Neoliberal salvation through a gendered intervention: A critical analysis of vulnerable young women's talk.

Within the United Kingdom (UK) in recent years, disadvantaged young women have been documented as having unmet needs and experiencing inequalities resulting from their gender. Gendered social divisions are important because the structural inequalities that girls are born into influence their life chances. In response, UK policy-makers have funded intensive interventions for these ‘at-risk’ young women. This paper presents a post-structuralist, feminist analysis of young women’s talk about their journeys through a gendered support project. The project was specifically women-centred and aimed to promote early intervention and resilience working with relatively disadvantaged young women defined as being in risky life circumstances. The project used holistic, individually-focused, wrap-around support systems to engage vulnerable young women and meet their specific needs. Focus groups were carried out with the young women using creative methods of data collection. The young women were asked to make a storyboard illustrating their journey through the project and the impact it had had on them. They were then encouraged to reflect on, and talk about, their experiences. The young women took up various discourses in order to make sense of their life experiences and their involvement in the project. These include neoliberal discourses such as talk of self-improvement, reinvention and aspirations of self-control. The social and political implications of the analysis are discussed including a key argument that the young women’s discursive practices reinforce hegemonic gendered identities, neoliberal ideology and existing structural inequalities

Evaluating a gender-specific intensive intervention programme: young women's voices and experiences.

Disadvantaged young women in England have been documented as having unmet needs. This has resulted in the growth of gender-specific intensive intervention programmes in which a more holistic women-centred service approach is still being implemented. Gender matters because structural inequalities (bias and disadvantaging societal conditions) that girls are born into influences health, their outcomes and associated inequalities. Policy-makers frequently call for the outcomes of intervention programmes to be quantified and whilst this is important it can miss opportunities for critical insights into the subjective experiences of participants as well as the context and circumstances within which change occurs. This paper reports evaluation findings from a prototype project (The Way Forward) with a remit focused upon holistic improvement, using gender specific methods and approaches to promote health for disadvantaged young women within a community setting. This paper documents the voices of young women within the project, illustrated through their creation of storyboards within focus group discussions, and interview data from their support workers (Engagement Workers). Findings illustrate the importance of the relational dimension of one to one support in achieving future positive changes in the lives of young women, as well as the complexity associated with attempts to improve their health. This paper therefore presents the young women’s perspectives and experiences as well as an accompanying narrative discussing how the service enabled them to make health-related improvements with its main contribution being in the user voices

Using storyboards in participatory research.

Aim To draw on the authors’ experience of using storyboards in focus groups conducted with vulnerable young women. Background Creative methods are increasingly used in qualitative research as a means of generating richer data and of promoting more meaningful participation. This paper presents an argument for using storyboards in focus group discussions and draws on real life research with young women by way of illustration. Review Methods This is a methodology paper Discussion This paper discussed the authors’ experiences of using storyboards in participatory research. This approach has a number of advantages such as promoting participation and engagement, empowering participants and, enabling them to take more control over the research process. The theoretical and philosophical position of the authors is outlined – namely a feminist approach to research. The data collection method is then described in detail outlining each stage of the process step by step. Conclusion Using creative techniques within more traditional qualitative approaches may lead to further in-depth data as well as increased participation. Such approaches could be of value in nursing research in which patients, clients and service user perspectives are often vitally important

Evaluation Framework Review Open Doors: Help through Crisis (GIPSL and Getaway Girls)

The Open Doors, Help Through Crisis Project (HTC) was set up in 2017 as a partnership approach between three third sector, community based organisations within Harehills and Gipton. The three partner organisations are: 1. GIPSIL (Gipton Supported Independent Living Limited), providing accommodation and housing-related support, an advice service and support to access and sustain employment, education and training, principally to young people (16-24); 2. Archway Resource Centre in Harehills (a project of Renew), providing 1-1 support, counselling, family work and mediation services as well as floating support to young people living independently; 3. Getaway Girls in Harehills, enabling vulnerable young women aged 11-25 to build confidence, develop new skills and take positive risks in an environment which offers co-operation and support. This report presents the findings from an evaluation framework review of Open Doors (HLC) conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University. It presents evidence about our methodological review and recommendations that emerge from this

An evaluation of the Department of Health’s Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund

The Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund (HSCVF) is an innovative programme that was established in 2009 by the Department of Health (DH) to build organisational and community capacity for volunteering through a national and local grant scheme. The HSCVF has offered both funds and tailored support to health and social care projects delivered by Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations. The HSCVF is managed by a partnership led by Ecorys and with expertise from leading national voluntary sector organisations: Attend, Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and Primetimers. To date the HSCVF has funded a total of 157 local and national projects, of which 114 are currently live. This report presents findings from an evaluation of the HSCVF with a specific focus on the 2010/2011 national and local projects, conducted by a team from the Institute for Health & Wellbeing at Leeds Metropolitan University. It presents evidence on the extent to which, how and in what ways the HSCVF programme has built organisational and community capacity across the national and local HSCVF projects, as well as on the health and social outcomes that resulted

Assessing the conservation status of marine habitats: thoughts from a sandflat on the Isles of Scilly.

Statutory monitoring of the fauna of the ‘mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide’ biotope complex on St Martin’s Flats, a part of the Isles of Scilly Complex Special Area of Conservation, was undertaken in 2000, 2004 and 2009. The targets set by Natural England for “characteristic biotopes” were that “composite species, abundance and diversity should not deviate significantly from an established baseline, subject to natural change”. The three specified biotopes could not be distinguished, and instead three assemblages were subjectively defined based on sediment surface features. There were statistically significant natural changes in diversity and species composition between years, especially in the association initially characterized by the razor-clam Ensis, and possible reasons for this are discussed. It is suggested that setting fixed local limits on natural variability is almost always impractical. Two possible approaches to distinguishing between natural and anthropogenic changes are suggested; a change in ecological condition as indicated by AMBI scores, and a significant change in average taxonomic distinctness (Δ+) compared with expectation. The determination of species biomasses as well as abundances might also open more possibilities for assessment. The practice of setting objectives for a marine SAC feature that include the range and number of biotopes cannot be supported, in view the difficulty in ascribing assemblages to recognised biotopes. A more realistic definition of species assemblages might best be gained from examination of the species that consistently make a substantial contribution to the Bray Curtis similarity among samples collected from specific sites

Health promotion education in changing and challenging times: reflections from the UK

Health education has changed in numerous ways since the inception of this journal, with many developments moving the discipline forward in ways that perhaps were not envisaged 75 years ago. Whilst there have been reported concerns about the decline of the discipline of health promotion and therefore associated worries about education, the contemporary evidence base has grown (Woodall et al 2017 in press), which we argue supports the delivery of quality education and the development of capable, skilled practitioners. Pedagogy has further developed too, and technology now enables health education to have a broader global reach through online teaching, social media and open-access publications. Many global challenges remain, and the UK context is one in which both health education and indeed practice faces major trials despite the traditions and approaches to health education developed by those educated and trained in this setting over a period of many years. We argue that the broader UK policy environment remains a challenge to current health promotion education, research and practice

Changing Lives, Saving Lives: Women Centred Working – an evidence-based model from the UK

Relative disadvantage and deprivation are significant problems for vulnerable women in urban areas in England. Despite experiencing a range of complex health needs such women do not always meet the required thresholds for statutory help or if they do, they are often unable to engage with the requirements of these service providers. Third sector (or non-governmental) organisations have often supported women in need but operate time-limited programmes due to funding restrictions. In a climate where statutory support systems are being systematically weakened, third sector organisations are playing a more significant role in supporting vulnerable women. This paper will present key findings from several evaluations of projects delivered by non-governmental organisations which are designed to make a difference to women’s lives. The findings cohere around what works providing evidence of effective approaches to supporting vulnerable women with complex needs. A transferable model of women-centred working is presented