Nadia Brookes, Sinead Palmer and Lisa Callaghan
The purpose of this paper is to report on the views and experiences of older people using Shared Lives (adult placement) in 2012/2013.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on the views and experiences of older people using Shared Lives (adult placement) in 2012/2013.
Design/methodology/approach
As part of a survey collecting information about outcomes for older users of Shared Lives issues of whether it had made a difference to quality of life, and positive and negative experiences of support were explored.
Findings
Questionnaires were returned by 150 older people using Shared Lives services. Findings suggest that this model of community-based support has a number of advantages for some older people, such as reducing social isolation and loneliness, promoting independence, choice and control, providing emotional support and increased well-being.
Research limitations/implications
The questionnaire was self-completed and so responses were not followed up to provide deeper insights.
Practical implications
Shared Lives is not appropriate for everyone but it is suggested that this option should form part of local commissioning strategies, be part of a range of options for social care practitioners to consider in their work with older people and helps to meet various current policy imperatives.
Originality/value
The potential of Shared Lives for older people is under-researched and this paper contributes to the literature in exploring the views of older people about family-based support in the community.
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Nadia Bhuiyan, Margaret Young and Daniel J. Svyantek
Over one million individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will be entering adulthood and attempting to cultivate fulfilling, meaningful life experiences. These…
Abstract
Over one million individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will be entering adulthood and attempting to cultivate fulfilling, meaningful life experiences. These young adults with ASD represent Generation A. The workplace will be a major element in cultivating fulfilling lives for Generation A. Social interaction is an integral component for functioning within most postsecondary and occupational settings. It is necessary to understand the interaction between autistic adults and organizations to understand potential social and behavioral deficits. The workplace is inherently a social place. Understanding both formal and informal social information in the workplace may be critical to successful job performance. Fit, particularly person–organization fit, is used to address this social nature of the workplace. Understanding this interaction helps provide a means for crafting both individual and organizational interventions which support autistic adults in the workplace. This chapter provides an analysis of interventions that support those with ASD in the workplace. It is proposed that these interventions will help create a more supportive work environment for those with ASD. As important, it is proposed that the accommodations for those with ASD are reasonable for any organization seeking to improve both satisfaction and performance for all its employees. By addressing these issues, organizations have the potential to create a more satisfying workplace for all workers, not just those in Generation A.
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This paper presents comparative studies of modern transportation systems in the Bengal Delta and British Borneo. To meet the demands of the new modes of resource extraction, the…
Abstract
This paper presents comparative studies of modern transportation systems in the Bengal Delta and British Borneo. To meet the demands of the new modes of resource extraction, the British colonial rulers introduced a new transportation system in both regions and built roads, railways, and navigational routes connecting major commercial and political centers. There has been little research into the historical connections between modern transportation and environmental changes in colonial South Asia and Malaysia. When modern transportation was introduced, environmental consequences were rarely considered. As a result, significant ecological changes and declines were unintentionally caused. The environmental changes brought about by these transportation systems in these two regions were not the same one from the other. For example, railroad construction harmed the plains and waterways in the Bengal Delta, whereas, in British Borneo, rubber plantations for the global market harmed the rainforests.
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Linda Hume, Nadia Khan and Martin Reilly
The purpose of this paper is to outline the development and piloting of a training intervention for social care staff that uses a capable environments framework to improve the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to outline the development and piloting of a training intervention for social care staff that uses a capable environments framework to improve the quality of staff support.
Design/methodology/approach
A single case study was used to evaluate changes in the quality of staff support and in levels of engagement and challenging behaviour for one of the individuals supported.
Findings
The case study demonstrates the usefulness of the capable environments framework as a model for training and development of support planning. Staff provided more positive interaction and support to the individual, who displayed increased participation in activities and reductions in the occurrence and episodic severity of challenging behaviour.
Originality/value
Capable environments is a systematic, theoretically-driven approach, which is focussed on the quality of support design and provision for people with intellectual disability. The use of such a framework as an intervention assists staff in the provision of effective personalised supports, a foundation for positive behaviour support.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the way people in a collectivist culture, particularly Egyptians, define social isolation and to understand the effect of social…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the way people in a collectivist culture, particularly Egyptians, define social isolation and to understand the effect of social isolation on maintaining traditional networks of social relations.
Design/methodology/approach
To do this, online ethnographic semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposeful sample of non-infected Egyptians who have access to social media networks.
Findings
Although collectivism may be perceived as a risk factor in developing countries, it has positive effects on reducing the spread of COVID-19 among Egyptians through the preventive measures it entails. Increased fear, worries and anxiety about the family and in-group members is a limiting factor against the prevalence of the disease, despite the emotional hardships experienced by individuals.
Research limitations/implications
The sample interviewed does not refer to the entire Egyptian population, since the number of social media users represents 43.5% of Egyptians. Therefore, generalization of research data may be problematic.
Practical implications
The paper aims to raise awareness of the important of stressing collectivist character traits since they can help develop more preventive measures against the spread of the disease. Research findings also indicate that there is a need to coexist with the disease under controlled conditions to lessen the psychological risks of social isolation.
Originality/value
In light of the paucity of research carried out on COVID-19, the present research provides a pioneering insight into the meaning of social isolation in a collectivist culture and the distinctive local methods adopted by people to maintain their networks of social relations.
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Those who contemplate attending the Annual Conference of the Library Association at Portsmouth would be well advised to secure their accommodation immediately if they have not…
Abstract
Those who contemplate attending the Annual Conference of the Library Association at Portsmouth would be well advised to secure their accommodation immediately if they have not done so already. The demands upon hotel space have been very much greater than even sanguine members anticipated, and already we hear of people being refused rooms because they are no longer available. Portsmouth, of course, is the naval centre of the Empire, and that common‐place piece of knowledge is magnetic, nevertheless. There are other attractions in Portsmouth. Its situation, practically adjacent to the Isle of Wight, with all its charms, on one side, and its nearness to the New Forest and the belt of Hampshire towns on the west, and on the east with such places as Chichester, Selsey, Bognor, Worthing, and Brighton make it, from the location point of view, of special interest. There is the further call of the literary associations of Portsmouth. Every book on the Navy has something about it, as those of us who read W. H. G. Kingston, Captain Marryatt and many another sea‐author can testify. Perhaps the most important author who came out of Portsmouth was not a sea‐writer but the son of a naval outfitter—George Meredith. Pernaps to a post‐War generation he seems old‐fashioned, involved, unnecessarily intricate, precious, and possesses other faults. This is a superficial point of view, and certainly in his poems he rises to heights and reaches depths that are denied to most writers of to‐day. In any case, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel and Beauchamp's Career, to say nothing of The Egoist, are among the great novels of the English language.
Melanie Randle and Nadia Zainuddin
Governments are increasingly marketising human services in developed countries, with the aim of giving individuals more choice and control over the support they receive…
Abstract
Purpose
Governments are increasingly marketising human services in developed countries, with the aim of giving individuals more choice and control over the support they receive. Marketisation effectively transforms “clients” into “consumers” who are exposed to competitive market conditions and the marketing strategies of service organisations. However, the heterogeneity amongst citizens leaves some segments of populations more vulnerable within marketised systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the marketisation of human services on the value delivered to consumers of disability services. Given that the nature of disabilities can vary greatly, the study also examines the impact of the degree of disability on value creation and destruction for disability service consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative, individual-depth interviews were conducted with 35 participants: 17 were consumers of disability services (either because they have a disability or care for someone who does) and 18 were disability service providers (for example, managers of disability programmes).
Findings
Factors that influence value creation and destruction include quality and turnover of staff, organisation and communication of service providers, ability to advocate effectively, level of funding and accessibility of services. Heterogeneity amongst consumers is also identified as a key factor affecting the creation and destruction of value.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to apply marketing techniques, such as market segmentation, to identify heterogeneity in relation to value creation and value destruction in the context of human services. It also considers the notion of consumer vulnerability, stemming from disability, as an important lens through which the outcomes of marketised human service systems can be evaluated.
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The purpose of this study is to build upon existing literature regarding student engagement by exploring belonging on campus as an aspect of this. It examines how students…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to build upon existing literature regarding student engagement by exploring belonging on campus as an aspect of this. It examines how students understand, experience and articulate belonging at the university wide level and aims to incorporate the student perspective and voice into discussions on engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
The exploratory research employed a mixed method, but largely qualitative approach, to examine the understandings, experiences and perspectives that people hold and make use of. An online questionnaire (using open and closed questions), several snap‐shot interviews and seven in‐depth semi‐structured interviews were used to establish the central issues via thematic analysis.
Findings
A number of key themes are presented in relation to how and why students felt they belonged, and indeed why some students felt that they did not belong, were not included or even excluded. The findings revealed that the campus is a factor worthy of attention when considering student engagement, that students do have a sense of belonging that is related to this and that there could be implications for engagement and even retention for those whose sense of belonging or inclusion is questioned or compromised.
Practical implications
It also raises practical implications for institutions in terms of how to organise and develop campus space and activity to help foster belonging and community. Suggesting that it would be beneficial to consider access to participation and involvement through campus spaces and opportunities in order to enhance engagement and feelings of inclusion and belonging.
Originality/value
This paper offers further insight into student engagement by considering belonging beyond classroom interactions, via the wider campus and at university level.
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Olumide Olusegun Olaoye, Olatunde Julius Omokanmi and Mosab I. Tabash
The aim of this study is twofold. First, the study examines the effect of income inequality on conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Second, the study unveils the role of…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is twofold. First, the study examines the effect of income inequality on conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Second, the study unveils the role of governance in income inequality – conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts the ordinary least square estimation technique (OLS) as the baseline model. However, given that so many panel data models exhibit some form of cross-sectional and temporal dependence, the study also adopts the Driscoll–Kraay cross-sectional and spatial-consistent covariance matrix estimator.
Findings
The study finds that income inequality fuels conflicts in SSA. Similarly, the results show that an increase in the quality of governance reduces conflicts. Importantly, the result shows that the quality of governance mitigates the negative effects of income inequality on conflicts in SSA. The research and policy implications are discussed.
Originality/value
The study examines the role governance in income inequality – conflicts nexus in SSA.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-01-2024-0055