Home, school and community partnerships to support children's numeracy

Presents the findings of a study in Australia which focused on the collaboration between home, school and community that support numeracy development in children. Aims of the project; Framework used in the analysis of various partnerships between the social institutions; Ways in which the partnerships can be initiated; Concerns that are essential in building and sustaining long-term partnerships to support children's numeracy development.

A framework of lessons learned from community-based marine reserves and its effectiveness in guiding a new coastal management initiative in the Philippines

Community-based coastal resource management has been widely applied within the Philippines. However, small-scale community-based reserves are often inefficient owing to management inadequacies arising because of a lack of local support or enforcement or poor design. Because there are many potential pitfalls during the establishment of even small community-based reserves, it is important for coastal managers, communities, and facilitating institutions to have access to a summary of the key factors for success. Reviewing relevant literature, we present a framework of lessons learned during the establishment of protected areas, mainly in the Philippines. The framework contains summary guidance on the importance of (1) an island location, (2) small community population size, (3) minimal effect of land-based development, (4) application of a bottom-up approach, (5) an external facilitating institution, (6) acquisition of title, (7) use of a scientific information database, (8) stakeholder involvement, (9) the establishment of legislation, (10) community empowerment, (11) alternative livelihood schemes, (12) surveillance, (13) tangible management results, (14) continued involvement of external groups after reserve establishment, and (15) small-scale project expansion. These framework components guided the establishment of a community-based protected area at Danjugan Island, Negros Occidental, Philippines. This case study showed that the framework was a useful guide that led to establishing and implementing a community-based marine reserve. Evaluation of the reserve using standard criteria developed for the Philippines shows that the Danjugan Island protected area can be considered successful and sustainable. At Danjugan Island, all of the lessons synthesized in the framework were important and should be considered elsewhere, even for relatively small projects. As shown in previous projects in the Philippines, local involvement and stewardship of the protected area appeared particularly important for its successful implementation. The involvement of external organizations also seemed to have a key role in the success of the Danjugan Island project by guiding local decision-makers in the sociobiological principles of establishing protected areas. However, the relative importance of each component of the framework will vary between coastal management initiatives both within the Philippines and across the wider Asian region.

Effect on trend estimates of the difference between survey respondents and non-respondents: Results from 27 populations in the WHO MONIICA Project

Introduction: In the World Health Organization (WHO) MONICA (multinational MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease) Project considerable effort was made to obtain basic data on non-respondents to community based surveys of cardiovascular risk factors. The first purpose of this paper is to examine differences in socio-economic and health profiles among respondents and non-respondents. The second purpose is to investigate the effect of non-response on estimates of trends. Methods:Socio-economic and health profile between respondents and non-respondents in the WHO MONICA Project final survey were compared. The potential effect of non-response on the trend estimates between the initial survey and final survey approximately ten years later was investigated using both MONICA data and hypothetical data. Results: In most of the populations, non-respondents were more likely to be single, less well educated, and had poorer lifestyles and health profiles than respondents. As an example of the consequences, temporal trends in prevalence of daily smokers are shown to be overestimated in most populations if they were based only on data from respondents. Conclusions: The socio-economic and health profiles of respondents and non-respondents differed fairly consistently across 27 populations. Hence, the estimators of population trends based on respondent data are likely to be biased. Declining response rates therefore pose a threat to the accuracy of estimates of risk factor trends in many countries.

A process for the systematic review of community-based rehabilitation evaluation reports: formulating evidence for policy and practice

A methodological framework for conducting a systematic, mostly qualitative, meta-synthesis of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) project evaluation reports is described. Developed in the course of an international pilot study, the framework proposes a systematic review process in phases which are strongly collaborative, methodologically rigorous and detailed. Through this suggested process, valuable descriptive data about CBR practice, strategies and outcomes may be synthesized. It is anticipated that future application of this methodology will contribute to an improved evidence base for CBR, which will facilitate the development of more appropriate policy and practice guidelines for disability service delivery in developing countries. The methodology will also have potential applications in areas beyond CBR, which are similarly. evidence poor' (lacking empirical research) but 'data rich' (with plentiful descriptive and evaluative reports).

Mental health literacy in rural Queensland: results of a community survey

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the awareness of, and attitudes to, mental health issues in rural dwelling Queensland residents. A secondary objective was to provide baseline data of mental health literacy prior to the implementation of Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative - a health promotion strategy aimed at improving the health outcomes of people with chronic or recurring mental disorders. Method: In 2004 a random sample of 2% (2132) of the estimated adult population in each of eight towns in rural Queensland was sent a postal survey and invited to participate in the project. A series of questions were asked based on a vignette describing a person suffering major depression. In addition, questions assessed respondents' awareness and perceptions of community mental health agencies. Results: Approximately one-third (36%) of those surveyed completed and returned the questionnaire. While a higher proportion of respondents (81%) correctly identified and labelled the problem in the vignette as depression than previously reported in Australian community surveys, the majority of respondents (66%) underestimated the prevalence of mental health problems in the community. Furthermore, a substantial number of respondents (37%) were unaware of agencies in their community to assist people with mental health issues while a majority of respondents (57.6%) considered that the services offered by those agencies were poor. Conclusion: While mental health literacy in rural Queensland appears to be comparable to other Australian regions, several gaps in knowledge were identified. This is in spite of recent widespread coverage of depression in the media and thus, there is a continuing need for mental health education in rural Queensland.

The (new ?) basics of a teacher professional learning community

This paper argues for the need to further theorise the concept of teacher professional learning communities and provides empirical evidence to support this case. The paper presents findings from an ongoing research project, which investigates the nature of teacher professional learning communities. The study reveals that actual communities do not conform to a normailized articulation of features, as outlined in much of the literature on this topic. Consequently, it represents an attempt to engage in the difficult but necessary task of simultaneously fashioning theory from practice, whilst interpreting theory, in practice. The study proposes that current functionalist understandings of teacher professional learning communities are based upon a literature base which is insufficiently nuanced to capture the complexity inherent within these bodies. A broader base of a more critical sociological literature is also drawn upon to better understand actual, "lived" teacher communities, which are somewhat difficult to describe. In part, such communities exhibit features of functionalist conceptions but they are also organic entities which may be quite unpredictable in their outcomes and cannot be reduced to specific features; they each have their own specific "logic of practice" (Bourdieu, 1990) which influences their activities, in their particular field. The argument proposed here is that in one particular community, this complexity may be represented by the many purposes which the community served, arguably often unbeknown to its members, which fashioned the actual community. This paper tries to add to the existing theoretical base of literature, at the same time as providing evidence to support this theorisation.

10,000 Steps Rockhampton: A Whole Community Approach to Increasing Levels of Physical Activity

10,000 Steps Rockhampton is a multi-strategy health promotion program which aims to develop sustainable community-based strategies to increase physical activity.The central coordinating focus of the project is the use of pedometers to raise awareness of and provide motivation for physical activity, around the theme of '10,000 steps/day - Every step counts.' To date, five key strategies have been implemented: (1) a media-based awareness raising campaign; (2) promotion of physical activity by health professionals; (3) improving social support for physical activity through group-based programs; (4) working with local council to improve environmental support for physical activity; and (5) establishment of a ‘micro-grants’ fund to which community groups could apply for assistance with small, innovative physical activity enhancing projects. Strategies were introduced on a rolling basis beginning in February 2002 with 'layering' of interventions designed to address the multi-level individual social and environmental determinants of physical activity. The project was quasi-experimental in design, involving collection of baseline and two year follow-up data from community based surveys in Rockhampton and in a matched regional Queensland town. In August 2001,the baseline CATI survey (N=1281)found that 47.9% of men and 33.0% of women were meeting the national guidelines for physical activity. In August 2002, a smaller survey (N=400) found an increase in activity levels among women (39.7% active) but not in men (48.5%). Data from the two year follow up survey, to be conducted in August 2003, will be presented, with discussion of the major successes and challenges of this landmark physical activity intervention. Acknowledgement: This project is supported by a grant from Health Promotion Queensland

Building Community Coalitions for the Promotion of Physical Activity: 10,000 Steps Rockhampton

The 10,000 Steps Rockhampton project is a multi-strategy community-wide, physical activity intervention based on the simultaneous implementation of five strategies, each identified as 'best practice' for the promotion of physical activity. Several community partners were engaged to develop and implement the strategies during the first eighteen months of the project. These included: the local media (TV, newspaper and radio); the local Division of General Practice and other health professional groups; the Heart Foundation and ‘Just Walk It’; the local council; and several large worksites. A local physical activity task force was also formed to administer a 'micro-grants' scheme, and to guide the development of community based strategies. The presentation will focus on the critical elements involved in developing and maintaining relationships with community partners. These include identification and ‘courting’ of potential partners, strategies for keeping them engaged, and the challenges of maintaining the balance between ‘top-down’ (evidence-based) and ‘bottom-up’ (community-driven) strategies. Data on implementation and uptake of the key strategies will also be presented. These include: 1) process data on the number of health

Dialogue, speech and images:the companions project data set

This paper describes part of the corpus collection efforts underway in the EC funded Companions project. The Companions project is collecting substantial quantities of dialogue a large part of which focus on reminiscing about photographs. The texts are in English and Czech. We describe the context and objectives for which this dialogue corpus is being collected, the methodology being used and make observations on the resulting data. The corpora will be made available to the wider research community through the Companions Project web site.

The public health role of community pharmacies

This article describes the experience of developing an enhanced public health role for a community pharmacy in the Castle Vale estate in Birmingham. It shows that the neighbourhood-based regeneration context of Castle Vale has created a stimulating setting for an ambitious and innovative pharmacy company to demonstrate what might be possible on a much wider scale in the UK. A core ethos of the Castle Vale regeneration initiative has been public-private partnership and this project reveals some 'critical success factors' for on-the-ground achievement.

Good dog SPOT? Single pot funding of local voluntary and community groups

This paper reports on a recent pilot project by the English government aimed at introducing 'single pot' funding for local voluntary and community groups. It finds that implementation difficulties undermined the success of the scheme. Moreover, whilst local voluntary and community groups were initially enthusiastic about the scheme, this was eroded both by the shortfall in funding for the initiative and by conflicting priorities for it from its national and regional flinders and from local groups.

Community involvement in urban nature conservation : case studies of the Urban Wildlife Group 1980-85

The effectiveness of the strategies employed by the Urban Wildlife Group (a voluntary conservation organisation) to provide and manage three urban nature parks has been evaluated, using a multiple methods methodology. Where the level of community interest and commitment to a project is high, the utilisation of the community nature park strategy (to maximise benefits to UWG and the community) is warranted. Where the level of interest and commitment of the local community is low, a strategy designed to encourage limited involvement of the community is most effective and efficient. The campaign strategy, whereby the community and UWG take direct action to oppose a threat of undesirable development on a nature park, is assessed to be a sub-strategy, rather than a strategy in its own right. Questionnaire surveys and observations studies have revealed that urban people appreciate and indeed demand access to nature parks in urban areas, which have similar amenity value to that provided by countryside recreation sites. Urban nature parks are valued for their natural character, natural features (trees, wild flowers) peace and quiet, wildlife and openness. People use these sites for a mixture of informal and mainly passive activities, such as walking and dog walking. They appear to be of particular value to children for physical and imaginative play. The exact input of time and resources that UWG has committed to the projects has depended on the level of input of the local authority. The evidence indicates that the necessary technical expertise needed to produce and manage urban nature parks, using a user-oriented approach is not adequately provided by local authorities. The methods used in this research are presented as an `evaluation kit' that may be used by practitioners and researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of a wide range of different open spaces and the strategies employed to provide and manage them.

Community pharmacists' engagement with public health in Great Britain

Objective - The objective of the research was to examine to what extent community pharmacists in Great Britain believed that their job was concerned with local public health issues. Methods - The project (Pharmacy and Public Health)received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee of the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University. After piloting, in August 2006 a self-completion postal questionnaire was sent to practicing community pharmacists in Great Britain (n=1998), with a follow-up to non-responders 4 weeks later. A final response rate of 51% (n=1023/1998) was achieved. Results - Respondents were asked to indicate their answer to the question “to what extent is your present job concerned with local public health issues?” on a three-point scale – “highly”, “slightly” or “not at all” concerned with public health. They were also asked to indicate whether they were pharmacy owners, employee pharmacists or self-employed locum pharmacists. Less than half (43%,n=384/898) of respondents answering both questions believed that their job was highly concerned with public health. A relationship was observed between employment status and the level to which a respondent believed that their job was concerned with public health (chi-square test with P=0.001). Over half of pharmacy owners (51%, n=68/134) considered that their job was highly concerned with public health compared to44% (n=193/443) of employee pharmacists and38% (n=123/321) of locum pharmacists. Conclusion - This research suggests that community pharmacists in Great Britain are not ‘fully engaged’ with public health. Pharmacy owners may feel more enfranchised in the public health movement than their employees and locums. Indeed, one-in-ten locums reported that their job was not at all concerned with public health which, as locum pharmacists constitute over a third of actively employed community pharmacists, could be limiting factor in any drive to strengthen the public health function of community pharmacists.

The Library of Birmingham project:lifelong learning for the digital age

The Library of Birmingham (LoB) is a £193million project designed to provide a new space for lifelong learning and knowledge growth, a physical and virtual portal for Birmingham's citizens to the wider world. In cooperation with a range of private, public, and third-sector bodies, as well as individual citizens, the library, due to open in June 2013, will articulate a continuing process of organic growth and emergence. Key delivery themes focus on: arts and creativity, citizenship and community, enterprise and innovation, learning and skills and the new media ecology. A landmark design in the heart of the cultural district of the city, the LoB aims to stimulate sustainable economic growth, urban regeneration and social inclusion by offering a wide range of new digital learning services, real and virtual community spaces, and new opportunities for interpreting and exploiting internationally significant collections of documentary archives, photography, moving image, and rare printed books. Additionally, the LoB will offer physical space for creative, cultural, enterprise, and knowledge development. This paper outlines the cultural and educational thinking that informs the project and the challenges experienced in developing innovative service redesign.