Include me in: user involvement in research and evaluation

yesPurpose: This paper discusses the experiences of a group of ten user and carer researchers from mental health and learning disability services who worked together in a research and evaluation project between 2009 and 2012. The research project aimed to identify changes that took place as over 300 people moved from hostel accommodation into independent tenancies in flats and bungalows. These moves were part of a three year project involving a partnership between a local authority and a housing association. Design / approach: The paper describes the process of involving user and carers in the research process, identifying the challenges and benefits of involving users and carers. The ways in which people were trained and supported to take part and stay involved are outlined, as well as how the group felt they learnt new skills and increased their confidence. Findings: User involvement in research can mean different things with different levels of involvement, from consultation through to user-controlled research. The collaborative study had a range of benefits for the lives of the co-researchers, as well as contributing to the development of a new independent living service. A number of factors contribute to the success of user involvement in research and these are listed. Originality / value: This paper adds the voices of the co-researchers to the literature and provides ‘lessons learned’ for other researchers in this area

Globalization, the ambivalence of European integration and the possibilities for a post-disciplinary EU studies

Using the work of Manuel Castells as a starting point, this article explores the ambivalent relationship between globalization and European integration and the variety of ways in which the mainstream political science of the EU has attempted to deal with this issue. The analysis here suggests that various 'mainstreaming' disciplinary norms induce types of work that fail to address fully the somewhat paradoxical and counter-intuitive range of possible relationships between globalization and European integration. The article explores critically four possible analytical ways out of this paradox—abandonment of the concept of globalization, the development of definition precision in globalization studies, the reorientation of work to focus on globalization as discourse, and inter- and post-disciplinarity. The argument suggests that orthodox discussions of the relationship require a notion of social geography that sits at odds with much of the literature on globalization and while greater dialogue between disciplines is to be welcomed, a series of profound epistemological questions need to be confronted if studies of the interplay between global and social process are to be liberated from their disciplinary chains

Rethinking learning in early childhood education

This exciting book considers the nature of young children's lives and how this can, and should, inform early childhood education in practical ways. It examines: What is it like for young children to learn in the 21st century? How can we link this to new and innovative ways of providing relevant and engaging learning contexts for young children? What it means to be multiliterate in the 21st century The book explores how learning and engagement with ideas can be extended through the use of new technologies, describing how information and communications technologies enable young people to extend the boundaries of their learning and social interactions. These experiences have important implications for formal learning environments and the nature of the curriculum, including bold new approaches to teaching and learning which offer opportunities for children to investigate in new ways. This book provides examples of the ways in which early childhood teachers have extended opportunities for new types of learning for children by creating contexts in which they are able to explore and represent their ideas and thinking in multimodal formats using new technologies. This book represents a research-based discussion for rethinking learning in the 21st century and includes various case studies and scenarios to enable students and practising teachers to try out new ideas. Finally, it considers new ways of thinking about children's learning by creating a multiliteracies portrait, pedagogies and pathways profile that enables teachers to build on their strengths to plan for effective learning outcomes. Rethinking Learning in Early Childhood Education is key reading for students on Early Years courses or Primary Education pre-service teacher education programmes

Clinician experiences on training and awareness of sexual orientation in NHS Talking Therapies Services for Anxiety and Depression

Previous research that explored sexual minority service users’ experiences of accessing NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression Services highlighted the need for specific sexual orientation training. Inconsistent or lack of training may contribute to disparities in treatment outcomes between sexual minority service users and heterosexual service users. The aim of the study was to explore clinicians’ competencies working with sexual minority service users, their experiences of sexual orientation training, their view of current gaps in training provision, and ways to improve training. Self-reported sexual orientation competency scales and open-ended questions were used to address the aims of the study. Participants (n=83) included Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) and High Intensity CBT Therapists (HITs). Responses on competency scales were analysed using Kruskl Wallis Test and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative responses. Participants who identified as 25-29 years old had higher scores on the knowledge scale than 45+ year olds. Bisexual participants also had higher scores on the knowledge subscale than heterosexual participants. Three overarching themes were identified: (a) Training received on sexual minority issues by Talking Therapies clinicians, (b) Clinicians’ experiences of accessing and receiving sexual minority training, (c) Perceived gaps in current sexual minority training and ways to improve training. Findings were linked to previous literature and recommendations to stakeholders were made throughout the discussion section with the view of improving sexual orientation training