This study investigated the barriers to healthcare for intellectually disabled persons in two special schools in the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. The study employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design to select participants from two special schools for the intellectually disabled persons, namely Garden City and Life Community and Vocational School in the Asokore Mampong and Oforikrom Districts respectively. Data were collected by means of semi -structured interviews and focus group discussions. The findings showed that specific health barriers encountered in accessing health included high cost of medication, attitude of health workers, communication barriers, and environmental barriers. A comprehensive healthcare system with professionals who are well vested in the needs of the intellectually disabled persons has been recommended.
This study aims to present empirical evidence demonstrating the receptiveness of construction professionals and individuals with spinal cord injuries to participate in the construction sector, challenging the prevalent belief that spinal cord injury precludes labor inclusion. Accordingly, in August 2021, this study conducted two surveys to collect data from distinct groups: builders and individuals with spinal cord injuries. The builder survey involved a representative sample of 52 respondents, drawn from a population of 322 members of the Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry, Jalisco delegation. Simultaneously, 44 individuals with spinal cord injuries participated in the survey, sourced from a pool of 455 members affiliated with Don Bosco sobre Ruedas and Vida Independiente. The survey process facilitated a comprehensive diagnosis, identifying potential areas for enhanced inclusion within the construction sector. The empirical findings challenge conventional wisdom, indicating that a spinal cord injury does not act as a barrier to labor inclusion within the construction sector. On the contrary, the study emphasizes that having employees with disabilities can exert a positive impact on company dynamics. Moreover, the research identifies specific activities where individuals with spinal cord injuries exhibit a higher potential for inclusion, thereby redefining traditional expectations. Therefore, this study contributes to the originality of the existing discourse by providing concrete empirical evidence that counters widespread assumptions about the limitations faced by individuals with spinal cord injuries within the construction industry.
Health initiatives to improve inclusion of vulnerable people have tended to focus on a specific group with little evidence of improvement in health outcomes or attention to intersectionality. This study proposes that exclusion within health services can first be addressed through identification of common practices underpinning exclusion. A total of 119 seemingly hardly reached residents participated through individual interviews, small group interviews and focus group discussions. Undertaking a Derridean deconstruction analysis, the study identified three exclusionary practices commonly experienced by respondents when seeking healthcare in a regional setting. These are: i) language and communication, ii) assumptions and prejudice, and iii) exclusionary processes and systems. Although exclusion manifests differently between and within service user groups, the three identified forms of exclusion were commonly experienced by the hardly reached. Identifying and addressing common exclusionary practices in health services could focus inclusion strategies for health services with benefits to many service users.
The urban poor rely on informal social support to attend to needs that are unmet by formal health and social service sectors. These relationships often involve mutual exchange and are upheld by reciprocity. Consequently, unilateral (or asymmetric) support between nonkin has been relatively underexamined in the academic literature. This qualitative study explores providers' accounts of extending unilateral support to a structurally marginalised segment of the urban poor disparagingly referred to as neighbourhood 'junkies'. It presents findings from semi-structured interviews conducted in a social and health service-concentrated urban neighbourhood in Ontario, Canada. Critical realist grounded theory guided data collection and analysis. In summary, the findings show that material and experiential advantages as well as successful support histories motivated providers to forge these troubled ties. After costly and distressing occurrences with recipients led to ties being severed, providers reported difficulties with creating distance due to the dense service concentration of the downtown and a lack of housing mobility. At the same time, providers feared their withdrawal from support would condemn recipients to a support vacuum, given their reservations about the ability of social and health services to adequately cater to their needs. The findings carry implications for research on social exclusion and deepen our knowledge of social support processes among the urban poor.
People with disability continue to experience considerable employment discrimination, potentially hampering the success of the Australian government's Disability Employment Services (DES) program and contributing to the large inequalities in employment rates. Yet, discrimination experiences specifically among DES participants are underexamined in the literature. We therefore investigated perceived discrimination amongst people with disability accessing DES in relation to their experiences looking for work or during employment and explored differences for people with psychosocial and physical disabilities. Data for this study was drawn from the Improving Disability Employment Study (IDES) which aimed to gather evidence on factors influencing employment outcomes for Australians with disability accessing DES. Descriptive analysis of IDES survey data from 299 participants with physical and/or psychosocial disability was used to describe DES participant experiences of employment discrimination and how this differs for people with physical and psychosocial disability. Employment discrimination was a common experience for IDES respondents. Over a third (38.7%) of IDES participants reported one or more experiences of discrimination whilst seeking employment (which was higher for people with physical disability compared with psychosocial disability) and over half (59.1%) reported one or more experiences of discrimination whilst in the workplace (which was higher for people with psychosocial disability compared to physical disability). These findings reiterate that mitigating employment discrimination is paramount to improving employment success for people with disability accessing DES and different approaches may be required for people with different types of disability.
Advocates play an important role in supporting vulnerable individuals or groups who are marginalised in the society, including older people, to have their voices heard and uphold their rights. The aim of this scoping review was to identify the skills, core competencies, and training required to work effectively as a professional aged care advocate. The review identified a range of skills, competencies, professional development and training opportunities, and areas of knowledge required for effective advocacy. The findings revealed that no universally accepted set of competencies currently exists to guide advocacy practice, and there is limited training targeted specifically at advocates working with older people. This is particularly relevant considering the continuing growth of the world's ageing population. In addition, the review identified 37 advocacy competencies, which may provide a starting point for developing a set of competencies to inform the practices of professional advocates.
Gender-based violence (GBV) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is rife and strategies to reduce or prevent it have failed. This paper presents the views of 50 service providers who offer a unique vantage point to understand why GBV is so prevalent, through their work with victims, perpetrators, and their communities. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three key reasons for the prevalence of GBV: (1) Gender inequitable roles and norms (Big man and good woman), (2) Cultural practices and behaviours (Bride price and polygyny), and (3) Changing society (Erosion of traditional systems of governance and Technology). By presenting these key reasons, this study has also identified areas to target in awareness campaigns, education, and training to reduce and prevent GBV. The paper concludes that service providers would be a welcome resource in designing and developing culturally appropriate training and other interventions within their communities.
In this study the Vignettes Parenting Interactions in the Neighbourhood (V-PIN) was validated. These vignettes can be used to gain insight into and reflect on interactions in the neighbourhood between parents and nonparental adults. A correlational design (N = 134) was used to assess the reliability (i.e. internal consistency, test-retest), convergent and discriminant validity and relations with background variables of the V-PIN. Reliability (both internal consistency and test-retest) proved good. Positive, significant correlations provided evidence for convergent validity. The measure did not correlate with non-related constructs or background characteristics, which was an indication for discriminant validity. The newly developed measure seems useful to explore the perspectives of nonparental adults in parent-child interactions in neighbourhoods with a wide group of stakeholders with diverse cultural backgrounds and can (complemented with visualisations), be used to stimulate supportive interactions and inclusion in social work practices and the community.
Informal food vending has grown as a form of employment in South Africa’s cities and rural districts, particularly post 1994. For many, participating in informal food vending is the only option to earn a livelihood. The aim of this study was to describe the conditions of women who live on the margins of society and struggle as informal food vendors. Through purposive sampling, 12 qualitative in depth interviews were conducted with black African women in the Durban central business district. Findings show the majority of participants lack support from their male spouses despite the labour intensive work that they are forced to do. Unorthodox cooking skills are required to prepare meals for customers and efficiency in production and marketing is required as the sales contribute to family livelihoods. Findings highlight the abuse and exploitation these vendors are exposed to by unscrupulous municipal officials and the lack of municipal and organised labour assistance to address their economic marginalisation and social repression. This study highlights the challenges that these women face in the informal economy and their negative perceptions (as ‘foreigners’) of civic organisations in Durban, South Africa. (186 words)
We are social creatures at heart, and connectivity sustains and strengthens us. As the world reconnects after shutdowns and boarder closures, we are reminded how important togetherness and interconnectivity is to being human and maintaining heath. To hug loved ones who we have only seen over zoom in recent years, and to meet in person colleagues who we have only spoken with online is wonderful. The mental health benefits of connectivity are clear, and strong relationships and frequent positive social interaction are strength factors in maintaining good mental health and living well. However, the lack of social connection is emerging as one of the greatest challenges of our age (Smith, 2018). More people are living alone and disconnected from their communities. Social isolation, especially among older people living alone, is a determinant of ill health and early death (WHO, 2022). Living alone can increase mortality risk as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or having an alcohol related disorder (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). Social isolation not only has psycho-social impact, but also physical. Loneliness has been linked to high stress causing autoimmune disease as well as an increase in both coronary heart disease and stroke (Valtota et al., 2016). As Rushby-Jones (2020) writes, “loneliness is lethal”.
In Australia, lone migrant mothers remain an invisible social category within the childcare-poverty discourse. There has been an increase in the population of lone mothers migrating to Australia in pursuit of a better economic life, though with no childcare support. Within the public and political spheres, they are homogenised as single mothers incognisant of how gender intersects with factors such as migration status, ethnicity, lone parenting, and class to induce poverty. Childcare support is not only a pillar to societal flourishment and advancement but also a strategy to settlement and integration. This study aimed at examining lone migrant mothers’ experiences with place-based childcare support within one of the marginalised neighbourhoods in the Liverpool LGA. While dominant narratives broadly associate childcare support to women’s labour participation and gender equality, there is limited knowledge on the role of place-based childcare support among lone migrant mothers. Drawing on Sen’s capabilities theoretical framework, the article demonstrates that place-based childcare support is not only a welfare service but a tool for building localism. Consequently, translating into a structure for creating healthy spaces, place-making and community cohesion, and building neighbourhood capacity – aspects considered core to socio-economic inclusion of women who migrate as lone parents.
Loneliness, social isolation and exclusion are worldwide social problems with negative effects which are exacerbated in deprived groups and communities. From a qualitative perspective, this paper examines the approach to loneliness in 62 community-based social inclusion centres and programmes for people experiencing exclusion in the Basque Country (Spain). The aim of the study was to identify good practice in dealing with loneliness in centres and programmes and to understand the main challenges in providing support from the perspective of practitioners. The results show that best practices focus on individualised or person-centred interventions, the generation of interaction spaces that promote social relations, accompaniment as an intervention tool, empowerment and community participation, and employment and socio-professional training. The main challenges and difficulties are grouped into four levels. These include the users' own individual difficulties (lack of motivation, progressive deterioration and poor social skills, etc.). To a lesser extent, insufficient professionalisation of inclusion services, insufficient resources (lack of human and material means) and society's own difficulties such as stigma and social rejection are mentioned. It discusses the community intervention implications that practitioners can take into account to mitigate the loneliness of people at risk and/or socially excluded.
In addition to the challenges associated with economic adversity, college students of low socioeconomic status or self-identified social class are at higher risk of experiencing social isolation and mental health difficulties which can impede their academic success. Identifying modifiable protective factors can inform the development of interventions to improve the mental health of at-risk students. The present study examined social support as a potential explanatory mechanism. University students (N = 211) completed an assessment battery including various measures of social class, social support, and mental health. Three factors were identified, and structural equation modeling was employed to examine Supportive Social Environment (i.e., higher levels of general social support and social capital from peers and teachers) as a mediator of the relationship between Social Class Alienation (i.e., lower subjective social status and greater anticipated class-based rejection) and Mental Health Difficulties (i.e., greater levels of psychological symptoms and lower perceived ability to cope with emotions). The indirect effect was significant, and a comparison between a mediated model and an unmediated model indicated that Supportive Social Environment fully mediated the observed positive relationship between Social Class Alienation and Mental Health Difficulties. Results suggest that lower perceived social support (including from peers and teachers) contributes to the psychological struggles experienced by college students who self-identify as being of lower socioeconomic status. These findings have significant implications for programs developed to support students experiencing economic adversity by highlighting the importance of going beyond practical supports to better engage students socially.
This short commentary is intended to open a further discussion on diversity in Denmark, particularly in response to the announcement made by the Minister of Interior and Housing, Kaare Dybvad Bek, in 2021 regarding Denmark’s plan to restrict the number of ‘non-Western/non-White’ residents in any neighbourhoods to avoid ‘parallel societies’. This news was not surprising yet still disturbing, especially considering the recent taxi law requiring taxi drivers to speak Danish, along with migration, ethnicity and education research communities being accused of ‘pseudo-scientific’ research. In order to move toward a forward-thinking, socially inclusive, multicultural, sustainable and just society, I comment not only on the recent (re)surge of racism and ‘resistance to diversity’ but also on higher education’s stand and social scientists’ role in addressing these issues in Denmark, wider Europe and beyond.
The detrimental effects of social isolation on health and well-being bring forward the need for increasing social inclusion and connectedness for older, homebound adults. Homecare services may be a source of social inclusion, but the inclusive dimensions and mechanisms of care have been less explored. This study aimed to develop more knowledge on how homecare can contribute to social inclusion by exploring older adults' experiences with care visits as social encounters. The study utilised interviews with older adults from four municipalities in Norway and Denmark from 2018 to 2019 and drew on a combination of social inclusion theories and Goffmanian microinteractionism. Positive accounts of care encounters comprised three overlapping thematic dimensions: 1) bringing social life into the house, 2) creating connections to the outside world and 3) providing opportunities to participate in a broader array of social roles and identities. Despite variations, care visits could encompass social inclusive and connective aspects that enhanced thriving and wellbeing. Care visits increased opportunities for social participation and support of a valued self and comprised bonding, bridging and linking social capital. Care workers could be important interpersonal network resources at home, providing support and social stimulation, engagement and fun. Moreover, they could bridge to the outside society through conversations or by linking to services (e.g. day centres) that increased social participation and bonding with peers outside the house. The inclusive resources embedded in homecare need to be supported and utilised in policy and practice to increase older people's inclusion.
Resilience refers to the process of adapting to a crisis and bouncing back to life. Studying resilience among war-affected adult refugees and general civilians in post-conflict settings is critical, as it is directly related to their health and social inclusion. Not only is resilience helpful in preventing war-affected individuals from developing dysfunctional coping strategies or mental disorders, but it also helps them in their adaptation and (re)integration in society. The purpose of this review is to examine factors influencing the resilience process among this group. Highlighting the main findings and gaps in the existing literature, this paper provides some researchable questions and methodological recommendations. The authors review the factors across ecological levels of individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and macro levels. At the individual level, values, beliefs, and meanings given to adversity and resilience are discussed. These cultural meanings demonstrate the strong capability of war-affected individuals. However, application of these findings in practice and research is missing. Another individual level protective factor that is reviewed is coping strategies. These strategies might be affected by the cultural and political climate of the larger society. This needs more examination in future studies. At the interpersonal level, the importance of family and friends, especially for emotional support, is frequently highlighted; however, more studies are needed to investigate social support from communities and organizations. Factors at the macro level are understudied. In a few studies in this area, these factors mainly emerge as risk factors, especially for those conflict-affected populations living in developing countries. That is, the lack of legal recognition and employment opportunities are hindering the process of adaptation after experiencing trauma. The macro level factors influencing resilience need more attention from researchers.
Performers of colour have had to endure racism, both on and off stage. Sadly, many performers of colour have had personal (in)direct experiences of racism. Sadder yet, there are those who have been discouraged to pursue careers in the performing arts, because of the racism they have experienced. This article analyses a production by women of colour called Hot Brown Honey. Through this show, notions of racism are called to question and safe spaces for performers of colour are created. As two Pacific Island authors, one being the Director/Co-writer/Performer and the other an activist academic, we provide insider access into the Hot Brown Honey family. Through our insider voices, we are able to share our experiences of how this show disrupts racist perceptions, and privileges people of colour and our narratives. It is our humble prayer that both this show and article empowers people of colour in the performing arts, and builds a better industry for the next generation.
Globally, many built environments fail to meet the accessibility needs of people with disability. This is despite people with disability agitating for built environment accessibility improvement for many decades. This paper critically reviews global literature to determine what constitutes an accessible and inclusive city and to discover global benchmarks of accessible and inclusive cities. We identified five (composite) domains that an accessible and inclusive city would include: 1.Connectivity (spatial & digital); 2.Economic participation, employment and education; 3.Housing; 4.Community and social infrastructure; and 5. Processes of engagement and inclusion. We also identified a number of global accessible and inclusive city exemplars, including Breda, the Netherlands and Gdynia, Poland. From the global review of exemplars and definitions, domains and indicators, a number of areas of practical action were identified that require multi-entity, multisector collaborations with influential partners addressing all prioritised domains. These actions included: the need to include those with lived experience of disability in the planning and design of environments and services; the need to work across the linked domains of the built form, services, attitudes and economic participation; and the need to revise construction, design, planning and architectural education to foreground the needs and requirements of those with disability.
Post the shock of COVID-19, the world continues to reel from new health challenges, more frequent and severe weather events - droughts in the northern hemisphere or floods in the southern hemisphere, geopolitical conflicts, energy crises, dramatic increases in cost-of-living pressures and their associated impacts including in housing and homelessness, food security issues and increasing rates of psychological distress. Australia’s National Science Agency, CSIRO (2022) notes that we can expect the next twenty years to be volatile marked by a combination of increasingly catastrophic weather events, geopolitical tensions, exacerbated health challenges associated with the post-pandemic world, high levels of psychological distress, increasing rates of chronic disease, an ageing population, a decline in trust in public institutions and explosion of artificial intelligence. In the context of existing, significant social inequalities, while we know that humans have a strong instinct to survive, we can also expect the divide to increase between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in the face of such challenges. This relates to differences in the ability of different nations to respond to and/or meet these challenges, but moreover, the differences within groups within societies that will continue to be exposed, in particular, the differential impacts on population groups already marginalised will be exacerbated. Accordingly, this issue of the Journal of Social Inclusion, highlights stories of resilience, the power of adaption, the disruption of existing power structures and imbalances, and other methods and advances in promoting social inclusion and inclusive societies.
In this study the Vignettes Parenting Interactions in the Neighbourhood (V-PIN) was validated. These vignettes can be used to gain insight into and reflect on interactions in the neighbourhood between parents and nonparental adults. A correlational design (N = 134) was used to assess the reliability (i.e. internal consistency, test-retest), convergent and discriminant validity and relations with background variables of the V-PIN. Reliability (both internal consistency and test-retest) proved good. Positive, significant correlations provided evidence for convergent validity. The measure did not correlate with non-related constructs or background characteristics, which was an indication for discriminant validity. The newly developed measure seems useful to explore the perspectives of nonparental adults in parent-child interactions in neighbourhoods with a wide group of stakeholders with diverse cultural backgrounds and can (complemented with visualisations), be used to stimulate supportive interactions and inclusion in social work practices and the community.
