title: The ‘grand scheme of things’: biological invasions, their detection, impacts and management

authors: MacNeil, Calum

abstract: Editorial of Management of Biological Invasions: International Journal of Applied Research on Biological Invasions, Volume 5, Issues 3.

text: The ‘grand scheme of things’: biological invasions, their detection, impacts and management Editorial of Management of Biological Invasions: International Journal of Applied Research on Biological Invasions, Volume 5, Issues 3.

year: 2014-09

title: Towards a promising future: Solomon Islands educators’ perspectives on the inclusion of arts and culture curriculum in schools

authors: Martin, Margaret Anne

subjects: Solomon Islands

abstract: In the Pacific Islands, ‘arts’ and ‘culture’ are not separate entities, since traditional Pacific cultures encode recollections of the past in song, dance, art and craft, naming and story-telling, all of which contribute to recording their histories. The encompassing nature of culture has drawn scholars to also recognise the role of education in transmitting culture. One’s view of the world and one’s place in it can be communicated to a young person through family, but also through arts education within schooling. When school curriculum only embodies a culture that is alien to the family culture of students, that curriculum may induce failure in its students. 
A concern about the cultural appropriateness and limited accessibility of school education in the Solomon Islands, has led to a process of major curriculum reform. One area currently in development is a proposed Arts and Culture Curriculum. This research invited five experienced Solomon Islands educators to take part in an interview process regarding their perceptions about the inclusion of an Arts and Culture Curriculum in Solomon Island schools.
The findings revealed that a key reason for the inclusion of culture within an arts curriculum in the Solomon Islands was the desire for locally situated, locally appropriate curricula that would place high value on the preservation of cultural identities and heritage skills. Secondly, the inclusion of non-academic, practical and creative educational pathways was being established in order to provide balanced opportunities in Solomon Islands schools. Findings indicated challenges to be overcome in order to further develop and implement this Arts and Culture Curriculum currently in draft form. Proposed implementation has implications for resourcing, teacher training, and processes of community consultation in curriculum development.

text: Towards a promising future: Solomon Islands educators’ perspectives on the inclusion of arts and culture curriculum in schools In the Pacific Islands, ‘arts’ and ‘culture’ are not separate entities, since traditional Pacific cultures encode recollections of the past in song, dance, art and craft, naming and story-telling, all of which contribute to recording their histories. The encompassing nature of culture has drawn scholars to also recognise the role of education in transmitting culture. One’s view of the world and one’s place in it can be communicated to a young person through family, but also through arts education within schooling. When school curriculum only embodies a culture that is alien to the family culture of students, that curriculum may induce failure in its students. 
A concern about the cultural appropriateness and limited accessibility of school education in the Solomon Islands, has led to a process of major curriculum reform. One area currently in development is a proposed Arts and Culture Curriculum. This research invited five experienced Solomon Islands educators to take part in an interview process regarding their perceptions about the inclusion of an Arts and Culture Curriculum in Solomon Island schools.
The findings revealed that a key reason for the inclusion of culture within an arts curriculum in the Solomon Islands was the desire for locally situated, locally appropriate curricula that would place high value on the preservation of cultural identities and heritage skills. Secondly, the inclusion of non-academic, practical and creative educational pathways was being established in order to provide balanced opportunities in Solomon Islands schools. Findings indicated challenges to be overcome in order to further develop and implement this Arts and Culture Curriculum currently in draft form. Proposed implementation has implications for resourcing, teacher training, and processes of community consultation in curriculum development.

year: 2013

title: Housing, mental health, and homelessness: Exploring lived experiences of homelessness to identify barriers to sustainable housing for vulnerable populations

authors: Cresswell, Caitlin Grace

subjects: Homelessness

abstract: Homelessness has become a much talked about topic in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2018 and the preceding years. This thesis explores the experiences of five people who have mental illness and have lived experience of homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand, and two staff members who work closely with people who experience both mental illness and homelessness. The theoretical frameworks that inform this thesis are narrative research, social constructionism and humanistic psychology. Particular attention was paid to using theoretical frameworks and interview methods that suited Māori (the indigenous population of Aotearoa New Zealand) due to the inequities experienced by Māori in mental health and homelessness, and the majority of participants identifying as New Zealand Māori. Participants’ narratives were gathered using semi- structured interviews. This study argues the importance of a humanistic perspective being used for research on homelessness. In contrast to traditional psychology, humanistic psychology emphasises respecting individual participants’ voice and narratives about their personal experiences of homelessness while considering the environment that influence these narratives. The participants’ narratives reflected their desire to be viewed as more than their life circumstances and illness through the sharing of their life stories. While there has been growing public awareness about mental illness, stigma still exists about mental illness which influences social narratives and how people who have mental illness understand their experiences. I argue that people who are vulnerable to homelessness, like those who experience mental illness, should have better protection from homelessness. To achieve this, I argue that structural barriers to finding, gaining and sustaining housing need to be addressed,
iii
including the design of welfare and housing services. Additionally, there needs to be recognition that the solutions to homelessness are complex and require a whole of system approach to effectively address and prevent homelessness. Recognising the complex nature of homelessness and it’s solutions will help bring a focus to establishing predominantly preventative solutions while also providing emergency housing for people in need.

text: Housing, mental health, and homelessness: Exploring lived experiences of homelessness to identify barriers to sustainable housing for vulnerable populations Homelessness has become a much talked about topic in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2018 and the preceding years. This thesis explores the experiences of five people who have mental illness and have lived experience of homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand, and two staff members who work closely with people who experience both mental illness and homelessness. The theoretical frameworks that inform this thesis are narrative research, social constructionism and humanistic psychology. Particular attention was paid to using theoretical frameworks and interview methods that suited Māori (the indigenous population of Aotearoa New Zealand) due to the inequities experienced by Māori in mental health and homelessness, and the majority of participants identifying as New Zealand Māori. Participants’ narratives were gathered using semi- structured interviews. This study argues the importance of a humanistic perspective being used for research on homelessness. In contrast to traditional psychology, humanistic psychology emphasises respecting individual participants’ voice and narratives about their personal experiences of homelessness while considering the environment that influence these narratives. The participants’ narratives reflected their desire to be viewed as more than their life circumstances and illness through the sharing of their life stories. While there has been growing public awareness about mental illness, stigma still exists about mental illness which influences social narratives and how people who have mental illness understand their experiences. I argue that people who are vulnerable to homelessness, like those who experience mental illness, should have better protection from homelessness. To achieve this, I argue that structural barriers to finding, gaining and sustaining housing need to be addressed,
iii
including the design of welfare and housing services. Additionally, there needs to be recognition that the solutions to homelessness are complex and require a whole of system approach to effectively address and prevent homelessness. Recognising the complex nature of homelessness and it’s solutions will help bring a focus to establishing predominantly preventative solutions while also providing emergency housing for people in need.

year: 2018