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"I was devastated… sport is like an addiction nearly":a qualitative study examining young athletes' experiences with injury in sport
Get PDFDespite the developmental benefits of sport in adolescence, injury is common and can have a profound impact beyond just physical symptoms.This qualitative study aims to explore the lived experiences of adolescent athletes with sports- related injury in Ireland.This was a qualitative study using one-on-one semi-structured interviews and a phenomenology method. Twenty-one secondary school students from across the Island of Ireland aged 15–18 years who had experienced a sports-related injury within the last 2 years agreed to take part. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data.Seventeen adolescents (eight female, mean age 16.2 (range 15–18) years) from five different sports were included for analysis. Predominantly negative experiences were described with four overarching themes identified through thematic analysis: playing through pain and injury, the social influence on playing through pain and injury behaviour, the psychological impact of sports injury and player confidence and its role in returning to sport.In conclusion, a culture of playing through pain and even injury is widely accepted in adolescent sports and is influenced by the social circles that surround these young athletes. The impact of sports injury goes beyond just the physical, with these athletes experiencing devastation and a loss of identity due to their absence from sport. Sports coaches can help reduce this negative impact by keeping injured players involved in the team/sport as much as possible. Conversely, sports injury also provided opportunity for personal growth in some cases, improving mental resilience and self-reliance
Fresh Start Through Sport 2023-2024 Addendum:The Ambassador Initiative
Get PDFWhile the initial evaluation of FSTS in 2023-24 referenced the Ambassador initiative as a positive innovation, a full assessment of its impact was intentionally scoped for future research. This addendum delivers on that aim, presenting a narrative-based evaluation of the Ambassador initiative. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five FSTS Ambassadors, this brief report explores the lived impact of the Ambassador initiative. The narratives in each case study present evidence of positive change across a range of domains, from improved mental health and mental health literacy, to employment, educational progression, and civic engagement. Collectively, the case studies make a robust case for the initiative’s continued support, development, and consistent integration into the wider FSTS programme and beyond
“Time‐Tripping” and Memory‐Making: A Grounded Theory of Grounded Theory
Get PDFThis paper explores the development of grounded theory methodology through the lens of memory studies, introducing the concept of “time‐tripping” as a key generic social process. The paper identifies several sub‐processes of time‐tripping, including “reclaiming,” “resisting,” “retro‐casting,” and “landscaping,” which shape the methodological “imaginary.” Through a “grounded theory of grounded theory” approach, the authors analyze how these processes, influenced by individual and collective memory, authorship, and power dynamics, have contributed to the pluralism of the method. The paper concludes by suggesting that time‐tripping offers a valuable framework for understanding the social processes of memory and forgetting in science
"They are just like us": An Evaluation of the Rio Ferdinand Foundation’s Beyond the Ball programme.
Get PDFIn August 2024, on behalf of the International Fund for Ireland, Ulster University (UU) was commissioned by the Rio Ferdinand Foundation to conduct an evaluation of the Beyond the Ball programme for the 2024-25 delivery period. This evaluation builds on a previous evaluation conducted by UU for the Rio Ferdinand Foundation on their Youth in Action programme (see Murray et al., 2022). The research was conducted with the support of public agencies, community organisations, and key partners, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and An Garda Síochána. Organisers and facilitators from these groups offered input on the evaluation’s direction and participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Additionally, young people who took part in the Beyond the Ball programme shared their experiences in focus groups and via a survey. The core research team consisted of Dr Conor Murray, Dr Julie Harris, Ruth Walker, Dr Brendan Coyle, Dr Federico Genovesi and Dr Tawanda Nyawash
A social prescribing model for tackling the health and social inequalities of people living with severe mental illness:A protocol paper
Get PDFIntroduction: Health care systems have failed to address the poor physical health outcomes of people living with severe mental illness. Interventions that focus on specific health behaviours and/or lack a co-design basis show little promise. There is a need for whole systems approaches that tackle the complex issues, including social isolation, discrimination, stigma, and low motivation, that influence poor health in this population. A social prescribing model that accommodates the needs and preferences may be a way forward.Methods: A mixed methods approach that assesses the CHOICE model (Challenging Health Outcomes Integrating Care Environments) in relation to (a) the social exclusion, loneliness and social support of a cohort of people living in the community; (b) participants’ experience of social prescribing and potential improvements to the intervention; (c) understanding the implementation factors, mechanisms and outcomes; (d) the engagement and sustainment of community partnerships; (e) institutional changes in policy and practice.Discussion: Codesigned and community-based participatory interventions may be crucial in tackling the healthand social inequalities experienced by people with severe mental illness. However, given the complexity of such interventions, the social prescribing model that we describe in this paper, requires considerable implementation data prior to a full trial
Multi-Modal LLMs in Agriculture: A Comprehensive Review
Get PDFGiven the rapid emergence and applications of Multi-Modal Large Language Models (MM-LLMs) across various scientific fields, insights regarding their applicability in agriculture are still only partially explored. This paper conducts an in-depth review of MM-LLMs in agriculture, focusing on understanding how MM-LLMs can be developed and implemented to optimize agricultural processes, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. Recent studies have explored the capabilities of MM-LLMs in agricultural information processing and decision-making. Despite these advancements, significant gaps persist, particularly in addressing domain-specific challenges such as variable data quality and availability, integration with existing agricultural systems, and the creation of robust training datasets that accurately represent complex agricultural environments. Moreover, a comprehensive understanding of the capabilities, challenges, and limitations of MM-LLMs in agricultural information processing and application is still missing. Exploring these areas is crucial to providing the community with a broader perspective and a clearer understanding of MM-LLMs’ applications, establishing a benchmark for the current state and emerging trends in this field. To bridge this gap, this survey reviews the progress of MM-LLMs and their utilization in agriculture, with an additional focus on 11 key research questions (RQs), where 4 RQs are general and 7 RQs are agriculture focused. By addressing these RQs, this review outlines the current opportunities and challenges, limitations, and future roadmap for MM-LLMs in agriculture. The findings indicate that multi-modal MM-LLMs not only simplify complex agricultural challenges but also significantly enhance decision-making and improve the efficiency of agricultural image processing. These advancements position MM-LLMs as an essential tool for the future of farming. For continued research and understanding, an organized and regularly updated list of papers on MM-LLMs is available at https://github.com/JiajiaLi04/Multi-Modal-LLMs-in-Agriculture
Late Quaternary evolution of a large rock slope deformation (Robinson, English Lake District) - a first such exploration by cosmogenic exposure dating in the British mountains
Get PDFThe temporal dynamics of the Robinson rock slope failure (RSF), the largest such feature in the Lake District of northwest England, have been assessed through cosmogenic (10Be) surface-exposure dating of quartz veins on the headscarp/rupture surface and an upper-mid-slope antiscarp. Movement along the headscarp/rupture surface began during the Lateglacial ~ 15.4–14.3 ka, and movement could have continued, incrementally or episodically, until the mid-Holocene ~ 4.6 ka. Displacement rates for the headscarp/rupture surface averaged over that time are in the range 3–4.5 mm/a. These are the first rates to be reported for an RSF in Britain and Ireland. Ages from the upper-mid-slope antiscarp (~ 8–6.5 ka) indicate early-mid-Holocene movement, although 10Be inheritance may have aged these samples somewhat. Reasons for RSF activity at Robinson at those times are complex, but probably involved paraglacial stress release augmented by the concentrated erosion of bedrock in a trough below a glacial breach, along with the structural characteristics of the local bedrock. The cosmogenic ages suggest that other RSFs in this area may have a longer history of instability than hitherto thought
Mapping rural food poverty:The impact of rurality on consumers' access to food using an ‘at risk of food poverty index’
Get PDFFood poverty (the inability to access sufficient, healthy food in a socially acceptable way) is a complex and multifaceted problem that is receiving considerable public and political attention. This research examined the structural causes of food poverty to determine if geographical disparities exist between rural and urban locations, in respect of food affordability, accessibility and availability, in the study region of Northern Ireland. This study developed an ‘At Risk of Food Poverty Index’ and utilised Geographic Information Systems to apply spatial analysis techniques to identify Census Small Areas at greatest potential risk of food poverty. The research found exposure to geographic variances in relation to food access impacts on food poverty risk. Results showed spatial variations exist in relation to rural and urban food poverty and rural dwellers face greater disadvantage in obtaining nutritionally adequate diets. The Index provides policymakers with a high-resolution model from which to target resources to vulnerable areas.</p
Blooming Minds Club:2023-2025 Evaluation Report
Get PDFThe Blooming Minds Club is an innovative project where mental health services and the arts community have come together to provide a creative space for young people attending CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). Mental health difficulties can negatively impact many aspects of a young person‘s life including reduced quality of life, isolation and struggles to engage with everyday activities such as school. The Blooming Minds Club provides a space for young people that supports their recovery journey. Within this nurturing space young people meet others with shared experiences, they begin to make new connections and find a sense of belonging. Through the creative process they can start to take risks, try new things and find a sense of enjoyment in art making. Throughout this evaluation report you will hear testimonials from young people of the many ways that the Blooming Minds Club has positively impacted their mental health. They describe increased confidence, improved self-esteem, reduced stress and fun experiences with their peers. CAMHS clinicians view the Blooming Minds Club as a valuable resource that enhances their work with young people, supporting positive mental health outcomes