scholarly journals Making Social Services Work for Everyone: a summary of the recent Productivity Commission inquiry

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Heatley
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Programme Evaluation ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Productivity Commission ◽  
The Subject

Social services are those dedicated to enhancing people’s economic and social well-being by helping them lead more stable, healthy, self-sufficient and fulfilling lives. New Zealand’s social services – specifically, those provided, funded or otherwise supported by government – were the subject of a recent New Zealand Productivity Commission inquiry (Box 1). The commission’s final report is wide-ranging, covering subjects from service commissioning to purchasing and contracting, programme evaluation, institutional design and system stewardship. The report’s recommendations on many of these topics reflect standard social policy principles and may hold few surprises for readers of Policy Quarterly.

Social policy in increasing the efficiency of pension provision in the Kyrgyz Republic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samat Kazbekovich Imanbaev
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
High Standard ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Kyrgyz Republic ◽  
Pension Policy ◽  
Specialized Institutions ◽  
State Pension

This article examines the pension policy, which is usually attributed to the direction of the state’s social policy. Designed to improve the well-being of the population and ensure a high standard and quality of life. The state pension policy is the basic and one of the most important state guarantees for the stable development of society, since it directly affects the interests of the able-bodied and disabled population. The results of an online survey revealed that the most important condition for creating an effective system of social support for pensioners in the current reality is the improvement of pension policy, as well as the system of social services, the development of new social technologies to provide assistance to the population, in particular the elderly, and the formation of a network of specialized institutions. social services to the population, an increase in the volume and expansion of the list of social services provided by them.

scholarly journals Women at Work: Issues for the 1990s: Introduction to the Collection

1970 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Ryan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Life ◽  
Market Regulation ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Economic Well Being

The celebration of one hundred years of women's suffrage in New Zealand in 1993 has provided a welcome opportunity to undertake something of a "stock-take" of many aspects of women's participation in the social and economic life of New Zealand. Participation in the paid workforce is one of the most important of these, given the centrality of employment and work to social identity and economic well-being. The current re-assessment has, however, raised more questions than it has answered, given the rapidly changing social and economic environment in which women work. This includes the restructuring of the economy, the growth of the service sector, social policy changes in health and education, and the greater emphasis on market regulation of many areas previously subject to legislative regulation.

5. Positive and successful ageing

2016 ◽  
pp. 87-101
Author(s):  
Nancy A. Pachana
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lifestyle Factors ◽  
Successful Ageing ◽  
Policy Frameworks ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Health And Well Being

‘Positive and successful ageing’ examines how, as a society, we can promote positive and successful ageing in terms of physical, mental, and social well-being in later life. It addresses current findings and directions in research, interventions, and social policy, which have focused more strongly on health and well-being, rather than disease and disability, in the last few decades. Attention is paid to the contributions of the environment, lifestyle factors, meaning and engagement in life, resilience, and wisdom that support a successful move through the latter stages of life. Successful ageing is now the subject of policy frameworks, lifespan theories of development, and actions—large and small—affecting older adults globally.

scholarly journals The psychological effects of unemployment: a review of the literature

1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Macky ◽  
Hilary Haines
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Differential Effect ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Attitudes ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Individual

The literature on the psychological effects of unemployment is reviewed, with particular attention being paid to the somewhat scarce New Zealand literature on the subject. Studies conducted at the macrosocial level are discussed, followed by studies that focus on the individual, with respect to physical health, mental health and psychological well-being, and social attitudes. The differential effect of unemployment on various social groups is examined, and the methodological deficiencies in some of the studies reviewed are summarized. In conclusion, it is suggested that the documented psychological ill-effects of unemployment should make us view rising levels of unemployment with concern.

scholarly journals Meeting the Challenge of a Low-Emissions Economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Bailey ◽  
Geoff Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Draft Report ◽  
The World ◽  
Productivity Commission ◽  
The Government ◽  
Institutional Architecture ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The impacts of climate change threaten the productivity, incomes and well-being of all humanity. Climate change has been described as the ‘greatest market failure the world has ever seen’. In 2017 the government asked the Productivity Commission to ‘identify options for how New Zealand could reduce its domestic greenhouse gas emissions through a transition to a lower emissions future, while at the same time continuing to grow incomes and wellbeing’. New Zealand can achieve a successful low-emissions economy, but there will be challenges. The commission’s recently released draft report provides insights into how and where the country can best achieve emission reductions and the types of policies and institutional architecture required to drive the transition.

scholarly journals Social Cohesion: Methods of Analysis and Ways of Achievement

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-142
Author(s):  
Valentin Roik ◽  
Maria Yudina
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Accurate Analysis ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Social Disintegration ◽  
Distribution Of Resources

The article is devoted to the issues of social cohesion, its conceptual foundations, and measurement methods that allow expanding the possibilities of studying the consequences of poverty and social inequality that lead to social disintegration of society. Trends in working conditions from the perspective of labour income, access to social protection systems, and stable employment are considered. Special attention is paid to the categories «social cohesion», «social disintegration», «life chances», methods of their classification and methodological relationships. It reflects the positions of international organizations, Western and domestic scientists on the phenomenon of social cohesion, the relevance of which in the life of modern societies is currently increasing. Existing and proposed methods of assessing social cohesion, social disintegration, and life chances can be used to analyze the effectiveness of social policy, allowing them to identify real opportunities to achieve certain levels of material well-being and quality of life for the most typical population groups by income levels, education, and duration of employment in professional groups. This provides a more accurate analysis of opportunities to achieve a higher level of education, social status, access to quality medical care, and reliable insurance institutions. The degree of access of individuals to knowledge, social services, employment, and social networks reflects not only their potential opportunities that can be realized in the future, but also describes the current state of Affairs: an uneven distribution of resources that generates poverty and social disunity. The triad of «poverty – social inequality – life chances» is considered in a union context to develop recommendations for improving social policy.

scholarly journals Reframing the rural experience in Aotearoa New Zealand: Incorporating the voices of the marginalised

2021 ◽  
pp. 144078332110142
Author(s):  
Ann Pomeroy
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The People ◽  
Structural Inequalities ◽  
Indigenous Voices

A scan of social research about rural New Zealand from the 1980s reveals power divisions which have muted the voices of ‘others’. Listening to these voices could transform how we manage the economy, sustain the environment and promote social well-being in future. Rural sociological attention in New Zealand has focused on the people and communities associated with land and resource-based assets, with little attention to the rural majority not engaged in primary production. Indigenous voices are also missing. As Jessica Hutchings argues, decisions on economic development, the environment and social services continue to uphold colonial hegemony as the dominant worldview in Aotearoa New Zealand. By being open to the perspectives of people normally ignored and particularly engaging with indigenous approaches, application of capital and power in development can be rethought and structural inequalities addressed.

scholarly journals Rolnictwo społeczne jako nowa funkcja obszarów wiejskich z perspektywy europejskiej i polskiej = Social farming as a new function of rural areas from the Europeanand Polish perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Subocz
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Multifunctional Agriculture ◽  
Income Sources ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Social Farming

The subject matter being discussed in the article pertains to the idea of social farming. According to the European Economic and Social Committee, social farming is an innovative approach combining two concepts: multifunctional agriculture and social services and/or health care at the local level. Social farming provides an opportunity to improve the well-being of individuals and collective integration of people at risk of social exclusion. It creates new employment opportunities and diversification of income sources for inhabitants of rural areas. The idea of social farming has been developing for many years in countries of Western Europe, while in Poland it is still at an initial phase. The article presents objectives of social farming, implemented social services, categories of beneficiaries and forms of their support. The paper also presents case studies from selected European countries. Further part of the article is devoted to legal aspects of establishing and functioning welfare farms in Poland.

scholarly journals Life opportunities of people: conceptual approaches and measurement

POPULATION ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-25
Author(s):  
Vyacheslav Lokosov ◽  
Valentin Roik
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Accurate Analysis

The article is devoted to the issues of poverty, social inequality and life opportunities (chances) of individuals. Qualitative and quantitative methods of assessing life opportunities are used to analyze the effectiveness of social policy, allowing identification of the real opportunities to achieve certain levels of material well-being and quality of life for the most typical groups of the population in terms of income, education, duration of employment in professional groups. This provides a more accurate analysis of the opportunities to achieve a higher level of education, social status, access to quality medical care, reliable insurance institutions. Accessibility of knowledge, social services, employment, social networks to individuals, reflects not only their potential that can be realized in the future, but also describes the current situation: uneven distribution of resources generating poverty, social disunity. The article proposes to consider the triad of issues "poverty — social inequality — life opportunities" in a single context, which is a new methodological tool for development of social policy of the State. To eliminate the institutional gap in the social sphere in Russia, it is necessary to improve the quality of budget management, which is possible only with an integrated approach that allows the use of effective mechanisms, institutions and forms of interaction between the business community and the State. In this regard, it seems most appropriate to focus on the further development of such management mechanisms as results-based budgeting; program-targeted methods of implementing budget policy; public-private partnership in the field of financing social services to the population; actuarial methods in the pension and health insurance system.

A Successful Midwifery Model for a High Deprivation Community in New Zealand: A Mixed Methods Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrienne Priday ◽  
Judith McAra-Couper
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Perinatal Mortality ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Maternity Care ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Socioeconomic Indicators ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Midwifery Practice ◽  
High Deprivation

In August 2011, the Ministry of Health (MOH) commissioned a report to provide information, evidence, and analysis regarding an integrated lead maternity care model for a midwifery practice situated in Counties Manukau, New Zealand, a high deprivation area. The final report was entitled “A Successful Lead Maternity Care Midwifery Practice in Counties Manukau” (Priday & McAra-Couper, 2011). The project was both qualitative (qualitative descriptive) and quantitative (descriptive statistics) in its review and audit of the Midwifery Practice. The midwives from this practice have been providing continuity of midwifery care for 17 years, and the MOH was interested in how this group of midwives (“the Midwifery Practice”) was working and the implications of this style of practice. The report demonstrated that the Midwifery Practice provides continuity of care for predominantly Pacific and Maori (indigenous) women and young women, including adolescents. The socioeconomic indicators of these women place them in the high deprivation index group. Given these three factors—ethnicity, age, and deprivation decile—high perinatal mortality and other adverse outcomes could be expected. However, statistics demonstrate low perinatal mortality and morbidity, with most women booking for care before 20 weeks’ gestation and recording optimal birth outcomes. The Midwifery Practice is integrated into the community facilitating a connected and accessible service for women and families. These findings are significant in light of the repeated call from the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee (PMMRC, 2013), urging stakeholders who provide health and social services to identify the reasons why women are failing to engage with care and to identify interventions to address barriers. This article summarizes the findings from the report.

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