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Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this study examines the curvilinear relationship between social workers' meaningful work and work engagement. Data gathered from 223 social workers reveal that the relationship between meaningful work and work engagement showed a U-shaped curve when psychological capital is low. In contrast, this relationship showed an inverted U-shaped curve when psychological capital is high. Our study makes significant contributions to the literature in the following ways. First and foremost, this is the first paper that provides an established base to validate the momentary and changing nature of meaningful work empirically. Second, we further addressed how the fluctuating nature of meaningful work can be addressed through individuals' demographic variables of psychological capital. Finally, our results provide managerial interventions that support businesses in advancing the understanding of psychological processes in contexts related to the broad area of work and in organizations. Meaningful work enhances work engagement. Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) should provide a safe space where social workers can share their victories, perspectives, and frustrations. NPOs should provide ample support to employees and ensure they fit well into the new social work environment. Given the malleable characteristics of PsyCap, NPOs can offer interventions in the form of training to increase social workers' sense of hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism. The curvilinear effect of PsyCap on the relationship between meaningful work and work engagement shows that NPOs should also design pathways to engage social workers with high PsyCap constantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accreditation is gaining ground in human services as leaders find ways to demonstrate the quality and legitimacy of services. This study examined site-level accreditation for SafeCare®, an evidence-based practice designed to prevent and reduce child maltreatment. We leveraged two waves of qualitative data to explore the perspectives of trainers, organizational and system leaders, and program developers who participated in an initial rollout of a site-level accreditation process for SafeCare. Institutional theory was used to frame accreditation's potential benefits, burden, and impact. Findings highlight specific considerations for the human service environment, including the inherent resource scarcity, interdependence among organizations, and the impact of cost and slow-moving bureaucratic processes. Current institutional pressures – such as large funding streams coming out of federal initiatives that rely on program developers to report which sites are accredited when financing evidence-based programs – may force human service organization (HSO) leaders to consider participation in site-level accreditation specific to a particular evidence-based practice (EBP) or model. Although accreditation may not meaningfully change day-to-day service delivery of an EBP, HSO leaders may gain other benefits, including cross-site communication and the ability to demonstrate legitimacy and competence within their organizational field. Accreditation cost is an essential and unavoidable consideration for program developers and purveyors who plan to use accreditation to support EBP sustainment and scale-up in HSOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In times of shrinking resources and fragmented societies, partnership is a value-driven social structure that should be theorized in order to be considered for implementation, effectively and sustainably. Recognizing the scarce theoretical perspectives on partnership, this article addresses the lack of an integrated universal model. It delineates the theoretical field through extensive literature review, reaffirming the critical gap in knowledge. Original qualitative research utilized an international case-study of a social partnership, and a historic investigation since its inception three decades ago. A Grounded Theory Methodology guided the systemic analysis of the empirical data, culminating in a proposed universal partnership model. The study finds mutuality to be the heart of a partnership and a differentiating criterion from other social structures. Three pillars that are grounded in mutuality sustain a partnership, and include a common ground, connection, and commitment. Further research is needed to test the proposed model on other diverse partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy and funding mandates are increasingly requiring that human service organizations demonstrate they are implementing services with fidelity, and system leaders are looking for guidance on how to do that effectively. Although there are several well-known implementation frameworks, a research-and-practice gap exists concerning how to apply frameworks to specific practices. The purpose of this Learning from the Field case study is to illustrate how one initiative operationalized the implementation drivers from the well-known National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) framework. NIRN's implementation drivers were used to monitor and increase the quality of staff delivery of an intervention aimed at improving child welfare services for youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning. This case study provides system leaders with an example of effectively using a common framework for implementing evidence-based and evidence-informed programs by describing strategies used to apply the implementation competency drivers, as well as challenges, successes, and lessons learned. We conclude by identifying several questions that are designed to help human service leaders and program implementers support their organizations and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the idea that different nonprofit organizations, including human service organizations, value volunteers in different ways. We identify three benefits: financial, programmatic, and expressive. Analysis of survey data confirms these as separate factors. Using ESEM, we explore how differences in administrative complexity and intensiveness of volunteer use are related to the benefits from volunteers. The utility of our conceptual breakdown into three types of value is reinforced by our finding that administratively complex organizations de-emphasize the financial, programmatic, and expressive benefits, while nonprofits that exhibit intensive engagement with volunteers emphasize the financial, program, and expressive benefits of volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]