scholarly journals Adaptations to Holiday Club Food Provision to Alleviate Food Insecurity During the Covid-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Bayes ◽  
Clare E. Holley ◽  
Emma Haycraft ◽  
Carolynne Mason
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Adequate Funding ◽  
The Future ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Food Provision ◽  
The Uk

Holiday clubs play a pivotal role in providing food and vital enrichment opportunities to alleviate food insecurity among children during the school holidays (holiday hunger). The need for these opportunities increased substantially for families throughout 2020, as food insecurity quadrupled in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this qualitative study, holiday club staff from England and Wales reflected on the adaptations they implemented in order to maintain food supplies and food-related enrichment activities for families during the first UK national Covid-19 lockdown and subsequently throughout the summer of 2020. Staff also reflected on the opportunities and challenges related to implementing these adaptations during this period. Twenty-five holiday club staff engaged in video-based interviews during August and September 2020. The findings revealed a range of innovative changes to holiday club food provision, and the challenges and opportunities faced varied across holiday clubs. Challenges during the pandemic in some clubs included staff shortages (typically due to furloughing and/or increased working demands) and difficulties sourcing adequate funding. However, staff identified that the opportunities for holiday clubs included enhanced partnership working during the pandemic, increased engagement with digital technology to communicate with families and deliver their online cooking sessions, and their ability to continue providing food and much needed creative opportunities for children unable to attend school and/or the holiday club. The ability of clubs to adapt their models of working when faced with adversity was essential in protecting their organisational resilience and delivering their vital services. The findings emphasise the important role that holiday clubs play in their communities and highlight their willingness to adapt and expand their role in response to the pandemic to continue to tackle food insecurity and provide vital food and food-related enrichment opportunities to families. The findings also identify lessons that can be applied to practise in the future.

scholarly journals Digital Workerism: Technology, Platforms, and the Circulation of Workers’ Struggles

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-145
Author(s):  
Sai Englert ◽  
Jamie Woodcock ◽  
Callum Cant
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Future Of Work ◽  
Class Composition ◽  
Technology Platforms ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Critical Understanding

The use of digital technology has become a key part of contemporary debates on how work is changing, the future of work/ers, resistance, and organising. Workerism took up many of these questions in the context of the factory – particularly through the Italian Operaismo – connecting the experience of the workplace with a broader struggle against capitalism. However, there are many differences between those factories and the new digital workplaces in which many workers find themselves today. The methods of workers’ inquiry and the theories of class composition are a useful legacy from Operaismo, providing tools and a framework to make sense of and intervene within workers’ struggles today. However, these require sharpening and updating in a digital context. In this article, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for a “digital workerism”, understood as both a research and organising method. We use the case study of Uber to discuss how technology can be used against workers, as well as repurposed by them in various ways. By developing an analysis of the technical, social, and political re-composition taking place on the platform, we move beyond determinist readings of technology, to place different technologies within the social relations that are emerging. In particular, we draw attention to the new forms through which workers’ struggles can be circulated. Through this, we argue for a “digital workerism” that develops a critical understanding of how the workplace can become a key site for the struggles of digital/communicative socialism.

scholarly journals Public attitudes to COVID-19 vaccines: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon N Williams ◽  
Kimberly A Dienes
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Natural Immunity ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Necessary Evil

OBJECTIVE: To explore public attitudes to COVID-19 vaccines in the UK, focused on intentions and decisions around taking vaccines, views on 'vaccine passports', and experiences and perspectives on post-vaccination behaviour. DESIGN: Qualitative study consisting of 6 online focus groups conducted between 15th March - 22nd April 2021. SETTING: Online video conferencing PARTICIPANTS: 29 adult UK-based participants RESULTS: Three main groups regarding participants' decision or intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine were identified: (1) Accepters, (2) Delayers and (3) Refusers. Two reasons for vaccine delay were identified: delay due to a perceived need more information and delay until vaccine was 'required' in the future. Three main facilitators (Vaccination as a social norm; Vaccination as a necessity; Trust in science) and six barriers (Preference for 'natural immunity'; Concerns over possible side effects; Distrust in government; Perceived lack of information; Conspiracy theories; 'Covid echo chambers') to vaccine uptake were identified. For some delayers, vaccine passports were perceived to be a reason why they would get vaccinated in the future. However, vaccine passports were controversial, and were framed in three main ways: as 'a necessary evil'; as 'Orwellian'; and as a 'human rights problem'. Participants generally felt that receiving a vaccine was not changing the extent to which people were adhering to COVID-19 measures. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, positive sentiment toward vaccines was high. However, there remains a number of potential barriers which might be leading to vaccine delay in some. 'Vaccine delay' might be a more useful and precise construct than vaccine hesitancy in explaining why some may initially ignore or be uncertain about vaccination invitations. Vaccine passports may increase or 'nudge' uptake in some delayers but remain controversial. Earlier concerns that vaccination might reduce adherence to social distancing measures are not borne out in our data, with most people reporting ongoing adherence and caution.

scholarly journals Retail Payments Strategy for the EU versus the challenges of the payment sector

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 617-640
Author(s):  
Michał Polasik ◽  
Paweł Widawski ◽  
Grzegorz Keler ◽  
Agnieszka Butor-Keler
Keyword(s):  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Future ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Payments Systems ◽  
Payment Services ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Retail Payments ◽  
The Eu

Motivation: The payment services sector has become one of the main areas for the development of financial innovation and the key element of the digital economy. However, the payment services market in the European Union (called the European Payments Market) is still fragmented along national borders, insufficiently integrated, and facing several challenges. Therefore, the newly announced Retail Payments Strategy for the EU is a document of great importance for the future of the entire EU economy, and deserves in-depth study. Aim: The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the trends and challenges identified by the European Commission in the Retail Payments Strategy, and the general directions and proposed actions presented in this document, appropriately reflect the challenges faced by the European payment market. Results: A comparative analysis of the Strategy’s assumptions and proposed actions was conducted, in relation to the identified challenges of the payment sector. The empirical data were derived from a survey of 202 experts from all EU member states, and the UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering all types of bank and non-bank payment market players. The analysis confirmed that the Strategy identified the main challenges and opportunities, in line with the results of the expert survey: the need for further development of open banking; cross-border integration and development of instant payments systems; and ensuring access to the banking payment infrastructure, including contactless and NFC mobile payments. However, the proposed directions of action in selected areas have not been sufficiently rationalised, and most of the actions have been left to be specified in the future. In addition, the Strategy relies mostly on the use of regulatory tools that may limit innovativeness. Although the Commission and the surveyed experts agreed in recognising the challenges related to the increasing role of BigTechs in the payment sector, no comprehensive solution addressing the related challenges was proposed in the Strategy.

scholarly journals Public attitudes to COVID-19 vaccines: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Nicholas Williams ◽  
Kimberly Dienes
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Natural Immunity ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Necessary Evil

OBJECTIVE: To explore public attitudes to COVID-19 vaccines in the UK, focused on intentions and decisions around taking vaccines, views on ‘vaccine passports’, and experiences and perspectives on post-vaccination behaviour.DESIGN: Qualitative study consisting of 6 online focus groups conducted between 15th March – 22nd April 2021. SETTING: Online video conferencingPARTICIPANTS: 29 adult UK-based participantsRESULTS: Three main groups regarding participants’ decision or intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine were identified: (1) Accepters, (2) Delayers and (3) Refusers. Two reasons for vaccine delay were identified: delay due to a perceived need more information and delay until vaccine was “required” in the future. Three main facilitators (Vaccination as a social norm; Vaccination as a necessity; Trust in science) and six barriers (Preference for “natural immunity”; Concerns over possible side effects; Distrust in government; Perceived lack of information; Conspiracy theories; “Covid echo chambers”) to vaccine uptake were identified. For some delayers, 'vaccine passports' were perceived to be a reason why they would get vaccinated in the future. However, vaccine passports were controversial, and were framed in four main ways: as “a necessary evil”; as “Orwellian”; as a “human rights problem”; and as a source of confidence”. Participants generally felt that receiving a vaccine was not changing the extent to which people were adhering to COVID-19 measures. CONCLUSIONS: Overall positive sentiment around vaccines is high. However, there remains a number of potential barriers which might be leading to vaccine delay in some. ‘Vaccine delay’ might be a more useful and precise construct than vaccine hesitancy in explaining why some may initially ignore or be uncertain about vaccination invitations. Vaccine passports may increase or ‘nudge’ uptake in some delayers but may be unpopular in others. Earlier concerns that vaccination might reduce adherence to social distancing measures are not borne out in our data, with most people reporting adherence and caution.

scholarly journals Fixing the future? How architects make time in buildings for later life care

2020 ◽  
pp. 003802612095274
Author(s):  
Siân M. Beynon-Jones ◽  
Daryl Martin ◽  
Christina Buse ◽  
Sarah Nettleton ◽  
Ellen Annandale
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Architectural Practice ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Empirical Material

Drawing on scholarship that explores the making of time, this article aims to develop sociological understandings of architecture’s relations with temporality. Commentary from within and outside architecture has often suggested that a sensitivity to time is missing from its practices (and indeed, that time is actively excluded from architecture). We argue that, rather than attempting to rectify a perceived absence of engagement with time in architecture, it is more fruitful to explore architecture as inevitably implicated in the making of time(s). Mobilising empirical material from a qualitative study of building design for residential care in later life in the UK, we illustrate various relations with, and visions of, the future that are produced through architectural practice. Rendering architecture’s time-making practices explicit, we suggest, makes it possible to reflect on whether, and to what extent, its time(s) could be done differently.

scholarly journals A Vinter retreat in Europe

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Pettigrew
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
European Convention ◽  
Domestic Court ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Future ◽  
Grand Chamber ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Court Of Appeal

In Vinter and Others v. United Kingdom, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights held that domestic procedures for reviewing whole life prison sentences in England and Wales were in breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In response, the domestic Court of Appeal declined to revise those procedures, or the material relating to them, and held that the Grand Chamber was incorrect in its finding; the law did in fact give prisoners hope for future release. Rather than reasserting the reasoning and findings of Vinter, the Grand Chamber has been appeased by the clarification offered by the UK court. The contradictions in that retreat from the Vinter judgement are analysed here and the future standing of the court is prophesized in relation to that decision.

Hunger and charitable emergency food provision in the UK and beyond

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Lambie-Mumford
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Policy Context ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Provision ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Food Charity

Chapter 2 discusses in more detail the rise of food charity in the United Kingdom. It provides international, historical and policy context to this rise as well as an exploration of current knowledge relating to household food insecurity in the UK.

Organization, responsibility and practice of food provision in home-help service

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (7) ◽  
pp. 1921-1932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Fjellstrom ◽  
Ylva Mattsson Sydner ◽  
Birgitta Sidenvall ◽  
Monique M Raats ◽  
Margaret Lumbers
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Home Help ◽  
Food Provision ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose – In the home help service, food provision is one common welfare service that involves different professionals at different levels within a social organisation. The purpose of this paper is to examine how different professionals involved in this sector view and describe their work and responsibilities. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study was designed based on interviews with 17 professionals representing different positions in the organisation, and an inductive thematic analysis was carried out. Findings – The various professionals’ views of food provision mainly focus on the meal box and other meals seem to receive much less attention. The professionals also illuminated their respective roles within the food provision organisation by means of boundaries and split responsibilities, and expressed a view of food provision as an issue for outsourcing. The restricted manner in which food provision was viewed and described illuminates a risk of food insecurity for dependent people in home help service situations. Originality/value – The restriction of how food provision was viewed and described illuminates a risk of food insecurity for dependent people in home help service.

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