New Economics Foundation Research Articles

An exploration of the impact of the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme on wellbeing from the perspective of pupils

ABSTRACTThe Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme is an evidence-informed intervention delivered by teaching assistants and supervised by educational psychologists. In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the impact of the ELSA programme on wellbeing from the perspective of pupils. A thematic analysis of the data set identified the following themes: “Feelings and Emotions”, “Engagement”, “Resilience”, “Hopes and Aspirations” and “Relationships”. The findings suggest the ELSA programme has a perceived positive impact on multiple components of pupil wellbeing. These components include positive emotions, negative feelings, engagement, resilience, optimism, accomplishment and relationships, as described by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and Seligman’s “PERMA model”. The positive wellbeing changes experienced by the pupils occurred through strategies, talking, and forming a close relationship with the teaching assistant. Overall, this research provides evidence to suggest a positive impact of the ELSA programme on pupil wellbeing.

Choosing an Accounting Method to Explain Public Policy: Social Return on Investment and UK Non-profit Sector Policy

We examine why certain accounting methods are chosen by government policy-makers to explain and rationalize their policy actions. We focus on the case of social return on investment (SROI), an accounting methodology that aims to capture and quantify the value created by social purpose organizations, and employs techniques of monetization and the expression of value as a ratio of benefits for investments [see REDF. (2000). SROI methodology: Analyzing the value of social purpose enterprise within a social return on investment framework. San Francisco: REDF; New Economics Foundation (NEF). (2007). Measuring real value: A DIY guide to social return on investment]. In particular, we examine how and why SROI was chosen for explaining and rationalizing the UK Government's policy of greater involvement of non-profit sector organizations in public service delivery. Our central contribution is to propose two important factors, which we identify as the capturability and communicability of accounting methods, that help to explain why a particular accounting method would be chosen by policy actors to explain and rationalize their public policy choices. The research helps further our understanding of the intersection between accounting and public policy by focusing explicitly on accounting's important role in explaining and rationalizing public policy.

WHEN PATERNALISM MEETS BOGUS ECONOMICS: THE NEW ECONOMICS FOUNDATION'S 21 HOURS REPORT

A New Economics Foundation (NEF) report proposes a gradual reduction of the standard working week to 21 hours within about a decade, to achieve three goals: make society more equal, increase wellbeing and drastically reduce carbon emissions. This paper shows that the NEF proposal would not achieve the first two goals at all, and the third one only at tremendous cost. The trade-off that people make between leisure and consumption is an entirely private matter. There is no economic rationale for third-party interference.

Las investigaciones sobre turismo de observación de tiburones y rayas en España

The results of the projects “Study on Economic Benefits of Shark Diving in Canary Islands (Part I)” and “Overview and Economic Impact of the Activities of Diving with Chondrichthyan in Ca- nary Islands” haven been recently presented. Both studies were developed at the University of La La- guna (Tenerife, Spain) in collaboration with the English consulting New Economics Foundation (NEF). The research included the analysis of the economic benefits related with the presence of these animals and the development of diving activities, and about the attractiveness or interest of these animals for tourism. The final document, entitled “Diving with sharks and rays in Spain: Analysis of its potential in Spain and the economic benefits of the activity in the Canary Islands” (De la Cruz Modino, Esteban et al. 2010), defended the economic value of a variety of species of cartilaginous fish from a contemplative and non-extractive perspective.

Social return on investment and social enterprise: transparent accountability for sustainable development

PurposeTo apply the social return on investment (SROI) concept to a case study based on the Furniture Resource Centre Group (FRC Group), a social enterprise based in Liverpool, UK, to satisfy a need for quality affordable furniture for low‐income households.Design/methodology/approachThe nature of FRC Group’s business is discussed from the viewpoint of how it exemplifies Westall’s (2001) values‐led operation concept with four core values (bravery, creativity, professionalism, passion). Discusses the value of social enterprises and the importance of identifying their social returns as measured by the SROI approach, which was adapted by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) to take account of stakeholder engagement, materiality, impact map, and appreciation of deadweight. Reports on the action research based case study which explored the relationship between the social enterprise business model and the concept of sustainable development.FindingsThe results indicated that the SROI technique demonstrated many qualities of sustainability and, with stakeholder inclusiveness pivotal to the innovative process, it allows for truly connected thinking that reveals advancements in sustainable development.Originality/valueProvides a stimulus for ongoing research and thought on the dynamic concept of sustainability.

Hidden Casualties of Global Warming

Countries that are primarily responsible for global warming should be responsible for the care and protection of people forced to abandon their homes due to climate change, according to a report published in September by the London, UK-based think tank New Economics Foundation (NEF). According to the report, drought, soil erosion, desertification, and other environmental problems are already driving more people from their homelands than war and political or religious persecution. By publishing Environmental refugees: the case for recognition, NEF is taking the debate over the plight of people affected by global warming into the public arena. Although many in academic circles agree that such people should receive refugee status,

Surveying Panama's Treetops

Countries that are primarily responsible for global warming should be responsible for the care and protection of people forced to abandon their homes due to climate change, according to a report published in September by the London, UK-based think tank New Economics Foundation (NEF). According to the report, drought, soil erosion, desertification, and other environmental problems are already driving more people from their homelands than war and political or religious persecution. By publishing Environmental refugees: the case for recognition, NEF is taking the debate over the plight of people affected by global warming into the public arena. Although many in academic circles agree that such people should receive refugee status, idden casualties of global