Kommunale føresetnader for at skular kan bli lærande organisasjonar : ein studie av kommunale strukturar og pedagogiske prosessar

Kommunale føresetnader for at skular kan bli lærande organisasjonar. Ein studie av kommunale strukturar og pedagogiske prosessar. Rolla til kommunane som skuleeigar står både i ei brytningstid og i eit spenningsfelt. Frå primært å ha ansvar for skulebygg, materiell og tilsetting av personale, skal kommunane no stimulere skulane til eit høgre refleksjonsnivå. Hovudfokus er ikkje på dei pedagogiske prosessane, men på output; dei skulefaglege resultata. Kvaliteten vert målt på dei nasjonale prøvane. Det forventast eit meir mangfaldig initiativ enn gode budsjettrammer for grunnskulen. Spenninga står mellom statleg styring og auka behov for lokal utviklingskapasitet. Kommunelova av 1992 opna for større fridom til å finne fram til ein mest føremålstenleg kommunal organisasjonsmodell. Dei fleste kommunane har i dag ein New Public Management-inspirert organisasjonsmodell, med flat struktur og brukarane tettare i fokus. Gjennom St.meld. 31 ’Kvalitet i skolen’, legg staten opp til eit auka krav om kvalitetsoppnåing. Den kommunale utviklingskapasiteten må føre skulane til å bli lærande organisasjonar. Det er styringslogikken som skal komme i møte både auka sentral styring og auka lokalt handlingsrom. Lærande organisasjon er eit sett med oppskrifter på korleis organisasjonar kan utvikle og tilpasse seg dei gjeldande samfunnstilhøva. Bumerka til lærande organisasjonar er at dei har eit kontinuerleg fokus på omstilling og tilpassing. Slike organisasjonar er prega av kulturar med omstillings- og fornyingsevne. Norske skular kan delast i to dikotomiar; tradisjonelle skular og utviklingsorienterte skular, og kollektivt orienterte skular og individuelt orienterte skular. I denne oppgåva argumenterer eg for at kollektiv orientering er ein føresetnad for å bli ein utviklingsorientert skule. I denne studien finn eg tre viktige kommunale føresetnader for at ein skule skal bli ein lærande organisasjon: - Kommunale strukturar og rammer Storleik på kommunen står fram som ein viktigare føresetnad enn val av kommunale organisasjonsstrukturar. Det er kommunane med eit folketal over 10.000 innbyggjarar som har ein storleik som bidreg til å oppheve ulempene ved å vere småe. Storleik eller forpliktande interkommunalt samarbeid ser ut til å vere ein føresetnad for ei produktiv skuleeigarrolle. - Produktive rektorar Dei produktive rektorane har brei arbeidserfaring utanom skuleverket. Slik røynsle gir rektor ballast til å fungere som leiar i eit kommunalt spenningsfelt. Det er slike leiarar som tek rolla som pedagogisk prosessrettleiar, og som vågar å leie skulen i ein kollektiv og prosessorientert utviklingsretning. - Fleksibel bruk av arbeidstid Fleksibel bruk av arbeidstid er ein føresetnad for kollektivt orienterte utviklingsprosessar. Lokal arbeidstidsavtale kan vere eit symbol på at skulen har diskutert seg fram til ein kritisk og konstruktiv bruk av ein viktig ressurs på skulen; lærarane si arbeidstid. Ein må ha ny tid til nye prosessar

One-to-one support with a professional Rugby League Player: A case for referral?

This article presents a reflective case study of an applied consultancy experience with a 22-year-old professional rugby league player. The primary aim of the intervention was to provide the client a confidential space where he could discuss his experiences in and outside of a sporting context while also exploring and challenging his core values and beliefs. The consultancy process lasted for 12 mo, leading to the development of a strong relationship. During this time, the client experienced multiple critical moments such as deselection from the first-team squad and contract negotiations, which at times led to reductions in his well-being and forced the trainee sport and exercise psychologist to consider his scope of practice in relation to mental health and depression. Reflections are provided that explore the possibility of referral during these moments. The case study also provides insight into the trainee sport and exercise psychologist’s philosophy of practice and how influential this can be when considering referral of a client. The importance of supervisor support during uncertain moments is highlighted, and the case study concludes with reflections from the client, trainee practitioner, and peer supervisor regarding the efficacy of the intervention and the decision not to refer

The intervention process in the European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) trial: a mixed method protocol for evaluation

Background - EuroFIT is a gender-sensitised, health and lifestyle program targeting physical activity, sedentary time and dietary behaviours in men. The delivery of the program in football clubs, led by the clubs’ community coaches, is designed to both attract and engage men in lifestyle change through an interest in football or loyalty to the club they support. The EuroFIT program will be evaluated in a multicentre pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT), for which ~1000 overweight men, aged 30–65 years, will be recruited in 15 top professional football clubs in the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the UK. The process evaluation is designed to investigate how implementation within the RCT is achieved in the various football clubs and countries and the processes through which EuroFIT affects outcomes. Methods - This mixed methods evaluation is guided by the Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance for conducting process evaluations of complex interventions. Data will be collected in the intervention arm of the EuroFIT trial through: participant questionnaires (n = 500); attendance sheets and coach logs (n = 360); observations of sessions (n = 30); coach questionnaires (n = 30); usage logs from a novel device for self-monitoring physical activity and non-sedentary behaviour (SitFIT); an app-based game to promote social support for physical activity outside program sessions (MatchFIT); interviews with coaches (n = 15); football club representatives (n = 15); and focus groups with participants (n = 30). Written standard operating procedures are used to ensure quality and consistency in data collection and analysis across the participating countries. Data will be analysed thematically within datasets and overall synthesis of findings will address the processes through which the program is implemented in various countries and clubs and through which it affects outcomes, with careful attention to the context of the football club. Discussion - The process evaluation will provide a comprehensive account of what was necessary to implement the EuroFIT program in professional football clubs within a trial setting and how outcomes were affected by the program. This will allow us to re-appraise the program’s conceptual base, optimise the program for post-trial implementation and roll out, and offer suggestions for the development and implementation of future initiatives to promote health and wellbeing through professional sports clubs. Trial Registration - ISRCTN81935608. Registered on 16 June 2015

Practitioner Perspectives on the Barriers Associated with Youth to Senior Transition in Elite Youth Soccer Academy Players

There are concerns surrounding the lack of players making the transition from youth to professional status within English professional soccer. Stakeholders, such as coaches, have been largely overlooked by researchers often focussing on player experiences. We aimed to explore soccer practitioner perceptions of the debilitating factors associated with youth to senior progression. Practitioners were chosen as they inform the working practices and are the cultural architects of the environment in which players operate. Interviews were conducted with 18 (N = 18), male (n = 17) and female (n = 1) soccer practitioners. These included coaches (n = 6), academy managers (n = 8) and staff involved with education and welfare (n = 4). Data were thematically analysed where four themes were identified (cultural climate, working practices, occupational hazards and social challenges). The analysis provided a clear picture of the transition landscape faced by players seeking to make the youth-to-senior transition through the eyes of soccer practitioners. The findings present a novel viewpoint to facilitate reflection around their own practice when managing youth to senior transitions. Further research is needed to triangulate player experiences and operational aspects of facilitating transitions which could lead to the creation of best practice guidance

How European Fans in Training (EuroFIT), a lifestyle change program for men delivered in football clubs, achieved its effect: a mixed methods process evaluation embedded in a randomised controlled trial

Background A randomised trial of European Fans in Training (EuroFIT), a 12-week healthy lifestyle program delivered in 15 professional football clubs in the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, successfully increased physical activity and improved diet but did not reduce sedentary time. To guide future implementation, this paper investigates how those effects were achieved. We ask: 1) how was EuroFIT implemented? 2) what were the processes through which outcomes were achieved? Methods We analysed qualitative data implementation notes, observations of 29 of 180 weekly EuroFIT deliveries, semi-structured interviews with 16 coaches and 15 club representatives, and 30 focus group discussions with participants (15 post-program and 15 after 12 months). We descriptively analysed quantitative data on recruitment, attendance at sessions and logs of use of the technologies and survey data on the views of participants at baseline, post program and after 12 months. We used a triangulation protocol to investigate agreement between data from difference sources, organised around meeting 15 objectives within the two research questions. Results We successfully recruited clubs, coaches and men to EuroFIT though the draw of the football club seemed stronger in the UK and Portugal. Advertising that emphasized getting fitter, club-based deliveries, and not ‘standing out’ worked and attendance and fidelity were good, so that coaches in all countries were able to deliver EuroFIT flexibly as intended. Coaches in all 15 clubs facilitated the use of behaviour change techniques and interaction between men, which together enhanced motivation. Participants found it harder to change sedentary time than physical activity and diet. Fitting changes into daily routines, planning for setbacks and recognising the personal benefit of behaviour change were important to maintain changes. Bespoke technologies were valued, but technological hitches frustrated participants. Conclusion EuroFIT was delivered as planned by trained club coaches working flexibly in all countries. It worked as expected to attract men and support initiation and maintenance of changes in physical activity and diet but the use of bespoke, unstable, technologies was frustrating. Future deliveries should eliminate the focus on sedentary time and should use only proven technologies to support self-monitoring and social interaction

Exploring the provision and motives behind the adoption of health-promotion programmes in professional football clubs across four European countries

This study mapped existing health-promotion provisions targeting adults in professional football clubs across England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal, and explored motives behind the clubs’ adoption of the European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) programme. We surveyed top-tier football clubs in the four countries and interviewed representatives from football clubs and the clubs’ charitable foundation who delivered EuroFIT. The findings showed large between-country differences, with football clubs in England reporting far greater healthy lifestyle provision than other countries. Relatively few health-promotion programmes targeted adults, particularly in the Netherlands, Portugal, and Norway. Club representatives reported that the motives for adopting the EuroFIT programme often involved adhering to both the social objectives of the football club or club’s foundation and business-related objectives. They viewed the scientific evidence and evaluation underpinning EuroFIT as helpful in demonstrating the value and potential future impact of both the programme and the clubs’ wider corporate social responsibility provision

Five-year cost-effectiveness analysis of the European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) physical activity intervention for men versus no intervention

OBJECTIVES: Increasing physical activity reduces the risk of chronic illness including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Lifestyle interventions can increase physical activity but few successfully engage men. This study aims to investigate the 5 year cost-effectiveness of EuroFIT, a program to improve physical activity tailored specifically for male football (soccer) fans compared to a no intervention comparison group. METHODS: We developed a Markov cohort model in which the impact of improving physical activity on five chronic health conditions (colorectal cancer, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and depression) and mortality was modelled. We estimated costs from a societal perspective and expressed benefits as quality adjusted life years (QALYs). We obtained data from a 4-country (England, Netherlands, Portugal and Norway) pragmatic randomised controlled trial evaluating EuroFIT, epidemiological and cohort studies, and meta-analyses. We performed deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to assess the impact of uncertainty in the model's parameter values on the cost-effectiveness results. We used Monte Carlo simulations to estimate uncertainty and presented this using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEACs). We tested the robustness of the base case analysis using five scenario analyses. RESULTS: Average costs over 5 years per person receiving EuroFIT were €14,663 and per person receiving no intervention €14,598. Mean QALYs over 5 years were 4.05 per person for EuroFIT and 4.04 for no intervention. Thus, the average incremental cost per person receiving EuroFIT was €65 compared to no intervention, while the average QALY gain was 0.01. This resulted in an ICER of €5206 per QALY gained. CEACs show that the probability of EuroFIT being cost-effective compared to no intervention is 0.53, 0.56 and 0.58 at thresholds of €10,000, €22,000 and €34,000 per QALY gained, respectively. When using a time horizon of 10 years, the results suggest that EuroFIT is more effective and less expensive compared to (i.e. dominant over) no intervention with a probability of cost-effectiveness of 0.63 at a threshold of €22,000 per QALY gained. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude the EuroFIT intervention is not cost-effective compared to no intervention over a period of 5 years from a societal perspective, but is more effective and less expensive (i.e. dominant) after 10 years. We thus suggest that EuroFIT can potentially improve public health in a cost-effective manner in the long term