An independent evaluation of The Filter

Existing Research In 2009, a comprehensive review of evidence relating to young people and smoking was published. Few studies were identified which focused specifically on smoking prevention or cessation interventions for young people, and the majority of the existing evidence focused on school-based programmes. We searched for Cochrane reviews and peer reviewed literature from 2009-2015. There was little research on the acceptability and effectiveness of training professionals who work with young people to deliver smoking prevention and cessation messages. There was also a dearth of evidence regarding the effectiveness of direct youth involvement in smoking prevention and cessation programmes. Evidence relating to online health promotion and young people focused primarily on educational programmes involving highly structured content, with very little evidence regarding a less formal approach. Research design A multi-faceted process evaluation of The Filter was undertaken. First, tweets sent to or from The Filter Twitter account were subjected to thematic analysis. Second, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with The Filter staff, professionals who had undergone training from The Filter and young people who had either interacted with The Filter online or as part of face-to-face workshops. Finally, surveys were developed based on the findings of the interview study, which asked professionals and young people about their experiences of all elements of The Filter programme. Results: Training for professionals working with young people The Filter training team reported that initially they designed and delivered training based on the key tobacco topics identified in Wales. This was later amended, to include smoking cessation training, and bespoke training packages. Professionals who took part in interviews reported that they valued this flexible approach to training courses and had put some of the techniques they had learnt into practice in their work with young people. This was found to be the case by professionals who took part in the online survey. Professionals also reported that the training was relevant, enjoyable and gave them new knowledge about smoking. 5 Results: Youth development, education and smoking cessation support The Filter developed a workshop-based approach to transmitting tobacco control and smoking cessation messages, which was delivered to small groups of young people in their own communities. The Filter staff reported that delivering these sessions was unproblematic, and all respondents identified a very strong rapport between The Filter staff and young people. The range of activities included in workshops was also identified as a key way of sustaining interest from young people, and visual aids were identified as particularly engaging. Some young people suggested that their interaction with The Filter had changed their planned behaviour in relation to smoking, or encouraged them to cut down or quit if they were existing smokers. Results: Online health promotion The Filter team shared tobacco control messages via a wide range of online platforms. They have achieved some level of success in terms of reach on The Filter website and potential reach on Twitter and Facebook. However, it was not possible within the confines of this research to understand if these users fit within the target demographic for the intervention, and how much overlap there was between The Filter face-to-face services and online services. The Filter staff reported that the intervention was deliverable by using a flexible approach, including the use of multiple and changing online platforms. It was not possible to understand how acceptable this intervention was to young people, as only one of The Filter’s followers agreed to take part in an online interview, and only 11 respondents to the online survey had interacted with the online resources. The evaluation of social media based interventions has been acknowledged to be a challenging area (Bailey et al., 2015) and this low response does not mean that the intervention is not reaching the targeted individuals, but that the individuals were not willing to take part in a brief evaluation. Conclusion To carry out this evaluation, we were given full access to The Filter team and their contacts in order to gather samples for the interviews and surveys. The Filter team were adaptable in their approaches to training and the use of social media over the course of the project, ensuring smoking cessation and prevention information was maintained as up to date and relevant. Professionals noted the rapport the Filter Team developed with young people was excellent. Training was high quality and professionals were able to use what they had learned from The Filter when working directly with young people. Young people liked the visual aspects of The Filter and they preferred the informal youth work approach to school based sessions on smoking. The use of The Filter social media platforms and online resources was encouraging, showing maintained growth over the course of evaluation period. Online resources were reported to be used by the majority of professionals taking part in the evaluation, however, engaging young people in the evaluation of The Filter via social media proved challenging. The data in this evaluation suggests that The Filter is a service which is feasible to deliver. The methodology of this evaluation did not allow us to examine the effectiveness of The Filter in terms of smoking prevention or cessation

Supported work experience and its impact on young people with intellectual disabilities, their families and employers

Purpose – The Real Opportunities project set out to implement a number of the approaches identified through research that can assist transition to adulthood in nine local authority areas in Wales. Supported work experience was delivered by small job coaching teams in each area. The purpose of this paper is to establish the impact of the work experience and employment teams by describing the placements provided, any change in the skills of young people, and the responses to the placements by employers, young people and their families. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected over 24 months by participating employment services. Questionnaires were administered to employers. Interviews were carried out with a sub-sample of young people (24) participating and a family member (25). Findings – Over a 24-month period 297 young people received supported work experience. In total, 262 young people had an intellectual disability, 35 an autistic spectrum disorder. Up to three placements were delivered to each person, averaging five weeks per placement, with 405 placements in total. In total, 62 per cent of those with two placements had a different category of second work placement to their first. These numbers demonstrated that work experience in community placements is possible with support. Young people improved work skills significantly between first and second placements. Employers reported high satisfaction rates with the young person’s work in a range of key performance areas and company benefits from participation for other staff, company image and customer relations. Interviews with 24 young people and 25 of their family members reported satisfaction with support and placements. Six young people had paid work now, and 33 per cent said they would get a job at some future time. Families reported changes in young person’s outlook but their view of prospects of employment remained pessimistic due to the external environment. Research limitations/implications – Implications for future research are discussed. Practical implications – Implications for transition are discussed. Originality/value – The paper provides new insight into the impact of a large number of supported work experience placements

Gold standard or fool's gold: the pursuit of certainty in experimental criminology

This article assesses some of the claims made for experimental research in the field of rehabilitation of offenders. It suggests that both policy officials and evaluators have tended to over-invest financially and intellectually in a technocratic model of reducing reoffending that emphasizes programmes for offenders, and to under-invest in models that see the process as a complex ‘people changing’ skill. It argues that the complexity of this process renders it hard to evaluate using experimental methods of evaluation such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs provide strong internal validity, but in complex settings offer weak external validity, making it hard to generalize from the experimental setting to other settings. The article suggests that the proper role for evaluative research in this field should be seen as building and testing middle-level theories about how best to change offenders’ behaviour

Supported employment, quality of jobs and employment typicalness: The experience of the Engage to Change project

Background: Paid employment represents a challenge for people with an intellectual disability and/or autism. This paper analyses the quality of jobs offered by the Engage to Change project and their relationship to the ‘typicalness’ of the employment offered. Method: Data on the quality of 384 paid jobs were collected, including hours worked and wages earned, and reported social integration at work. The typicalness of the employment experience was assessed for 141 young people, using the Index of Typicalness of Placement Questionnaire. Results: The Engage to Change project offered a wide range of jobs. There is no difference in the typicalness of the employment experience in relation to the interactions in the workplace, but there are some differences in the recruitment process for men and women. Conclusion: Job coaches should make sure that, despite the procedures being ‘atypical’ for the workplace, the outcome is ‘a typical employment experience’ for each employee

An independent evaluation of The Filter

Existing Research In 2009, a comprehensive review of evidence relating to young people and smoking was published. Few studies were identified which focused specifically on smoking prevention or cessation interventions for young people, and the majority of the existing evidence focused on school-based programmes. We searched for Cochrane reviews and peer reviewed literature from 2009-2015. There was little research on the acceptability and effectiveness of training professionals who work with young people to deliver smoking prevention and cessation messages. There was also a dearth of evidence regarding the effectiveness of direct youth involvement in smoking prevention and cessation programmes. Evidence relating to online health promotion and young people focused primarily on educational programmes involving highly structured content, with very little evidence regarding a less formal approach. Research design A multi-faceted process evaluation of The Filter was undertaken. First, tweets sent to or from The Filter Twitter account were subjected to thematic analysis. Second, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with The Filter staff, professionals who had undergone training from The Filter and young people who had either interacted with The Filter online or as part of face-to-face workshops. Finally, surveys were developed based on the findings of the interview study, which asked professionals and young people about their experiences of all elements of The Filter programme. Results: Training for professionals working with young people The Filter training team reported that initially they designed and delivered training based on the key tobacco topics identified in Wales. This was later amended, to include smoking cessation training, and bespoke training packages. Professionals who took part in interviews reported that they valued this flexible approach to training courses and had put some of the techniques they had learnt into practice in their work with young people. This was found to be the case by professionals who took part in the online survey. Professionals also reported that the training was relevant, enjoyable and gave them new knowledge about smoking. 5 Results: Youth development, education and smoking cessation support The Filter developed a workshop-based approach to transmitting tobacco control and smoking cessation messages, which was delivered to small groups of young people in their own communities. The Filter staff reported that delivering these sessions was unproblematic, and all respondents identified a very strong rapport between The Filter staff and young people. The range of activities included in workshops was also identified as a key way of sustaining interest from young people, and visual aids were identified as particularly engaging. Some young people suggested that their interaction with The Filter had changed their planned behaviour in relation to smoking, or encouraged them to cut down or quit if they were existing smokers. Results: Online health promotion The Filter team shared tobacco control messages via a wide range of online platforms. They have achieved some level of success in terms of reach on The Filter website and potential reach on Twitter and Facebook. However, it was not possible within the confines of this research to understand if these users fit within the target demographic for the intervention, and how much overlap there was between The Filter face-to-face services and online services. The Filter staff reported that the intervention was deliverable by using a flexible approach, including the use of multiple and changing online platforms. It was not possible to understand how acceptable this intervention was to young people, as only one of The Filter’s followers agreed to take part in an online interview, and only 11 respondents to the online survey had interacted with the online resources. The evaluation of social media based interventions has been acknowledged to be a challenging area (Bailey et al., 2015) and this low response does not mean that the intervention is not reaching the targeted individuals, but that the individuals were not willing to take part in a brief evaluation. Conclusion To carry out this evaluation, we were given full access to The Filter team and their contacts in order to gather samples for the interviews and surveys. The Filter team were adaptable in their approaches to training and the use of social media over the course of the project, ensuring smoking cessation and prevention information was maintained as up to date and relevant. Professionals noted the rapport the Filter Team developed with young people was excellent. Training was high quality and professionals were able to use what they had learned from The Filter when working directly with young people. Young people liked the visual aspects of The Filter and they preferred the informal youth work approach to school based sessions on smoking. The use of The Filter social media platforms and online resources was encouraging, showing maintained growth over the course of evaluation period. Online resources were reported to be used by the majority of professionals taking part in the evaluation, however, engaging young people in the evaluation of The Filter via social media proved challenging. The data in this evaluation suggests that The Filter is a service which is feasible to deliver. The methodology of this evaluation did not allow us to examine the effectiveness of The Filter in terms of smoking prevention or cessation

A demographic and qualitative analysis of the determinants of success in a National Supported Employment project

Background: People with an intellectual disability and/or autism experience low employment rates compared to the general population. This study shows what the determinants of success are in getting this group of young people into paid employment. Method: The research is based on data collected on 1008 young people, aged 16–25, participating in the Engage to Change project across Wales, to support young people to achieve employment. A real‐time data collection system was used from their engagement and throughout their journey to employment. Results: This research indicates an overall employment rate of 23% for the project to date, based on total referral. Young people who engaged in ‘significant work experience’, such as paid placement or supported internship, had a greater employment rate of 37%. Conclusion: Previous and current real work experiences increased the chances of young people of becoming employed, above the effect of supported employment and job coach support

The impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on jobs for people with intellectual disabilities and autism in Wales

Background: The study reports the impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic and lockdowns on jobs for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. The study focuses on the impact of the first and the fire‐break lockdowns and the actions taken to support young people. Method: Data was collected from the cohort of young people currently working in Wales, and that received job coach support from the Engage to Change Project, on furlough arrangements, job retainment and job losses. Innovative initiatives to support young people are described. Results: Review of the working situation during the pandemic was conducted for 184 jobs, evaluating the proportion of young people being furloughed or working remotely and compared with the general population in Wales. Conclusions: Supported employment agencies adapted their practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic, offering new and innovative ways to support young people and facilitate their return to work

Light Therapy Device for Entrainment of Circadian Rhythm Desynchronization in Microgravity

The circadian rhythm is an internal process of the brain that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Outside environmental factors can affect the circadian rhythm such as light and dark. In microgravity, astronauts witness the sun rise and set approximately 16 times per day. A disruption (desynchronization) of the circadian rhythm may then occur, with some astronauts reporting to be less alert and unable to sufficiently complete tasks. PURPOSE: To design, fabricate, and test a pair of glasses that emit blue wavelengths of light peripheral to the eyes, for set periods of time, which may promote alertness in astronauts. METHODS: The custom fitted glasses were originally designed in three-dimensional modeling software (Solidworks Premium, Waltham, MA). Components of the glasses included: frames, an Arduino Nano circuit board, tactile button switch, inductive charging components and battery, a wireless charging transmitter, and blue LEDs. The glasses emit 1000 lux at approximately 468 nm wavelength of blue light. The glasses were programmed using C++ to allow the user to wear the glasses for 30 minutes with an automatic timer to turn off the lights upon completion of the session. When fully charged, the battery can sustain a total of 8 sessions with each lasting 30 minutes. To further assess the functionality of the glasses, brainwaves measured via electroencephalography (EEG) and reaction time measured via the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) were collected before, immediately after, and one hour after a 30-min trial session while wearing the glasses in the “on” position. For one week prior to testing, participants emulated the sleep schedule of astronauts, including a strict adherence to 6.5 hours of sleep each night. Naps, caffeine, and sleep medications were also avoided during this time. RESULTS: For EEG data, morphology of beta wave activation in the frontal lobe noticeably changed after light exposure to a more jagged shape with higher frequency and lower amplitude. The control waveform and the waveform measured before light therapy exhibited greater intermixed frequencies of lower value. With regard to reaction time, when light exposure was administered on test days, participants exhibited faster reaction time responses immediately after (374.2 ± 58.1 msec) and 1-hour post (372.7 ± 65.9 msec) compared to before (530.4 ± 120.4 msec) the glasses were worn. CONCLUSION: Blue light exposure integrated into a customized pair of glasses may elicit faster response times and promote greater levels of alertness both immediately after wearing the glasses for 30 min, and one hour after the glasses have been removed