Sing Your Heart Out: community singing as part of mental health recovery

This paper reports on a qualitative evaluation of a Norfolk-based network of community singing workshops aimed at people with mental health conditions and the general public. The aims of the study were (a) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Sing Your Heart Out (SYHO) project and (b) to identify the key features which made the project distinctive. The study draws on 20 interviews with participants, two focus groups with organisers and workshop leaders, and participative observation over a 6-month period. Interviewees all reported improvement in or maintenance of their mental health and well-being as a direct result of engagement in the singing workshops. For most it was a key component, and for some the only and sufficient component in their recovery and ongoing psychological stability. SYHO was regarded as different from choirs and from most other social groups and also different from therapy groups, music or otherwise. The combination of singing with an inclusive social aspect was regarded as essential in effecting recovery. The lack of pressure to discuss their condition and the absence of explicit therapy was also mentioned by most participants as an important and welcome element in why SYHO worked for them. The combination of singing and social engagement produced an ongoing feeling of belonging and well-being. Attendance provided them with structure, support and contact that improved functioning and mood. We conclude that the SYHO model offers a low-commitment, low-cost tool for mental health recovery within the community

‘Are they ready to fly?’ Flying faculty preparedness and professional learning: an exploratory study of transnational education staff perspectives

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the Degree of Doctorate in EducationThe international mobility of higher education institutions and courses is increasing exponentially. In 2016–17, there were 707,915 students on UK degrees outside the UK with 1.6 times more students now on UK degree programmes offshore than there are international students based at universities in the UK. They are referred to as ‘glocals’ – students having global aspirations with local experiences. Transnational education takes a number of forms, one of which involves UK academic staff working as ‘flying faculty’ offshore. This requires a tutor flying to a host country, delivering the programme of study intensively and then flying out, returning to the awarding institution in the UK. This study examines the impact of these short-term teaching sojourns by staff and their ‘lived lives’ at the pre-, during- and post-delivery stages. The study investigates what training or preparation takes place and whether the challenges and opportunities of undertaking the work of flying faculty affects them personally and/or professionally. There is also consideration of their future development needs. Six staff from two universities were interviewed as part of this research using the biographical narrative interpretive method (BNIM), supported by a focus group of twelve participants originally involved as part of a project supported by the Higher Education Academy. This wide demographic provided a significant representation of the sector with flying faculty experience ranging from zero to fifteen years. Conclusions which evolved from this study are authoritative since they emanate from experts in the field, with participant samples identified as typical. Results demonstrate that preparation and on-going support for this pedagogical practice is ad hoc, informal and of uncertain design leading to significant apprehensions for staff. A lack of focus by UK higher education institutions on the personal and pedagogic needs of flying faculty subverts any Maslowian aspirational achievements. In spite of continuing rapid growth in this area of education, there is no structured training, development or support for those staff involved. The intention of this study is to provide a starting point for higher education institutions to move forward, encouraged by regulatory, fiscal and personnel incentives. The design of personal and pedagogically structured preparation, support and development for flying faculty in the future would represent a positive paradigm shift in the way that flying faculty are prepared, developed and perceived. The results of the study should be recognised as a contribution to knowledge engendering the need for change

UNDERSTANDING THE DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF EUCALYPTUS AQUATICA A highly restricted, threatened, swamp dependent eucalypt, found in Penrose State Forest, NSW, Australia

The Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone and the Montane Peatlands and Swamps of the New England Tableland are present throughout Penrose State Forest in the NSW Southern Highlands. These environments are currently the only known habitat to support the highly vulnerable species Eucalyptus Aquatica, which is restricted to these swampy environments. In this study, an extensive field survey covering 63 hectares was conducted across three swamps in Penrose State Forest (Hanging Rock Swamp, Stingray Swamp, Webbers Creek Swamp) in order to map the distribution of Eucalyptus aquatica, to determine its habitat requirements, and to estimate the species population abundance. Eucalyptus aquatica appears to have a clumped distribution across the swamps, which tends to cluster in the centre of the swamp and progressively declines towards the swamp margins. This distributional pattern appears to be associated with peat depth, with a significant relationship being found between increasing peat depth, and the probability of Eucalyptus aquatica being present. Stingray Swamp was found to support the largest proportion of the population with an estimated population abundance of 32, 411, whereas Hanging Rock Swamp and Webbers Creek Swamp had an estimated population abundance of 9, 643 and 222 respectively. The findings of this study provide a whole new breadth of data that has not been previously available for this species, and sets a new starting point for future research and improved conservation and management of Eucalyptus aquatic

The contribution of feminist spirituality to the growth of the woman-subject

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DX214785 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo