Healthy and health promoting colleges - an evidence base

A report from a study which aimed to identify sources of evidence about existing initiatives which aim to promote physical and emotional health and well-being of young people (aged 14-19) within further education settings in England (or comparable college settings in other countries). Specifically, the study addressed the following questions, 1. What is known about the health-related needs, interests and concerns of young people attending colleges of further education in England? 2. What is known about current ‘healthy college’ provision to promote the health and well-being of students attending colleges of further education? 3. What are seen to be successful and promising approaches to health promotion among younger students attending colleges of further education (or comparable types of educational settings in other countries – such as community colleges)? What approaches show little or no promise? 4. What is known about whether certain types of approaches are more useful for particular groups of students (such as young men, young women or students with disabilities or learning difficulties), or for particular health issues (such as sexual health, smoking cessation or emotional well-being)? 5. Given what is known, what does this suggest for the development of programmes to promote health and well-being in further education (FE) college settings in England

A new paradigm for BCI research

A new control paradigm for Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) is proposed. BCIs provide a means of communication direct from the brain to a computer that allows individuals with motor disabilities an additional channel of communication and control of their external environment. Traditional BCI control paradigms use motor imagery, frequency rhythm modification or the Event Related Potential (ERP) as a means of extracting a control signal. A new control paradigm for BCIs based on speech imagery is initially proposed. Further to this a unique system for identifying correlations between components of the EEG and target events is proposed and introduced

Mental health and emotional well-being of students in further education - a scoping study

This study aimed to explore how FE colleges in England are engaging with and addressing the mental health needs of their young students (aged 16-19), both in terms of promoting positive mental health and emotional well-being and in responding to identified mental health problems

Supporting mental health and emotional well-being among younger students in further education

Over the last 25 years there has been an increase in reported behavioural and emotional problems among young people. Moreover, students in higher education (HE) are reported to have increased symptoms of mental ill health compared with age-matched controls. Some students in further education (FE) are likely to experience similar difficulties, especially as an increasing number may come from backgrounds that may make them more vulnerable to mental health problems. National policies and guidance highlight the importance of promoting the mental health of young people in general and of students in particular. This exploratory study aimed to identify whether, and in what ways, FE colleges were contributing to younger students' (aged 16-19 years) mental health. Interviews with key informants, a survey of FE colleges in England and five case studies of individual FE colleges providing specialised mental-health support services to students revealed some evidence of promising and good practice, but this did not appear to be widespread. Given the current range of college settings, no single approach to improving mental health among students is likely to be the answer. Rather, respondents highlighted a number of factors that influence the provision of support services for students: awareness among professionals of the links between students' mental health and their achievement at college; having in place national and college policies and guidance that address mental health; building an inclusive college ethos; building leadership at senior and middle manager levels; having accessible in-college and/or external support services; and the provision of professional development opportunities for staff

Pastoral Farmer Goals and Intensification Strategies

Focus groups were held with four pastoral sectors (sheep, dairy, deer, and beef) to investigate intensification strategies available to each sector. Focus groups first identified drivers of intensification in their sector, then identified the strategies they perceived as available, and evaluated the identified strategies in terms of favourability. For a researcher selected intensification strategy in each pastoral sector, benefits, barriers and solutions, and the relationship between farmer goals and the selected strategy was examined. The three main drivers of intensification in the sheep industry were profit, higher land values and return on capital. The researcher chosen strategy, high fecundity sheep, was viewed by the focus group as having benefits of increased financial security, increased profit, better return on capital and better land utilisation. However the strategy was seen as conflicting with other desirable goals such as lifestyle, social life, work variety, self reliance, environmental concerns and animal welfare. The three main drivers of intensification in the dairy sector were declining market prices, need for increased profit and need for increased productivity. The researcher chosen strategy, robotic milking, was viewed as having benefits of: reduced labour requirements, enhanced lifestyle, greater job satisfaction, reduce operational costs and increased profit. Implementation cost was viewed as a barrier as was the need for new specialised technical skills. The three main drivers of intensification in the deer industry were return on investment, competition from other land uses and returns per hectare compared with other pastoral sectors. The researcher chosen strategy, 100kg weaner by 1st June, had benefits of increased management options, increased profit, achievement of animals’ genetic potential, better predictability and a higher kill-out yield. The strategy presents challenges to animal welfare – an important consideration for the group. Three industry enterprises (dairy, calf rearers, and beef finishers) are involved in beef production. All three agreed that profit was the main driver for intensification. The researcher chosen strategy was dairy/beef progeny. Benefits of this strategy for the industry were: increased profit, access to prime markets, higher yielding quicker growing animals, and better behaved animals. The primary barrier to the success of this strategy was the need for co-operation across the three industry enterprises and the processors, and the need to ensure increased profits are distributed to all parts of the chain. Dairy farmers (the source of 65% of animals farmed for beef) were particular concerned about animal welfare issues and the consequent financial risks presented to their operations by this strategy.Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Consumer/Household Economics, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Land Economics/Use, Livestock Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,