title: Homeless people's leisure practices within and beyond urban socio-scapes

authors: Hodgetts, Darrin

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: With increased inequity and polarisation in society, access to leisure has become even more crucial for ensuring the humanity and health of people living in urban poverty. Homeless people constitute the hard edge of urban poverty, and literally embody broader inequities in society given that they face increased risk of illness and an early death. Scholars have explored the material and psychosocial hardships experienced by homeless people, but focus less on leisure. This article explores the role of leisure in the everyday lives of 99 homeless people in New Zealand and England. We document various leisure activities across different urban spaces and consider the complexities of leisure in how homeless people make meaning of, cope with and survive street life in the city.

text: Homeless people's leisure practices within and beyond urban socio-scapes With increased inequity and polarisation in society, access to leisure has become even more crucial for ensuring the humanity and health of people living in urban poverty. Homeless people constitute the hard edge of urban poverty, and literally embody broader inequities in society given that they face increased risk of illness and an early death. Scholars have explored the material and psychosocial hardships experienced by homeless people, but focus less on leisure. This article explores the role of leisure in the everyday lives of 99 homeless people in New Zealand and England. We document various leisure activities across different urban spaces and consider the complexities of leisure in how homeless people make meaning of, cope with and survive street life in the city.

year: 2016

title: Inclusive education for children with disabilities in Fiji: Teacher perspectives and attitudes

authors: Daveta, Mereoni Laveti

subjects: inclusive education

abstract: The purpose of this research was to examine teacher perspectives and
attitudes on inclusive education for children with disabilities in Fiji. Teachers'
perspectives and attitudes are crucial in providing insights that could
help improve education and services for children with disabilities in regular
schools in Fiji.
A qualitative approach using semi structured interviews was selected as
the methodology for this research. Nine teachers from nine different
schools in Suva, the capital city of Fiji, participated in this research. The
nine participants were selected from three different school settings. Three
of the participants were from special schools, three were from primary
schools and three were from secondary schools.
Data collected showed that teachers support inclusive education, however,
they had reservations on the inclusion of students with severe disabilities.
Several factors were identified to influence teachers' attitudes towards inclusion.
The most common factors were severity of disability that the students
had, inadequate training of teachers on teaching students with disabilities,
inadequate government funding, lack of specialised resource personnel
and lack of appropriate equipment and resources to support students
and teachers in the teaching learning process. Limited commitment
from the Ministry of Education and limited participation and consultation of
teachers on policy and curriculum design were also identified as contributing
factors for non inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools.
Teachers need to change their perspectives and attitudes and schools
need to be welcoming and prepared to accept all students with disabilities
into the general education system in Fiji.

text: Inclusive education for children with disabilities in Fiji: Teacher perspectives and attitudes The purpose of this research was to examine teacher perspectives and
attitudes on inclusive education for children with disabilities in Fiji. Teachers'
perspectives and attitudes are crucial in providing insights that could
help improve education and services for children with disabilities in regular
schools in Fiji.
A qualitative approach using semi structured interviews was selected as
the methodology for this research. Nine teachers from nine different
schools in Suva, the capital city of Fiji, participated in this research. The
nine participants were selected from three different school settings. Three
of the participants were from special schools, three were from primary
schools and three were from secondary schools.
Data collected showed that teachers support inclusive education, however,
they had reservations on the inclusion of students with severe disabilities.
Several factors were identified to influence teachers' attitudes towards inclusion.
The most common factors were severity of disability that the students
had, inadequate training of teachers on teaching students with disabilities,
inadequate government funding, lack of specialised resource personnel
and lack of appropriate equipment and resources to support students
and teachers in the teaching learning process. Limited commitment
from the Ministry of Education and limited participation and consultation of
teachers on policy and curriculum design were also identified as contributing
factors for non inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools.
Teachers need to change their perspectives and attitudes and schools
need to be welcoming and prepared to accept all students with disabilities
into the general education system in Fiji.

year: 2009

title: Mates at the school gates:Investigating peer relationships among rangatahi Māori

authors: Knowles, Anthea Heather

subjects: school attendance

abstract: As a teacher, I have found that while some rangatahi feel connected to school, many others do not. In an attempt to reduce the gap between Māori and non-Māori educational achievement, there have been significant nationwide initiatives implemented into schools across New Zealand. These programmes have been centred mostly around improving school engagement. Despite these efforts, school attendance rates among Māori continue to decline. This thesis explores the role of peer relationships among rangatahi Māori, including how these relationships may influence various domains of engagement at school, such as participation, belonging and orientation to learning. 

This research involves focus group interviews with six rangatahi Māori aged 17-18, and in Years 12 and 13 in a small-town New Zealand High School. The wāhine Māori who contributed to the study, had been identified by the school as successfully engaged through regular attendance and participation of school activites. The findings from this study identify some critical aspects to building strong peer relationships, including: having a social space to gather, practicing manaakitanga, recognising equity, maintaining connection with each other, and welcoming humour. The rangatahi in this study value their peers and social relationships and they freely access these resources as needed. In doing so they are able to collectively critique experiences of marginalisation and acquire a collective source of resilience. The participants in this study then draw on this collective resilience during challenging situations.

text: Mates at the school gates:Investigating peer relationships among rangatahi Māori As a teacher, I have found that while some rangatahi feel connected to school, many others do not. In an attempt to reduce the gap between Māori and non-Māori educational achievement, there have been significant nationwide initiatives implemented into schools across New Zealand. These programmes have been centred mostly around improving school engagement. Despite these efforts, school attendance rates among Māori continue to decline. This thesis explores the role of peer relationships among rangatahi Māori, including how these relationships may influence various domains of engagement at school, such as participation, belonging and orientation to learning. 

This research involves focus group interviews with six rangatahi Māori aged 17-18, and in Years 12 and 13 in a small-town New Zealand High School. The wāhine Māori who contributed to the study, had been identified by the school as successfully engaged through regular attendance and participation of school activites. The findings from this study identify some critical aspects to building strong peer relationships, including: having a social space to gather, practicing manaakitanga, recognising equity, maintaining connection with each other, and welcoming humour. The rangatahi in this study value their peers and social relationships and they freely access these resources as needed. In doing so they are able to collectively critique experiences of marginalisation and acquire a collective source of resilience. The participants in this study then draw on this collective resilience during challenging situations.

year: 2019