Micro-Ecological Behaviour and Intergroup Contact Among Young People Attending a Further Education College in Northern Ireland

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley McKeown ◽  
Ed Cairns ◽  
Maurice Stringer ◽  
Russell Orr
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Young People ◽  
Intergroup Contact ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Education College ◽  
Ecological Behaviour

Supporting progression to HE: the role of colleges and vocational courses

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 637-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Elizabeth Gartland ◽  
Christine Smith
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Possible Selves ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Arts And Humanities ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Education College ◽  
Vocational Courses

Purpose Vocational courses in England support the progression to higher education (HE) of large numbers of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, yet there is little research exploring the college experiences of these young people prior to entering university. The purpose of this paper is to consider the experiences of young people on Level 3 Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) vocational courses in their progression to HE from differently positioned post-16 colleges in England. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was undertaken into the experiences of students on BTEC courses in four subject clusters (science, technology, engineering and maths, arts and humanities, social sciences and health) at both a Further Education College and a Sixth Form College in an area of multiple deprivation and low HE participation. Young people’s experiences of BTEC courses and the support and guidance they receive are explored through the conceptual lens of “possible selves” and using Bourdieu’s ideas of capital, habitus and field. Findings Pedagogies and practices on BTEC courses are found to support the development of relevant social and cultural capital and help young people formulate well-articulated “possible selves” as university students, even amongst students who previously had not considered university as an option. The findings illustrate how differently positioned colleges support students’ progression and identify challenges presented by an increasingly stratified and marketised system. Originality/value The study highlights the transformative potential of BTEC courses and their role in supporting progression to HE amongst young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The current emphasis on standardisation and rigour as mechanisms to better equip students for HE neglects the unique contribution BTEC pedagogies and practices make to encouraging HE participation. A Bourdieusian and “possible selves” theoretical framework has provided new insights into these valuable learning processes.

scholarly journals Are young people aged 16-19 using or expecting to use the gig economy for their careers?

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40
Author(s):  
Esther Galfalvi ◽  
Tristram Hooley ◽  
Siobhan Neary
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Gig Economy ◽  
Career Option ◽  
Education College ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Retail Activity ◽  
The Relationship

Amid growing precarity and zero hour contracts, the 'gig economy' represents a new way of working mediated by web technology. Workers can sign up to a work platform – a website or smartphone program that manages the work automatically – and take on work at the tap of a button. Some platforms manage labour, such as driving for Uber or delivering food for Deliveroo, while others manage retail activity, such as Ebay or Etsy.<br/> Recent research has shown that a significant number of people are using platform work to earn money, with over half being young people aged 16-34. While there are some data regarding satisfaction levels and attractors, there is little research examining specific age segments of workers, or the relationship between platform work and career.<br/> Using data from focus group interviews with school and Further Education college students, this paper will discuss findings from research investigating how young people in England aged 16-19 perceive the gig economy and whether they feel that it will be relevant to their careers, with a view to discussing whether it may be necessary to include in careers education programmes or guidance.<br/> The interview data indicate that these participants were occasionally using platforms to make money, and a few were earning regularly, usually on retail platforms. While some interviewees appreciated the autonomy and flexibility promised by gig economy work, the uncertainty, perceived low status, and lack of career progression prevented them from taking it seriously as a career option. Instead, they preferred traditional forms of work that provide more stability and organisational support - an increasingly rare commodity in a labour market that is changing rapidly in the opposite direction. We conclude that while there may be little value in giving detailed individual guidance on the gig economy, it could be valuable to use it as a way of teaching young people about the labour market and different types of employment

scholarly journals Holiday Club Programmes in Northern Ireland: The Voices of Children and Young People

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1337
Author(s):  
Jackie Shinwell ◽  
Ellen Finlay ◽  
Caitlin Allen ◽  
Margaret Anne Defeyter
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Young People ◽  
School Children ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
High Level

In Northern Ireland, nearly 30% of children are thought to be at risk of going hungry in the summer holidays when they are unable to access free school meals. Community groups, voluntary groups, local authorities, and faith groups have responded to this concern by developing and delivering holiday programmes that enable children from low-income families to take part in activities and access food. The current study used purposive sampling to investigate children’s and young people’s views of holiday provision, from across three holiday clubs, in Northern Ireland. Both primary school children (n = 34; aged 4–11) and secondary school children (n = 31; aged 12–17) showed high levels of awareness of poverty and food insecurity and associated pressures and stresses on households. Importantly, children and young people did not feel stigmatised about attending holiday provision, suggesting a positive and inclusive culture towards holiday club attendance. Children reported that they enjoyed the range of activities provided at holiday clubs and reported that attendance improved their self-confidence, especially for some older children, who acted as peer mentors to younger attendees, helped them to develop new skills, and provided them with opportunities to socialise with peers in a safe environment, out with their normal social groupings in school. Older children showed a high level of shrewdness and knowledge of sectarian divides in communities but spoke positively about how different religious or cultural backgrounds did not matter in terms of meeting and making new friends in holiday club settings. In terms of food provision, the findings of this study suggest that further work needs to be done to support children to access and eat healthy, nutritious food.

Smoking and peer groups: Results from a longitudinal qualitative study of young people in Northern Ireland

2005 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara J. Stewart-Knox ◽  
Julie Sittlington ◽  
Jorun Rugkåsa ◽  
Sheila Harrisson ◽  
Margaret Treacy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Young People ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Peer Groups

Intergroup contact, friendship quality and political attitudes in integrated and segregated schools in Northern Ireland

2009 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice Stringer ◽  
P. Irwing ◽  
M. Giles ◽  
C. McClenahan ◽  
R. Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Political Attitudes ◽  
Intergroup Contact ◽  
Friendship Quality ◽  
Segregated Schools
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