title: Youth financial leadership: Developing a sustainable leadership programme led by youth for youth to develop financial skills

authors: Purdon, Lana Naomi

subjects: Youth leadership

abstract: Youth leadership is an area that is continuing to grow in the education sector. However, most opportunities for youth leadership are still being constructed with traditional structures and have to be applied for by students, only to be achieved by a few. More research is needed on ways to authentically engage young people in leadership roles where they are encouraged to be active agents and own their student voice. This thesis was developed in response to the challenges that a changing economy and many complex pieces of financial information present young adults in their transition into adulthood. The purpose of the research was to explore youth leadership through the process of co-construction and peer mentorship.
This thesis presents findings from a research project involving eight Year 13 students on a leadership journey to co-construct a financial learning programme and then teach this through the use of peer mentorship to their fellow Year 9 students. It explores in depth the perceptions held by youth in regards to the importance of leadership opportunities, how relationships can impact the authenticity of co-constructing curriculum and the mutual benefits for both mentor and mentee of using peer mentoring to learn key financial literacy skills.
Student voice was a key part of this research as participants were involved in the planning of the programme, the facilitation of the content, and also the reflection of how it was delivered and any changes that could be made in the future. Using qualitative, action inquiry research and a positive youth development approach ensured that students were kept at the core of this research, believing that they are experts in their own lives and experiences. 
The main questions that guided this research were:
1. What are young peoples’ perceptions and understandings of youth leadership and how might they engage these ideas as peer mentors when leading others?
2. What might a financial development leadership programme that is co-constructed with students and based on peer teaching look like?
3. How does participation in a financial development leadership programme influence a young person’s knowledge, understandings and skills of financial literacy?
The findings indicated that the students who participated in this research had a wide range of beliefs about leadership however, all agreed that everyone had the ability to be a leader. The senior students wanted the opportunity to not only learn these leadership skills but to also help their younger peers throughout the process. Co-construction and peer mentorship were found to be successful methods of creating and facilitating a learning programme with youth. However, they were complex processes that relied heavily on time availability and the creation of positive, quality relationships. Overall, the participants understanding of both leadership and financial literacy were seen to be enhanced by their experience in the programme of learning.
This research is of significance to educators or anyone that is working with youth in a leadership capacity or peer mentorship role. It also lends support for new ideas on how secondary schools can attempt to encourage a more practical and low-risk approach to youth learning leadership skills and the content of financial literacy, with the scope to go broader. It supports youth to have a voice as to how they would like to prepare for leadership and learn the 21ˢᵗ century skills, such as, financial literacy that are needed to navigate adulthood.

text: Youth financial leadership: Developing a sustainable leadership programme led by youth for youth to develop financial skills Youth leadership is an area that is continuing to grow in the education sector. However, most opportunities for youth leadership are still being constructed with traditional structures and have to be applied for by students, only to be achieved by a few. More research is needed on ways to authentically engage young people in leadership roles where they are encouraged to be active agents and own their student voice. This thesis was developed in response to the challenges that a changing economy and many complex pieces of financial information present young adults in their transition into adulthood. The purpose of the research was to explore youth leadership through the process of co-construction and peer mentorship.
This thesis presents findings from a research project involving eight Year 13 students on a leadership journey to co-construct a financial learning programme and then teach this through the use of peer mentorship to their fellow Year 9 students. It explores in depth the perceptions held by youth in regards to the importance of leadership opportunities, how relationships can impact the authenticity of co-constructing curriculum and the mutual benefits for both mentor and mentee of using peer mentoring to learn key financial literacy skills.
Student voice was a key part of this research as participants were involved in the planning of the programme, the facilitation of the content, and also the reflection of how it was delivered and any changes that could be made in the future. Using qualitative, action inquiry research and a positive youth development approach ensured that students were kept at the core of this research, believing that they are experts in their own lives and experiences. 
The main questions that guided this research were:
1. What are young peoples’ perceptions and understandings of youth leadership and how might they engage these ideas as peer mentors when leading others?
2. What might a financial development leadership programme that is co-constructed with students and based on peer teaching look like?
3. How does participation in a financial development leadership programme influence a young person’s knowledge, understandings and skills of financial literacy?
The findings indicated that the students who participated in this research had a wide range of beliefs about leadership however, all agreed that everyone had the ability to be a leader. The senior students wanted the opportunity to not only learn these leadership skills but to also help their younger peers throughout the process. Co-construction and peer mentorship were found to be successful methods of creating and facilitating a learning programme with youth. However, they were complex processes that relied heavily on time availability and the creation of positive, quality relationships. Overall, the participants understanding of both leadership and financial literacy were seen to be enhanced by their experience in the programme of learning.
This research is of significance to educators or anyone that is working with youth in a leadership capacity or peer mentorship role. It also lends support for new ideas on how secondary schools can attempt to encourage a more practical and low-risk approach to youth learning leadership skills and the content of financial literacy, with the scope to go broader. It supports youth to have a voice as to how they would like to prepare for leadership and learn the 21ˢᵗ century skills, such as, financial literacy that are needed to navigate adulthood.

year: 2021

title: Cationic liposome-mediated transfection of mammary epithelial cells with AAV-based plasmid DNA

authors: Whyte, Brett

abstract: Cationic liposome-mediated delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) based plasmid DNA has potential for efficient and safe delivery of DNA into a number of different cell types. The objective of this thesis was to develop techniques for transfecting adult somatic mammary epithelial cells with the aim of producing non-germline transgenic animals. Initially, chemical-mediated techniques were used to deliver plasmid DNA to mammary epithelial cells in vitro: this work was subsequently extended to in vivo studies. The research then focussed on cationic liposome-mediated delivery of AAV-based plasmid DNA to enhance transfection efficiency, and the molecular characteristics of AAV-based plasmid DNA as a vector for transfection and integration of DNA into the genome. 

Chemical-mediated procedures were used to deliver plasmid DNA to the mouse mammary epithelial cell line, HC11, and to primary bovine mammary cells in vitro. Four delivery vehicles were used; calcium phosphate co-precipitation, DOTAP, DMRIE-C and LipofectAMINE. The highest transfection efficiency resulted from using LipofectAMINE, although this efficiency was relatively low, with only 2.1% of cells found to express β-galactosidase. 

To establish the efficacy of chemical-mediated delivery of plasmid DNA in vivo and to investigate an intramammary route of delivery, lactating rats were transfected in vivo with plasmid DNA complexed with LipofectAMINE. These complexes were delivered by infusion through the mammary teat canal or by direct injection into the gland. The ensuing level of transfection was extremely low, with only a very small number of rat mammary epithelial cells found to express β-galactosidase. These results indicated that alternative transfection procedures were required. 

Inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) of AAV have previously been shown to enhance transfection efficiency, and these were included in a plasmid construct flanking a β-galactosidase reporter gene. LipofectAMINE was used to deliver this DNA to HC11 cells, however, the efficiency of transient transfection was only increased by a modest 1.4-fold. 

To evaluate the effect of AAV ITRs on plasmid DNA integration, a DNA construct containing a neomycin resistance gene flanked by ITRs was transfected into HC11 cells. Additionally, this construct was co-transfected with an AAV Rep protein expression construct, which is required for site-specific integration in human cells. Neither the inclusion of ITRs, or expression of the rep gene affected the frequency of integration of the neomycin gene. 

In humans a specific advantage of using AAV is site-specific integration of the virus into a locus on human chromosome 19, known as AAVS1. Southern blot analyses were used to ascertain whether a similar site is present in mouse and other species. No clear cut evidence was found for such a site. 

Further Southern blot analysis of clonal lines derived from mouse HC11 cells that were co-transfected with a neomycin resistance gene, and an AAV rep gene construct, suggested that the site of integration was random. A novel PCR technique was utilised to amplify the site of integration. This enabled sequence data to be obtained for two HC11 clones. The site of integration for one of the clones was identified within exon 16 of Mus musculus DNA coding for the DNA dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit. The site of integration for the second clone was an unknown region of the mouse genome. An interesting characteristic of both clones was the presence of mouse B1 repeat sequences in close proximity to the sites of integration. 

These studies demonstrate that AAV-based plasmid DNA can enhance the transfection efficiency in mouse mammary epithelial cells, and they contribute toward the overall knowledge of AAV-based plasmid DNA integration into the mouse genome.

text: Cationic liposome-mediated transfection of mammary epithelial cells with AAV-based plasmid DNA Cationic liposome-mediated delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) based plasmid DNA has potential for efficient and safe delivery of DNA into a number of different cell types. The objective of this thesis was to develop techniques for transfecting adult somatic mammary epithelial cells with the aim of producing non-germline transgenic animals. Initially, chemical-mediated techniques were used to deliver plasmid DNA to mammary epithelial cells in vitro: this work was subsequently extended to in vivo studies. The research then focussed on cationic liposome-mediated delivery of AAV-based plasmid DNA to enhance transfection efficiency, and the molecular characteristics of AAV-based plasmid DNA as a vector for transfection and integration of DNA into the genome. 

Chemical-mediated procedures were used to deliver plasmid DNA to the mouse mammary epithelial cell line, HC11, and to primary bovine mammary cells in vitro. Four delivery vehicles were used; calcium phosphate co-precipitation, DOTAP, DMRIE-C and LipofectAMINE. The highest transfection efficiency resulted from using LipofectAMINE, although this efficiency was relatively low, with only 2.1% of cells found to express β-galactosidase. 

To establish the efficacy of chemical-mediated delivery of plasmid DNA in vivo and to investigate an intramammary route of delivery, lactating rats were transfected in vivo with plasmid DNA complexed with LipofectAMINE. These complexes were delivered by infusion through the mammary teat canal or by direct injection into the gland. The ensuing level of transfection was extremely low, with only a very small number of rat mammary epithelial cells found to express β-galactosidase. These results indicated that alternative transfection procedures were required. 

Inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) of AAV have previously been shown to enhance transfection efficiency, and these were included in a plasmid construct flanking a β-galactosidase reporter gene. LipofectAMINE was used to deliver this DNA to HC11 cells, however, the efficiency of transient transfection was only increased by a modest 1.4-fold. 

To evaluate the effect of AAV ITRs on plasmid DNA integration, a DNA construct containing a neomycin resistance gene flanked by ITRs was transfected into HC11 cells. Additionally, this construct was co-transfected with an AAV Rep protein expression construct, which is required for site-specific integration in human cells. Neither the inclusion of ITRs, or expression of the rep gene affected the frequency of integration of the neomycin gene. 

In humans a specific advantage of using AAV is site-specific integration of the virus into a locus on human chromosome 19, known as AAVS1. Southern blot analyses were used to ascertain whether a similar site is present in mouse and other species. No clear cut evidence was found for such a site. 

Further Southern blot analysis of clonal lines derived from mouse HC11 cells that were co-transfected with a neomycin resistance gene, and an AAV rep gene construct, suggested that the site of integration was random. A novel PCR technique was utilised to amplify the site of integration. This enabled sequence data to be obtained for two HC11 clones. The site of integration for one of the clones was identified within exon 16 of Mus musculus DNA coding for the DNA dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit. The site of integration for the second clone was an unknown region of the mouse genome. An interesting characteristic of both clones was the presence of mouse B1 repeat sequences in close proximity to the sites of integration. 

These studies demonstrate that AAV-based plasmid DNA can enhance the transfection efficiency in mouse mammary epithelial cells, and they contribute toward the overall knowledge of AAV-based plasmid DNA integration into the mouse genome.

year: 2001

title: Exploring the nature of intimate relationships: A Māori perspective

authors: King, Pita

subjects: Maori

abstract: The 2002 World Report on Violence states that violence occurs in about 70 percent of intimate relationships (Krug, Dahlberg, Mercy, Zwi, & Lozano, 2002). New Zealand research indicates that more than a quarter of relationships have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), with Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand) women three times more likely to experience IPV in their lifetime. Utilising Kaupapa Māori (Māori-centred approach) and narrative methodologies, this paper explores the nature of intimate relationships from a Māori perspective, investigating how Māori initiate intimate relationships, attempt to maintain positive intimate relationships and when applicable, exit intimate relationships. The findings from two case studies reveal that intimate relationships involve identity negotiation and an incorporation of cultural values. Communication processes are highlighted as a facilitating factor of intimate relationships.

text: Exploring the nature of intimate relationships: A Māori perspective The 2002 World Report on Violence states that violence occurs in about 70 percent of intimate relationships (Krug, Dahlberg, Mercy, Zwi, & Lozano, 2002). New Zealand research indicates that more than a quarter of relationships have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), with Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand) women three times more likely to experience IPV in their lifetime. Utilising Kaupapa Māori (Māori-centred approach) and narrative methodologies, this paper explores the nature of intimate relationships from a Māori perspective, investigating how Māori initiate intimate relationships, attempt to maintain positive intimate relationships and when applicable, exit intimate relationships. The findings from two case studies reveal that intimate relationships involve identity negotiation and an incorporation of cultural values. Communication processes are highlighted as a facilitating factor of intimate relationships.

year: 2012