them and thereby achieve an appropriate balance of work, family, community and educational commitments.

The Australian Wheat Board Scandal

The Australian Wheat Board Scandal Introduction This essay will discuss the primary organisational structure and causes of the Australian Wheat Board scandal, hereafter referred to as AWB. This was a scandal of global magnitude, whereby AWB paid substantial monetary bribes to Iraq officials in blatant non-compliance of the regulations set out in the Oil-for-Food programme; which was established by the United Nations. Moreover, this essay will discuss the evidence presented in the Cole Royal Commission, an enquiry established to investigate the conduct of several Australian companies in relation to the oil-for-food program; AWB a governmental organisation was the foremost organisation under scrutiny. This essay will also examine the regulatory failures that facilitated corruption at the Governmental level to occur, and which remained predominantly unfettered for a protracted period. Incidences of governmental and corporate corruption and deviant behaviour, which often involve considerable numbers of active or passive participants, are seldom the result of opportunism alone, but are far more often insidious and methodical by nature. The AWB case is a clear illustration of governmental corporate culture and demonstrates a plethora of systemic regulatory and policy failures, all of which further influenced and defined the AWBs decision-making process and unethical posture. Lastly, the aforementioned material will be discussed commencing with a brief summary and literature review, and a comprehensive case analysis in order to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of this particular type of Governmental crime, which sits under the broad ambiguous umbrella of white-collar crime. Brief Summary Contemporary society in a globalised world demonstrates an almost overwhelming abundance of criminal activity in particular pertaining to white-collar crime; however, numerous researches demonstrate that not all crimes and criminals are dealt with in the same manner (Chambliss, 1989). In fact, on closer examination, research has suggested that there is an innate tendency for specific crimes and criminals to be positively overlooked, typically these being crimes of the powerful, (Ditton, 1977; Box, 1983; Chambliss, 1989; Muncie, 1996) .primary example is that of the AWB scandal. The questionable Utilitarian approach of seeking the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Kay 1997) found to be assumed by the AWB and its Board, is analysed in the Cole Enquiry Report. The Cole Report stimulated awareness to the fundamental deficiencies in both corporate governance and culture, which play a significant function in permitting or precluding the occurrence of unethical conduct (Kay, 1997). Furthermore, the inaction demonstrated by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade hereafter referred to as DFAT, and the Australian Federal Government in investigating claims against AWB further highlights the systemic failures that permitted AWBs unethical behaviour to prevail (Gibson, 2000). The key causes of, and major influences on unethical behaviour determined from the Cole report are: -The AWB organisations strong profit driven demand to meet financial or business objectives, and the promotion of tolerance for illegal/criminal acts (white-collar crime) (Overington, 2006) -A culture of getting the job done, where corrupt acts are justified under the proviso that the greatest good will be achieved for the company (Overington, 2006) -A lack of control mechanisms and moral agents in both corporate and public sector governance (Overington, 2006) -The implication of privatisation of Australian rural entities (Bartos, 2007) -Policy and Regulatory design and the lack of adherence and implementation (Bartos, 2007) -Governmental oversight of wheat growing monopoly, international monopolisation (Bartos, 2007) -Conduct of foreign policy misconduct United Nations Oil-for-Food-Program International Trade Sanctions )Bartos, 2007) One crucial aspect to be considered is that Australia is a signatory to both the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials in International Business Transactions. Australias interpretation of the aforementioned United Nations Convention is The Criminal Code Amendment (Bribery of Foreign Public Officials) Act, referred to as the Bribery Act, which is the Australian Parliaments legislative implementation of the latter convention Literature Review It is common knowledge that conventional criminals consider it normal to utilise any instrument or weapon to perpetuate a crime, therefore, it would also seem normal for organisations to utilise the organisation itself to acquire money from victims by way of its deviant misbehaviour (Harris Hartman, 2002). These victims are varied and may be customers or the members of the organisation themselves (Harris Hartman, 2002). This is a prime example of what is referred to as the organisational weapon the organisation is for white-collar criminals as the gun or knife is for conventional criminals (Wheeler and Rothman, 1982, cited in Punch, 1996). Harris and Hartman (2002), state that an organisations culture consists of the values, norms, and attitudes of the people who intrinsically make up the organisation. Moreover, the stated values demonstrate what is important; whereas norms reveal expected behaviour; attitudes expose the mind-set of individuals (Hall, 2006). Therefore, organisational culture informs people what is important in the organisation, expected behaviours, and how to observe things (Hall, 2006). Culture is a part of organisational life that influences the behaviour, attitudes, and overall effectiveness of all members of an organisation (Gibson et al, 2000). Further to this, Daboub Coulton (2002) stressed the importance of organisations selecting business partners who share a comparable commitment to both the social and environmental practices and ethical commitment of the company. They further stated that this would assist in ensuring that the organisation is not placed in compromising situations due to unethical acts perpetrated by those companies with whom they have working associations (Daboub Coulton, 2002). Robbins (2000) argued that todays global business environment can lead to such problematic associations, and stated the need for organisations to take a fervent pro-active stance to further ensure that the codes of conduct under which they operate are transparent, implicit and adhered to by their associates (Robbins, 2000; Daboub Coulton, 2002). Furthermore, the political influence on large governmental or privatised organisations and the desire not to over-regulate can also be very influential. Politicians are mindful of the detrimental effect that heavy regulation can have on businesses that are often generous economic contributors. The will of governments not to introduce laws that hinder corporate activity is evidenced by the lack of substantial powers and penalties (specifically prison terms) available to regulatory bodies, the lack of resources available to enforce those provisions already available and governments commitment to regularly review any legislation that may impact adversely on competition. Case Analysis The United Nations Oil-for-Food program involved not only companies but also governments; however, various activities by the Howard Government were outside the provisions of reference of the Cole Enquiry, which was fundamentally sanctioned to examine the actions of the companies specifically mentioned in the 2004 United Nations report on the Oil-for-Food program. Furthermore, Cole was unable to examine the extent to which government policy during that period encouraged or discouraged bribes from the AWB, or equally as to whether Australian Government Ministers should have enquired further, especially considering that warnings were received that something was inappropriate, or indeed how the government managed its relationship with the AWB throughout this protracted process. To illustrate further, Henry Bosch former chairperson of Transparency International Australia and also one of Australias most experienced business regulators, argued that somebody, somewhere must have known what was going on. Bosch stated to the Ethical Corporation that he suspected, that the executives involved in winning contracts were a bit less careful than they should have been regarding the status of payments being demanded. The AWBs justification for this deviant and criminal behaviour was to argue that it simply was not aware of the payments. Moreover, numerous critics pointed out that it was virtually impossible for government Ministers and various other officials to not have known, especially due to the fact that the fees paid to the contractors selected by Saddam Husseins bureaucrats would have been noticeably and remarkably high, in fact, the AWBs responses plainly raised far more questions than answers. Further to this, the Cole Enquiry argued that the AWBs structure was primarily to blame, for example; the company was responsible for the marketing and exporting of one of Australias major export commodities. Moreover, all Australian wheat exports passed through the offices of the so-called single-desk export authority, which was heavily vested in the AWB. The single-desk export authority was established in 1915 to assist Australian wheat growers to get their produce to global export markets, therefore dealing with the AWB was a major factor for all businesses involved in Australias powerful expansive wheat growing sector. In addition to this, Iraq was a massive market and there was a need for the organisation to justify its often-criticised monopoly on Australias global wheat exports, particularly in the face of strong competition from the United States and other suppliers. Numerous critics observed that, since the AWB was privatised in 1998, and consequently listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in 2001 the AWB had noticeably become far more extreme than its former bureaucratic culture might have previously endorsed. Furthermore, a United Nations report on October 27, 2005 established that the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) had paid $US221.7 ($AU300) million in bribes to the Iraqi Government between 1999 and 2003 under the United Nations Oil-for-Food program (Whitton 2007). Through this mode of immoral and illegal behaviour, the AWB defrauded their shareholders out of their financial investments and profits as well as causing irreparable damage to Australias trade reputation globally. Further to this, the United Nations report on the inquiry into corruption in the Oil-for-Food Program, led by Paul Volcker, revealed that 2200 companies participating in the program were misappropriating funds from the United Nations accounts to redistribute them to the Iraqi government but none of the magnitude of the AWB. Moreover, the AWB was a company with a high profile and facing a serious legal problem, therefore the AWB was obviously likely to draw attention from both the Australian and worldwide public and media (Lukaszewski, 1997). Consequently, with the release of the report and mass media and public attention (Mackey, 2002), the AWB was obviously facing a dire crisis. Due to this in February 2006, the AWB managing director Andrew Lindberg resigned after demonstrated outrage throughout the press and collective Australian wheat growers. The AWB scandal has left an indelible black mark on the AWBs reputation throughout the world, and puts into question how reliable it was and how well suited it was to represent and market nearly all of Australias wheat to the overseas marketplace. In addition, the AWB was sued for AU$1 billion in compensation by collective wheat farmers in North America for alleged, bribery and other corrupt activities to corner the grain markets internationally (news.com.au, 2006). The effect of the scandal resulted in Iraq refusing to purchase wheat from the AWB and the consequential loss of a substantial overseas market for Australian wheat growers. In an attempt to minimise damage to the Howard Governments reputation, Prime Minister Howard launched an official enquiry in November of 2006, into the payment of bribes by the AWB Ltd, formerly known as the Australian Wheat Board, to the Saddam Hussein regime, this enquiry essentially produced a whitewash report designed for several key purposes. Foremost, was the need to clear Prime Minister John Howard and his leading ministers of any political and/or criminal responsibility pertaining to the payment of bribes to Iraqi bureaucrats. Another critical concern was to fend off United States agricultural interests that were demanding the dismantling of the AWBs wheat export monopoly as part of a ruthless trade war. To illustrate further, it was absoloutely paramount for the Howard government to prevent any examination of the motives behind Canberras participation in the U.S occupation of Iraq. Therefore, in an obvious act of scape-goating, enquiry Commissioner Cole singled out 11 former AWB executives and one ex BHP executive for blame, and the possibility of criminal prosecutions. Sanctioned by the Howard government the mass media immediately did its best to assist this diversionary exercise by dubbing these 12 individuals the dirty-dozen in newspaper headlines around the country, demonstrating the great measures that politicians will take to cover their corruption. Howards use of Cole, a trusted lawyer who had previously conducted a witch-hunting enquiry against building workers on behalf of Prime Minister Howard wreaks of the unfettered abuse of governmental power. It was therefore not surprising that Cole attributed the payment of nearly $AU300 million in bribes under the United Nations 1996-2003 so-called Oil-for-Food-Program solely to a handful of 12 individuals. Moreover, Cole stated that these 12 individuals deviant corrupt behaviour developed from a closed culture of superiority and impregnability within the organisation, which had been produced by the AWBs 67-year monopoly and stronghold over all Australian wheat exports. In addition to this, Cole stated that it was obvious that the AWBs unethical policy in Iraq was to do whatever is necessary in order to retain the $AU500 million in annual wheat sales, and further stated that was precisely what the Howard Governments policy was at the time. The substantial and comprehensive documents tabled at the Cole enquiry confirm that the AWB, which was a government agency up until 1999 and then subsequently privatised continued to operate and receive Canberras protection, almost as a virtual arm of the Howard Government throughout the lead-up to the March 2003 U.S. led invasion of Iraq Conclusion The AWB scandal raises significant questions and concerns pertaining to the Australian policy-making processes and the attitudes of the government ministers involved.

Change Management Essay -- Change Changing Essays

Change Management "Toto, I’ve got a feeling that we’re not in Kansas any more." Dorothy, Wizard of Oz Over the past few decades, large-scale organizational change has become a way of life in American business. Many organizational changes, however, have failed to deliver promises of increased productivity and morale, decreased costs, decreased waste , and increased customer satisfaction. A common theme among these failures is a lack of understanding of the power of the collective human system to obstruct the progress of initiatives. The result has been to reinforce fear, defensiveness, and cynicism among workers toward change efforts (Dooley, 1998). Failure of an organizational change for businesses has both short term and long term consequences. Direct short term implications to a failure of an effective organizational change means that objectives are not achieved and resources, including money, time and people, are wasted. Indirectly, morale suffers, job security is threatened and confidence in leadership diminishes. Over the long haul, a failure of change means that business strategies are not accomplished, resistance to change increases and the organization’s survival is threatened (Wakulczyk, 1995). It is normal for people to feel resistant to change and today’s new technology, new tools, and new applications mean big change. Not everyone reacts to change the same way. Some people are always looking for better, more efficient ways of doing things. Others long for the good old days of clearly defined jobs and responsibilities. Some people want to get moving with whatever is new right away. Still others fight any change that conflicts in any way with their values or threatens the welfare of anyone around th... ... have it. Courtesy is even better. A well-paid compliment can buy gratitude. A sincere "Thank you" can earn respect. References Department of Defense ( ___ ). Business Process Reengineering and Organizational Change. Business Process Reengineering (BPR) Fundamentals. Available www.dtic.mil/c3i/bprcd/7223c7.htm Dooley, Jeff (1998). A Whole-Person/Systemic Approach to Organization Change Management. Available www.well.com/user/dooley/change.pdf Kramlinger, Tom (1998). How to deliver a change message. Training & Development, 52 (4), pp. 44-47. Wakulczyk, Marek (1995). Change Management. Presentation to 9 Wing Canadian Forces Base, Gander, Newfoundland. Available www.smallbear.com/chngemgt/index.htm Wasson, Teresa (1996). Pensacola editor shares tips on managing change. Pensacola News Journal. Available www.gannett.com/go/newswatch/96/nw0407-2.htm

Peer Relationships

Having arrived at the gateway to adulthood, the teenage years are an exciting time of freedom, no responsibilities, and supposedly the best time of your life; unfortunately it is not always a cake walk. Whether it is maintaining good grades or keeping up with what the plans are for the weekend, there is a serious amount of pressure throughout high school and it becomes easy to get lost in the madness. Studies show that the qualities of peer relationships at this time are key contributors to mental health now and throughout life.Positive relationships are beneficial to young adults because it helps in gaining a sense of what good social interactions are and produces equal or greater relationships in the future. On the flip side, poor peer relationships can have negative effects on adulthood mental health and social relations. Unforgiving social cliques and high societal expectations are a few causes of the shrinking of teen self-esteem and disruption of stable mental well-being. When students start high school they quickly find their place on the social ladder.Some students find themselves at to top, some find a place in the middle they’re comfortable with, and others are sometimes cast out and pushed to the bottom by the rest. Social status and cliques rank unnecessarily high in importance amongst adolescents; teens are consistently pressured to maintain their high social standing. This chronic stress leads to their disengagement from classroom activities (McGrath & Noble, 2010). Even pupils that seem to be at the top of their social ladder develop conflict among one another, disrupting school performance.These students become more focused on the trifling drama and maintaining social stature and find the importance of school beginning to decline. Research conducted by Helen McGrath and Toni Noble shows that, young adults that have poor relationships with their peers, show lower levels of school achievement and higher levels of school avoidance. Once teen agers’ attention is elsewhere in the classroom, they begin to fall behind on school work due to the fact that they are more focused on their life outside of school.Bad study habits can develop if they are engrossed in their social life and they can carry those bad study habits with them through high school to college. Pupils with high social standing are not the only ones affected by negative peer relationships; it influences students at the bottom of the social ladder as well. The so called â€Å"bottom† of the social ladder is made up of persons that have often times been rejected by their peers for one reason or another; they may dress different, act a certain way, or lack some sort of attribute that society believes is necessary.Students that are excluded from their peers still seek the same social fulfillment as others; in a way this causes them to be more desperate for that fulfillment. Being bullied by social exclusion may appear less visibly harmful than verbal or physical forms of bullying but may be more detrimental to children’s participation in learning activities and have more impact on their academic outcomes, states McGrath and Noble.Social exclusion and bullying can go even further than classroom disengagement; as a result of bullying, people can lose their ability to love and trust, denying them the chance to experience a quality relationship later in their life. They might find themselves as a submissive partner or they may want to be completely alone. Aside from its long-term effects, some consequences of bullying can be seen and felt immediately. When one calls another a harsh name, the victim might cry, just like a bruise might appear after a punch to the arm. However, some effects of bullying are not always obvious to the naked eye.The results of bullying might grow and appear over time, damaging a person in profound ways for the long term. Victims often develop eating disorders, begin to self-injure, or require exten sive counseling. Social bullying can also leave people without a supportive group of friends that they can lean on and spend time with. Isolation amongst peers has negative repercussions towards young adult mental health because at this age, according to Kingsly Nyarko of the University of Ghana’s psychology department, being accepted by peers has important implications for adjustment both during adolescence and into adulthood.Friends are supporters and motivators, they help you feel better when you’re sad and can talk you through any problems you are facing. When that support is missing from a person’s life, they have no one to talk to, making them feel alone and excluded. This can damage an adolescent’s ability to maintain healthy friendships and possess adequate social skills. Being teased, rejected or socially excluded by other pupils on an ongoing basis has been identified as the single most common characteristic of children who are at high risk for developing emotional and behavioral disorders (McGrath & Noble, 2010).Isolation makes adolescents feel as if there is something wrong with them, thus lowering self-esteem and creating disorders such as anorexia, depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders. Some individuals recover from loneliness by using their own strategies, or by letting time do the healing. Others require outside professional help. The most obvious approach is to help people develop satisfying personal relationships. This can be done by improving how they interact with others through social skills training or forms of psychotherapy aimed at changing dysfunctional interpersonal dispositions (e. g. fear of rejection). It can also be done by improving opportunities for interactions through programs aimed at removing barriers for social interaction (e. g. , providing transportation) or at bringing people together (e. g. , discussion groups). Major depressive disorders in early adulthood range from 10%-17% (Maughan & C ollishaw & Stringaris, 2012). One of the biggest issues for teens is fitting in. Society tells young adults that they need to act a certain way or look a certain way, and when a teen doesn’t feel they follow that socially acceptable conduct, they often become repressed within themselves.They want to be accepted and there is a fear of being alone and not being wanted. Popularity is a huge social factor for any teen, especially in High School. Everyone wants to be part of the â€Å"in crowd† and if you cannot be a part of them, you want to dress like them or act like them. Pressures like this do tend to be worse for girls; about twice as likely to be affected as men (Maughan et al. , 2012). Girls feel the need to please others and seek approval while boys learn that it is ok to be themselves and do their own thing.Boys tend to be able to deal better with these social issues then girls do. They are able to put events behind them, and not depend upon others for reassuring them of their self-worth. One example is when an adolescent boy and girl are equally interested in each other; the boys seem to be able to cope with love's losses better than girls do. They put it behind them and move on, while girls focus on the breakup and keep talking about it, stirring the emotional pot. These depressive episodes are not just short term; 50-70% are likely to develop a further episode within five years (Maughan et al. 2012). However, sometimes depression can be avoided all together. Having a good home life and a high self-esteem would be primary for people not to be depressed. Although in some cases you are predisposition to have depression, little things do help. Talking about your problems and not bottling them up helps immensely to avoid emotional breakdowns and blowups. Avoiding extreme â€Å"stressers,† like putting yourself in a situation you cannot get out of, also helps. Avoidance of cigarettes and alcohol also helps with staying healthy and happy. Despite the vast amount of negative effects peer relationships have on young adults there are a substantial amount of positive effects as well. When healthy peer relationships are established early on, they positively affect every aspect of everyday life; one facet being school attendance and performance. The link between pupil engagement, achievement and well-being appears to is bi-directional, i. e. the more pupils are actively engaged and achieving in learning, the greater their sense of well-being and vice versa (McGrath ; Noble, 2010).When students are treated well by other pupils it makes them more enthused about participation in school activities. Positive peer relationships are also linked to higher levels of school attendance and pupil engagement with learning and a reduction in the likelihood of dropping out in secondary school (McGrath ; Noble, 2008). When students find their school environment to be supportive and caring, they are less likely to become involved in substa nce abuse, violence, and other problem behaviors.They are more likely to develop positive attitudes toward themselves and pro-social attitudes and behaviors toward others; supportive schools foster these positive outcomes by promoting students’ sense of â€Å"connectedness†, â€Å"belongingness†, or â€Å"community† during the school day. Additionally, this time during adolescence is imperative because, the development of strong interpersonal skills and relationships during emerging adulthood is an essential component of effective career and role functioning throughout the adult life span.Comments by others, particularly parents and peers, reflect appraisals of the individual that some adolescents may incorporate as part of their identity and feelings about themselves (Nyarko, 2012). Negative experiences in early adulthood are often particularly damaging to self-esteem. In early years, personality and sense of self is being formed, and harmful experiences can leave one feeling that they are not valued or important.Even though one is close to adulthood, there has still been too little amount of time to build any resilience, so these negative views can become the ones that teens believe about themselves. The way one may view them self can be tainted by society’s ideas of ‘beauty’; this is where helpful friendships are essential. When a teen’s self-esteem is disintegrating they need constructive re-affirmation to keep a positive attitude; this can be accomplished through strong friendships.Frequently, the friendships we make during our youth fade or dwindle as we grow up and move on to new places in life. Yet when our childhood and school-year friends stay with us into adulthood, they are often the most important friends we have. Our common history and the length of time that our connection has continued becomes the glue that keeps us together, even if we’ve changed significantly from when we first met . Our most valuable friends are the ones with whom we feel the deepest connection and greatest trust.It is with these friends that we share our fears, secrets, desires and problems and dreams. There are many unexpected benefits from this type of relationship, including such things as lessening stress, limiting depression, lowering blood pressure, keeping our minds agile, and lessening the debilitating effects of old age. Research has even shown that people with close friendships are more likely to exercise regularly, avoid excessive alcohol and even be more inclined to quit smoking. Positive peer relationships in early adulthood have positive effects on self-esteem.Chen, Cohen, Johson, and Kasen (2008) summary article on Psychiatric disorders during adolescence and relationships with peers found that, during adolescence, friends are providers of companionship, social and emotional support, and intimate self-disclosure and reflection. Group activities such as sports are an effective way to gain self-esteem boosting encouragement and relationships. Being involved in a team allows teens to build relationships and social skills that will help them further in life. Other group activities such as school extracurriculars have similar constructive effects on teen contentment.Peer relationships play an important role in pshyco-social development and well-being throughout life (Chen et al. , 2008). Young adults’ body image often times can be influenced by their relationship with peers. For some it is viewed as the lowest point in their life; others claim it to be the highlight of their years. No matter what personal opinion individuals express, it is evident that early adulthood is a key turning point in life. The experiences at this time, positive or negative, set the very foundation for later adulthood.

Nutrition Essay

Shakton Andrews March 27, 2012 4. 07 Movie Matinee Shakton Carbohydrate was chatting happily with a jar of paprika in the pantry when someone started calling her name. The voice got closer and soon, two hands appeared on the shelf. Whose head popped up above them but that of Norman Nutrition! â€Å"There you are, Shakton! † he said with a smile. â€Å"Hi there, Norman! † Shakton replied. â€Å"Listen, Shakton, we have a big problem— the Jones family isn’t eating right. They’re only eating donuts, candy, chips, and sodas. We have to do something! I’m calling on all the food groups to help me out.We’re going to show them how to eat healthy again. † â€Å"Of course I’ll help. We need to teach the Jones to eat properly or else they’ll be sick and overweight,† Shakton answered. â€Å"Good! Remember, meet me at the dining room table at supper time with three friends,† Norman said. Then he waved and jumped o ff the shelf to tell the other food groups about the Jones’ problem. â€Å"Bye, Paprika! Duty calls! † Shakton said, waving to his friend before jumping off the shelf like Norman. As Shakton floated down to the floor, he thought about who he should bring to the dining room with him. The Jones kids are fun and like to play. I should bring some friends that are fun! † And with that, Shakton headed to the kitchen. â€Å"Corn has lots of carbs; my friend Corn on the Cob would be perfect for the Jones kids! † Shakton decided, and made his way to the refrigerator. Opening the door was a challenge too big for little Shakton, so he had the family dog, Oscar, help her. With his teeth, he pulled on the towel Mrs. Jones kept tied to the refrigerator door handle. The towel stretched for a second, and then the door opened with a whoosh of cool air.How to open the drawer where Corn on the Cob lived was a harder problem to solve. Eventually, though, Oscar and Shakton fig ured it out. Oscar held Shakton carefully in his mouth while he grabbed hold of the drawer handle. Then, he pulled and the drawer slid open with a squeak. â€Å"Thanks, Oscar,† Shakton called as the dog trotted off. â€Å"Hey, Shakton, is that you? † Corn on the Cob asked from where she sat at the back of the drawer. â€Å"Yep, that’s me! † Shakton answered, jumping down into the drawer. Corn on the Cob ran over and gave her a hug. â€Å"I need your help,† Shakton began, returning his friend’s hug. Of course, anything! † And so Shakton explained the Jones’ problem. When he finished Corn on the Cob gasped in horror. â€Å"Oh, Shakton, that’s awful! What do you need me to do? † she asked. â€Å"I need you to come with me to the dining room table to show that it can be fun to eat good foods. We have to be there by supper time, and I still have to pick up to other friends. † â€Å"Let’s go, then! What ar e we waiting for? † Corn on the Cob exclaimed. As Shakton and Corn on the Cob climbed out of the drawer, Shakton asked his friend who else they should bring along to the dining room.Corn on the Cob paused on the edge of the drawer, thinking, before jumping down onto the floor where Shakton waited. â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Jones might not be interested in fun foods like me at their age†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Corn on the Cob said sadly. â€Å"What about BlueBerry? He’s a bit more suited to their fruity pallet,† Shakton suggested. â€Å"Good idea,† Corn on the Cob agreed. Shakton and Corn on the Cob had to ask some of the other inhabitants of the fridge where BlueBerry lived, but eventually they found out where he usually stayed. It was a small drawer on the very top shelf on the Pantry Door.From where they stood on the bottom shelf, Shakton and Corn on the Cob looked way, way up to see where he lived. â€Å"How are we ever going to get up there? † Corn on the Cob f retted. â€Å"We’ll figure out a way. After all, I’m not in charge of the Protein food group for nothing! † Shakton encouraged. â€Å"Let’s think for a minute and see if we come up with anything,† Corn on the Cob suggested. Shakton agreed, and together they sat with legs crossed, chins resting on one hand, thinking hard. â€Å"I know! † Corn on the Cob suddenly yelled. â€Å"Let’s ask Spaghetti for help! â€Å"What a good idea,† Shakton said, and so they went over to the drawer where Mrs. Jones kept all the leftovers. The Leftover Drawer was a dark and scary place. Meatloaf and Lima Beans were not always the very nicest sort of foods, and it was hard to find your way around this drawer. Some foods got lost here, and never saw the light of day again until Mrs. Jones did her once-every-2-months-cleaning-of-the-refrigerator. However, Spaghetti was a new arrival to this drawer, having only been served for the first time 2 days ago . Luckily for Shakton and Corn on the Cob, that meant she lived near the front of the drawer.After several minutes, they found her. She was sleeping soundly in a large, noodle-y mass under a blanket of tomato sauce with her pet meatballs at her side. Shakton had a terrible time trying to wake Spaghetti up. He and Corn on the Cob tried poking Spaghetti, shouting, clapping their hands, and loudly singing in squeaky, off-key voices. Finally, their efforts were rewarded and Spaghetti woke up. Then Shakton and Corn on the Cob had to sit and catch their breath for minute before asking for help. â€Å"We need your help, Spaghetti,† Shakton began. â€Å"Yeah, we’re trying to get to the top of the Door to visit BlueBerry.But it’s too high up for us and there’s no way to climb up by ourselves,† Corn on the Cob continued. â€Å"Can you help us get up to the Top Shelf so we can climb across to the drawer on the door where BlueBerry lives? † Shakton fini shed. Spaghetti thought for a moment before answering, â€Å"Sure, I’ll help, but I never do something for nothing. While you’re up there in the Door, will you give a message to my friend Grated Parmesan for me? † â€Å"Yes, if you’ll just help us up there! † Shakton agreed. â€Å"All right, it’s a deal,† Spaghetti said. â€Å"Tell Parmesan hat she and I are supposed to be served for dinner tonight, so she had better not make any plans and be out partying in the very back of the refrigerator like last time! † The three of them made their way out of the creepy, shadowy leftover-drawer and Spaghetti began making a plan: â€Å"I’ll reach up to the next shelf and you’ll climb up along my arm,† she said. Her noodle arms were very, very long, and she would have no problem reaching way up to the next shelf. Shakton and Corn on the Cob nodded and Spaghetti continued, â€Å"Then I’ll pull myself up and weâ⠂¬â„¢ll do the same thing over again.I’m not entirely sure how you’ll get over onto the door, but I can at least take you as far as the Top Shelf. † â€Å"Thank you for helping us at least that much! † Shakton said gratefully. He really meant what he said. The three carried out their plan without a single thing going wrong, and eventually they reached the Top Shelf. â€Å"Here, I must leave you,† Spaghetti said sadly. Shakton gave her new friend a hug. â€Å"Thank you again for helping us. I don’t know how we would have made it up here without you! † â€Å"You’re welcome, Shakton. Good luck on your mission! † Spaghetti said, then began to go back down to the Leftover Drawer.A kindly tall, skinny cardboard pint of cream was more than willing to lean over and let Shakton and Corn on the Cob climb up his back to reach the Door. They had to quickly deliver Spaghetti’s message to Grated Parmesan, then they were on their way again. Finally, the two reached BlueBerry’s home. He was more than willing to come along— in fact, he was quite honored to be chosen as a representative of the Carbohydrate group. â€Å"Wait, there’s only Corn on the Cob and I†¦ doesn’t that mean you still need to get one more food? † he suddenly asked as they slid down the refrigerator door handle and onto the floor. You’re right,† Shakton realized. He looked at his friends, thinking about whom else he should bring along. He smacked her fist onto her palm, shouting, â€Å"I know! Let’s go get Ants on a Log! † Corn on the cob and BlueBerry looked at each other, puzzled. â€Å"Who’s that? † they asked at the same time. â€Å"Oh, you’ve probably never heard of him. He’s new to the Kitchen. Anyway, he’s on a plate on the counter, beside the sink. † Shakton, BlueBerry, and Corn on the Cob, scurried across the floor, very car eful not to disturb the sleeping cat as they went by. They were all very glad that Mrs.Jones had been interrupted a while ago while sweeping the floors, because the broom was leaning up against the counter. It was pretty easy to climb up the broom handle and onto the counter after all that Shakton and Corn on the Cob went through to get to BlueBerry. When they had all climbed up the broom handle, they hurried over to the white plate sitting there a foot away. The Ants on a Log family were all lying around on the plate, chatting with each other. They all looked exactly alike! Shakton ran over ahead of the other two. â€Å"Hello! I’m Shakton Carbohydrate,† she said.All six of them turned and looked at her. â€Å"Hello,† they all said at once. They looked very friendly. Shakton quickly told them about the Jones’ eating problems (for the third time that day) and asked them if one of them would come with her to the dining room table at supper time. â€Å"Oh, yes. Allan will go with you! † one of them said cheerfully. â€Å"Thank you! † Shakton exclaimed gratefully. He looked quickly over her shoulder at the large clock on the wall. Oh no! It was almost 6:30! They had only five minutes to get to the dining room table. Would they make it in time? We have to hurry,† Shakton shouted. â€Å"Let’s go! † They all slid down the broom handle and ran across the kitchen. It was a very big kitchen, and they couldn’t run very fast on their short little legs. There was only two minutes left when they finally reached the dining room. They hurried over to the table, and then struggled to climb up one of its legs. At long last, they all made it up onto the tabletop. They sat down tiredly, panting to get their breath back. â€Å"Shakton, you made it! Good job! † Norman Nutrition called from the middle of the table, where he sat beside the salt shaker. I knew I could count on you. † Shakton was very ple ased when she saw many of her friends there beside Norman. Penelope Protein was there with her 3 representatives, along with Frances Fat, Phil Fiber, and Wally Water. Of course, the Jones family was there, too. They listened while Norman Nutrition explained that they were here to help them eat better so they could be healthier. Then, the leaders of each of the food groups took turns talking about their jobs. When it was Shakton’s turn he said: â€Å"My job in maintaining your bodies is to help build gain energy so you can run, jump, and play.I brought three friends with me. Corn has lots of carbs, but Corn on the Cob is more fun than other kinds, don’t you think? BlueBerry can be very fruity, and he’s all about carbs! Ants on a Log gets his carbs from the Peanut Butter he’s made with. † After everyone had gotten a turn to talk, Norman turned to the Jones. â€Å"After what you’ve learned, will you promise to eat better foods? † he aske d. They all nodded. Shakton was tired that night, but very happy that the mission was a success. He knew if the Jones ate properly, they would live very happy lives.