Quality Issues in Qualitative Research Assignment

Quality Issues in Qualitative Research - Assignment Example Triangulation refers to use of more than two different methods in research as a means of confirmation of results (Miller, 2012). It aims at increasing the validity and reliability of data in research. With regard to this particular research, it is important for the researcher to use a variety of individuals in answering the research questions. Also, it is important to carry out sequel interviews and observations in order to verify the results of the initial study. Transferability relates to the ability of a piece of research to be applicable to other fields with similar characteristics to that of the researcher. It is advisable to ensure transferability by stating central assumptions as well as proper authoring the context of the project. (Miller, 2012) Fine Motor Skill Disability can be related to similar fields and the findings of the author can be used to determine if technology may or may not be used in said fields. Trustworthiness in research is all about credibility of all the information stated in the research project (Miller, 2012). This research involves the use of interviews and observation as means of data collection. These means are all first hand and cannot be verified by a third party therefore, it is the duty of the researcher to ensure that the interviews are carried out without bias, and are reported exactly as they occurred. The researcher must not doctor results in order to suit his own personal

Ukraine Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Ukraine Culture - Essay Example Ukrainian art was said to have its beginning in the pre-Christian era but any progress and development that it had gained was squashed by centuries of turmoil during the Tatar barbarism. In the 17th century, however, a Cossack Ukraine took interest in the country’s culture and arts as a way of gaining the trust of the local Orthodox Church and population to create a strong power base. As a result, there was significant movement and progress in Ukraine’s arts and culture, but it was in the 18th century when the Khmel’nyts’kyi Revolution, the Period of Ruin and the last days of the Mazepa era, was brought to a close that they began to flourish. Whatever gains, however, that Ukrainian arts and culture had during that era soon became ineffective when Stalinization and â€Å"russification† was imposed on non-Russian cultures. This implied a suppression of non-Russian culture and the imposition of Russian culture as a guideline for all artistic and cultur al activities. With the death of Stalin in 1953 and the subsequent de-Stalinization of Russian policies during the reign of Nikita Khrushchev in the late 1950s, Ukrainian art became free once again. Ukrainian Architecture Ukrainian architecture began to take a distinctive shape in the pre-Christian era. Early Ukrainian structures were made of wood. In the 9th to 10th centuries churches, fortifications and even palaces were made of wood (see Fig. 1). Pieces of timber were horizontally placed on top of another to form structures and this tradition of construction was continued even up to the 20th century (My Ukraine).

Roles Of Users, Payers And Buyers

Roles Of Users, Payers And Buyers Consumer behaviour study is based on consumer buying behaviour, with the consumer playing the three distinct roles of users, payer and buyer. Consumer behaviour is the study of when, why, how, and where people do or do not buy products. It blends elements from psychology, sociology, social anthropology and economics. It attempts to understand the buyer decision making process, both individually and in groups. It studies characteristics of individual consumers such as demographics and behavioural variables in an attempt to understand peoples wants. It also tries to assess influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups, and society in general. WHAT IS CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR? Consumer behaviour can be defined as the dynamic interaction of affect and cognition, behaviour, and environmental events by which human beings conduct the exchange aspects of their lives. There are at least three important ideas in this definition: (1) consumer behaviour is dynamic; (2) it involves interaction between affect and cognition, behaviour, and environmental events; and (3) it involves exchange. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IS DYNAMIC First, the definition emphasis that consumer behaviour is dynamic. This means individual consumers, consumer groups, and society at large are constantly changing and evolving over time. This has important implications for the study of consumer behaviour as well as for developing marketing strategies. In terms of studying consumer behaviour, one implication is that generalizations about consumer behaviour are usually limited to specific periods of time, products, and individuals or groups. Thus, students of consumer behaviour must be careful not to over- generalize theories and research findings. In terms of developing marketing strategies, the dynamic nature of consumer behaviour implies that one should not expect the same marketing strategy to work all the time across all products, markets, and industries. While this may seem obvious, many companies have failed to recognize the need to adapt their strategies in different markets. Further, a strategy that is successful at one point may fail miserably at another point because of the dynamism of the consumers and the markets, and this is what makes marketing strategy development such an exciting , yet challenging, task. DATABASE MARKETING Many companies have developed extensive database that allow them to target individual consumers. Here are a few of them: NESTLE chose to launch a new pasta product through the post rather than through television. It is cheaper for them to develop a database of the right socioeconomic profile of pasta-eaters than it is to promote via television. UNILEVER uses database marketing to target their loyal customers, trying to make loyalty last. In Sweden, they are creating a database with users of their Organics shampoo on the basis of participants in a recent competition. They have also sent out samples of a new Dove sensitive crà ¨me douche to target segments in order to create awareness. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR INVOLVES INTERACTIONS A second important point emphasized in the definition of consumer behaviour is that it involves interactions between affect and cognition, behaviour, and environmental events. This means that to understand consumers and develop superior marketing strategies, we must understand what they think (cognition) and feel (affect), what they do (behaviour), and the things and places (environmental events) that influence and are influenced by what consumers think, feel, and do. Whether we are evaluating a single consumer, a target market, or an entire society, analysis of all three elements is useful for understanding and developing marketing strategies. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR INVOLVES EXCHANGES A final point emphasized in the definition of consumer behaviour is that it involves exchanges between human beings. This makes the definition of consumer behaviour consistent with current definitions of marketing that also emphasize exchange. In fact, the role of marketing is to create exchanges with consumers by formulating and implementing marketing strategies. APPROACHES TO CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH Two broad groups are interested in consumer behaviour a basic research group and an action-oriented group. The basic research group is mainly composed of academic researchers interested in studying consumer behaviour as a way of developing a unique body of knowledge about this aspect of human behaviour. These researchers have backgrounds in anthropology, sociology, psychology, economics, and marketing, as well as other fields. The majority of published work on consumer behaviour is basic research, and this work forms the foundation of our text. Because researchers dealing with consumer behaviour have different backgrounds, the way in which they analyse consumer behaviour, the topics they concentrate on, the kind of theories they develop, and the kind of research methods they employ differ as well. Some consumer research is very qualitative, with an emphasis on understanding a particular consumption event, a particular familys consumer behaviour, or the success of a particular brand based on the context in which these phenomena occur and on the history leading up to the occurrence of the phenomenon. Other consumer research concentrates on finding regularities in consumer behaviour that apply in a broad variety of contexts across time and space, such as the effect of personal involvement in a purchase, on information seeking behaviour or the effect of sales promotions on shopping behaviour in supermarkets. CONSUMER AFFECT AND COGNITION Consumer affect and cognition refer to two types of mental responses consumers have to stimuli and events in their environment. Affect refers to their feelings about stimuli and events, such as whether they like or dislike a product. Cognition refers to their thinking, such as beliefs about a particular product. Affective responses can be favourable or unfavourable and vary in intensity. For instance, affect includes relatively intense emotions, such as love or anger; less strong feeling states such as satisfaction or frustration; moods such as boredom or relaxation, and milder overall attitudes, such as liking McDonalds chips or disliking Bic pens. Marketers typically develop strategies to create positive affect for their products and brands to increase the chances that consumers will buy them. Cognition refers to the mental structures and processes involved in thinking, understanding, and interpreting stimuli and events. It includes the knowledge, meaning, and beliefs that consumers have developed from their experience and stored in their memories. It also includes the processes associated with paying attention to and understanding stimuli and events, remembering past events, forming evaluations, and making purchasing decisions and choices. While many aspects of cognition are conscious thinking processes, others are essentially automatic. SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSUMER AFFECT AND COGNITION 1. How do consumers interpret information about marketing stimuli such as products, stores, and advertising? 2. How do consumers choose among alternative product classes, products, and brands? 3. How do consumers form evaluations of products and brands? 4. How does memory affect consumer decision making? 5. How do affect and cognition influence behaviour and environments? CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Behaviour refers to the physical actions of actions of consumers that can be directly observed and measured by others. It is also called overt behaviour to distinguish it from mental activities, such as thinking, that cannot be observed directly. Examples of behaviour include shopping at stores, buying products, or using credit cards. Behaviour is critical for marketing strategy because it is only through behaviour that sales can be made and profits earned. While many marketing strategies are designed to influence consumers affect and cognition, these strategies must ultimately result in overt consumer behaviour for them to have value for the company. It is therefore critical for marketers to analyse, understand, and influence overt behaviour. SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSUMER BEHAVIOURS 1. How do behaviour approaches differ from affective and cognitive approaches to studying consumer behaviour? 2. What is classical conditioning, and how is it used by marketers to influence consumer behaviour? 3. What is operant conditioning, and how is it used by marketers to influence consumer behaviour? 4. What is vicarious learning, and how is it used by marketers to influence consumer behaviour? 5. What consumer behaviours are of interest to marketing management? CONSUMER ENVIRONMENT The consumer environment refers to everything external to consumers that influence what they think, feel, and do. It includes social stimuli that influence consumers, such as the actions of others in cultures, subcultures, social classes, reference groups, and families. It also includes other physical stimuli, such as stores, products, advertisements, and signs which can change consumers thoughts, feelings, and actions. The consumer environment is important for marketing strategy because it is the medium in which stimuli are placed to influence consumers. For example, marketers run commercials during TV programmes that their target markets watch in order to inform, persuade, and remind them to buy certain products and brands. SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSUMER ENVIRONMENT 1. In what physical environments do consumer behaviours occur? 2. How do environments affect consumers affect and cognition and behaviour? 3. How do consumers affect and cognition and behaviour affect the environment? 4. What effect does culture have on consumers? 5. What effect does subculture have on consumers? RELATIONSHIPS AMONG AFFECT AND COGNITION, BEHAVIOUR, AND THE ENVIRONMENT Each of the three elements can be either a cause or an effect of a change in the other element. For example, a consumer might see an advert for a new laundry detergent that promises to wash clothes cleaner than OMO. This might change what the consumer thinks about the new brand and lead to a purchase of it. In this case, a change in the consumers environment (the advert for the new detergent), led to a change in cognition (the consumer believed the new detergent was better) which led to a change in behaviour (the consumer bought the new brand). Another possibility is that a consumer might be dissatisfied with his or her current brand of laundry detergent. On the consumers next trip to the grocery, other brands are inspected, and one that promises to get white clothes whiter is selected. In this example, a change in affect and cognition (dissatisfaction) leads to a change in the consumers environment (inspecting other brands) which leads to change in behaviour (purchase of a different brand). While there are other ways changes could occur, these examples serve to illustrate our view of consumers. Namely, that not only do consumer processes involve a dynamic and interactive system, but they are also a reciprocal system. A reciprocal system is one in which any of the elements could be either a cause or an effect of a change at any particular time. Affect and cognition could change consumers behaviour and environment; behaviours could change consumers affect, cognitions and environments. Environments can change consumers affect, cognition and behaviour. There are five implications of viewing consumer processes as a reciprocal system involving affect and cognition, behaviour, and the environment. First, any comprehensive analyses of consumers must consider all three elements and the relationships of them. Description of consumers in terms of only one or two of the elements is incomplete. Second, it is important to recognize that any of the three elements may be the starting point for consumer analysis. While we think that marketing strategists should start with an analysis of the specific overt behaviours consumers must perform to achieve marketing objectives, useful analyses could start with affect and cognition by researching what consumers think and feel about such things as the various brands of a product. Third, since this view is dynamic, it recognises that consumers can continuously change. While some consumers may change little during a particular time period, others may frequently change their affect, cognition, behaviour, and environments. Keeping abreast of consumers therefore involves continuous research to detect changes that could influence marketing strategies. Fourth, while our example focused on a single consumer, consumer analysis can be applied at several levels. It can be used to analyse not only a single consumer, but also a group of consumers that make up a target market, a larger group of consumers which make up all of the purchasers of a product in an industry, or for an entire society. Finally, this framework for analysing consumers highlights the importance of consumer research and analysis in developing marketing strategies. Consumer research and analysis should be key activities for developing marketing strategies. Consumer research includes many types of study such as test marketing, advertising pre-tests, sales promotion effects, analysis of sales and market share data, pricing experiments, traffic and shopping patterns, brand attitude and intentions, and many others. Consumer research and analysis should not end when a strategy has been implemented. Rather research should continue to investigate the effects of the strategy and whether it could be changed to be more effective. Thus, marketing strategy should involve a continuous process of researching and analysing consumers, developing strategies, implementing them, and continuously improving strategies. INFORMATION SEARCH Once the consumer has recognized a problem, they search for information on products and services that can solve that problem. Sources of information include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Personal sources à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Commercial sources à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Public sources à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Personal experience The relevant internal psychological process that is associated with information search is perception. Perception is defined as the process by which an individual receives, selects, organizes, and interprets information to create a meaningful picture of the world. THE SELECTIVE PERCEPTION PROCESS Stage Description à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selective exposure consumers select which promotional messages they will expose themselves to. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selective attention consumers select which promotional messages they will pay attention to. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selective comprehension consumers interpret messages in line with their beliefs, attitudes, motives and experiences. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selective retention consumers remember messages that are more meaningful or important to them. The implications of this process help develop an effective promotional strategy, and select which sources of information are more effective for the brand. INFORMATION EVALUATION At this time the consumer compares the brands and products that are in their evoked set. How can the marketing organization increase the likelihood that their brand is part of the consumers evoked (consideration) set? Consumers evaluate alternatives in terms of the functional and psychological benefits that they offer. The marketing organization needs to understand what benefits consumers are seeking and therefore which attributes are most important in terms of making a decision. PURCHASE DECISION Once the alternatives have been evaluated, the consumer is ready to make a purchase decision. Sometimes purchase intention does not result in an actual purchase. The marketing organization must facilitate the consumer to act on their purchase intention. The provision of credit or payment terms may encourage purchase, or a sales promotion such as the opportunity to receive a premium or enter a competition may provide an incentive to buy now. The relevant internal psychological process that is associated with purchase decision is integration. POSTPURCHASE EVALUATION It is common for customers to experience concerns after making a purchase decision. This arises from a concept that is known as cognitive dissonance. The customer, having bought a product, may feel that an alternative would have been preferable. In these circumstances that customer will not repurchase immediately, but is likely to switch brands next time. To manage the post-purchase stage, it is the job of the marketing team to persuade the potential customer that the product will satisfy his or her needs. Then after having made a purchase, the customer should be encouraged that he or she has made the right decision. It is not affected by advertisement. INTERNAL INFLUENCES Consumer behaviour is influenced by: demographics, psychographics (lifestyle), personality, motivation, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and feelings. Consumer behaviour concern with consumer need consumer actions in the direction of satisfying needs leads to his behaviour of every individual depend on thinking process. EXTERNAL INFLUENCES Consumer behaviour is influenced by: culture, sub-culture, locality, royalty, ethnicity, family, social class, reference groups, lifestyle, and market mix factors. MARKETING STRATEGY From a consumer point of view, a marketing strategy is a set of stimuli placed in consumers environments designed to influence their affect, cognition, and behaviour. These stimuli include such things as products, brands, packaging, advertisements, coupons, stores, credit cards, price tags, salespeoples communications, and in some cases sounds (music), smells (perfume), and other sensory cues. Clearly, marketing strategies should not only be designed to influence consumers, but should also be influenced by them. For example, if research shows that consumers are disgusted (affect and cognition) with the advertisements for Armani jeans, the company may want to change its adverts to better appeal to the market. If research shows that consumers in the target market do not shop (behaviour) in stores where a companys product is featured, then the distribution strategy may have to be changed. If the research shows that consumers want to be able to get information from a companys homepage (environment) and none exists, the company may want to create one. Thus marketing strategies should be developed, implemented, and changed based on consumer research and analysis. REFRENCES: Peter J .P, Olson J.C and Grunert K .G (1999) Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Strategy, McGraw-Hill, Berkshire, England. Schiffman L .G and Kanuk L .L (1995) Consumer Behaviour, Prentice-Hall of India, New Delhi. INTERNET SOURCES: Consumer Behaviour curled from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/consumer_behaviour Consumer Psychologist curled from http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/ THE ROLE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN STRATEGIC MARKETING COMMUNICATION à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consumer Affect and Cognition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consumer Behaviour à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consumer Environment

The Role of Climate Change in Coral Reef Destruction Essay -- Global W

Climate change is arguably one of the most discussed issues in climatic conferences and political debates across the world. Establishment of the fact that global warming is the leading cause of climate change continues to persuade people to find out ways of reducing or mitigating the effects it has on the earth. Global warming occurs naturally, but artificial causes, which are mainly human activities, contribute to this effect. The release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from human activates has led to a 0.60C rise in global temperatures (Walther et al., 2002). This implies that different life forms are affected in one way or the other given the effect of temperature on life. Different species of flora and fauna have and continue to suffer the effect of climatic changes. Coral reef is one of seawater features that have been affected by climatic changes. This has led to destruction through coral bleaching and increased mortality, especially due to the warming of the sea that causes an increase in sea water levels (Bakerl, Glynn & Riegl, 2008). An increase in global temperature also increases ocean acidification (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007). These occurrences destroy reefs resulting in a significant drop in other sea organisms that depend on the reef. This implies that climatic changes are among the most destructive environmental elements affecting coral reef population in the world. To understand how climatic changes affect coral reef population, it is important to consider different ecological processes that occur due to climatic changes, the most common being the rise in global temperatures. Results from Different Studies Investigating the Role of Climate Change in Coral Reef Destruction Evidence of Sea Acidi... ...igher—Can We Do Anything About It?. National Geographic. Retrieved Nov 11, 2013: http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/ Obura, D. (2005). Resilience and climate change: lessons from coral reefs and bleaching in the Western Indian Ocean. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 63, 353–372. Obura, D. & Grimsditch, D. (2009). Coral reefs, climate change and resilience : an agenda for action from the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Neptune: IUCN. Smith, V. & Buddemeier, W. (1992). Global change and coral ecosystems . Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst, 23, 89-118. Sutthacheepn, M. et al. (2013). Impacts of the 1998 and 2010 mass coral bleaching events on the Western Gulf of Thailand. Deep-Sea Research II, 96, 25–31. Walther, G. et al. (2002). Ecological responses to recent climate change. Nature, 416, 389-395.

Animals Have Souls!

Alexis Clendenin Gabriel 21 March, 2013 English IV Senior Project Animals have souls. Should Animal Experimentation for Medical Research be banned? Throughout history, animal experimentation has played an imperative role in leading to new discoveries and human advantages. However, many people tend to forget the great numbers of animal that have suffered serious damage during the process of experimentation. Many people misunderstand the nature the lives that animals actually live, and are unable to understand the actual laboratory procedures and techniques.Animal experimentation should be excluded because it is inhumane, unethical, and there are safer ways to test products. According to the latest US statistics, â€Å"Nearly one million animals were tortured, mutilated and killed in US laboratories in 2009. †(Business Wire) The most common animals used for experimentation are mice, rats, rabbits, primates, dogs, cats; no animal is safe from experimentation. (PETA) Animals shoul d be roaming free, not lying in a cold cage not knowing what’s about to transpire upon them. In the laboratory, animals are compelled to inhaling, ingesting getting injected with lethal substances. PETA) Humans have stronger rights than animals since we can reason rationally. We use animals to eat them, play with them, and wear their skins. Most vital, we use them as test subjects for medical purposes. The research has led us to discoveries which have saved millions of lives. The outcomes have led to immunizations against polio, mumps, hepatitis, diphtheria, and rubella; which have saved countless lives. (Gale, 2) Researching animals is crucial for scientists, medical societies, and health agencies all over the world to enhance the lives of humans. Government regulations around the world require that new drugs, vaccines and surgical implants first be tested in animals for potential toxic reactions. † (Gale, 1) The testing of animals is the only guaranteed way we can con tinue our production of safe medicines. Without animal testing scientists cannot be optimistic that all medicines on the market are safe and reliable. To be helpful to human beings, the drugs should be tested using human cells, tissues, and organs. Recent technological developments made it possible to replace experimenting on animals.The use of cell culture, analytical technology, micro-organism tests, and computer models are some examples of additional approaches for medical research. (O’Neill, 2) Scientists only want to obtain the best results and that is why they test on animals. Animals and humans can have the similar medical issues. (Gale, 1)†Opposition to all animal testing would require a life without drugs, vaccines, painkillers, anesthetics, and surgery. †(Gale 2) If we didn’t have any treatments to any illnesses, would the human species survive? The answer is unknown.Every day in the United States animals are beaten, neglected, or forced to strugg le for survival. Left in unsanitary conditions with no food or water, they have little hope as they live out their days without the compassion they deserve. Some are found and rescued, given the chance to experience how great life and humans can be; others aren't so lucky. To grow as a nation, we must fight for these abused animals' rights and severely punish heartless owners. It is up to us to speak for these creatures who lack a voice, for who will if we don't?One of the first steps in protecting animals and creating effective cruelty laws is knowing what animal cruelty actually is. There are two categories: passive cruelty and active cruelty. The first involves acts of omission, meaning the abuse happens as a result of neglect or lack of action. Passive cruelty might seem less serious, but that is not the case; it can lead to terrible pain and suffering, and ultimately death. Examples include starvation, dehydration, untreated parasite infestations, inadequate shelter in extreme weather conditions, and the failure to get medical care.Passive cruelty is sometimes due to the owner's ignorance, so many animal control officers will first try to educate neglectful owners on how to properly care for animals before giving them a citation or placing them under arrest. Active cruelty, on the other hand, is more well known and disturbing. Sometimes referred to as non-accidental injury, this type of abuse involves purposefully inflicting harm on an animal in order to feel more powerful or gain control.Active cruelty against animals should be taken very seriously, since it can be a sign that a person has serious psychological issues and may commit more acts of violence – possibly against humans. It is hard to tell just what drives people to harm innocent animals. â€Å"According to a 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Northeastern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crime s against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than are individuals without a history of animal abuse,† says Pet-abuse. om. It is vital to report people who hurt animals. Most animal abusers find some sort of fulfillment or power in torturing a victim they know can't fight back, which is why crimes like rape and child molestation are committed. While not all animal abusers become serial killers or rapists, it is important to take every case seriously. For example, Carroll Edward Cole was a West Coast serial killer who may have murdered as many as 35 women in the 1970s and was executed in 1985. Based on Cole's testimony, his first violent act was strangling a puppy.The Columbine school shooting is another example of animal abuse as a precursor to human violence. Before killing 12 classmates and then turning the guns on themselves, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebod had bragged to friends about mutilating animals. If these acts had been reported to authorities a nd taken seriously, these two young men might have been put in a proper facility and helped, possibly avoiding the horrific massacre. Given these examples, it's hard to imagine why all states don't take animal cruelty seriously. Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota have no felony provisions for cruelty to animals.According to the Humane Society, a good felony anticruelty law should protect all animals, apply to first-time offenders, carry large fines and lengthy prison time, have no exemptions, require convicted abusers to get counseling at their own expense, and prohibit abusers from owning or living among animals. Along with these laws we need officials who will strongly enforce them. Police, psychologists, and even the FBI recognize the link between animal cruelty and violence against people. To better protect communities, all states should institute strong penalties and work to increase public awareness of these crimes.It's not only up to the lega l system to ensure that communities across the country are aware and educated about animal cruelty. There are plenty of things everyday citizens can do. The simplest action is for people to take care of their own pets and learn the facts so they can educate others on proper animal care. Another easy way to help is by donating to or volunteering at a local animal shelter. Contrary to popular belief, volunteering doesn't require a lot of time; simply going in a few hours a week helps tremendously.Finally, by writing letters you can remind your local lawmakers that animal abuse is a real problem that needs to be addressed. Taking a few minutes to support this worthy cause not only helps animals, it allows you to feel proud about standing up for something so important to society. It is our job to be the voice for creatures who cannot speak up for themselves. As a nation we need to make it our priority to come together and ensure the safety of our beloved pets. As Margaret Mead once said , â€Å"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. †

Examine the argument that neighbourly relations are always characterised Essay

The requirement to be friendly but without undermining the privacy of others, different spaces where neighbouring takes place. For example if a neighbour is busy at the front garden might do a quick chat, but never thinking of knocking on their front door. People don’t normally sit in the front of their home because they see it to public, more like in the back garden. Like Kate Fox says refer it as the grey area In her book called Watching the English: The hidden rules of English Behaviour Fox wrote that in 2004, who is a social anthropologist. Some neighbours may pass one another and a have a quick hi, chat, and some don’t bother with each other. Most properties in the UK have distinct physical boundaries, for example, borders, hedges, fences or walls, most people respect these boundaries. We have them as a protection from others around us, so we can sit or sunbathe without onlookers, if someone were to pop their head over our fence this would, to most, be seen as intrusion. Many people have a relationship with their neighbours, most of them keeping a distance, not becoming too friendly, maybe borrowing a power tool or signing for a parcel and dropping it round when they finish work. Willmott, 1986, said neighbours are expected to have a ‘general disposition towards friendliness’ while, at the same time, respecting others ‘need for privacy and reserve’. This suggest the general feeling towards how a neighbour should be is friendly when seen but to respect the privacy and need for space. Identify the argument that neighbourly relations are characterised by friendly distance. Before I identify the argument that neighbourly relations are characterised by friendly distance, I want to explore what neighbourly relations are, their responsibilities, how and why they act in a particular but also whether it’s the same throughout the world. During the 1800s there was a rapid change in where people lived. In the first half of the century,  the population of England and Wales doubled from nearly 9 million to almost 18 million. Meanwhile the population living in large towns increased from1.5 million to 15million. England experienced the full force and development of urbanisation. These changes of where people live also influenced how people lived. The historian Briggs (1990) described heaving, industrial Manchester as the ‘shock city’ in the 1830s. Among all the changes experienced with urbanisation some of these changes included the intensity of people liv ing together ay greater densities than ever experienced in the countryside, people had new associations with boundaries and a different grasp of ‘public’ and ‘private’ space. But more importantly they had to learn how to be a neighbour in a city. The boundaries between ‘public’ and ‘private’ are still evident in cities today. Kate Fox describes it as the ‘geography of neighbouring’. In every community there is an informal negotiation of space which establishes the daily functioning of the neighbourhood. Boundaries and communal junctions are places of interaction and for exchanges of pleasantries. Jovan Byford explains that most interactions occur over a boundary, a fence or in a public space like a street instead of in a personal private domain. Harris and Gale (2004) conducted a study to examine neighbourly relations and they found the trend that most interviewees explained that if they go out of the house and see other neighbours they will chat but do not necessarily go to each other’s houses.

Huckleberry Finn essays

Huckleberry Finn essays In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim and Huck escape down the Mississippi river in search of freedom and adventure, and along the way encounter many different kinds of people, families, and societies. They visit different towns and villages along the Mississippi, and find out that the characters of the people they meet are often violent, dishonest, or easily cheated out of their money. The people are sometimes welcoming, but also very scared, vulnerable and isolated in their frontier life. Mark Twain presents an authentic depiction of the 19th century frontier, and demonstrates that although the people of the frontier often put up a false image of themselves in order to survive, human nature remains the same no matter where it is lived out. The first people that Huck encounters on his way down the Mississippi are a family called the Grangerfords. The Grangerfords are presented as being bit more refined and civilized than any people earlier in the novel. Twain uses Hucks narrative for satires against the shallowness of American decorum, art, poetry, and well-born churchgoers. But, despite the airs of sophistication and culture that they put on, the Grangerfords are nonetheless gracious and generous to Huck and offer him a home with them as long as he would like. Unfortunately, Huck is unable to take the family up on their offer for long, because he soon becomes aware of the conflicts surrounding him. He discovers that the Grangerfords are involved in a long time feud with a neighboring family called the Shepardsons, and it is not long before blood is shed and Hucks friend Buck Grangerford is shot dead. At this shocking realization of the cruelty and violence of the frontier, Huck flees the from the Grangerfords, but a lso from what he is unable to describe, a vision of himself participating in senseless cruelty and destruction. Soon after they fleeing from the Grangerfor...

A latent infection Essays

A latent infection Essays A latent infection Essay A latent infection Essay A latent infection refers to an infective agent, in this instance a virus, staying in an inactive or hibernating province [ I ] . This can happen in both DNA and RNA viruses, including Herpes Simplex virus and HIV. The virus life rhythm includes two parts, the lytic and lysogenic rhythm. Latent infections come under the lysogenic rhythm. This latent phase is utile in hedging an immune response so the virus lasts for a longer clip within the host cell. The lytic rhythm is the chief rhythm where reproduction occurs and is shown below in diagram 1. The first phase is attachment where the virus attaches to the host cell via a receptor. The viral nucleic acid is either injected into the cell through incursion or the whole virus atom is taken up by endocytosis. If the virus was taken up in this manner it now needs to be uncoated so the viral nucleic acid is exposed in the cytol of the host cell. The following phase is cistron look and the control of cistron look determines the overall class of a virus infection ( acute, chronic, relentless or latent ) ( Principles of Molecular Virology, 4th edition, Alan J. Cann, 2005 ) . Depending on the type of nucleic acid, DNA or RNA, look and reproduction of the cistron can take topographic point in the cytol or the karyon of the host cell. Assembly so takes topographic point to acquire all the constituents necessary to do a new virion together and they are packaged into membranes and envelopes. This is known as the ripening procedure and is the point when the virus becomes infective. Replication occurs rapidly and so many mature virions are made, that they are released from the host cell through lysis of the cell wall. The virions can now reiterate this procedure on another host cell to distribute the infection. Diagram 1 the lytic and lysogenic rhythms: Viral DNA/RNA is incorporated into the host genome in the lysogenic rhythm besides shown in diagram 1. The host genome is now termed a prophage and the viral nucleic acid replicates as a portion of the host cell and can be passed onto girl cells. No new virions are made in this rhythm and there are no symptoms from the infection. The viral nucleic acid can stay in the lysogenic rhythm for a long clip but if the prophage is triggered by emphasis or UV visible radiation, the rhythm can return back to the lytic rhythm where new viral offspring is formed. Viral latency is portion of the lysogenic component of the virus life rhythm. Gene look is down regulated so, in this latent province, the virus is non being replicated ( Janeway s Immunobiology, 7th edition, Murphy et Al, 2008 ) . The viral nucleic acid is integrated into the host genome and replicates with the host genome but no new viral proteins are being made. This happens at a point after the initial infection with the virus. There is no disease nowadays in this phase but the virus has non been eradicated. The virus can be reactivated from a latent province to a lytic province due to a figure of factors. These include emphasis, sunlight or hormonal alterations. A reversion to the lytic phase of the life rhythm consequences in viral proteins being made and the infection returning, but perchance in a different look compared to the initial infection. The latent province is maintained by the written text of certain cistrons, either maintaining the virus in the latent province or returning it back to the lytic. The forms of the latent phase can be studied utilizing bacteriophage lambda as it does non do disease. Diagram 2 below shows in graph signifier how the virus can travel in and out of a latent province over clip. Diagram 2 latency graph demoing viral burden vs. clip The virus in the latent phase does non bring forth any proteins, which makes it undetectable to the immune system as there are no sensing markers. The virus can besides conceal in cells that do non split, for illustration in some cells of the immune system. The virus does non acquire broken down or engulfed by macrophages as it has become portion of the host cell. The latent phase is a good manner of lasting in a host cell in order to reinfect the host subsequently on. It can so besides spread to other host cells, advancing drawn-out endurance and perennial infection. In a productive infection, the lytic rhythm is activated and viral proteins are made. This is different to the latent phase. The virus would merely last for a certain period of clip in a productive infection until it was eliminated from the host. Herpesviruses do latent infections in many different carnal species ( Introduction to Modern Virology, 6th edition, Dimmock et Al, 2007 ) . Herpesviruses can do different sorts of diseases, for illustration, poulet syphilis, the Herpes Simplex Virus and the Epstein-Barr virus. The Herpes Simplex Virus or HSV has many types, which include Type 1, associated with cold sores around the oral cavity and Type 2 with venereal herpes. Once infected with the HSV virus, it infects the mucose membranes around the oral cavity. The viral DNA of HSV1 so integrates into the host genome in nervus cells called nervous ganglion [ two ] . Viral look is restricted during the latent phase, so no viral offspring is formed. The virus can be in the latent phase and remain in the organic structure for the remainder of its life, perchance repeating at different phases. If the virus is reactivated from the latent phase, it goes into the lytic phase and replicates to organize new viral offspring, which reinfects the mucose membranes of the oral cavity. The new infection can besides look as a signifier of herpes zosters after reactivation. The latent phase of HSV1 has no effects on the host and no symptoms are produced from it unless reactivated into the lytic rhythm. Factors that affect the reactivation of HSV1 include other unwellnesss, for illustration a cold, sing nerve-racking state of affairss either emotionally or physically an d hurts. Within the nervous cells, in the latent phase, RNA sequences are expressed called Latency-associated Transcripts ( LATs ) . There are tonss of LATs and they modify procedures within the host cell so it is non removed by the immune system. This is the merely active portion of the virus during the latent phase and they help keep latency within the cell. LATs are besides required for reactivation. The Epstein-Barr virus or HHV-4 virus is besides portion of the herpes virus household. Peoples infected with the Epstein-Barr virus are frequently symptomless for most of their lives. If the infection arises in a kid, there is an acute infection. However, if the infection arises in an grownup, it can do glandular febrility. Symptoms include a sore pharynx, conceited secretory organs and a febrility [ three ] . The infection starts in the salivary secretory organ and can hence be dispersed direct contact with the septic spit, for illustration, through caressing. It lasts for around 2-3 hebdomads but after that clip, there are no longer symptoms and the virus remains latent in resting, memory B lymphocytes [ four ] . When the B cells are infected with EBV, they proliferate and T cells are recruited to acquire rid of septic B cells. Reactivation of the EBV virus frequently causes a subclinical infection but can besides do malignant neoplastic diseases, like Burkitt s lymphoma, largely found in Africa or B cell lymphoma. When the virus is in a latent province the cistrons are expressed in the round signifier of an episome, instead than a additive signifier in the lytic province. Upto nine viral proteins are expressed in the latent province which is a little sum compared to the viral proteins produced in the lytic province. These specific proteins help to keep the latent province. These include six Epstein-Barr atomic antigens ( EBNAs ) and three latent membrane proteins ( LMPs ) [ 5 ] . EBNA-1 is the lone one of these proteins which is necessary for DNA reproduction and the others are used in cell procedures like cell signalling. EBNA-1 is besides the lone antigen nowadays in Burkitt s lymphoma and T cells ca nt adhere with it, so ca nt acquire rid of the septic cell. Human Immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) is a RNA retrovirus, which causes AIDS. AIDS is a status where the immune system has been degraded so much that it can no longer contend against infection. HIV contains 2 RNA strands and is covered by a protein coat. When HIV infects a cell, rearward RNA polymerase is used to change over its RNA into DNA so that reproduction can happen within the host. After infection, the virus either replicates quickly to infect other cells or goes into the latent province in CD4+ T lymphocytes. HIV is known as a slow virus which means it takes a long clip to bring forth symptoms, frequently taking to a late diagnosing of the disease. An infection with HIV causes flu like symptoms at first, before going symptomless and traveling into a clinically latent stage. In this stage there is still reproduction of the HIV virus in some cells but some of the virus has gone into a latent province, which means some of the virus is active and some is inactive. The clinical la tency phase varies in length from hebdomads to old ages and the virus can still be passed on to other people as the retroflexing virus is besides present. CD8 T cells are responsible for the diminution of the virus but they can non extinguish the virus. Peoples with the HIV virus carry the disease for the remainder of their lives. Anti-retroviral drugs and chemotherapy can non acquire rid of the virus from the latent phase, so even if the activated virus was eliminated, the virus can still re-emerge. The latent virus can be reactivated but the specific grounds for this happening are non known. Reactivation of the virus from the latent phase, consequences in more serious symptoms developing and leads to the oncoming of AIDS. To reason, latent infections are another manner that certain viruses can hedge the immune responses of the host. The virus can either conceal in cells in certain tissues like the Herpes Simplex Virus or conceal in B cells of the immune system like the Epstein-Barr virus. HIV is a RNA virus that prolongs the life of the virus by concealing in CD4+ cells. All these viruses can be reactivated to do a ulterior infection. Often the reverting infection is acute but sometimes more serious infections arise for illustration malignant neoplastic diseases like Burkitt s lymphoma upon reactivation of the EBV virus. The latency phase is a clever technique of the virus to remain in the host for a longer period of clip. hypertext transfer protocol: //dictionary.reference.com/browse/latent Latent Viruss and Diseases from World of Microbiology and Immunology. Â ©2005-2006 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm Introduction to Modern Virology, 6th edition, Dimmock et Al, 2007 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.science.org.au/nova/026/026key.htm

A History of the Arab Peoples Albert Hourani Essay Example for Free

A History of the Arab Peoples Albert Hourani Essay ? Albert Hourani’s book â€Å"A History of the Arab people highlights the Arab history in general since the early beginning of Islam –and even before that-, till the modern ages in the nineteenth century. The book is great for westerners interested in the Arabs and for Arabs, who are not familiar with their history. The book is a good add to any interested reader. Back ground information Lebanese-American historian Albert Tourane represent this book as an addition to his previous works discussing Arab’s history and Arabian affairs such as, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 1789-1939,which was first published in 1962. It would be a mistake to deal with this book as a pure history book. It’s not depending only on dates and chronological extent of the Arabic people and civilization and this is a good point to build our review on it. Summary Hourani’s book begins with the story of Ibn-Khaldon, the great Arab socialist. The following chapter talks about the appearance of Islam and Muhammad and then his successors and the formation of the Islamic empire 3 . Next, the book talks about the Islamic society and its Koranic accounts 4 with the great revolution in translating science and Greek philosophy with the appearance of Sufism 5 . Islamic expansion and the description of minorities like Jews and Christians 6 followed. Life in countryside 7 and cities 8 and the rulers of the societies 9 were mentioned in later pages. † way of Islam† 1o and â€Å"The culture of the Ulema† 11 are two chapters talking about the faith in Islam with sense of community and low determination. The book also shows how culture was well represented 12 and how the following Ottoman empire 13 sustained the Arab world, with a brief description of Ottoman societies 14 . Chapter fifteen starts talking about the eighteenth century 15 and the European powers in the Arabic areas 16 like French intervention in Algeria. Opening of Suez Canal and Zionism arose with Jews settled in Palestine 16 and how the culture of Imperialism 17 started to have a loud voice in the area. Word War One 18 and its influence discussed in Chapter nineteen 19 with the modern life in Arabic societies 20 . Book show how the emergence of Israel started and the independent movements were held from French & British and The tragedy of the triple attack on Egypt on 195621. Chapter twenty two 22 show a rapid change in Arabic societies and the Arabic culture extended 23 with the climax of Arabism started from 1950s 23 . Final chapters of the book discussed the difference between Arabs, the sudden death of Nasser and the 1973 war between Egypt and Israel 24. final chapter states some major problems in the area, including Kurds struggle for independence, Sudan problem and women issues. Number of twenty pages of maps followed, which make a great way to represent the places that was mentioned in the book. Evaluation of the book This book is well represented with all the illustration and maps introduced. The Index is well-written and helpful in finding any information directly. As mentioned before, the book couldn’t be categorized as a history book; its better described as Social-history book and starting with the life of Ibn-Khaldun is such evidence. It represents a vast look on the Arabic societies through history, describing the life style, science, different religion and civilization. Many chapters described the same period of time but dealing with different subjects, like chapters twenty 25 two and twenty three 26 in the (1950s and 1960s). From the other point of view, this book skims some important details such as, the detailed pre-Islamic era, the great empires of Umayyad and Abbasid which was represented with partly amount of pages that doesn’t exceed seven pages in some cases. Also the detailed life of Prophet Muhammad, which has a great impact on the Arabic societies. Also Crusaders wars weren’t well mentioned, although it has a very huge impact on Arabs in its time. Conclusion Dealing with the history of Arabs is such a great effort and a hard game to play. This book tried to do the most of the job with a different way, which is representing history from the social point of view. I would recommend this book if one already has a minimum knowledge and understanding of Arab history . Otherwise I recommend alternatives such as, History of the Arabs from the earliest times to the present, of Philip Hitti. It would be useful for a good specialized historical reading. A History of the Arab Peoples Albert Hourani. (2017, Apr 17).

The U.S.A War with Iran Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The U.S.A War with Iran - Research Paper Example Let’s first discuss why Iran is disliked among the Western nations. Iran has already been seeing tense relationship with the U.S. and its allies, since the Iranian Revolution that came about in the late 1970s. The threat to Iran’s solidarity increased when President Bush declared it as part of â€Å"Axis of Evil† (â€Å"Iran War†, para.1). This risk did not decrease with the election bringing Barrack Obama in presidency. The notion that has further triggered the decision of war with Iran is Iran’s quest in nuclear technology. According to the U.S., the fact that Iran is acquiring nuclear weapons will be a threat to world’s peace. Even the allies of the U.S. - England, Germany, and France, are worried about this nuclear state of Iran. Moreover, Israel has also a long prevailed hate relationship with the Muslim world. This hatred grew when the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, gave some anti-Semitic statements declaring that Israel should not be present on the face of the Earth. This situation increased Israel’s worry that Iran might be acquiring nuclear weapons to destroy Israel, which being one of the U.S.’s allies.This introduction explained why the U.S. decides to enter into war with Iraq, but now let’s discuss why this is a bad strategy. First of all, it is a matter of peace. Entering into war will disrupt the peace, not only of Iran but also of the U.S. who has already lost the lives of many of soldiers in military actions against Iraq and Afghanistan.... who has already lost the lives of many of soldiers in military actions against Iraq and Afghanistan. Nouraee (para.10) states that Americans will never tolerate if the correct number of casualties of American soldiers in the war is revealed to them. War will only increase hatred and will encourage the residents of the attacked country to develop rebellious feelings toward the U.S. This will not help to decrease terrorist attacks, but will increase violence and radical hostility. It will only turn it into a global hate war. Hence, war on terror in Iran is not a good strategy, because the U.S. has already been suffering from financial burden because of heavy budgets being assigned to war on terror. The U.S. will never want to weaken its economy further. Terrorism is still increasing. Hence, we cannot relate the war on terror to increase or decrease in terrorism. War will only raise turbulence, hatred, rebellion, violence, as well as even more terrorist attacks in future. Also, war mean s destruction. War kills many innocent people along side terrorists. Little children, frail women, and old people get killed for no reason. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan killed many innocent lives. The U.S. has always been a liberal country, as well as has always talked about the rights of children, men, women, old people, and even animals. If the U.S. enters into a war with Iran, it will be a huge threat to the liberal reputation for it. The war on terror must come to halt because it kills innocent citizens of the attacked country. Cline (para.1) writes that: One of the most common antiwar arguments is the fact that wars result in the deaths of innocent people. This objection accepts that a state may have a vested interest in

A guideline on the privacy of personal data stored on company-owned Essay

A guideline on the privacy of personal data stored on company-owned mobile devices - Essay Example In terms of maintaining company privacy, the company can use IT experts to track their employees. This is useful for knowing the location of employees at a particular time compared to where they are supposed to be. Employers sometimes allow employees to carry company-issued mobile devices such as iPhones and iPods. It has been in the news that iPhones and iPods are able to track the physical location of the person possessing them secretly. These types of devices can be used for business purpose and track personal information of the user blurs privacy between corporate information and personal information. This is because the devices can track personal location of the user and store it in unencrypted files found in the devices and on the owner’s computer. As a result, the organization IT experts can obtain this data from the employee’s computer according to Bidgol. This type of device is usually equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) that tracks the individualâ €™s location. This proves to a threat to personal privacy of employees and thus the need for organizations to come up with a policy and a legal guideline on the type of information to be gathered using such devices. For instance, there should be a guideline on maintaining an employee’s privacy when using a personal Smartphone while conducting company business. Employees need to know how much to share with organization clients when using either personal device or company device. Organizations further, need to consider the issue of transparency if they are determined to track physical location of their employees or get customers. This will involve informing employees about the policies on how to shield their privacy while using company devices or while conducting company business with personal devices. There is also need for organizations to equip their mobile devices with mobile payment system that will discourage employees from misusing the devices. IT managers have estim ated that employees often spend more than an hour every day on non-work related web services. These include online games, internet surfing, gambling and shopping among others. The downloading and storage of such personal data results in various internet based threats on critical company data stored in the devices misused. The threats include susceptibility to virus and worm attacks, malware infection, and hacking of private and restricted company sites and passwords. In most cases, this leads to the organizations taking tough measures of protecting their devices by installing GPS functionality that later hinders the privacy of the user. The advantages gained by organizations in having their employees work at different locations at different time brings out the need for protecting personal information used by employees while at work. For the same purpose, both the organization and employees should understand the limit and the technical control needed when using such mobile devices. T his includes the organizations coming up with policies based on technical control of their mobile devices to provide about the extent that the device as suggested by Garfinkel and Spafford (2002) can control the personal data of the employee. This may include providing a set download of a specific capacity before a using a personal device for connecting the network of the organization. An organization is required to draw a line regarding personal privacy infringement. Infringement of personal data occurs when the organization exposes personal information that may be a threat to their safety. In order to avoid this,

The Non-Smoking Policy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 27

The Non-Smoking Policy - Case Study Example These are the people who will be affected by the cost of healthcare that results from smoking. Smoking in the company will affect or harm the non-smokers in the company (second-hand smoking). Non-smokers will have to put have at the risk of smoking-related illness even when they do not smoke. There is a conflict of interest between the employees and the company as employees feel that random testing and smoking ban is a violation of their rights while the employers believe that the policy is for the benefit of the employees. There exists a tension between the rights of the employees and those of the employer. There are no rights that are being ignored, and no one is failing in his or her obligation. The policy is aimed at ensuring a level playing field for all employees (fairness) - to prevent second-hand smoking and first-hand smoking effects. The issue is an ethical issue arising here is whether those employees who are smokers are being discriminated in the workplace. The issue aris ing, in this case, is the cause of the tension between the rights of the employer and the rights of the employee. Â  The possible alternative to the status quo of the affected employees is quit working at Weyco Inc. and seek for a job at the other USA states where measures against smokers are prohibited. The alternative to the status quo of the company is to fire the employees who violate the non-smoking policy for as long as they do not violate the discrimination laws. To achieve a compromise, both the employer and the employees should arrive at a consensus on the way forward. For example, the employer will have to employ a wellness program that will reward those employees who make lifestyle choices that are deemed to be healthy as part of its occupational health and safety.

Why Extrinsic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why Extrinsic - Essay Example The failure of organization to provide perceived equity for employees results in a lot of resentment (especially when there is secrecy and people overestimate each other’s pay) and resulting inefficiencies. The failure of extrinsic rewards is even more obvious in executive positions as incentive systems had very weak or negative correlations to corporate profits as at higher incomes, prospect of more money fails to be a motivator. Locke’s (1960) research suggests a reason for such results – incentives actually discourage risk-taking and people perform easier tasks to complete as much work as possible. Employees look at short-term benefits (monetary rewards) rather than long-term organizational interests. Another research proved that in the long-term, even the removal of a financial incentive system that has been long in place could not drive down productivity. Merit pay has also failed as a motivator of performance as few managers feel that higher pay would make them work harder. Therefore, intrinsic rewards such as training and goal-setting is a much stronger motivator of performance. To treat workers with respect and appreciation is what motivates them to stay at an organization and higher pay has failed to reduce employee turnover in the

Need to write my biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Need to write my biography - Essay Example I enjoy travelling and camping – reveling in the sheer beauty and serenity of nature while sampling the diversity of people and cultures from across the expanse of the globe. Anyone close to me can attest that I was indeed born to become a nurse, and a dedicated one at it. Being a highly motivated and inspired individual, I am one of those characters who are ever willing to help others especially those reeling in sickness. It was this desire to dedicate my life’s effort towards the sick that led me into the nobleness of nursing. My aspirations for nursing date back into my childhood and teenage years and being the focused and relentless person that I am, I have currently been in the field of medicine for over a staggering 30 years. And my ambitions do not halt there by any means. I was lucky to graduate early from high school and immediately after my graduation I dived deep into nursing classes. I am presently the supervisor in the orthopedic unit at a reputable medical center in Arlington with further plans to advance my education and obtain a bachelor’s then a master’s degree in nursing. After relocating from Rock Island to Arlington, Texas, in 1996, I have been immensely blessed with a stable family of my own, a husband and three lovely children. Presently an active member of the COGIC in Arlington, Texas, the sky is the limit for me who with all these achievements tucked safe under my belt still feels like life is yet about to take off in

Pupils of Learning Difficulties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Pupils of Learning Difficulties - Essay Example There is a good number of such assessment strategies now available to the classroom teacher in the detection of children's learning difficulties, especially dyslexia. Dyslexia is sometimes defined as an impaired word and non-word reading ability, which problem is often inherited or genetic in origin (Grigorenko, 2001). In these cases, the problems of dyslexia on lack of phonological awareness, balance and automaticity are perceptible at an early age, such that failure to attend to children predisposed to dyslexia is inexcusable. The relevant literature says early palliative measures are most beneficial to society by teaching at-risk children early phonological awareness, motor skills, memory strategies and visualization techniques through games. If dyslexia cannot be prevented, these measures should at least minimize the damage of this learning difficulty on human motivation and self-esteem, whose effects could be permanent (Crombie). The puzzle that drew the scientific and academic community into the study of dyslexia is the "unexplained" reading failure in children. For the most part, the puzzle remains unexplained insofar as scientific certitude and unanimity is concerned. As a result, the education sector is still unsure of how to detect and address dyslexia in a more efficient manner. One of the major difficulties is that children present inconsistent and contradictory profiles, such that there is no single test for dyslexia with a complete measure of certainty and reliability. What is being done is to build up innumerable bits of data until the picture becomes clear (Turner, 1997). With this method, assessment approaches have been developed to help teachers identify dyslexic children. This paper examines each of the available assessment packages to help classroom teachers detect dyslexia with more accuracy and confidence. 2. Learning Difficulties A child is said to be a candidate for dyslexia when he performs poorly in phonetic reading, the most common sign of word reading difficulties in dyslexic children. Most hypotheses on phonological deficit attribute poor reading to an impaired phonological segmentation skill, which is also called phonological awareness deficit. This is because a phonological awareness deficit may affect different aspects of phonological processing. Thus, difficulty with the output and input phonology is apt to delay the acquisition of letter-sound corresponding rules or impair phoneme blending. This accounts for the persistent occurrence of non-word reading deficit in dyslexic children (Rack, et al., 1979). The ability of children to read nonsensical words is more indicative of the ability to read regular than irregular words. This suggests that at certain stages in reading development, a phonological recording strategy may be used to let the child read regular words as well as non-words. When a child's phonological awareness is deficient, his phonological recording process is also likely to be flawed. Phonology refers to the sounds

Need to write my biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Need to write my biography - Essay Example I enjoy travelling and camping – reveling in the sheer beauty and serenity of nature while sampling the diversity of people and cultures from across the expanse of the globe. Anyone close to me can attest that I was indeed born to become a nurse, and a dedicated one at it. Being a highly motivated and inspired individual, I am one of those characters who are ever willing to help others especially those reeling in sickness. It was this desire to dedicate my life’s effort towards the sick that led me into the nobleness of nursing. My aspirations for nursing date back into my childhood and teenage years and being the focused and relentless person that I am, I have currently been in the field of medicine for over a staggering 30 years. And my ambitions do not halt there by any means. I was lucky to graduate early from high school and immediately after my graduation I dived deep into nursing classes. I am presently the supervisor in the orthopedic unit at a reputable medical center in Arlington with further plans to advance my education and obtain a bachelor’s then a master’s degree in nursing. After relocating from Rock Island to Arlington, Texas, in 1996, I have been immensely blessed with a stable family of my own, a husband and three lovely children. Presently an active member of the COGIC in Arlington, Texas, the sky is the limit for me who with all these achievements tucked safe under my belt still feels like life is yet about to take off in

Bush and Obama Essay Example for Free

Bush and Obama Essay Democracy is generally understood to be the voice of the people in the governance of a nation. In this ‘rule of the people,’ the common folks have the power to control their own policies, that is, how they want to be ruled; and the elected leaders of the people are required to apply reason when listening to the voice of the people in planning and decision making. President George W. Bush was often blamed for refusing to listen to the voice of the people. He took America to two wars, thereby disturbing world peace. Following the Iraq War, he continued to consider taking aggressive action against foreign peoples that he believed to be enemies of the United States. , e. g. the Iranians. What is more, the Americans remained adamant about criticizing his foreign policy in particular. Yet, he did not always pursue the interests of the American people. Because democracy is good, and President Bush did not follow its fundamental principle, that is, listening to the voice of the people – he was not a good president. In fact, the American government seemed to have turned its back on democracy during the presidency of George W. Bush. The conflict in Iraq consumed a huge part of the U. S. budget. This issue remained as a matter of contention between the United States government and the people of America for several years. According to a CBS News Poll conducted in 2007, two-thirds of the Americans believed that violence in Iraq may be beyond the U. S. military’s ability to manage, and only 25 percent believed that the U. S. military could be helpful in reducing violence. Moreover, 63 percent of Americans disapproved of the president’s plan to send more troops into Iraq (â€Å"Poll: Most Doubt Iraq Peace, Iran Threat,† 2007). Seeing that the American people were the ultimate beneficiaries of peace through the end of the conflict in Iraq, and it was their tax money that the Bush government was expending on troops; it would have been appropriate for the president to withdraw U. S. troops from Iraq when the majority of Americans were asking for it. By withdrawing its troops from Iraq, the United States would have released the finances that were tied up for troop buildup in the foreign country. Those funds, once released, should have been used by the government in solving the health care crisis facing America. Unfortunately, however, the Bush government did not take a wise stance to resolve the health care issues facing America. Furthermore, the Bush government left America in dire straits as far as economic conditions are concerned. Current President Barack Obama Americans had been asked even before the presidential elections of 2008 about issues that may influence their votes. The majority of prospective voters, that is, eighty-seven percent of those that had participated in the research, had indicated that the deteriorating state of the U. S. economy would definitely influence their votes. The second most important issue happened to be energy, backed by seventy-seven percent of the research participants (â€Å"More Americans Question Religions Role In Politics,† 2008). Unsurprisingly, President Barack Obama had indicated before the elections that his Number One priority in the office of president of the United States would be to â€Å"build a new alternative-energy economy,† combining the two dominant issues in the minds of the prospective voters (Klein, 2008). For the reason that Barack Obama knew the mind of America and agreed with it one hundred percent, he is sure to be a friend of democracy and an improvement over George W. Bush. Once it was determined that Barack Obama would, indeed, assume the role of U. S. president, that is, a manager of the prosperity of the nation, voters in the presidential election 2008 were asked about the dominant issue to have influenced their votes. The response was not quite different. The feeble state of the U. S. economy was declared the most important issue to have influenced American votes for the new president. In fact, at least six out of ten voters participating in the research reported that the economic recession of 2008 is the most significant problem facing America (â€Å"Inside Obama’s Sweeping Victory,† 2008). To put it another way, Barack Obama was seen as most capable of handling the financial crisis facing the nation. Based on the principles of democracy, because Americans understand how their country must be managed, they must be judged as correct in their belief that President Obama would, indeed, help America out of the economic crisis. Obama Looks Better in History Books Hundred Years from Now Philip Elliott writes that â€Å"Barack Obama tapped into Ohio voters fears about the economy and their desire for change† (Elliott, 2008). Ohio was, of course, an important state for the election of George W. Bush. They had backed him because of the values they believed he personified. This time they backed Barack Obama because of the financial crisis facing the country (Elliott). Barack Obama was promising change to America. Nathan Gonzales of the Rotherberg Political Report states that â€Å"the American electorate was really primed for change† (Young, 2008). Bill Clinton and Al Gore had entered the White House with a program for economic renewal (Conason, 2008). As the leader of their Democratic Party now, President Obama is expected to continue their legacy and help America retrieve its prosperity. Joe Conason writes that economic programs created by the Democrats usually succeed in promoting economic growth because they tend to â€Å"distribute national wealth more widely than the Republican tradition of trickle-down† (Conason). This is backed by statistics, according to the author. Thus, Americans are expecting Barack Obama to somehow turn the current economic recession into economic growth. Once President Obama has succeeded in achieving this goal for America, he will be recognized as an American hero – a designation that was historically reserved for the whites alone. Moreover, being the first black president in the White House, President Obama is sure to work smarter not only to live up to American expectations but also to reverse the damages inflicted upon the country by the theory of racism. Bush may be compared to his father, if not the other white presidents of the United States. But, Obama is truly unique. In history books written hundred years from now, it is Obama’s name that will be remembered with greater fondness. Unlike Bush, the new president of the United States will provide relief to America from distress. He brings change, after all. Bush, on the contrary, had brought distress. This is the main reason why John McCain, despite his strong background in politics, was not chosen as America’s darling in the presidential election 2008. He reminded the Americans of George W. Bush (Young). References Conason, J. (2008, Dec 3). Obama’s Winning Argument. Salon. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. salon. com/opinion/conason/2008/11/01/obama_closing_argument/. Elliot, P. (2008, Nov 5). Obama Rides Economic Worries to Victory in Ohio. USA Today. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. usatoday. com/news/politics/2008-11-04-2264020452_x. htm. Inside Obama’s Sweeping Victory. (2008, Nov 5). The Pew Research Center for the People the Press. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://pewresearch. org/pubs/1023/exit-poll-analysis-2008. Klein, J. (2008, Oct 22). Why Barack Obama is Winning. Time. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. time. com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1853025-1,00. html. More Americans Question Religions Role In Politics. (2008, Aug 21). The Pew Research Center for the People the Press. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://people-press. org/report/? pageid=1364. Poll: Most Doubt Iraq Peace, Iran Threat. (2007, Feb 12). CBS News. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2007/02/12/opinion/polls/main2464626. shtml. Young, J. (2008, Nov 6). Obama Victory Reflects Solid Campaign, Shaky Economy. VOA News. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. voanews. com/english/2008-11-06-voa18. cfm.

Causes And Consequences Of Youth Homelessness Social Work Essay

Causes And Consequences Of Youth Homelessness Social Work Essay Homelessness has had a history in the UK far back from the 7th century, when the kings would pass laws to punish vagrants. Ever since then the number of homeless still rises and falls, and has taken a much vast shape, enrolling the youth into it, and not just the adult homeless. Even though, in principle, the UK has adhered to the code of housing legislation ever since the first legislation of 1977, followed by the current legislation of 2002, it is worth noting that housing and homeless legislation does not apply to all parts of UK. The decentralised local governments of the four countries of UK have been vested with the responsibility of providing for the homeless, although Northern Ireland is no longer a decentralised government. This dissertation will set out to examine the causes and consequences of youth homelessness in UK, simultaneously researching into the corresponding government initiatives to house and rehabilitate these young homeless people. The age group covered in this paper is 16-25 years old. Homelessness has been an important issue in the UK, as is evident from the housing of homeless legislations to date. It is an issue which still demands strong consideration and interventions by the government and the voluntary organisations at the macro level, and family and friend at the micro level, to help prevent youth homelessness. The paper will explore the legislative context in the UK vis-Ã  -vis the work of non-profit organisations and government agencies. The paper will also delve into the details of interventions by the civil society organisations/charities in addressing the issue of youth homelessness and examine the role of social workers in the given scenario. The dearth of social housing facilities and lack of support from family and friends has led to youth living in homelessness. There are very many factors causing homelessness, which will be explored in this dissertation as we move to the succeeding sections in detail. To name a few would be those of the collapse of relationships, women fleeing abusive homes, being evicted from homes, alcoholism, and they want of complete autonomy from parents for example. However, it is important to understand that though the causes of homelessness can be categorised into social, economical, political and policy level factors, the reasons for youth homeless could also be viewed and should be viewed as individual factors. Hence, it is important to find out in detail what leads to these situations and makes them robust factors of homelessness. This paper will inspect in detail all such factors causing homelessness and consequences thereupon the youth, referring back and forth to the legislative actions and their effectiveness, and the kind of role social work can play in stabilising their lives and ensuring their welfare. Acknowledgement Dissertation structure Chapter one will be the introduction to the issue of youth homelessness in the UK. The key concepts of this subject will be defined as well as terms relevant and important in providing clarity for better comprehension of the issue. The introductory chapter will also detail the significance of this topic and the legislative context of the issue, along with the kind of work being done by the voluntary organisations and the government in dealing with youth homelessness. Chapter two will review the literature of past ten years, comprising of journals, articles, legislations and books dealing with the issue of youth homelessness, and their contribution to the understanding of causes and consequences of this issue. Reviewing literature would also help us compare and contrast the profile and nature of youth homelessness, whether it has changed over time. This chapter will also discuss the scale of youth homelessness in the past decade, by investigating into the most recent statistics of a unique nationwide study conducted in the UK, in 2008, by Joseph Rowntree Foundation and delve into an in-depth research of the issue through several journals, namely of Joan Smith, Isobel Anderson and Julie Christian (2003), Thomson, (2004), Pleace et al (2008) and Quilgars et al, (2004 2008), Mary Ellen OConnell (2003), Graham Tipple and Suzanne Speak (2003) and Sean A. Kidd (2006). I will also use these journals since the authors have written on the issue of housing the homeless extensively, which helps us in grasping the issue in totally. Moreover, in this section, I will also assess the importance of having a theoretical knowledge base in dealing with such issues as issues of youth/adolescent behaviour. Chapter three will look at the present role and interventions of social workers into this whole issue of youth homelessness and the limitations of social work practice in holistically dealing with the issue. Chapter four will present case studies which will help analyse the problems, causes and consequences for the homelessness of these individuals in relation to the already reviewed literature; vis-Ã  -vis their experiences of the same. Chapter five will be provide a closure to the paper by summarising the overall discussion undertaken in this dissertation and the role social work can play in the context of youth homelessness. However, role of social work will keep featuring throughout the paper, but certain specific discussions will be take place in this chapter to conclude the dissertation. Rationale The aim of this paper is to investigate the subject of youth homelessness; its causes and consequences on the youth aged 16-25 years of age, with a focus on difficulties they face in living their lives without any family support, more so when they are not equipped with life skills and emotional support, along with financial instability. There are multidimensional factors that create such situations where the youth find themselves homeless, marginalised, victimised, exploited and excluded. My interaction with such youth during my twenty five days field work placement at the Framework has motivated me to further explore the subject of youth homelessness, with focus on the causes and consequences that make them vulnerable and hence homeless. This interaction and exposure to the youth problems turning them into homeless youths made me curious to study the issue in detail, investigate and articulate experiences of such youths, who have either undergone or are currently facing social exclusion and being all by themselves at a young age. The unavailability of family support adversely impacts their entire existence, driving them towards precarious forces, such as unemployment, substance abuse, lack of development skills and so on. Strictly sticking to the topic of my research, I will be addressing important subsidiary question, such as the efficacy of the current legislations and government initiatives to curb youth homelessness, and the corresponding social work practices and interventions of the voluntary organisations in this whole issue. This paper will investigate the occurrence of the issue on social, personal, legal and policy levels. Reference shall be made to a range of literature, comprising recent articles, journals, studies, legislations and information gathered from the organisation I did my field work at, to support my own field work experiences with the available evidences in literary form and statistics. One such piece of reference would be the study conducted across the country, Youth Homelessness in the UK, (Quilgars. D et al, 2008), which reveals that despite significant policy developments across the UK to address youth homelessness in recent years, most particularly the extension of priority need groups and a new emphasis on the prevention of homelessness, 75,000 young people experienced homelessness in 2006-07. This scenario and inadequacy of policies and legislation in ending youth homelessness instigated me to choose the subject, to examine the magnitude of the problem and its ramifications. Under the Childrens Act 1989, children of this age group of 16-18 years are children in need of care and protection and are all entitled to welfare and development services from the local authorities in cases where they either dont have parents or have them but there are threats to childs existence in their presence. Yet, many youngsters in the UK are living in threatening circumstances, which certainly has a direct implication on the countrys overall economy and human resource as well. Lastly, I will use and analyse the given problem in the light of some case studies that I documented during my field work, which gave me an opportunity to listen to the real life experiences of a few homeless young people and how they have been assisted, to what extent by social work practices and organisations they came in contact with. This will also help establish a link between theory and practicality when social workers counter people with real issues unfold before them. Chapter 1 Introduction Food, clothing and shelter are the basic needs of any individual born to live. Anything less than these basic pre-requisites can expose human beings to threats to well-being, psycho-social imbalances and economic instability, each have its implications on the individual. While food is required for one to live and adequate and decent clothing to cover oneself, shelter is most important for ones safety and personal space. Absence or insufficient provision of any of these basic needs can result into insecurities and decreased morale. According to Maslows hierarchy of needs, fulfilment of the basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep and warmth is essential for people to move on to the next level of needs, which are for safety and security. All other needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met (Cherry, 2010) Therefore, it is important to acknowledge what impact homelessness can have on young people in fulfilling the other basic needs and developing their potential. Homelessness in the UK has exceeded the mere meaning of being without a roof by several folds. A person could be homeless even if he may possess a family house if that home is not conducive for the stay of the person. Since this paper will focus on youth homelessness, it is important to understand the legal definitions of homelessness in the context of young people and build the ideas around it, which this paper seeks to do. Although it is difficult to estimate the exact number of homeless young people in the UK due to their high mobility, yet the recent estimate as per the 2006-07 study in the UK, (Quilgars, et. al, 2008) tells us that at least 75,000 young people experience homelessness. This is an estimation based on the number of youth connected to organisations providing housing services and hence, many go un-estimated (Robinson and Farrington, 1999). There have been two predominant approaches used to explain youth homelessness. These are called the individually based perspectives and structurally based perspectives (Hutson and Liddiard, 1994). The former viewing youth homelessness as a result of an individuals own mistakes, which render him/her homeless, such as not paying rent or not obeying their parents. This gets them into the situation where they lose their homes and become shelterless. In contrast, the Structural perspective understands youth homelessness as an outcome of social factors and inequalities that impact individuals, such as the effect of poverty (Giddens, 1998). These approaches are important to underpin the contemporary scenario of youth homelessness and will be referred to in the course of the dissertation. Legislations, on the other hand, provide a framework for all social actions to operate in line with the set standards and procedures, defining the problem in a legally accepted way. Prior to the passage of the Homeless Persons Act 1977, the liability of providing for the homeless people was entrusted with the social services department in its entirety. This Act later shifted the responsibility onto the district (local) housing department focusing on the shelter needs and not the families unmet needs that rendered them homeless (Smith, 2003). Definition of Homelessness and some vital statistics Even though in principle the UK adheres to the code of housing legislation ever since the first legislation of 1977, yet it is worth noting that housing and homeless legislation does not apply to all parts of UK. The decentralised local governments of the four countries of UK have been vested with the responsibility of providing for the homeless, although Northern Ireland is no longer a decentralised government. (Quilgars, et al 2008) In the UK, the definition of homelessness is not just that of an individual being without a roof and/or living on streets. It is much broader than this and anyone seeking accommodation in a friends house, staying in a hostel, or living in overcrowded or unsuitable accommodation is classed as homeless. This may be because the person does not have any rights to stay where he/she live or even of his/her own family home is unsuitable for stay. (Need Reference) A person is homeless if he or she has no accommodation which they are entitled to occupy and which it would be reasonable for them to continue to occupy. (Brayne and Carr, 2005, p.700). The Homelessness Act of 1996 laid down parameters for qualifying as being priority needs group for those seeking assistance from local authorities. Under this legislation, the priority needs group did not include the youth aged 16-24 years. There was no provision for this category of young generation that was increasingly being lost to homelessness and problems that emerged from being homeless. A pregnant woman, person residing with dependent children, vulnerability induced by old age, mental illness, physical disability or other special reasons were culminated into the priority group; having priority need for accommodation. By the virtue of this Act, the local authority was duty bound to provide temporary accommodation (usually Bread Breakfast), while they investigated their application. The 1996 homelessness legislation on the whole did not have provisions for the youth homeless, where it could have included under the category of age induced vulnerability. The 16/17 year old homeless were brought under the purview of 2002 applicable in England and Wales, while the Homeless Act 2002 was followed by separate legislation in Scotland in 2003, and in North Ireland (Smith, 2004). The 2002 definition also included those lately released from prisons or youth custody and previous members of armed forces and those with a history of care. UK homelessness education has emphasised on two types of housing situations for defining its homelessness. These are, the occupancy status and security and insecurity of the tenure. The 2002 legislation has included all forms of violence leading to homelessness through loss of the right to a home into the definition, which was earlier limited to only domestic violence in 1996 Act. (Smith, 2003). Homeless legislation right from the first one in 1977 till 2002, have created a national framework for defining homeless over the last 25 years. Homelessness legislations and the government initiative for rough sleepers across the UK have also fundamentally shaped the definition of homelessness. There are three categories for defining homelessness in the UK, which are; Statutory Homeless, Non-statutory homeless and Rough Sleepers (who sleep in the open or uninhabitable places like sheds etc.). Statutory homelessness refers to the applicants to whom the local service authorities owe the duty of housing because they fulfil the criteria of being in need and vulnerable, hence fitting into the priority needs group. The existing data, though inadequate, estimates that at least 75,000 16-24 year olds experienced homelessness in the UK in the year 2006-07 alone. The largest group of statutory homeless were the young people at 43,075 of 75,000. Many young homeless children of this age bracket are found to be with dependent children themselves, particularly those from18-24 years of age. Scotland and many urban areas of the UK tend to report rate of statutorily homeless young people. Young girls qualify to be more in this category of statutorily homeless than young men (Quilgars., et al 2008). Of the 8,300 pregnancies among girls conceiving before the age of 16 in 2008, two-fifths resulted in births and the other three-fifths in abortions. Teenage motherhood is eight times as common amongst those from manual social background as for those from managerial and professional backgrounds (Conception statistics, ONS England and Wales) and ISD Scotland, Great Britain; updated Feb 2010). The non-statutory homeless are those who lose their accommodation due to their own mistakes, such as those who fail to pay their rent and therefore lose their hold over the accommodation. Such category does not fit into the eligibility criteria of seeking housing support from the local authorities. Of the estimated homeless youth in 2006-07, 31,000 were numbered to be non-statutorily homeless young people using Supporting People services during the given year. Qualitative evidence tells us that on a whole considerable number of young people have experienced rough sleeping (sleeping in open spaces) over the course of a year than on any given night in the UK. The combined total of estimates and counts of rough sleepers in England in 2010 was 1,247; this comprised 440 from the 70 authorities that conducted a count and 807 from the 256 authorities that provided estimates (Rough Sleeping England Total Street Count and Estimates 2010, 23 July 2010). Local Authorities were especially challenged by the voluntary organisations and welfare advocates on the issue of young single homeless because such a high proportion of the young single homeless living in hostels, having a history of local authority child care. The voluntary agencies and welfare advocates observed that many young homeless also fell qualified as priority need under the Homeless Persons Legislation because they were vulnerable (Smith, 2003). In 1996, a Youth Homelessness Action Partnership of NGOs came up with their own wider definition of youth homelessness, which was also based on the housing situations of youth. Their definitions included those immediately homeless and/or rough sleeping (on streets, dilapidated buildings, and includes those who spend periods rough sleeping, and other periods on friends floors or hostels); those living short term with friends or in direct access hostels (short-term accommodation); those doubled up living with relatives or friends (hidden homeless); and those who may be asked to leave their accommodation or whose accommodation is temporary including those living under licence agreements (insecure accommodation and lodgings) (Youth Homeless Action Partnership, 1996). Thus, the housing situation has been considered to a great extent to shape up the changing definitions of homelessness and youth homelessness. There have been several studies focusing on different types of homeless situations. The Homelessness Act 2002 is certainly an extensive Act that has taken into account the youth who are so much at risk of losing their family home more so after attaining the age of 16 years and even when the children turn 13 years old. The UK, being a child rights country, has set up structures and systems to assist and support the youth in resuming a steady life. Much stress is thus laid on inter agency and coordinated efforts of the government and NGOs/charities in evolving strategies to combat and tackle the issue. There are many agencies, both voluntary and government that have instituted or funded the institution of hostels for these homeless youth, consequences of which will be dealt with in the coming sections on the causes and consequences of youth home lessness. (Need reference) Significance of the study This dissertation is has its own significance, whereby it will look at the whole issue of youth homelessness at four levels, the social, personal, legal and state policy level. Thereafter, it will discuss the far reaching adverse impacts this has had and continues to have on young people that also bring all the legal actions and their efficacy, role of authorities concerned and family structure in the UK under a scanner. Legislative Context The Childrens Act 1989 made strong recommendations of housing the young people who move out of the local authorities care, This Act gave a new dimension to the social work practice in the context of youth homelessness. Children aged between 16-17 years were designated as children in need. This bound the local authorities to provide accommodation to these homeless irrespective of the fact under whose jurisdiction they fell, or was it the Social Service Departments or district authorities duty to do so. This age group was accepted as the priority need group. The new legislation of 2002 also expanded its circumference accepting this age group as highly vulnerable and hence to be served on priority basis. (www.legislation.gov.uk ). Prior to the 2002 Act, the authority had a duty to house those applicants of which they were convinced were households/individuals in the priority need group, as set out in section 189 of the 1996 Act. However, by section 197 of the 1996 Act, the authority would simply limit its role to that of an advisor by enabling the people in need of accommodation find other alternative suitable accommodation by themselves. The 2002 Act repealed this section and made it obligatory for the authorities under section 193, to secure suitable accommodation for applicants who are eligible, homeless through no fault of their own, and have a priority need. This duty was limited to two years by the 1996 Act; the 2002 Act removed this 2 year limitation. (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/7/notes/division/3 ). The 1996 Act provided that allocations could only be made to those accepted as a qualifying person and placed on the housing register maintained by the housing authority. This requisite was removed by the 2002 Act. The Act requires all applications to be considered by authorities, including applications for a transfer of accommodation from existing tenants. (www.legislation.gov.uk). The 2002 legislation amended the definition of violence by encompassing all kinds of violence that leads to homelessness. It mandated the local authorities to conduct homelessness reviews in their areas and come up with strategies to combat it, and work in collaboration with the voluntary and statutory organisations to deal with this social menace taking toll on youth well-being in the UK. The local housing authorities were permitted to offer accommodation to the non priority need homeless households as well. From the onset, the policies and legislation emphasised on the preventive aspect to curb homelessness, particularly youth homelessness. Pilot preventive schemes have included Safe in the City and Safe Moves (Nistala and Dane, 2000; Safe in the City, 2000; Quilgars et al., 2004). A new National Youth Homeless Scheme (NYHS) was launched in England in 2007, a central scheme to tackle the issue, led by the YMCA and Centrepoint. This comprised innovative prevention strategies to reduce youth homelessness, and work with those who already homeless. Supported Lodging exemplar schemes in 2007/08 for knowledge sharing on experiences gained by working with authorities for developing such schemes where need arises (CLG, 2007a). Joint projects with Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) to explore how youth homeless could be reduced were undertaken by the central government. This focused on age wise intervention strategy for children ranging from 16-17 years old homeless youth and those at risk, care leavers (18-21 years old) who are homeless or potentially homeless, children in households living in transient shelters and the children in intentionally homeless households. All these circumstance possessed the power to make these children vulnerable to homelessness. Through Safe Moves, an early intervention model was devised to deal with the problem by using peer monitoring, family mediation and life skill training with young people aged 13-18 years to prevent homelessness. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, young people at risk due to financial insecurity and sexual exploitation are also described as priority need group by guidance to legislation. Wales has set the age limit for this group at 18-20, whereas North Ireland and Scotland have not set any specific age limit. Additionally, Scotland also includes this age group youth involved in substance misuse as priority need group. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 extended rights of temporary accommodation to all single (non-priority) homeless people for the first time and the 2003 Housing Act enables the Scottish ministers to abolish the priority need test to provide accommodation services to all those assessed homeless. Scotland is also setting out to achieve the target of abolishing priority need by 2012, thereby giving all homeless people including the youth, the right to permanent re-housing (Code of Guidance on Homelessness, Chapter 6, 2005). England also has a target to abolish Bread and Breakfast accommodation use to emergency situations only for 16-17 years old. Support programmes were also introduced across the UK in 2003, to help local authorities and service providers ensure independent living of the homeless and hence socially excluded in general and youth people at risk and vulnerable to other related problems (which will be discussed in the following chapter 2) by imparting life skills training, vocational trades as employment skills, housing support, tenancy etc. Local authorities have enhanced the number of supported housing schemes that provide bed-spaces for those with mental health problems, physical health problems, learning disabilities, alcohol or drug use problems etc. (The Supporting Peoples Programme, available at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmcomloc/649/649i.pdf ). The Every Child Matters framework and introduction of Child Trusts arrangements have improved the range of indicators across the country. Childrens Commissioners have been established in each country, known as Children and Young People Commissioners in Scotland and North Ireland. Also, lately in England, emphasis has been laid on the role of parenting (Social Exclusion Task Force, 2008). Leaving care acts have also extended the obligation of the social services to provide care leavers with accommodation till the age of 18 years across the UK. However, there are pros and cons of every development that takes place. In fact, it will be most opportune to discuss as I move along in my work whether its the disasters that lead to development or the vice versa. Though youth homelessness is not a disaster, i.e. it would technically not fall under any defined parameter compounding to a disaster, natural calamity or a man-made one. Nonetheless, seeing the level of risk a youth is posed with at a fragile age, where all the other problems follow her or him being without a family home, is not less than a disaster for that young child, perhaps a situational and human made disaster. To a certain extent, these developments and expansion in facilities by the government and voluntary associations to the young homeless children, who actually leave their families to live a precarious independent life has in some way aggravated youth homelessness and the misuse of the term homeless. My 25 days field placement made me learn how the youngsters, particularly the teenage girls under 16, got pregnant to just acquire accommodation, away from home. Hence, it is very important to maintain equilibrium to counter the issue and not aggravate it, by default though. It is here that the role of social work takes precedence in mediating the situation at the very initial stage. The law making bodies of the nation seems to have grasped this urgency to work at the preventive aspects and not just intercede at the curative level, as a result of which preventive measures for Homelessness are being talked of in the legislation of 1996 and 2002. It is extremely important for the authorities to work on the prevention part along with rendering services and relief to the needy. The next chapter shall now focus on reviewing the relevant literature on this topic to give a better understanding of the issues that face young homeless people. Structure of the study-what will be covered in the subsequent chapters Chapter Two: Literature Review Introduction Coverage of the study/ Criteria of literature (like what source I am going to use eg-journal article, books ,research and year) Causes of youth homelessness Consequences of youth homelessness 5-Similarities and Dissimilarities between proposed problem and existing studies Scope of relevance of theoretical knowledge Chapter summary Chapter Three: Social worker vs. homeless youth Organisations working on homeless issues Role of social worker in dealing with homeless youth in UK In the 1980s, the voluntary organisations challenged the legislation for not considering the young single homeless, whose number was increasing rapidly in the hostels. Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 2002 extended its reach by amending the previous 1996 legislation and covering the young single homeless and those aged 16-17 years by designating them as priority need group. Homelessness has always been defined in different ways by the voluntary organisations, which entails different aspects. Voluntary organisations have stressed on including the single homeless people into the category of homeless and many such categories from time to time. Therefore the problem of youth homeless is a manifestation of wider social and economic reasons primarily. There are a range of personal and social circumstances that land youth into such situations (Scottish Executive, 2002; OPDM, 2005; Cabinet Office, 2006; DSD, 2007). Anybody can face homelessness, however, it the socially and economically marginalised and those hailing from poor families are deemed to be much vulnerable in coping with such situations. Such situations for homeless youth have often led to them losing their jobs and education, after moving away from their mooring. However, these progressive changes in the homelessness laws in the country have partly resulted from the NGOs and charity sector lobbying with the government, based on research into the needs of homeless people that has been undertaken in the UK.(need to understand the use of this paragraph in legislative heading) Limitations in social work practice Chapter Four: Analysis of the problem Case studies Analysis of the problem Chapter summary Chapter Five: Discussion Introduction Implication of the social work practice Chapter summary Future research