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Developing an understanding of how houseless people experience housing and home
No full textSection A
The number of houseless people in the UK is rising, causing increasing levels of concern in the services that support them. In efforts to better understand their needs, researchers have explored the meaning of “home” for houseless people through qualitative studies. This systematic review aimed to reflexively analyse the research on the meaning of home for people who are often described as “homeless”. It was hoped that synthesising the current research will strengthen the validity of findings, therefore improving the evidence base for services and policy makers who serve this population. Twenty studies were found and their quality assessed. This meta-synthesis revealed four interacting meta-themes: Home in space; Home as people; Home in the self; Home in time. The first three meta-themes align with themes found in reviews on the meaning of home for housed populations. The fourth meta-theme is a new finding. While themes were consistent across different types of houselessness, participants varied considerably in terms of exactly what conditions enabled these components of home to be realised for them. Findings can be used to inform how services help houseless people to create a sense of home, both in (temporary) housing and on the streets.
Section B
With homelessness continuing to rise in England, the government has committed additional funding to try and reduce it. While efforts to support unsheltered people are limited by insufficient housing stock, some street homeless people are also declining the housing that is offered to them. There is disagreement about whether some people are intentionally homeless or whether services are failing to house them appropriately. This study aimed to understand why some street homeless people decline offers of housing, from their own perspectives. It appears to be the first study of its kind. The research questions were: 1) How do people living on the streets experience street homelessness? 2) How do people living on the streets make sense of their experience of declining housing, or accepting housing temporarily? Interviews from six participants were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants experienced both homelessness and housing offers as dehumanising, isolating and dangerous, and as a threat to their identity. They declined housing in pursuit of autonomy, competence, relatedness, self-worth and physical safety. Findings are discussed in the context of legislation, policy and self-determination theory. It is suggested that clinical psychologists could usefully bring self-determination theory into Psychologically Informed Environments initiatives to improve service provision
Response letter: Beyond the symptoms: Personalizing giant cell arteritis care through multidimensional patient reported outcome measure
No full textLetter. Refers to Comment on: Miedany et al. Beyond the symptoms: Personalizing giant cell arteritis care through multidimensional patient reported outcome measure
Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, Volume 75, December 2025, Pages 152843 JC Robson, J Dawson, SL Mackie, M Ndos
Pink suits and big fins: gender-layered constraints in scuba diving
No full textThis study reveals gender-layered constraints by addressing the gap in studies on women’s scuba diving experiences, applying a feminist geography approach. Adapting leisure constraint theory, we conceptualised gender-layered constraints that explained the multifaceted and complex nature of gendered experience and expression in scuba diving. The paper introduces the concept of ‘modern mermaid halo’ - a skewed experience compared to ‘ideal’ scuba diving participation that reinforces inequalities for women. These findings offer insights into how tourism practitioners and marketers can promote inclusive water-based tourism activities
Slow food earth markets as gastronomy tourism offerings
No full textThis presentation builds on the study of Slow Food Earth Market accessibility and discusses the potential to develop these markets as gastronomy tourism products.
Founded in 2004, Earth Markets are farmer’s markets which are accredited by Slow Food International and operate according to their principles offering customers access to food which is good, clean, and fair. The sellers at Earth Markets are small-scale farmers, producers, and artisans who regularly set up stalls in a designated space to promote local and seasonal food to consumers. There were 96 accredited Earth Markets in 22 countries across the world at the beginning of 2024 (Slow Food, 2024).
Earth Markets play an important role in the preservation of local biodiversity, the development of local communities and also contribute to sustainable forms of tourism (Hatipoglu & Inelmen, 2021), including slow tourism and gastronomy tourism. However, the question remains how Earth Markets can remain authentic whilst also being inclusive and accessible to a variety of audiences.
The presentation draws on a qualitative study which employed semi-structured interviews with Earth Market organisers. The data collection took place in January-March, 2024. The interviews were conducted using MS Teams and Zooms platforms and face-to-face. Altogether, sixteen organisers from ten markets across nine countries – Australia, Canada, Chile, Latvia, Mexico (2 markets), Spain, Tanzania, Turkey, and Uganda – took part in the study.
The participants were asked about the target audience of Earth Markets, what prevents and encourages people to visit, and how they are promoted, including collaboration with Destination Marketing Organisations.
The presentation discusses the factors contributing to the development of Earth Markets as gastronomy tourism offerings as well as the challenges that the organisers would need to overcome for these markets to be developed as quality gastronomy tourism offerings in a sustainable way.
For example, results show that Earth Markets are open to any type of visitors, yet the visitor profile for many markets is changing either from season to season or year to year. This change is especially apparent in the summer when locals go on holiday and more tourists visit the markets. While local customers generally account for 80-90% of the visitor numbers, the proportion of tourists in the holiday season can reach up to 50% of the market visitors in some markets. This highlights the need for the markets to adapt to the changing customer profile.
There are also opposing views about targeted promotion of Earth Markets for tourists. While some markets embrace the idea of putting Earth Markets on the tourist map, others are more sceptical such promotion.
The presentation discusses the implications for food tourism policy makers and presents considerations for the inclusion of Earth Markets into tourism policy
Keynote: Developing a sense of belonging and mattering for commuter students
No full textAbstract
Around half of all students in the UK are commuter students – students who continue to live at home whilst studying, rather than relocating to attend university – than traditional residential students. At the University of Worcester, the majority of your students are commuters.
This matters, for our students, for our universities and for the sector as a whole.
At the moment, our pedagogy, policy and processes are largely shaped around residential students, which has a negative effect on commuter students.
In this presentation, we will summarise recent developments in research and policy, before presenting new findings from primary research, including quantitative analysis of a national HESA dataset and qualitative analysis of focus groups with students. We will focus on the positive steps that educators and institutions can take, to meet the needs of their commuters. We will suggest evidence-based practical adaptations to pedagogy, policies and processes, which will enhance higher education for all.
The presentation will conclude that it is essential, for students, higher education institutions and the future viability of our sector, that we increase awareness of commuter students – who they are and what they need – and that we reshape higher education provision for this growing cohort. Our students will benefit from a better experience and outcomes. Our institutions will benefit from higher retention, league table position and therefore recruitment. And the sector as a whole will benefit from greater financial stability and clear evidence to government that we are meeting their priorities and truly expanding access and improving outcomes for non-traditional students.
Biography
Dr Susan Kenyon is a Principal Lecturer in Politics at Canterbury Christ Church University and winner of the 2025 Vicky Randall Prize for her outstanding contribution to advancing teaching and learning in political studies, awarded by the UK Political Studies Association.
Dr Kenyon has dedicated her career to advancing social inclusion, working initially as an academic researcher, moving into industry and politics at the Department for Transport and Transport for London. Dr Kenyon returned to higher education in 2015, as a Director of Learning and Teaching, working across the institution to influence individuals’ pedagogy and university policies and practices, before returning to teaching, to focus on empowering her students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to make the change that they wish to see. Dr Kenyon has changed pedagogy, policy and practice in her own institution and across the sector, through impactful research and engaging dissemination and continues to advance inclusion in the transport industry, as a consultant on transport and social inclusion, to multiple government bodies
Precious Metals
No full text'Precious Metals' exhibited at Earthbound, Derby Museum of Making.
This project considers the materiality of silver and palladium, from their production within the cosmos, extraction from Earth and their uses within our society. This project focuses on silver and palladium use in photography, suggesting methods of using the materials that are less harmful to the environment.For this project, Melanie has produced silver gelatin photographic prints of the night sky using caffenol (coffee) developer. When fixed, the prints release silver into the photographic fixative. Alongside Dr Leah-Nani Alconcel at the University of Birmingham, Melanie has used electrolysis to safely reclaim silver from the fixer. This silver was then used to silver plate copper jewellery and circular sculptural pieces held within the vitrine. This process prevents silver from entering the water system and negatively affecting the environment.As part of this project, Melanie acquired silversmithing skills to produce jewellery from recycled silver. Melanie did this to understand more about the materiality of silver from practitioners who have extensive experience using the material. To learn more about silver on a microscopic level, Melanie and Dr Leah-Nani Alconcel produced a series of digital photographs observing the crystallisation process when silver-nitrate reacts with ascorbic acid. Melanie has created becquerel daguerreotypes and palladium-platinum prints of supernovae, to highlight the origin of silver and palladium within high energy stellar events. Melanie has also made cyanotypes of the night sky toned using green tea. The iron-based cyanotypes offer a viable alternative to silver prints.This project was supported by Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants and Patreon. With thanks to Mark Devereux Projects and the University of Birmingham
In Praise of Raw Data
No full textThis exhibition is a result of an ongoing collaboration between artist Dr Melanie King and Dr Claudia Mignone - an astronomer and science communicator at INAF - Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome.This exhibition highlights the beauty of raw data artefacts resulting from cosmic interactions with telescope sensors. These features include over-exposed cores of stars which resemble black holes and six pointed stars which are an artefact of James Webb Space Telescope mirrors. In this project, King and Mignone have considered the construction of astronomical images and raw data artefacts that are often removed from astronomical images for public outreach purposes.
Astronomical images in the digital media ecosystem are highly mediated, for example – colours are added to images taken in different filters to reflect different chemicals present in a galaxy or nebula. In this project, King and Mignone have been speaking to Alyssa Pagan and Joseph Depasquale, visualisation specialists at Space Telescope Science Institute to learn more about their image editing processes. In addition to this, the pair spoke to Mark McCaughrean (Former Senior Advisor for Science & Exploration at the European Space Agency) about his extensive work with astronomical imaging. King and Mignone have discussed their research at the 6th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education held by the International Astronomical Union in November 2024.
This project comprises several colour printing processes and sustainable printing techniques, which mimic the digital imaging processing techniques. These processes include risograph prints, produced at Park Press Margate. In addition to this, King produced sustainable screen prints using oak gall inks and recycled papers made in collaboration with photographer Clare Hewitt, botanical ink maker Carolyn Morton and paper maker Danielle Phelps. King has also been working on duotone cyanotypes using botanical toners in her Ramsgate studio. As King’s work considers the intimate connection between the cosmos, ecology of earth and materiality, the artist was keen to use sustainable printing processes to limit the impact of her work on the environment.
Mignone has experimented with digital astronomical imaging composites, in addition to multiple acetate images that represent astronomical images in different colours. These images show the same object taken in various filters, which are used to produce an installation in the gallery. The experimental printing processes and installations aim to draw attention to artefacts resulting from astronomical telescopes, in addition to the printing processes themselves
Pd, Pt, Ti incorporated ZSM-5 and promotional role of Ni for oxidation of methane in presence of molecular oxygen: Partial oxidation vs total oxidation
No full textMethane is considered one of the most potent greenhouse gases, with a significant contribution to climate change. The tremendous heat-trapping capacity of methane and its growing emissions make global warming more alarming. In this study, Pd, Pt, and Ti incorporated ZSM-5 (PdPtTiZSM-5), and the promotional addition of Ni are investigated for the partial oxidation of methane (POM). The catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface area analysis, temperature-programmed reduction/oxidation/desorption techniques, FT-infrared-Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. According to the results of the present study, Pd–Pt nanoalloy assisted by Ptx + -Ti4+ acts as an active catalyst for the POM, producing primarily desired products, with total oxidation of methane (TOM) occurring as a minor side reaction. Moreover, the addition of 0.1 wt% Ni promotes the formation of Pd–Pt alloy phase exclusively upon reduction. Such a catalyst (0.1Ni/PdPtTiZSM-5) is enriched with active sites and achieves ∼55 % H2 yield with a 2.8H2/CO ratio at 600 °C and ∼70 % H2-yield with a 2.15H2/CO ratio at 650 °C during 240 min time on stream. This catalyst also occupies a minimum CO2 yield (∼32 %) at 600 °C, which indicates the presence of TOM to a minimum extent over 0.1Ni/PdPtTiZSM-5 than other investigated catalysts. The production of hydrogen-rich syngas with good H2 yield over the current catalyst system sets a high ambition for achieving hydrogen energy goals
Non-directive coaching to support wellbeing: The impact of coaching on the wellbeing of informal cancer carers
No full textInformal cancer carers experience lower wellbeing than the general population. An evidence base demonstrates wellbeing impacts of coaching, yet few cancer carer interventions use coaching. This study delivered a 4-session coaching intervention with 11 cancer carers, using post-intervention interviews to ascertain the impact of coaching on carers’ wellbeing. The study argues that non-directive coaching improves carer wellbeing by building a ‘safe space’ for carers to be heard, rather than emphasizing goal-setting or prescribing wellbeing topics. This research demonstrates the value of coaching in supporting cancer carers’ wellbeing, highlighting how coaching reduces negative-self talk and scaffolds carers’ permission to prioritize themselves
Effective ways to manage employment through the development of youth entrepreneurship
No full textYouth entrepreneurship is a promising sector and an important part of modern business activities. Its relevance is driven by several factors, including increasing the role of young people in the labor market, introducing new approaches and digital technologies, and addressing socio-economic issues in society. Firstly, the importance of youth entrepreneurship lies in job creation. Secondly, young people’s ability to implement innovative solutions, including digital technologies, helps them achieve success in entrepreneurship. International examples show that government support consistently creates opportunities for talented, ambitious youth with innovative business ideas to start their ventures. Managing employment through the development of youth entrepreneurship is a key factor contributing to economic and social development. Moreover, youth entrepreneurship is considered separately for students and for graduates who have struggled to find jobs in their fields. Internships are also analyzed based on social classes, with a focus on the role and impact of volunteer programs on future employment. In addition to bringing fresh, innovative ideas, young people help reduce unemployment and ensure economic stability through their entrepreneurial activities. One of the main tools for fostering youth entrepreneurship is systematic government support. This includes providing benefits, grants, and subsidies to young entrepreneurs, offering tax incentives, and organizing specialized training programs. The goal of this research is to study the key priorities for achieving effective youth employment. The development of youth entrepreneurship is identified as a vital strategy for increasing youth employment, particularly in Kazakhstan. Graphical data representation is used as a statistical analysis tool