Bridging divides : what can cities do? a summary of the public forum held on May 13, 2015, at Ryerson University

Our cities are facing growing divides such as uneven access to services and housing, congestion and transit shortfalls, income polarisation, and political divisions. This project brings together experts across disciplines to collaborate and develop solutions for actionable change in the GTHA. This report summarizes this unique public forum where three GTA mayors joined urban experts to propose strategies aimed at bridging the growing divides in our cities.

Bridging divides : what can cities do? a summary of the public forum held on May 13, 2015, at Ryerson University

Our cities are facing growing divides such as uneven access to services and housing, congestion and transit shortfalls, income polarisation, and political divisions. This project brings together experts across disciplines to collaborate and develop solutions for actionable change in the GTHA. This report summarizes this unique public forum where three GTA mayors joined urban experts to propose strategies aimed at bridging the growing divides in our cities.

COVID-19, Rural Communities, and Implications of Telebehavioral Health Services: Addressing the Benefits and Challenges of Behavioral Health Services via Telehealth in Nebraska

Telehealth has been in use, in various forms, for over a century and is growing increasingly more popular. The current research sought to examine the prevalence, benefits, and challenges of telehealth for behavioral and mental health services in the state of Nebraska with a particular focus on rural communities. The COVID-19 pandemic coincided with the research endeavors and impacted the questions that were asked related to the use of telebehavioral health. Specifically, the research included an investigation of the rates of use of telebehavioral health across agencies and whether/how the pandemic impacted the use of telehealth services. The research included an initial examination of more than 50 behavioral health agencies to assess overall utilization of telehealth. Researchers then conducted interviews with 15 practitioners to discuss the challenges and benefits associated with telehealth services. Key results suggest that implementation of telehealth in Nebraska has resulted in increased access to services among rural residents and has deeply impacted clinical practice. Additionally, clinicians identified specific benefits and challenges of telebehavioral health. It was also noted that the majority of clinicians plan to continue providing services via telehealth if the policies and regulations remain as they are post-COVID-19. Implications of this research highlight the efficiency and effectiveness of using telehealth to increase access.

Invisible Barriers: Identifying restrictions affecting New Zealanders' access to the Internet

<p>The Internet is an important technology worldwide. People use the Internet for research, communication, shopping, entertainment, etc. In addition to these benefits, the Internet provides access to dangerous or illegal material. Because of this, some content and services may be blocked by governments, Internet Service Providers, organizations, or individuals. This blocking, whether for security or for network efficiency, has significant effects on people’s access to services and information, which may not be considered when implementing restrictions. Although studies have been conducted on Internet blocking in many countries, no one has yet examined what is being blocked in New Zealand. In this thesis, we measured the prevalence of Internet blocking in New Zealand and the reasons leading to a decision to block access to websites or Internet services. Although several different tools existed, they could not be used directly because they either concentrated on a narrow range of services or did not work in an environment where some services they depended upon were blocked. For this reason, we developed our own tool called WCMT based on the issues identified from previous tools. We conducted our study using WCMT in order to identify blocked websites and services in our quantitative analysis, complemented by interviews with key informants in our qualitative analysis.</p>

Invisible Barriers: Identifying restrictions affecting New Zealanders' access to the Internet

<p>The Internet is an important technology worldwide. People use the Internet for research, communication, shopping, entertainment, etc. In addition to these benefits, the Internet provides access to dangerous or illegal material. Because of this, some content and services may be blocked by governments, Internet Service Providers, organizations, or individuals. This blocking, whether for security or for network efficiency, has significant effects on people’s access to services and information, which may not be considered when implementing restrictions. Although studies have been conducted on Internet blocking in many countries, no one has yet examined what is being blocked in New Zealand. In this thesis, we measured the prevalence of Internet blocking in New Zealand and the reasons leading to a decision to block access to websites or Internet services. Although several different tools existed, they could not be used directly because they either concentrated on a narrow range of services or did not work in an environment where some services they depended upon were blocked. For this reason, we developed our own tool called WCMT based on the issues identified from previous tools. We conducted our study using WCMT in order to identify blocked websites and services in our quantitative analysis, complemented by interviews with key informants in our qualitative analysis.</p>

Community-Based Approaches for Mitigating Risk, the Potential for Countering Radicalization, and the Prospects of Gender Mainstreaming

In an ever more complex policing environment, there is increasing pressure on police and community agencies to reduce and remove risks to individuals, families, and neighborhoods. Situation tables and hubs offer a method of collaborative risk mitigation that breaks down siloes, improves communication, reduces crime, and saves money. Due to the similarities in risk types, these tables may also reduce radicalization and extremism apart from traditional enforcement, which can lead to further isolation, resentment, and labelling. Additionally, opportunities are presented for gender mainstreaming and creating more fair access to services for previously disadvantaged groups.

Smart City and Preservation of Identity in Doha

The globalization and modernization process of the 20th-21st centuries decreased diversity and created similar cultures—the modern culture also created" modern" cities. Modern cities provided humanity the integration into production. Transportation, accommodation, and the other needs of people integrated into the output have been designed into those cities. However, later developments and research denote that the cities are not sustainable for the long term. Air pollution, water supply, food, and access to services are modern cities' main concerns. Therefore, a new development in the concept of cities was created, which is smart cities. The theory of smart cities provides the administrative power of a country with a well-established, sustainable, and smart development. The theory implemented in Doha is one example of the latest developed/developing cities. The limited population of Qatar and the significant wealth of natural gas provide them the means to establish a smart city. The main catch phrase for Qataris on that development project is “modernization with protecting the heritage.” This study examines Qatar's attempts to create Doha as an example of a smart city while protecting tradition and culture. The focus of that study will be the economic, societal, and environmental developments to denote the harmony of modernity and tradition in Doha. The research indicates that the Qatari administration builds Doha on three pillars: smart society, smart environment, and smart development.

Navigating stigma through everyday city-making: Gendered trajectories, politics and outcomes in the periphery of Lima

Over the last two decades, a growing body of scholars from the fields of psychology, sociology, law and public health have devoted their attention to examining how and why stigma operates as a form of discrimination, paying particular attention to ethno-racially stigmatised groups. However, less attention has focused on how ordinary women and men engaged in peripheral urbanisation processes are stigmatised through multiple material, social and political mechanisms and with a myriad of outcomes. Building on this literature, and drawing on the trajectories of a man and a woman living in the periphery of metropolitan Lima, I explore how stigmatisation shapes the daily lives of poor and impoverished citizens as they try to find a place in the city, and how and why their everyday practices contribute, or not, to the transformation of stigma traps. I argue that the everyday city-making practices of the ‘unsheltered’ are inextricably linked to the politics of bare citizenship. As those stigmatised become individualised, isolated and undermined, they also are deprived of being part of a collective experience, and are deeply challenged to reclaim their agency as entitled citizens. The wider the range of stigmatisation mechanisms at work, the more difficult it is for those subjected to stigma to counteract them, as they become disadvantaged in a broad range of domains: from social relations, to tenure security, access to services and infrastructure, livelihood opportunities, and psychological and physical wellbeing. I further contend that a deep examination of the material world – the dwelling, the neighbourhood and the city – and of the practices and imaginaries that produce this material world, opens a window into the micro-politics of how stigma is negotiated, apportioned and resisted in the everyday lives of those who are politically and materially unsheltered.

TRAVELLING HABITS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Accessible tourism is an under-researched area in Hungary. Based on the results of a questionnaire survey, the aim of the present study is to present several specific features of the travel demand of people with disabilities, the foremost focus being the examination of the most popular tourism products in the demand of people with disabilities. 268 Hungarians responded to the survey in online and face-to-face contexts. In addition to the Hungarian survey, the article also covers small-sample research results from four other countries (Germany, Italy, Spain and Croatia). The results show that members of the target group reject segregation solutions during their travels, and, as opposed to integration, clearly demand inclusion. Their travel frequency is above average of the entire population, with interests as diverse as those without disabilities. The issue of accessible tourism affects 10% of the European population, and thus, besides the significance of the issue from a social and societal point of view, this segment cannot be neglected in terms of its market value either. Understanding the expectations of stakeholders and their specific consumer habits is an essential requirement in the development of appropriate tourism supply and in ensuring equal access to services.