City Region Research Articles

Structural Analysis of Servant Leadership Promotes Employee Resilience and Organizational Citizenship Behavior among Employees

This research aims to elucidate the relationship between servant leadership and organizational citizenship behavior mediated by employee resilience. The research employed a descriptive and verificative method with data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling. Primary data were collected through a survey of 398 employees from a state-owned bank in the Batam City region. The findings reveal that employee resilience has a positive and significant effect on the relationship between servant leadership and organizational citizenship behavior. The impact of servant leadership on organizational citizenship behavior is more dominant compared to the influence of employee resilience. However, this study has limitations. Organizational citizenship behavior is not solely influenced by servant leadership and employee resilience but is also affected by other factors, necessitating further research. The results of this study also suggest expanding the scope of the analytical unit to provide a broader contribution to the understanding of organizational citizenship behavior.

Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 Genomes in Wastewaters and the Associated Potential Infection Risk for Plant Workers in Typical Urban and Peri-Urban Communities of the Buffalo City Region, South Africa.

The presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater has been reported in several studies and similar research can be used as a proxy for an early warning of potential Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks. This study focused on profiling the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 genomes in wastewater samples obtained from facilities located in the Buffalo City Municipality. Raw samples were collected weekly using the grab technique for a period of 48 weeks. Ribonucleic acids were extracted from the samples, using the QIAGEN Powersoil Total RNA Extraction kit, and extracted RNA samples were further profiled for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genomes using Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) technique. Furthermore, various environmental matrices were utilized to estimate the potential health risk to plant operators associated with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 viral particles using the quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) model. Our findings revealed the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 genomes with concentrations that ranged from 0.22 × 103 to 17.60 × 103 genome copies per milliliter (GC/mL). Different exposure scenarios were employed for the QMRA model, and the findings indicate a probability of infection (P(i)) ranging from 0.93% to 37.81% across the study sites. Similarly, the P(i) was highly significant (p < 0.001) for the 20 mL volumetric intake as compared to other volumetric intake scenarios, and high P(i) was also observed in spring, autumn, and winter for all WWTPs. The P(i) was significantly different (p < 0.05) with respect to the different seasons and with respect to different volume scenarios.

Coupling coordination of urbanization with ecological environment and influencing factors in Loess Plateau of China.

The ecological damage caused by the accelerated urbanization process has continued to endanger the sustainable development of the Loess Plateau region, and the conflict between economic development and environmental protection has become increasingly critical. It is meaningful to explore the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between urbanization (UZ) and the ecological environment (EE) in the Loess Plateau and the mechanism of its influence to eliminate the locking of the rapid urbanization development paths in ecologically fragile regions, using panel data of 39 cities in the Loess Plateau region from 2010 to 2020. The empirical results have found that the level of UZ shows a fluctuating upward trend while the level of EE fluctuates and decreases. The synthesis CCD is at a barely coordinated level with an apparent upward trend, and the spatial characteristics are represented by "central depression," with low levels in the neighboring cities and high levels in the provincial capital cities. Regarding the driving factors, residents' living, industrial structure, and openness have a favorable impact on CCD, while enhancing the government's regulatory capacity has a negative blocking effect. These findings provide novel insights into the Loess Plateau's regional sustainable development.

A significance of smart city pilot policies in China for enhancing carbon emission efficiency in construction.

The Chinese government seeks to promote economic growth and sustainable development while achieving carbon neutrality by establishing phased smart city pilots. Therefore, it is important to study whether smart city pilots can promote carbon emission efficiency (CEE). This paper constructs a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) model based on panel data from 241 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019, aiming to investigate the mechanism of the impact of smart city pilot policies (SCPP) on CEE and whether there is a rebound effect. The study found that smart city construction (SCC) significantly improves carbon efficiency, with pilot cities increasing their CEE by 1.4% compared to non-pilot cities. The conclusions remain robust under a variety of scenarios including the introduction of placebo tests, counterfactual tests, sample data screening, and omitted variable tests. The results of the mechanism test show that although the rebound effect can inhibit the improvement of CEE, the environment can be improved and the CEE can be enhanced through green technology innovation, industrial structure upgrading, energy structure optimization, environmental regulation effect, information technology support, and resource allocation effect. The heterogeneity results indicate that the SCPP is more effective in promoting CEE in cities in the eastern region, southern cities, environmentally friendly cities, large cities, and medium-sized cities. This study contributes to the existing literature in clarifying the environmental benefits of SCPP and provides valuable policy insights for cities to address climate change and sustainable development.

Evaluation and Prediction of Regional Innovation Ecosystem from the Perspective of Ecological Niche: Nine Cities in Hubei Province, China as the Cases

Based on niche theory, this paper constructs an evaluation index system for regional innovation ecosystem suitability from four aspects: innovation benefits, innovation technology, innovation culture, and innovation policy. The niche evaluation model is used to calculate and compare the suitability and evolutionary momentum of the innovation ecosystems in nine prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province from 2017 to 2022. Using the grey prediction model GM (1,1), the development of niche suitability for the nine prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province over the next five years is predicted. The results showed that, from the perspective of the niche, the overall suitability of the innovation niches in the nine prefecture-level cities of Hubei Province is relatively low, with higher evolutionary momentum, and the two exhibited a reverse development trend. The forecast results indicated that the suitability of the innovation niches in the nine prefecture-level cities of Hubei Province will follow different development trends in the next five years, with central cities showing higher development than non-central cities. Accordingly, this study provides a more scientific method for the evaluation, monitoring, forecasting, and improvement of regional innovation ecosystems at the city level. It supports policy formulation and strategic planning for the nine prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province and other regions from the aspects of innovation benefits, innovation technology, innovation culture, and innovation policy. At the same time, this study also provides new research pathways for the academic community, encouraging scholars to adopt multidisciplinary and multi-faceted approaches to explore the complexity and dynamics of regional innovation ecosystems in depth. It utilizes this information to optimize and adjust regional innovation policies to better adapt to the needs of global innovation competition.

Assessment of Puccinia polliniicola as a potential biological control agent for Microstegium vimineum.

Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus, commonly called stiltgrass, is a dominant weed in the United States and China. Although a lot of control approaches have been attempted, an economic, effective and practical measure has not been available to control the weed so far. A serious rust disease of Microstegium vimineum was observed in three regions of Wenzhou city in China, from 2019 to 2021, with a disease incidence ranging from 82% to 97%. Typical rust disease symptoms on Microstegium vimineum were prominently visible during the early monsoon season (June-July), with chlorotic spots on the leaf surfaces. The morphological characterization of the strain WZ-1 which was isolated from the diseased leaves was consistent with Puccinia polliniicola. The virulence tests showed that the average disease index of Microstegium vimineum plants could reach 35% at 10 days post-inoculation. The host specificity of Puccinia polliniicola was tested on 64 plant species from 12 families and it did not cause any diseased symptoms on 24 major crops and 36 weeds, but slightly infected four gramineous weeds, Arthraxon hispidus, Polypogon fugax, Cynodon dactylon, and Microstegium ciliatum. However, newly-produced urediniospores were not observed on the slightly infected plants. The urediniospores of strain WZ-1 infected the Microstegium vimineum leaves by two main approaches: mycelium or appressorium invaded the stoma; and mycelium or appressorium directly invaded intercellular spaces. Field experiments showed that the rust disease naturally prevailed among Microstegium vimineum populations, causing severe rust disease symptoms on the leaf surface. The rust epidemic effectively controlled all of the target plants in the closed plot where the rust was released. Puccinia polliniicola strain WZ-1 has great potential to be used as a classical biological control agent against Microstegium vimineum. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

The coupling coordination relationship between sports industry agglomeration and economic resilience in the Yangtze River Delta region.

With a rapidly growing sports industry worldwide, one may argue that sports industry agglomeration can play a crucial role in the economy of the sports industry. In particularly, the coupling linkage between sports industry agglomeration and economic resilience can be leveraged to promote both economic quality and efficiency. Based on data on three provinces and one city in the Yangtze River Delta region during the 2011-2020 period, this study uses the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, coupling coordination degree model, and relative development models to explore the coupling coordination relationship between sports industry agglomeration and economic resilience in this region. The results show that: (1) Sports industry agglomeration shows an overall increasing albeit fluctuating trend with inter-provincial differences. (2) Economic resilience has steadily increased, while the economic resilience kernel density curve generally shows a "dual peaks" trend. (3) The coupling coordination between sports industry agglomeration and economic resilience remains in a fluctuating, albeit coordinated state. These findings are relevant for the integration and high-quality development of the sports industry in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Nature-based solutions for fast-growing city regions: A new spatial equilibrium model for complementary urban green space planning

Urban green spaces assume a pivotal role in city-level nature-based solutions for sustainable development. Parks, street greening, and community greens play a significant role in regulating the urban microenvironment, enhancing subjective well-being, and increasing regional attractiveness. Additionally, urban greenbelts have the capacity to control urban sprawl, thereby influencing housing prices and population distribution. However, the exisiting urban models have typically addressed greenbelts and other green spaces in isolation, resulting in fragmented planning strategies. This study aims to establish a novel spatial equilibrium model that accurately assesses the socio-economic effects resulting from the combined impact of various urban green spaces. This model encompasses green infrastructure components and carefully balances their appeal against the consequent rise in housing costs. The proposed model can elucidate the latent synergistic interactions among multiple urban green policies, which enables urban policymakers to access the multifaceted impacts of greening policy combinations. and suggests that combining different urban greening policies can mitigate the negative effects of a single policy type, such as population redistribution. A case study based on empirical data from Shanghai, China, has been employed to identify the additional value associated with diverse urban green spaces. The scenario analysis suggests that combining different urban greening policies can alleviate the negative impacts of urban population relocation. These findings furnish urban planners and policymakers with novel insights to develop the distribution strategy of urban green spaces via judicious policy integration. Consequently, the proposed model furnishes a novel academic standpoint on the role of urban green spaces within the context of nature-based solution for sustainable development of metropolitan conglomerates and nascent urban agglomerations amidst the evolving post-COVID-19 environment.

URBAN SUSTAINABILITY IN ANCIENT OASIS CITIES - THE CASE OF KSAR LICHIANA IN ALGERIAN DESERT

The current research aims to determine the extent to which the cities of the ancient oases applied the concepts of sustainability in their planning dimension. To achieve this goal, the theoretical foundations of sustainable urban unit planning are identified, constituting the first part of the study. In the second part, the characteristics of the ancient oasis cities in the Ziban region, in the eastern Algerian desert, are highlighted, taking the city of Lichana as a case study. It then proceeds to analyze its urban principles and explore its planning vocabulary from the perspective of sustainability concepts, forming the final part. The research concludes that the cities of the ancient oases applied the concepts of sustainability early on in their planning dimension, within their three economic, social, and environmental pillars. The study breaks down these concepts by identifying the theoretical foundations of sustainable urban units, then examining the characteristics and planning vocabulary of a specific oasis city, Lichana. This analysis reveals that these ancient oasis cities integrated principles of economic, social, and environmental sustainability from their very conception.

An analysis of the vulnerability of informal and formal households to disaster risks in the Rand West City region.

The study adds to the body of knowledge by revising some old techniques of addressing disaster risk measures, especially in surrounding mining communities.

Трансформация советской системы образования в 1920–1930-е гг. (на примере Саратова)

During the 1920–1930s, the young Soviet state faced numerous challenges, including the establishment of new governmental bodies and the development of an educational model aimed at fostering citizens with Soviet consciousness. However, the almost total illiteracy of the country’s population at that time brought to the forefront the urgent need for the development of campaign against illiteracy. Saratov, as one of the largest cities in the Volga region, was no exception in this regard. Based on the analysis of archival materials and published sources, application of methods of system, statistical and structural analysis, the author of the article comes to the conclusion that as part of the campaign against illiteracy in Saratov in the 1920–1930s, a modern model of education was created, consisting of secondary mass schools, vocational and higher education. By establishing a comprehensive educational framework, including primary schooling and pathways to vocational and higher education, Saratov played a vital role in advancing the Soviet agenda of literacy and ideological indoctrination. Furthermore, the case of Saratov underscores the complex interplay between educational policy, societal needs, and political imperatives in shaping the trajectory of educational development in the early Soviet era. Moving forward, continued research into local initiatives and their broader implications for national educational strategies will deepen our understanding of the dynamic evolution of education in the Soviet Union.

Eco-anxiety among regional Australian youth with mental health problems: A qualitative study.

In Australia, climate-related disasters disproportionately affect rural, regional and remote young people with effects ranging from severe flooding and catastrophic fires to unbearable heat and yet most studies on eco-anxiety are based on reports by urban youth who do not have direct experiences of such impacts. Furthermore, there is a dearth of research on how eco-anxiety impacts those who already experience mental health problems. The present study aims to address this gap by focussing on the lived experiences of regional Australian youth with recent experience of climate-related disasters alongside clinical insights from those involved in their care. Two groups, a clinician and client group, were recruited through headspace Port Macquarie-a primary youth mental health service in a regional city of New South Wales, Australia. In all, 25 participants took part in focus group discussions, including 13 clinicians and 12 clients of the service. Clients and clinicians responded to a version of the same questions: (1) whether the effects of climate change impact on regional youth with mental health problems, (2) how young people cope with eco-anxiety and (3) how regional communities can help young people cope with eco-anxiety better. Group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analysed according to the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis using a team approach. Three dimensions of eco-anxiety were identified by clinicians and clients-helplessness in the present, hopelessness about the future and acute stress and anxiety related to experiences of severe flooding and fires. Clinicians and clients also thought that a misalignment between young people and older generations, including government, was a source of eco-anxiety and having a collective voice was seen as important for regional youth as was community support through social media sites. Clinicians thought that eco-anxiety was 'in the background' for their clients, whereas the clients who participated were clearly experiencing eco-anxiety. Whereas clinicians could identify potential coping strategies, clients could not. Eco-anxiety can be experienced by regional youth with mental health problems as both an acute response to natural hazards and a more sustained sense of hopelessness about the future. Impacts of acute anxiety and chronic hopelessness, with its associated depression risk, among young people with pre-existing mental health problems warrants further investigation as this study suggests that it may exacerbate their existing conditions. Clinicians and clients in this region would benefit from specific training and resources related to the identification and treatment of eco-anxiety. Future research on climate-related mental health should be inclusive of the perspectives of those who have direct experience of climate-related adverse events.

Assessment and optimization of urban spatial resilience from the perspective of life circle: A case study of Urumqi, NW China

This paper presents an original framework for assessing and enhancing urban resilience from the perspective of the life circle that emphasizes the daily activity spaces of residents, using Urumqi, a major city in northwest China's arid oasis region, as a case study. Based on multi-source urban geographic big data, we introduce Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve to analyze the spatial matching relationship between urban spatial pressure and urban spatial resilience, and divided the priority of planning intervention by priority index. Our findings for the case study Urumqi reveal a strong "center-periphery" structure of urban resilience and spatial pressures. Based on the findings, we proposed targeted planning interventions prioritized by a resilience index that considers the life circle to address disparities and improve urban resilience. Our study advocates for urban planning to focus on the life circle, aiming to develop a multi-center and cluster-type resilient urban spatial structure to foster a "people-oriented" resilient city.

A new approach to entrepreneurship and regional development: key roles of purpose and well-being in the Swansea Bay City Region

PurposeThis paper critically evaluates regional development through the lens of well-being and purpose. The paper provides insight into the key roles that well-being and purpose play in regional development and the way in which various actors are engaged in this process. This paper focuses on the Swansea Bay City Region within Wales, a country at the forefront of well-being legislation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses a case study of 4theRegion, a membership organisation that undertakes regional development activities underpinned by a social purpose and well-being across the Swansea Bay city region. 4theRegion has been selected due to (1) its unique business model; (2) its clear focus on well-being and purpose; and (3) the influence of its regional development actions bringing together various stakeholder groups under a common aim.FindingsThis paper extends existing debates on collaborative development approaches and underlines the unique emphasis on asset-based local development influenced by well-being, which seeks to engage with a variety of community stakeholders to derive “holistic flourishing”. This emphasises inclusive development activities across the region, through people, place, process and purpose, underpinned by well-being. The research also underlines debates about the subjectivity of well-being and how the impact of well-being legislation can be evaluated.Originality/valueThis research provides a new way of looking at regional development, through the lens of well-being and purpose and provides insight into the way in which various actors are engaged in this process. Implications of this research could influence policymaking in supporting regional development activities, as well as practical lessons for those involved in place-based development.

Analisis Produktivitas Alat Berat dalam Pengelolaan Sampah di Kecamatan Sukarami Kota Palembang

In Indonesia, solid waste has become a problem for municipalities, which could result in hygienic and aesthetically unpleasant issues. The high rate of population growth will have an impact on waste generation since it will change the needs and lifestyles of city dwellers. The collection, transportation, and final disposal of urban solid waste (TPA) require suitable facilities and infrastructure, particularly hefty equipment. Heavy equipment, specifically waste trucks, and heavy digging equipment, plays a significant part in supporting waste management activities. In particular, the Palembang City region is covered in this study's discussion of the productivity of heavy machinery used in waste management, which might begin with the collecting system, transportation system, and heavy equipment employed at the landfill. The study was conducted in Palembang City's Sukarami District, and data was collected by surveying and observing the current condition of the heavy equipment that was already in place, namely in terms of cycle time variables and the volume of waste that was served. The findings of the study indicate that direct communal and direct individual patterns characterize the region's waste-collecting practices. Dump trucks, which are used to transport waste, had a productivity range of 609.98 to 1266.13 kilograms per hour, while bulldozers and excavators had a range of 759.42 to 1166.17 kilograms per hour. This heavy equipment repair recommendation is targeted at bulldozers and excavators since a field investigation reveals that there are now only 2 pieces of bulldozer heavy equipment and 1 unit of excavator heavy equipment available.

A Novel Framework for Joint Learning of City Region Partition and Representation

The proliferation of multimodal big data in cities provides unprecedented opportunities for modeling and forecasting urban problems, such as crime prediction and house price prediction, through data-driven approaches. A fundamental and critical issue in modeling and forecasting urban problems lies in identifying suitable spatial analysis units, also known as city region partition. Existing works rely on subjective domain knowledge for static partitions, which is general and universal for all tasks. In fact, different tasks may need different city region partitions. To address this issue, we propose JLPR , a task-oriented framework for J oint L earning of region P artition and R epresentation. To make partitions fit tasks, JLPR integrates the region partition into the representation model training and learns region partitions using the supervision signal from the downstream task. We evaluate the framework on two prediction tasks (i.e., crime prediction and housing price prediction) in Chicago. Experiments show that JLPR consistently outperforms state-of-the-art partitioning methods in both tasks, which achieves above 25% and 70% performance improvements in terms of mean absolute error for crime prediction and house price prediction tasks, respectively. Additionally, we meticulously undertake three visualization case studies, which yield profound and illuminating findings from diverse perspectives, demonstrating the remarkable effectiveness and superiority of our approach.

Diminishing benefits of thermal mass in Iranian climate: Present and future scenarios

Thermal mass, a pivotal element in a building's performance, functions as an indoor thermal buffer. While literature underscores its advantages, the enduring impact of thermal mass amid climate change remains uncertain. This study methodically assesses thermal mass effects in 21 Iranian cities across contemporary and future climates, juxtaposing heavyweight and lightweight constructions. The EPSAP algorithm, a generative building design method, created a dataset of two-story single-family houses. Cooling and heating demands were evaluated in EnergyPlus, accounting for current and future system design efficiencies. Future climates were simulated using EC-Earth3 model estimations for the SSP5-8.5 scenario in 2050 and 2080 timeframes. The findings reveal that the energy efficiency advantage of heavyweight over lightweight buildings will diminish by up to 0.60 kW·h·m−2 in 2050 (40 % less than the present-day climate difference between constructions) and 0.93 kW·h·m−2 in 2080 (63 %) for cities in central and southern regions. The performance differences between constructions will sometimes be null, making thermal mass negligible. Conversely, only three cities in Northern Iran exhibit an opposing trend for mid to very-high thermal transmittances. Regarding building geometry, heavyweight construction correlates strongly with indexes related to building compactness, while lightweight construction aligns more with glazing-related indexes. However, as climates warm or we move towards warmer regions, discernible differences between lightweight and heavyweight constructions vanish for both shape- and glazing-related indexes. In conclusion, although the use of thermal mass will be less effective, building design professionals will have greater latitude for innovative construction and design solutions.

Forging Romanitas: The Intersection of Urbanization and Identity in Mérida

This paper aims to explore the role of urbanization in the formation of a shared Roman identity during the time of the Roman Empire. By examining the physical features of urban settlements and the economic opportunities that arose from them, it seeks to understand how these factors contributed to the development of a cohesive identity across the empire’s vast and diverse territory. This paper will use examples from cities in the western regions of the empire, such as Pompeii and Mérida, to demonstrate how urbanization and the economic opportunities it brought forth helped create a sense of Romanness among diverse ethnic groups. It will also investigate the impact of building projects and intervention from wealthy elites in the fostering of a Roman identity through urbanization. This idea will then be tied into the role of Roman architecture and urban planning in the development of said identity, exemplified by the similarities and differences between settlements across the empire. At the same time, this paper will also consider the historical context in which these urban settlements emerged, examining how the broader geopolitical situation might have impacted urbanization. By analyzing the intersection between physical structures and economic opportunities brought about within Roman urban settlements, this paper hopes to shed light on the significance of urbanization as a driving force behind the formation of a shared Roman identity. This research will contribute to the broader understanding of cultural identity formation in ancient societies and the role of urbanization in shaping the collective consciousness of diverse populations.

The Impact and Spatial Spillover Effects of Tourism Development on Urban Welfare: Empirical Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta in China

The ultimate goal of China’s tourism industry is to create a flourishing sector that brings happiness. It is of immense theoretical and practical importance to investigate the impact of tourism development (TD) on urban welfare (UW) and uncover its spatial spillover characteristics from a macro perspective. Utilizing panel data from 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2000 to 2021, this study applies the spatial panel Durbin model to explore the direct and spillover effects of TD on UW. The results show that TD significantly boosts UW in both local and neighboring areas, with the spillover effects taking a dominant position in the total effects. Examining the sub-dimensions of UW, the local welfare effects of TD primarily stem from economic welfare, whereas the spillover effects are characterized by the “three-wheel drive” of economic, social, and environmental welfare. This study can provide practical insights into the coordinated and sustainable development of the regional tourism industry.

“We might not have been in hospital, but we were frontline workers in the community”: a qualitative study exploring unmet need and local community-based responses for marginalised groups in Greater Manchester during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe response to the COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant increase in demand for the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector to provide support to local communities. In Greater Manchester (GM), the VCFSE sector and informal networks provided health and wellbeing support in multiple ways, culminating in its crucial supportive role in the provision of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout across the GM city region. However, the support provided by the VCFSE sector during the pandemic remains under-recognised. The aims of the study were to: understand the views and experiences of marginalised communities in GM during the COVID-19 pandemic; explore how community engagement initiatives played a role during the pandemic and vaccine rollout; assess what can be learnt from the work of key stakeholders (community members, VCFSEs, health-system stakeholders) for future health research and service delivery.MethodsThe co-designed study utilised a participatory approach throughout and was co-produced with a Community Research Advisory Group (CRAG). Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted remotely between September-November 2021, with 35 participants from local marginalised communities, health and care system stakeholders and VCFSE representatives. Thematic framework analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsLocal communities in GM were not supported sufficiently by mainstream services during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in increased pressure onto the VCFSE sector to respond to local communities’ need. Community-based approaches were deemed crucial to the success of the vaccination drive and in providing support to local communities more generally during the pandemic, whereby such approaches were in a unique position to reach members of diverse communities to boost uptake of the vaccine. Despite this, the support delivered by the VCFSE sector remains under-recognised and under-valued by the health system and decision-makers.ConclusionsA number of challenges associated with collaborative working were experienced by the VSCE sector and health system in delivering the vaccination programme in partnership with the VCFSE sector. There is a need to create a broader, more inclusive health system which allows and promotes inter-sectoral working. Flexibility and adaptability in ongoing and future service delivery should be championed for greater cross-sector working.