Research Papers
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Recent People and Work Unit research papers include:
"A
brighter future"
Brynefydd, (the names of the community and schools have been changed) is a small community in the South Wales valleys. The area has suffered economic decline, and in common with many other disadvantaged areas, members of the community and the schools are concerned that unless the educational attainment of young people from the community can be increased, the decline cannot be reversed. This study, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government's New Ideas Fund and undertaken by the People and Work Unit, the local Communities First Partnership and the Centre for Applied Education Research at UWIC, explores the underlying reasons why the educational attainment of many, although by no means all, children from Brynefydd is lower than teachers and the community expect.
"A brighter future"
(PDF) (836KB)
"I
want some of that" Trailblazers and Learning Brokers in the South
Wales Valleys
Content:
Is a study funded by the Welsh Assembly Government's New Ideas Fund. The aim of this study was
to better understand the impact of educational role models in deprived communities in South Wales.
(PDF) (392KB)
Content:
"I sometimes have a night in on the books instead of going out with the boys. I study now 'cos I see the need" Build It, apprentice
"Build It" is a five year project exploring what it takes to enable sixteen young people with few or no qualifications from disadvantaged communities, to achieve industry qualifications at NVQ level 2 and 3 and develop "soft" and "life skills" they need to sustain employment for the rest of their lives. The project has demonstrated that the failure of individuals to reach NVQ level 2 at school, does not mean that they lack the ability to succeed if given a genuine second chance. This report provides essential evidence on what it takes to enable these individuals to succeed.
(PDF) (493KB)
Content:
"The report's depth, insight and conceptual developments make it an impressive piece of work"
This brief report aims to validate and enhance the interim evaluation of the Build It project, by providing feedback on key dimensions of the interim evaluation. In particular, it aims to critically access methodology to ensure the findings are validated by the research. We would like to thank Alain Thomas for producing the review.
(PDF) (31KB)"Beyond the School Gate: Education, Poverty and Policy in Wales" (Feedback Report)
Content:
In October 2006, the People and Work Unit was commissioned by Save the Children in Wales to review the links between education, poverty and policy in Wales. This feedback report summarises the study’s analysis of the link between poverty and poor educational attainment and highlights some of the implications for policy. The report cites some, but by no means all, of the research reviewed by the study.
(PDF) (44KB)
Content:
In 2004, the Community University of the Valleys Partnership (CUVP) commissioned the People and Work Unit to assess the ‘true costs of community learning’. A thorough review of the literature revealed that although institutions like ELWa had commissioned studies examining the costs of delivering learning, very little of this had been published. This assessment of the ‘True Costs of Community Learning’ is therefore primarily based upon interviews conducted with fourteen CUVP partners and fifty-seven of their learners between November 2004 and March 2005.
(PDF) (306KB)
Introduction:
Research into patterns of adult participation in learning show that despite recent increases in participation in learning in Wales , a clear majority of people (58%) were not and had not participated in any learning activity during the previous three years. Even when those adults reporting past learning are included, almost one third (32%) of adults surveyed in Wales in 2003 did not report any participation in learning after leaving full time education (Aldridge & Horrocks, 2003, p. 5). Given the value placed upon learning on economic, social and health grounds (See for example Deacon, 2002; NAW 2002; Van Wieringen & Attwell, 1999) this pattern of non-participation has inspired a large body of literature examining the range of barriers that might constrain potential learners (see for example Hillage, Uden, Aldridge & Eccles, 2000; McGivney, 1990). This paper will draw upon research conducted in South Wales in order to critically examine what is revealed by an analysis of participation in learning focused upon barriers, and what may be missed.
(PDF) (59.1KB)
Content:
On June 29 th 2005 over 70 people met at the University of Glamorgan School of Health Sciences. The event was organised by the People and Work Unit as an opportunity for people from education and lifelong learning, community regeneration and economic development to share ideas about Community Learning and its role in developing communities. This paper summarizes the discussions at that event. It is intended as a contribution, from people working in communities, in schools and colleges and in building local economies, to the development of policy and the vision that underpins it.
(PDF) (40.5KB)
Introduction:
This discussion paper outlines an idea that intrigued us as evaluators. We are not suggesting or claiming any expertise in the field of health promotion and would therefore very much welcome any comments or suggestions. The first section of this paper briefly outlines some of the problems we have identified, that the difficulty of establishing a causal link between health promotion interventions and health outcomes has, in our judgment, caused. In order to address some of these problems, the second section of this paper introduces the Risk and Preventative Factors Paradigm and discusses the rationale for using it to assess the impact of health promotion interventions. The third and final section discusses where we feel it would be appropriate to use the RPFP to assess Health Impact and outlines some of the benefits that we feel could flow from its use.
(PDF) (44.5KB)
Summary:
Thinking about risk and protective factors which helps imbues learners and non-learners with a degree of agency; they are no longer simply passively constrained by barriers (or structures), waiting for providers to dismantle them (and release them). Nevertheless, the approach recognises that learners’ (and non-learners’) agency is both enabled and constrained by the risk and protective factors they face. There is no question that for some people, participation in learning will be very difficult and in order to succeed they will need to change their lives.
(PDF) (70.4KB)
