Active Participation In Society Research Articles

Education Inequalities in Health Among Older European Men and Women: The Role of Active Aging.

We assessed whether education inequalities in health among older people can be partially explained by different levels of active aging among educational groups. We applied logistic regression and the Karlson, Holm, & Breen (KHB) decomposition method using the 2010 and 2012 waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe on individuals aged 50+ years ( N = 27,579). Active aging included social participation, paid work, and provision of grandchild care. Health was measured by good self-perceived health, low number of depressive symptoms, and absence of limitations because of health in activities people usually do. We found a positive educational gradient for each of the three health measures. Up to a third of the health gaps between high and low educated were associated with differences in engagement in active aging activities. Policies devoted at stimulating an active participation in society among older people should be particularly focused on lower educated groups.

Beyond educational attainment: The importance of skills and lifelong learning for social outcomes. Evidence for Europe from PIAAC

AbstractEmpirical evidence suggests that educational attainment nurtures people's social outcomes and promotes active participation in society and stability. However, it is unclear to what extent other types of human capital also correlate with social outcomes. Hence, we explored the opportunity offered by the PIAAC survey through its provision of information on educational attainment, observed individual key skills proficiency, and participation in adult education and training (adult lifelong learning). We therefore studied the association between these human capital variables and social outcomes, and more specifically interpersonal trust and participation in volunteering activities. Results revealed that these social outcomes were affected not only by the formal qualification obtained, determined by the education variable, but also throughout the life‐cycle. Indeed, education and training when undertaken during adult life have a significant impact, especially on volunteering. The fact that the skill proficiency also plays a significant role is extremely relevant, as skills are more likely to change over the life‐cycle, either in a positive or negative way. Whilst the formal education received is constant after exiting the educational system, skills reflect competences more accurately: first, because those with the same level of education may have different skill levels because of differences in the quality of education or ability; second, because skills can vary over time. For example, they may increase with work experience or informal education, or decrease as a result of depreciation and ageing. These findings suggest that social outcomes are prone to be affected by many factors other than formal education, suggesting that policy makers can implement recommendations even after formal education has been completed.

Rhetoric and scientific disclosure. A proposal for the web of biotechnology companies

Rhetoric as a theory of argumentation and persuasion specially relates to a specific way of approaching scientific disclosure, which is no longer regarded as mere literacy, but as a dialogue. Such a change involves the active participation of society in making decisions on the course of science. With this framework, we believe that companies such as biotechnology whose activity arouses philias and phobias among the public — which can make its becoming — must take an active role in these talks. On the approach we have selected a sample consisting of biotech SMEs settled in four technology parks in Andalusia. We have analyzed the texts of the homepages of the 29 SMEs; because we understand that these stories themselves and not intermediated, let us know if you consider citizenship as audience interest at which he first step in making the disclosure the axis of its corporate communication. The answer is no.

SUSTAIN: the overall design of a European project on integrated care for older people

Introduction: Due to population ageing, health systems face the challenge to offer care and support to an increasing number of older people. Therefore, governments are encouraging older people to participate in society and to live at home for as long as possible, with support from formal and informal caregivers. Many people age in good health and remain active participants in society throughout their lives. However, the prevalence of frailty, (multi)morbidity and disability increases with age, eventually leading to multiple health and social care needs. These multiple needs often lead to restrictions in social participation, reduced self-reliance and care dependence, which in turn may lead to the utilisation of long-term care and support services. Sustainable health systems, addressing both health and social care needs, will be necessary to optimally support older people, while potentially restricting healthcare expenditures. Integrated care is widely acknowledged to be the way forward in care delivery to support this vision. Therefore, in an increasing number of EU Member States, integrated care initiatives are being put in place as new models for safe and efficient, prevention-oriented care to an increasing number of older people. Evidence of the effectiveness of integrated care is, however, inconclusive. Also there is little knowledge of how to practice integrated care, how to successfully implement it and how to transfer successful initiatives to other regions and health systems.In response to these challenges, a European multidisciplinary consortium has been assembled to work towards the following objectives: 1. to improve established integrated care initiatives for older people living at home with multiple health and social care needs, ensuring they are patient-centred, prevention-oriented, efficient, and safe; 2. to ensure that improvements to the integrated care initiatives are applicable and adaptable to other health systems and regions in Europe. The SUSTAIN project (i.e. Sustainable tailored integrated care for older people in Europe) is funded under Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020), and carried out by thirteen partners from nine EU Member States.Methods: The SUSTAIN project will last 48 months and is divided into three interrelated phases. During the first phase (i.e. preparation phase), we will establish working relationships with two established integrated care initiatives in seven countries (Austria, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom) that have indicated to be motivated to improve current practice. To understand where improvements are necessary, baseline assessments will take place in each of the countries to understand experiences, strengths and weaknesses, barriers to successfully put integrated care into practice, and attitude to change of stakeholders involved. In the second phase (i.e. implementation research to improve existing integrated care initiatives) based on the outcomes of the baseline assessments, tailored sets of improvement will be designed and implemented together with stakeholders (i.e. policymakers, commissioners, health insurers, health and social care professionals, older people, informal carers). The implementation of improvements and the overall evaluation of the implementation processes and its outcomes will be guided by a multi-methodological approach, the Evidence Integration Triangle (EIT). Overarching analyses will be undertaken to compare and integrate data from the different sites to robustly identify what works for whom, in what context and with what outcome. Throughout the project, the applicability and adaptability of the improvements in different context are central, to ensure that different regions and countries use each other’s knowledge and learn from each other’s experiences. In the third phase, (i.e. translation to products and impacts) previous work will be translated to products and impacts for different user groups. Tailored dissemination strategies will be designed to increase uptake of SUSTAIN’s findings. SUSTAIN is now in its preparation phase.Results and discussion: Lessons learned in SUSTAIN and international evidence and theory in the context of integrated care will be brought together in one of SUSTAIN’s main deliverables, being an online roadmap. The roadmap will be a set of instructions, guidelines and proposed actions that will provide a step-by-step guide to support designing, establishing and maintaining systems of integrated care. As such, we aim to support policy-makers and decision-makers to improve care for older people with multiple health and social care needs now and in the future by working towards more patient-centred, prevention-oriented, safe and efficient integrated care provision.

‘It gives them a place to be proud’ – Music and social inclusion. Two diverse cases of young First Nations people diagnosed with autism in British Columbia, Canada

Growing up and becoming an active participant in society can be challenging for young people. Factors such as ethnicity, disability and gender can, separately, pose difficulties. When combined, they can develop into insurmountable obstacles. The use of music interventions and activities to overcome some of these obstacles is explored in this article, using two cases of young First Nations people diagnosed with autism, in British Columbia, Canada. Although there are similarities, the differences in severity of ASD, place of residence and school situation, to mention a few factors, make a huge difference in their daily lives. Their contrasting possibilities to be present and participate in society may have implications for their social inclusion in adulthood. Results show that both traditional and contemporary music interventions can provide foundations for inclusion and they need to be carefully designed for each individual.

The patient’s perspective: How to create awareness for improving access to care and treatment of MS patients?

Background: There is currently no known cure for multiple sclerosis (MS). Four stakeholders play a major role in MS: healthcare professionals, regulators, payers and patients. Objective: In Europe, patients are represented by the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP), which aims to improve MS management and patients’ quality of life. Results: The EMSP has recently shown that there are major disparities in Europe in terms of access to care and treatment. Implementing the Code of Good Practice and a standardised MS nurse training may be useful in harmonising MS management across Europe. Additionally, the burden for novel therapeutic options to be approved by regulatory agencies has to decrease in order to provide faster access of treatment to patients. Data collection (e.g. national registers) also appears crucial to help research and shape the most effective policy in each country. Finally, people with MS should get appropriate (financial) support in order to complete their studies and find a job, as their active participation in society requires proper access to education and employment. Moreover, as they are the ones affected by MS, they seem to be best placed to represent themselves and their needs and should be consulted more often during decision-making processes by policy makers, regulators and payers.

Children as capable evaluators: evolving conceptualizations of childhood in NGO practice settings

AbstractThis paper explores the conceptualization of children and how this limits and enables opportunities for children to be active participants in society. These conceptualizations are put into applied settings by showcasing a practice example of a non‐government organization, Windermere, facilitating an evaluative feedback session with children. This provides a new angle from the bulk of peer‐reviewed literature which focuses on academic research with children. The practice example extends the conversation about the importance of listening and hearing the voice of children and contributes practical information to add to the development of child aware competencies. By linking theory and practice, this paper investigates ways of practicing, thinking and acting differently for and with children.

O Direito Fundamental ao Meio Ambiente no Contexto Ibero-Americano: Brasil e Espanha

Initially, this paper discusses the environment as a fundamental right, based on his- torical documents and legal and philosophical analysis. Then focuses on the fundamental right to environment in Ibero-American context, more specifically with Brazil and Spain. Thirdly, this paper characterizes democracy as of Jurgen Habermas, as the regime whi- ch allows the coexistence of different discourses and the active participation of society, which allows the construction of the fundamental right to environment, the care for the environment and its relationship with the dignified life guaranteed by the Constitution.

“Yo sé hablar, dije” The conditions for Peruvian domestic workers to speak out for their rights

Based on the analysis of autobiographic stories told by Peruvian domestic workers in Lima, the present article discusses the conditions for these women to stand up and speak out for their rights. Studying the speakers' use of the two verba dicendi (“verbs of speaking”) decir and hablar, it reconstructs the communicative competence these marginalised actors themselves define as necessary for their active participation in society. The analysis allows for discussing the conditions for women in Latin America to participate in the struggle against social inequalities, as well as the role and responsibility of the ethnographic research process with regard to this competence.

Teachers’ Stories of Engaging Students in Controversial Action Projects on the Island of Ireland

Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) in the Republic of Ireland and Local and Global Citizenship (LGC) in Northern Ireland keenly promote students’ active participation in society. However, the purpose of this participation is not necessarily to encourage students to campaign for change in the present but rather that ‘students are given opportunities to engage in actions and develop skills that will contribute to their becoming active participatory citizens in later life’ (NCCA (2005) CSPE Guidelines for Teachers, p. 59). This often gives rise to a culture of passive citizenship and a tendency to focus on ‘action projects’ that are safe and self-contained. This paper focuses on a five action projects carried out by a sample of teachers and students that may be considered ‘controversial’. In each case students actively campaign for equality and social justice, on local or global human rights issues and in ways that may be deemed controversial. It examines how the mainstream curriculum and school structures facilitate or impede this type of controversial action and explores the potential opportunities for greater engagement in such action through proposed curriculum reform. Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Table Normal; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria,serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

A Qualitative Study of Interdisciplinary Cooperation on Computer and English: A Case Study of Aletheia University Participated in International Volunteer Service Learning to Inner Mongolia

This action research encompasses both descriptive and prescriptive treatment of the process and outcomes of an international and interdisciplinary volunteer service learning project. The project was held in a Junior High School in Suniteyou, Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia. The descriptive, qualitative aspect captures the reflections and thoughts of volunteer-service students. Sample participants include two teachers and fourteen students (five from the department of English, and nine from Information Management) from Aletheia University. It is found that service learning provides benefits to both service providers and service receivers. The target student population benefited from improved motivation and enhanced educational resources. Simultaneously, volunteer students (service providers) received numerous benefits, such as (1) mutually beneficial interaction with students from other departments, in conjunction with help from the teachers; (2) positive spillover effects from the service receiver students’ learning enthusiasm; (3) expanded knowledge base through an active and effective task-based project (4) in conjunction with guided reflection, the project promoted positive attitudes, critical thinking and self-growth (5) experience that fosters professionalism; (6) happiness through accomplishing goals and helping others. The researchers also observed a number of problems during the service and the interdisciplinary cooperation. Even though the results showed that service provider students’ learning effectiveness developed after participating the interdisciplinary cooperation; the study also discusses the interdisciplinary cooperation on students’ impact and how interdisciplinary cooperation helped the volunteer students. Finally, this study provides many prescriptive observations for improvement. It is hoped that this study will promote the practice of offering service-learning opportunities in higher education to influence and encourage students to become active participants in society.

Presenting the Past: How the Novels of A.S. King Provide Temporality to the Teenage Experience

<p>This article examines the works of young adult literature author A.S. King through youth and temporal lenses. It argues that King’s works refute the images of teenagers as atemporal beings uninterested by and uninvolved in the past, present, and future. The analysis attempts to link King’s characters with real-life events – the Vietnam War, the current student-debt crisis, etc. – and to show teenagers as active participants in society, regardless of time period. Furthermore, the article links each book to a particular temporal period (past, present, future), and it uses these temporal periods to show how teenagers, rather than being isolated, share the same temporal struggles – the influence of past struggles, the present quest to survive, planning for the future – that plague their adult counterparts. </p>

The rights of persons with Disability Bill, 2014: How "enabling" is it for persons with mental illness?

India ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2007. This is a welcome step towards realizing the rights of the persons with disability. The UNCRPD proclaims that disability results from interaction of impairments with attitudinal and environmental barriers which hinders full and active participation in society on an equal basis with others. Further, the convention also mandates the signatory governments to change their local laws, to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and to comply with the terms of the UNCRPD in order to protect the rights of the person with disabilities, hence the amendments of the national laws. Hence, the Government of India drafted two important bill the Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 (RPWD Bill, 2014) and Mental Health Care Bill, 2013 (MHC Bill, 2013). There is no doubt that persons with mental illness are stigmatized and discriminated across the civil societies, which hinders full and active participation in society. This situation becomes worse with regard to providing mental health care, rehabilitation and social welfare measures to persons with mental illness. There is an urgent need to address this issue of attitudinal barrier so that the rights of persons with mental illness is upheld. Hence, this article discusses shortcomings in the Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 (RPWD Bill, 2014) from the perspective of persons with mental illness. Further, the article highlights the need to synchronize both the RPWD Bill, 2014 and Mental Health Care Bill, 2013 to provide justice for persons with mental illness.

Human Rights through Literature: A Proposed Course for Students of Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Taiz University, Yemen

The study aims at examining how the two disciplines such as literature and human rights can inform each other for the common purpose of bringing human rights into life of common people to ensure their basic rights. The significance of the study lies in trying to design a course for students of English language, Faculty of Arts, Taiz University. The course tries to combine human rights and literature for students of a country suffering from war and social and political unrest. The paper explores how we can create awareness among students and motivate them to be active members in society. It combines the theoretical and the practical taking literature from the pages of the novels, lines of poetry and drama into reality to make students active participants in society.

PERAN SERTA MASYARAKAT DALAM PENGELOLAAN RUANG TERBUKA HIJAU (RTH) DI KOTA BANDUNG

As a vehicle for social interaction, open spaces are expected to be able to link all of members of society (or the local community) without differentiating between their social, economic and cultural background. Green open space forms part of the urban space available in a region that has been filled with plants in order to bring ecological, social, cultural and aesthetic benefits. From the research conducted previously, it may be gathered that reaching the green open space proportion of 30% in the city region could only have been accomplished by involving many stakesholders, especially the local community members. This phenomenon piqued the interest of the researchers to conduct further research into the active participation of society (local community members) in the management of green open space and into the policies issued by the government to increase this effort. The outcome shows that the active participation of the local community members in the utilization of green open space serves not only to supervise the government policies, but it also plays an important role in managing and maintaining the green open space in their neighborhood. The expansion of the local community’s grasp of the concept being not only the party affected by its impact, but also as the interest and pressure group broadening its active participation by participating in managing the green open space, and even expanding the green open space by making agreements with the government. On the other hand, the government itself has been making various efforts to increase the active participation from society by encouraging the usage of Corporate Social Responsibility to manage the green open space and offer training sessions and courses to the local community involved.

노인일자리사업의 참여유형별 권리보장 수준에 관한 연구 -고령화에 관한 마드리드 국제행동계획을 중심으로-

본 연구는 한국노인인력개발원에서 실시한 '2012년 노인일자리사업 참여노인 실태조사' 데이터를 활용하여 '고령화에 관한 마드리드 국제행동계획'의 5개 과제를 기준으로 노인일자리사업의 참여유형별 권리보장수준을 분석하였다. 본 연구의 주요 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 사회공헌형사업의 '사회와 발전과정에 적극적인 참여' 과제의 이행수준은 높지 않았다. 둘째, '경제활동과 노동력의 고령화' 과제의 이행수준은 참여노인의 평균연령을 고려할 때 높다고 볼 수 있으나, 실제 노동시장에서의 이행 수준은 높다고 보기 어려웠다. 셋째, 시장진입형 참여노인에 대한 '지식 교육 훈련에의 접근' 과제의 이행수준이 부족한 것으로 파악되었다. 넷째, '빈곤해소', '소득보장'과제의 이행수준은 높지 않았다. 이러한 결과를 토대로 본 연구는 사회공헌형사업 일자리의 질적 수준을 높이고, 시장진입형 참여노인들에게 제공되는 교육의 질적 양적 수준의 제고가 필요하며, 노인일자리사업을 통해 지급되는 급여수준의 증액이 필요하다는 정책적 제언을 하였다. This study analyzes the right guarantee level of Job Creation Project for the Elderly by participation type based on Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. The analysis is conducted using '2012 Job Creation Project for the Elderly Participants Survey' of Korea Labor Force Development Institute for the Aged. The major findings are as follows: First, "social contribution" type's implementation level of "active participation in society and development" is not high enough. Second, considering the average age of the participants, the level of "work and the ageing labor force" is high enough while the practical level is not high in market. Third, the level of "access to knowledge, education and training" is not enough within "market entrance" participants. Fourth, the level of "poverty reduction" and "income security" is not high. Based on the results, this study proposes that the quality of "social contribution" type's occupations and "market entrance" type's education should be improved. Also, the wages of the entire occupations provided by this project need to be raised.

Making the invisible visible: how students make use of carbon footprint calculator in environmental education

Problems concerning carbon dioxide emissions and other climate change-related issues are on the global political agenda and constantly debated in media. Such issues are important for individuals to enable active participation in society. This study has a particular interest in the use of carbon footprint calculators (tools for calculating carbon dioxide emissions of human activities) in the context of learning about environmental issues and climate change. More specifically, it contributes with insights into how such tools foster different modes of reasoning about the environment. The empirical data consist of video recordings of 15 Swedish upper secondary students’ classroom discussions. The study derived from one specific half-day-lesson with activities related to the use of a carbon footprint calculator. In the first part of the lesson, the students worked individually with the tool for calculating their carbon footprint, and in the second part of the lesson, the students discussed their carbon footprints in groups. The focus of the analysis is on the group discussion and on what modes of reasoning and arguing about the environment that are made possible through the students’ use of the calculator. The study investigates the students’ accounts in relation to how they discuss and compare their carbon footprints. That is, how the students in their discussions explain and justify actions in their everyday lifestyle. The findings indicate that the carbon footprint calculator supports different modes of reasoning and arguing about the environmental impact of actions in students’ everyday lifestyle. The carbon footprint calculator offers students a new arena for developing an understanding of climate change and its relationships to human activities. The results shed light on the ways in which students are able to quantify, analyse and compare carbon dioxide emissions both on an individual level but also at a systemic level (across countries) after having used the carbon footprint calculator. The tool thus mediates features of the environment that students otherwise could not perceive; it makes the invisible visible.

La mediación como política social. Una vía eficaz para el logro de la cultura de paz

This research arises as a result of the thesis for obtaining the degree of Doctor, and aims to contribute to the strengthening of a culture of peace in Mexico, by proposing to implement peaceful conflict resolution like mediation strategies, considering it as a social policy that affects the positive transformation of conflicts. The ideal tool, dialogue and values: tolerance, cooperation, active participation of society, solidarity and justice approach to citizenship, will be the essential elements to solve conflicts of the 21st century society in effective, faster, economical and equitable manner. Mediation satisfactorily meets the requirements to be able to be considered a social policy that encourage the active participation of citizens in the solution of their conflicts, helping to undermine the crisis of justice systems.

Expressive and instrumental motivations explaining youth participation in non-profit voluntary associations: an application in Spain

This paper is intended to analyse some variables related to youth participation in voluntary nonprofit associations in order to identify the factors which lead young people to engage in active participation in society. Particularly, we present some preliminary results from a sample of young people aged 14 to 30 years old in Spain. Different measures were taken with regards to participants’ socio-demographic variables, current or past participation in different kinds of associations, intentions to enter a nonprofit association in the future, and expressive and instrumental motivations towards youth organizing. Results support that young people are more likely to take active part in expressive associations oriented to personal goals than in instrumental associations focused in social pursuits. Similarly, sociability and ludic motives are the main reasons mentioned for joining an association, while political considerations are highly unnoticed. Implications of these results for marketing in nonprofit contexts to enhance youth engagement for civic purposes are discussed.

Elderly-Friendly Neighborhoods: Case Lauttasaari

The way in which the qualities of neighborhoods are perceived is an important environmental factor that affects independent living and life satisfaction during old age. The aim of this study was to include the elderly as active participants in society. How environments are planned and built has an impact on independent coping and inclusion. Involving elderly in the planning and assessment process of developing local neighborhoods is important. Accessible housing and local service networks—private, public, and third sector—promote aging in place. Cross-sector collaboration within city services is important for planning user-friendly living environments in an integrated way.