Identity work and the `unemployed' worker: age, disability and the lived experience of the older unemployed

This article seeks to explore how older individuals negotiate and manage their self-identity in relation to work while situated without paid employment. After reviewing the current positions of the older unemployed in the UK, noting the substantial overlap between age and disability, we turn our attention to conceptualizing the lived experiences of individuals through exploring `identity work' as a means of understanding a non-working work identity. Based upon focus group interviews, our empirical analysis focuses on key dimensions of participants' identity practice and how they sought to manage the following social processes: imposed identities; crafting working identities; and contesting unfavourable working identities.The conclusion contextualizes the findings against a backdrop of increasing individualistic discourses underpinning approaches to employability, closes with the policy implications arising from this study, and makes suggestions for future research agendas. </jats:p

Job creation and regional change under New Labour : a shift-share analysis

The paper examines changes in UK regional employment during the period of the New Labour administration, 1997–2010, with the Blair and Brown administrations considered separately. The paper employs a shift-share analysis of workplace employment data by industry and subregion, using annual data from the UK Labour Force Survey. The results reveal significant regional shifts, with interesting spatial dynamics in and around the capital and resilient employment growth in the provinces

Jantung Kreatifitas Guru Dalam Menyongsong Program Sertifikasi Dan Pendidikan Profesi

Kelangkaan kreativitas guru dalam mengembangkan media pembelajaran berbasis multimedia disebabkan oleh beberapa kendala. Kendala sistemik yang  meliputi kendala sistem-sistem sosial, politik dan ekonomi. Sedangkan kendala praktik meliputi kondisi geografis, kondisi teknologi, kondisi sumber daya manusia dan kondisi keuangan. Namun dalam menyongsong program sertifikasi dan pendidikan profesi, guru harus tetap mengembangkan kreatifitas di bidang proses belajar mengajar berbasis multimedia. Adapun proses pengembangan yang dilakukan guru dalam menepis kendala proses belajar mengajar(PBM) berbasis multimedia dengan melakukan analisis kebutuhan, merancang desain, menyusun naskah, membuat format naskah multimedia, merencanakan produk. Dengan demikian, kendala yang dialami guru selama ini akan terjawab, sehingga tujuan dari Undang-undang Guru dan Dosen, lebih khusus uji sertifikasi dan profesi guru dalam meningkatkan kompetensi kreatifitas guru akan segera terjawab, sehingga guru mampu meningkatkan kualitas hidup dan pendidikan Indonesia yang bermutu dan berdayaguna demi membangun bangsa dan negara ini.

Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Kesulitan Belajar Mata Pelajaran IPS Ekonomi

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor yang mempengaruhi kesulitan belajar mara pelajaran IPS Ekonomi Siswa Kelas VIII SMP Negeri 36 Semarang Tahun 2005/2006. Populasi adalah siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 36 SemarangTahun 2005/2006 sejumlah 303 siswa. Sampel yang diambil sejumlah 173 siswa. Pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik random sampling. Dalam penelitian ini peneliti mengkaji faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kesulitan belajar mata pelajaran IPS Ekonomi siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 36 Semarang Tahun 2005/2006. Alat pengumpulan data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah angket. Data yang dikumpulkan dianalisis dengan metode analisis faktor dengan menggunakan software SPSS. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa terdapat tujuh (7) faktor yang berpengaruh terhadap kesulitan belajar mata pelajaran IPS Ekonomi. Ketujuh faktor tersebut adalah: (1) sarana dan prasarana belajar di rumah, (2) dukungan sekolah, (3) minat siswa, (4) dukungan keluarga, (5) perhatian siswa, (6) kondisi jasmani siswa, dan (7) guru. Ketujuh faktor ini memiliki pengaruh yang besar terhadap kesulitan belajar mata pelajaran IPS Ekonomi siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 36 Semarang. Hal ini ditunjukkan dengan koefisien varian sebesar 63,706%. Dalam hal ini berarti faktor-faktor yang dikemukakan dalam penelitian ini mampu menjelaskan besarnya pengaruh terhadap kesulitan belajar mata pelajaran IPS Ekonomi sebesar 63,706% sedangkan sisanya 36,294% merupakan faktor-faktor lain yang tidak diungkap dalam penelitian ini.Berdasarkan hasil penelitian di atas, dapat. Besarnya pengaruh dari faktor-faktor yang ada hendaknya dapat memacu semua pihak yang terkait untuk mengoptimalisasikan keberadaan dan manfaat dari berbagai faktor yang ada

HUBUNGAN DUKUNGAN SOSIAL TEMAN SEBAYA DENGAN MOTIVASI BELAJAR DALAM PROGRAM SEKOLAH LIMA HARI DI SMAN 5 SEMARANG

Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan antara dukungan sosial teman sebaya dengan motivasi belajar pada siswa SMA Negeri 5 Semarang. Motivasi belajar merupakan kondisi psikologis yang membangkitkan, menggerakkan, mengarahkan dan mempertahankan perilaku sehingga individu berbuat kreatif dan lebih baik sehingga mampu menyelesaikan tugas yang diberikan guru. Subjek pada penelitian ini terdiri dari 119 siswa kelas X yang mayoritas terdiri dari remaja pertengahan dan akhir. Teknik sampling yang digunakan adalah cluster sampling. Penelitian ini menggunakan dua skala sebagai alat ukur, yaitu skala Dukungan Sosial Teman Sebaya (42 butir; α=0,926) dan Skala Motivasi Belajar (33 butir; α=0,916). Hasil analisis regresi menunjukkan adanya hubungan hubungan positif yang signifikan antara dukungan sosial teman sebaya dan motivasi belajar. (r = 0,500; p<0,001) Dukungan sosial teman sebaya memberikan sumbungan efektif sebesar 25% terhadap motivasi belajar. Kata kunci: Dukungan Sosial Teman Sebaya; Motivasi Belajar; Program Sekolah Lima Hari Abstract This study aims to determine the correlation between peers social support and the motivation of learning in Senior High School students 5, Semarang. Motivation to learn is a psychological condition that generates, moves, directs and maintains the behavior so that individuals do better and more creative so the students will be able to complete the task given by the teacher. Subjects in this study consisted of 119 students of class X which consisted mostly of middle and late adolescents. The sampling technique used by researcher is cluster sampling. This study uses two scales as a measuring tool: Peer Social Support scale (42items; α = 0,926) and Learning Motivation Scale (33 items; α = 0,916). The result of regression analysis shows a significant positive relationship between peer social support and learning motivation. (r = 0,500; p <0.001) Peer social support provides an effective contribution of 25% towards learning motivation. Keywords: Peer Friends Social Support; Motivation to learn; Five Day School Progra

Identification of the factors associated with outcomes in a condition management programme

&lt;p&gt;Background: A requirement of the Government’s Pathways to Work (PtW) agenda was to introduce a Condition Management Programme (CMP). The aim of the present study was to identify the differences between those who engaged and made progress in this telephone-based biopsychosocial intervention, in terms of their health, and those who did not and to determine the client and practitioner characteristics and programme elements associated with success in a programme aimed at improving health.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Methods: Data were obtained from the CMP electronic spreadsheets and clients paper-based case records. CMP standard practice was that questionnaires were administered during the pre- and post-assessment phases over the telephone. Each client’s record contains their socio-demographic data, their primary health condition, as well as the pre- and post-intervention scores of the health assessment tool administered. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the database variables. Clients were included in the study if their records were available for analysis from July 2006 to December 2007.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Results: On average there were 112 referrals per month, totalling 2016 referrals during the evaluation period. The majority (62.8%) of clients had a mental-health condition. Successful completion of the programme was 28.5% (575 “completers”; 144 “discharges”). Several factors, such as age, health condition, mode of contact, and practitioner characteristics, were significant determinants of participation and completion of the programme. The results showed that completion of the CMP was associated with a better mental-health status, by reducing the number of clients that were either anxious, depressed or both, before undertaking the programme, from 74% to 32.5%.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Conclusions: Our findings showed that an individual's characteristics are associated with success in the programme, defined as completing the intervention and demonstrating an improved health status. This study provides some evidence that the systematic evaluation of such programmes and interventions could identify ways in which they could be improved.&lt;/p&gt

Hyaluronan (HA) glycopolymers and self-assembling HA-binding peptides: a synthetic toolbox for probing HA-peptide/protein interactions and creating supramolecular HA biomaterials

PhDHyaluronan (HA) is a highly abundant anionic polysaccharide found throughout mammalian connective tissues. Unlike other glycosaminoglycans, HA is non-sulfated and its alternating chemical structure is invariable. Despite its simplicity, HA is involved in the extracellular matrix organization and many other aspects of cell behaviour. Using HA as a model polymer, we took inspiration to design and synthesize glycopolymers based on HA and self-assembling HA-binding peptides. Glycopolymers provide an alternative to conventional polysaccharides by offering the possibility to display sugars across the polymer at defined densities, while providing a robust polymer backbone rather than the glycosidic bonds, potentially forming more stable biomaterials with similar biological activity. The synthesis of alternating, homo and statistical HA neoglycopolymers was achieved via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation. The monosaccharides are grafted onto the polymers backbone by post-polymerisation click reactions to achieve the desired glycopolymers. These glycopolymers share some properties of native HA, such as water solubility and negative charge. Binding studies showed the ability of these glycopolymers to interact with HA-binding peptides and proteins, whilst not presenting any cytotoxicity behaviour. This approach provides control over the type and variation of saccharides, not be possible using natural HA, suggesting their potential use in mechanistic studies to understand HA binding processes. Peptides, on the other hand, have received increasing interest as potential biomaterials due to their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability. Peptides can be engineered to drive their self-assembly into defined nanostructures, such as micelles and fibers. By designing HA-binding peptides with self-assembling properties, their combination with natural HA resulted in the formation of supramolecular hydrogels or membranes. Whilst the synthesis of large molecules like proteins is still a challenge, peptide synthesis is relatively simple and their self-assembly can result in nanomaterials with structures and functions resembling proteins. The synthetic molecules described in this thesis can be used as probes to better understand the role and binding of HA as well as reveal new applications.European Union (FP7), Maria Curie Career Integration Grant, SupraHApolymers (PCIG-GA2013-6318717

Exclusionary employment in Britain’s broken labour market

There is growing evidence of the problematic nature of the UK’s ‘flexible labour market’ with rising levels of in-work poverty and insecurity. Yet successive Governments have stressed that paid work is the route to inclusion, focussing attention on the divide between employed and unemployed. Past efforts to measure social exclusion have tended to make the same distinction. The aim of this paper is to apply Levitas et al’s (2007) framework to assess levels of exclusionary employment, i.e. exclusion arising directly from an individual’s labour market situation. Using data from the Poverty and Social Exclusion UK survey, results show that one in three adults in paid work is in poverty, or in insecure or poor quality employment. One third of this group have not seen any progression in their labour market situation in the last five years. The policy focus needs to shift from ‘Broken Britain’ to Britain’s broken labour market

JANTUNG KREATIFITAS GURU DALAM MENYONGSONG PROGRAM SERTIFIKASI DAN PENDIDIKAN PROFESI

Kelangkaan kreativitas guru dalam mengembangkan media pembelajaran berbasis multimedia disebabkan oleh beberapa kendala. Kendala sistemik yang  meliputi kendala sistem-sistem sosial, politik dan ekonomi. Sedangkan kendala praktik meliputi kondisi geografis, kondisi teknologi, kondisi sumber daya manusia dan kondisi keuangan. Namun dalam menyongsong program sertifikasi dan pendidikan profesi, guru harus tetap mengembangkan kreatifitas di bidang proses belajar mengajar berbasis multimedia. Adapun proses pengembangan yang dilakukan guru dalam menepis kendala proses belajar mengajar(PBM) berbasis multimedia dengan melakukan analisis kebutuhan, merancang desain, menyusun naskah, membuat format naskah multimedia, merencanakan produk. Dengan demikian, kendala yang dialami guru selama ini akan terjawab, sehingga tujuan dari Undang-undang Guru dan Dosen, lebih khusus uji sertifikasi dan profesi guru dalam meningkatkan kompetensi kreatifitas guru akan segera terjawab, sehingga guru mampu meningkatkan kualitas hidup dan pendidikan Indonesia yang bermutu dan berdayaguna demi membangun bangsa dan negara ini.   Kata kunci: PBM Berbasis Multimedia, Kendala, Kreatifitas Guru, Sertifikasi Profesi.</em