News at Stirling

University qualification helps Physical Education school pupils gain an extra curricular edge

2012-02-20 14:51:42

The University of Stirling has developed a new coaching qualification which helps secondary school pupils enhance their employability.

Young Fitness Leader is aimed at pupils aged 16 and over sitting their Higher in Physical Education and provides the opportunity for them to gain coaching certificates whilst developing their leadership skills and employment potential.

Qualifications include Gym Instructor, Exercise to Music and an Introduction to Free Weights, with each providing recognised SQA credits for pupils hoping to achieve a place at a college or university.

Eleven pupils from Abronhill High School in Cumbernauld completed the pilot Gym Instructor programme, which was delivered on campus at Stirling, Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence.

Demi Mitchell, 16, hopes to become a Physical Education teacher and is already putting the qualification to good use. She said: “I put the Gym Instructor qualification on my application form for University so hopefully it will help show how interested I am in physical education.

“We have a gym at school and some of the pupils and teachers use it at lunchtime. It’s the sort of thing which a teacher would have needed to run, but now we are qualified we can watch over and help people if they don’t know how to use the equipment.”

Elinor Steel, Principal teacher of Physical Education at Abronhill, said: “It has given the pupils an opportunity to gain qualifications and experiences not normally afforded to them. At the same time it has helped to tackle the barriers which pupils feel stop them from volunteering and coaching in their local community.

“We have developed links with national governing bodies, local clubs and the further and higher education sector which means that this is now a sustainable programme within our school which will help many other young people over the coming years.”

It is now being extended to five secondary schools across Stirlingshire, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire and Glasgow with the potential to support Physical Education teachers to deliver the qualifications from their own school sports facilities.

“Young Fitness Leader is designed so pupils can progress along the coach education pathway and at the same time the qualifications are delivered in a way which gives them a taste of what it’s like to study at a college or a university, with practical experience and theory combined,” said Nicola Duffy, who developed the programme with colleagues from the School of Sport.

“It is not just about a qualification to add to the cv – the pupils develop leadership skills, communication skills and gain the confidence to return to their schools and hopefully pass on the knowledge to others.”

For more information, please contact Nicola Duffy by email to: nicola.duffy@stir.ac.uk or call 01786 466907.

The photo shows (l-r): Abronhill pupils Demi Mitchell, Scott Smith and Leigh McKeown at the University's MP Jackson Fitness Centre.

Stirling Management School leads surveillance research after 2.6 million euro grant

2012-02-20 11:56:13

The University’s Stirling Management School, and a large and varied consortium of partners from across Europe, have secured a three year research grant of €2.6m for Increasing Resilience in Surveillance (IRISS), a project to examine democratic responses to the widespread surveillance technologies which have become part of our everyday lives.

IRISS researchers will look at the resilience of societies, at how they react and adjust to the knowledge that they are being observed, and their personal information is being gathered, in a myriad of ways. The researchers will analyse the impact of surveillance on people’s everyday lives, focusing on the effects that surveillance practices, introduced to combat crime and terrorism, can have on citizens in open and democratic societies.

The project will examine the driving forces that have led to the spread of these practices and review current research on public attitudes towards surveillance, the impact of surveillance on civil liberties and citizens' trust in political institutions

Dr William Webster of Stirling Management School says: “We are in a surveillance society because of the technologies that track, record and capture our movements. The most obvious is CCTV, but there is also the technology that we unthinkingly use everyday: mobile phones, sat-nav and the Internet.

“The project will look at how democratic societies are responding to the existence of these surveillance opportunities. We’re interested in how individuals in different societies respond ... does it bother them? Are they content that this personal information is collected and used without their knowledge? How many people resist this information gathering i.e. by vandalising CCTV cameras?

“The project will examine how different societies respond to the surveillance society – underpinning that societies are different and so they respond differently. Countries of the former Eastern European bloc have a history of surveillance – does that mean they respond differently to today’s surveillance?”

Throughout Europe we have rights as citizens to access some of the information that is held about us. IRISS researchers will look at how many people try to access the knowledge held about them, in which countries people are doing that more than others and why.

At the end of the project period, IRISS will produce a comprehensive account of resilience options, focusing on strengthening democratic processes and public discourse about appropriate reactions to threats against open democratic societies.

IRISS is funded by the European Commission FP7 Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities project. More information can be found at the IRISS microsite www.irissproject.eu

Student athletes can apply now for a national sports scholarship

2012-02-17 15:43:31

Students and school leavers preparing to start their studies can apply now for a Winning Students sports scholarship.

Winning Students – Scotland’s national sports scholarships - currently support more than 100 promising student athletes in colleges and universities across Scotland.

Recipients include European Ladies Curling champions Vicki Adams and Anna Sloan, pictured, and Scottish and British All Styles Karate champion Calum Robb.

Scholarships provide up to £5,500 of funding support coupled with academic flexibility to help student athletes achieve their sporting and academic goals.

Applications are sought for current or prospective students competing in individual sports such as athletics or in small combination sports like doubles tennis.

Athletes competing in badminton, golf, hockey, judo, orienteering, squash, swimming, triathlon and women’s football should not apply as these are core sports of the programme and applications are submitted directly by the sport’s national governing body.

To be considered for a 2012-13 Winning Students Individual Scholarship, athletes should have attained the following, or demonstrated the potential to achieve:

Top 25 at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games or World Championships
Top 15 at the European Championships or Commonwealth Games
Top 5 at the World University Games or World University Championships

Scholars must also meet the general selection criteria, outlined at:
www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk/selection

The nomination process closes on 31 March 2012, and nomination forms can be submitted by the athlete or by the governing body of sport; the college or university on behalf of the athlete, but must carry a signature from all three parties to be considered. Anyone not yet at college or university should provide proof of application (college) or a UCAS number (university).

Download the nomination form

Completed forms should be submitted by post to:

Jason Atkins
Winning Students Co-ordinator
University of Stirling
Gannochy Sports centre
Stirling, FK9 4LA

Representatives of the Winning Students Advisory Board will consider the nominated athletes and conditional offers will be made in May 2012.

Babies use vocal cues to help them identify jokes

2012-02-14 14:21:04

New research from the University of Stirling’s Baby and Toddler Lab suggests parents adapt their voices when they are joking and babies expect to see jokes when they hear these voices paired with laughter.

The parental cues study, carried out by Dr Elena Hoicka in partnership with Merideth Gattis from Cardiff University, asked 41 parents to read a book to their 19 to 24-month-old toddlers.

During the research, half of the parents read their baby a caring-themed book with sentences like, 'Baby loves mummy's cuddle', illustrated by a picture of a mother cuddling her baby while being fed a bottle. The other half read a funny book with sentences such as 'Mummy drinks baby's bottle' accompanied by an illustration of a mother drinking from the baby's bottle.

When parents were being funny, they spoke higher, louder and slower. The pitch of their voices also raised gradually towards the end of the sentence, as though they were asking a question.

Dr Hoicka, lecturer in Psychology explained: "By speaking higher, louder and slower, parents made the sentences easier for the babies to understand, which might be helpful as jokes contain some very odd ideas. However, the parents didn't want their babies to believe their jokes, so when joking the tone of their voice made the story sound uncertain, like they didn't really believe what they were saying."

A follow-up study by Dr Hoicka and Professor Su-hua Wang at the University of California, recently published in the Journal of Cognition and Development, discovered that 15-month-old babies used vocal cues to figure out when someone was going to be funny.

The research involved one group of babies listening to someone coo 'awww' and speak in a sweet, caring voice and then either view them stroking a toy cat or carry out a funny action, such as rubbing their head with a toy cat. The other half of the babies heard someone laugh and speak in a funny voice and then carry out the same actions.

The babies who heard the caring voice looked longer when watching the funny scenario than the caring or normal action. This suggested that the babies were surprised by the strange actions. However, when the babies heard a funny voice they looked longer at the normal versus the funny action. This suggests that babies were actually more surprised by the normal action than the funny action.

Dr Hoicka said: "This tells us that when babies hear sweet, normal voices, they expect to see sweet, normal actions. When they hear funny voices, they expect to see funny actions. Babies are sensitive to vocal cues and can use them to look out for jokes."

Dr Hoicka added that the findings will be very useful, as humour is an important aspect of life. "It helps to create social bonds, deal with stress, and can even benefit education," she said. "We know very little about how humour develops from birth so this study helps answer that question.

"The study also highlights how parent-child interactions are important - not only for children's humour development, but for children's understanding of other people's minds."

Stirling's Baby and Toddler Lab is looking for parents with young children, schools and nurseries, to take part in future studies. For further information, or to take part, emailbabytoddlerlab@stir.ac.uk or visit www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/babytoddlerlab.

Dr Hoicka's research will be published in a future edition of the British Journal of Developmental Psychology.

Researchers evaluate cutting edge technology for monitoring UK bathing waters

2012-02-14 11:23:15

Scientists from the University of Stirling have launched a website to share knowledge about techniques for the monitoring of water pollution along the UK shoreline.

Stirling researchers Dr David Oliver and Melanie van Niekerk helped set up Delivering Healthy Water, to promote knowledge exchange between scientists and anyone interested in bathing water quality.

The site, www.deliveringhealthywater.net, is already of value to groups such as the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and will also be of interest to the wider public who value bathing waters for recreational activity.

The number of designated bathing waters failing to reach sufficient microbiological standards is set to rise in the UK in 2015, with the introduction of stringent standards associated with a revised Bathing Water Directive from the European Union.

Debates over the suitability of traditional but slow methods versus fast new quantification tools to determine levels of pollution may add an extra layer of complexity for regulators to grapple with in the future.

The project, led by Stirling and supported by Lancaster University and Aberystwyth University, brings together cross-disciplinary expertise from academic, regulatory, and policy communities and campaign groups.

Principal Investigator, Dr Oliver, said: "The project addresses a critical debate among those interested in bathing water quality around the world. Outputs from the project will be important for the public, scientists and a wide variety of agencies.

"The timing of this project is paramount because new molecular approaches are yet to offer a perfect solution to the measurement of microbial water quality. There is scope to set a UK agenda for assessing the risks and benefits of moving from current tried and tested approaches to new methods.

"In order to understand, identify and debate promising new tools for regulatory monitoring it is essential to bring together experts from across academic and regulatory organisations.

"The challenge is to establish an agreed evidence-base to underpin informed decision-making in the short to medium term. Our knowledge exchange project seeks to understand how best to do this effectively."

The Delivering Healthy Water website is a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded project.

Steve Lindridge exhibition at the University celebrates Scottish sports photography

2012-02-13 11:35:14

Gymnast Rosalie Hutton preparing at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games

Iconic Scottish sports photographs captured by the late Steve Lindridge will be on display at the University of Stirling from 1 March.

The public exhibition, on the ground floor of the University library until late May, includes Scottish sporting luminaries such as cyclist Sir Chris Hoy.

As the official photographer for Team Scotland at the 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games, Steve’s images highlight great moments of success for Scottish athletes.

Further examples of Steve’s work, from his time working for Scottish News and Sport, for charity Lemon Aid in Haiti and his images of Stirling, Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence will also be displayed on a screen on the ground floor.

Journeying extensively as a teenager and in his 20s, Steve spent a lot of time in diverse places like Morocco and Australia, while also listing Asia, Spain and France amongst his favourite places in the world. He would later take his son on a road trip across Europe and Africa for charity and was equally at home camping in the Highlands or canoeing along the Tay.

The sea was a lifelong obsession for Salisbury-born Steve who spent many years working on ships and then as a deckhand on oil rigs, before switching to photography in the early 90s, which he studied at the College of Building and Printing in Glasgow.

It was here he met his wife Lisa and they subsequently moved to Perth, where they lived with his two children Aidan and Rhianna and where Steve joined the town's Elim Church. A man with a great zest for life, Steve was well respected across Scottish sport and the media, instantly recognisable by his trademark cowboy hat.

His sudden death in February last year, aged 50, created a profound sense of loss not only for his family, but for Scottish sport and for anyone who had the immense pleasure to have known Steve.

Louise Martin CBE, chair of sportscotland, said: "I worked closely with Steve over a number of years and was immensely fond of him. Steve was highly regarded across the sporting world for the iconic images he captured, and his untimely departure was a great loss to Scottish sport and a tragedy for his family and many friends. This exhibition is a wonderful way to celebrate his work and to showcase many of Scotland’s defining sporting moments."

The exhibition is being curated by Sarah Bramley and is supported by the University of Stirling art collection in collaboration with the School of Sport.

Photography has kindly been provided by Commonwealth Games Scotland, Lemon Aid, Scottish News and Sport, sportscotland and by the University of Stirling.

Stirling student film wins Royal Television Society award

2012-02-08 16:59:09

An emotive documentary about blind and visually impaired golfers created by University of Stirling students has won a Royal Television Society (RTS) Student Award.

A Bunch of Gentlemen, made by Louise Begbie, Milla Harju, Fatima Helou, Claudia Lorenz, Nadin Mai and Amanda Jayne Naughton, won Best Factual Programme during a ceremony held at BBC Scotland’s headquarters at Pacific Quay in Glasgow.

The film features a selection of interviews with members of the Scottish Blind Golf Society. During the programme the men discuss their love of the game, their experiences of losing their sight and how they adapted their lives to carry on enjoying the sport for which they hold such a passion.

The judges’ comments concluded: "A Bunch of Gentlemen is intelligent, absorbing and opened beautifully with the revelation that the golfers couldn't see. The individual stories were well told and the programme's length was almost perfect.

"The judges unanimously enjoyed the piece and its incredibly warm and human stories in which they became personally involved. Overall a very well thought out and realised piece."

Amanda Jayne Naughton said: "We are really excited about winning this prestigious award and we are proud and pleased that people have enjoyed watching our film.

"We had an amazing opportunity to work with talented and inspirational characters and it is their stories that make the film a success. As the golfers are the undoubted stars of the documentary, we have decided to donate the award to the Scottish Blind Golf Society.

"We appreciate all of the help and support that we have had from the Film and Media department at the University of Stirling in assisting us to construct a film worthy of an RTS award."

Stirling Lecturer Tim Thornicroft attended the ceremony with his former students and was delighted with the win, as the film was up against some tough competition from other colleges and universities.

He added: "It was gratifying to hear very warm and genuine regard shown for the work produced by the University of Stirling from a range of broadcasters and fellow educators."

Scottish Blind Golf Society Secretary, Robin Clayden, who also features in the film, said the Society was proud of the way the students had portrayed the players.

He added: "The students had a natural ability to understand visually impaired golfers and took on board what we said about our lives, the game and the etiquette on the course."

The RTS also commended another Stirling film which impressed the judges but failed to make the final shortlist for Best Fictional Programme.

Wake Up, by Patrik Buchar, John Creighton, Miraslaw Czubaszek, Ian Hendry, Mateusz Pastewka, Phil Robinson and Angus Turner received a special note of merit.

The students involved in the programmes graduated in November 2011.

Tennis ace Greg Rusedski praises sports facilities at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence

2012-02-07 09:48:34

Former Great Britain tennis star Greg Rusedski held a special mentoring programme at the Scottish National Tennis Centre on campus at the University of Stirling last week.

And the one-time ATP Tour World No.4, who spent three days coaching promising professional Jonny O’Mara, was impressed with the performance programme at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence.

Rusedski, an ambassador and mentor with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), put the 16-year-old Dundonian through his paces during 12 hours of one-to-one court time at the Centre where current World No.4 Andy Murray and his brother Jamie used to practice as youngsters.

He said: “It is great that Jonny can train here as the facilities and support on offer are excellent. There is a good talent pool and competition is very important for young players. University tennis being offered here at Stirling is great and it helps to create competition and good practice.

“My advice to Jonny is always be professional, work hard and have the right mental attitude. To reach the top you have to know yourself inside out and push yourself through the stages. Regardless of what level you play tennis at, the mind is always key. You have to be fit, strong, focused, determined and dedicated.”

Rusedski retired from the professional game in 2007 and his new role involves developing grassroots tennis and mentoring aspiring players aged 15-18.

O’Mara won his first tournament at the tender age of seven and has recently turned professional, training with the tennis scholarship students on the International Sports Scholarship Programme.

He also receives expert coaching from Tennis Scotland coach Mark Walker and guidance from University Performance Tennis Coach Euan McGinn, whose former students include current Davis Cup and ATP Tour Doubles star Colin Fleming.

O’Mara said: “Greg is a great mentor and his guidance has been outstanding. He is very knowledgeable and this is a great opportunity for me to learn from him. No matter how tough the training is I love every minute of it. I really like training at Stirling, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. The facilities are unbelievable - it has to be the best place in Scotland, if not the UK. It really is the perfect training ground for sport.”

Sports Management student Joe Gill pipped O’Mara to the Aegon British Tour Stirling title last month, but the competitions are now coming thick and fast for the teenager as he sets his sights on qualifying for the French Open Juniors and Wimbledon this summer.

Walker, who has worked with O’Mara since he was four, said: “Jonny could make the top 100 if he stays focused and committed. He has grown up a lot since he came to the University to train. It has been a steep learning curve as it is a much more challenging, professional and physical environment for him.

“Greg is one of the most positive people I have ever met and he is a great example for the students. Jonny is benefitting from some excellent mentoring and he also has the backing of a fantastic University programme.”

McGinn – the Team Scotland coach at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, added: “Having the facilities here and access to mentors like Greg is a great environment for Jonny and means he hasn’t had to go elsewhere to progress. Greg has really challenged Jonny and pushed him to go that extra mile. Tennis is so physical you have to put in legendary performances to reach the top and the system is here at Stirling to help players like Jonny reach that.”

Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence helps launch mission to build a team of young leaders for Glasgow 2014 and for Scotland

2012-02-03 15:17:30

Stirling student athletes Cameron Brodie (far left) and Grant Sheldon (second from the right) meet pupils from Beaconhurst School at the Lead 2014 launch

University of Stirling students and scholarship athletes helped launch the ground-breaking Lead 2014 youth leadership and volunteering campaign ahead of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

More than 1,000 pupils and students the length and breadth of Scotland are gearing up to be part of the programme, launched today at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence.

It will inspire hundreds of secondary school pupils and university students to use sport as the springboard to hone and develop their leadership skills and engage with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Lead 2014 – a partnership between sportscotland, Youth Sport Trust and Glasgow 2014, – will see pupils from 137 Scottish secondary schools gather during February and March at one of seven day-long conferences hosted by the Lead 2014 partner university in their area.

Stirling will host its conference on Thursday 22 March, with more than 200 pupils from schools across the community taking part.

The pupils will be mentored by university student volunteers in how to plan, organise and manage a Commonwealth Games themed sports festival. The pupils then take their new skills and knowledge back to their communities to organise a sports festival for their local primary schools.

Leading the way at Stirling: (back row l-r) Sports Participation Officer Michael McChord; Physical Education student and Lead 2014 tutor Thomas McCulloch, swimmer Cameron Brodie; (front row l-r) Graduate Fitness Officer and Lead 2014 tutor Stacey Coffin; Sports Participation Officer Nicola Duffy and triathlete Grant Sheldon

Today’s launch saw two Stirling students, triathlete Grant Sheldon, a Mathematics student and swimmer Cameron Brodie, studying Sports Studies - who are aiming to be part of Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014 – stage a sports festival for a group of Stirling school pupils and university students.

Professor David Lavallee, Head of the School of Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “The University of Stirling is delighted to be a part of Lead 2014, which is an integral part of our extensive volunteering pathway. We are proud to have been pioneers of the programme and value the power of sport in developing the skills young people will use throughout their lives.”

David Grevemberg, Glasgow 2014’s Chief Executive, said: “This is such a powerful way of inspiring and motivating our young people through sport to become the leaders and volunteers of tomorrow. Lead 2014 will capture the energy of the students to create a positive sporting legacy through empowerment and education in the run up to the Games. We hope we will see some of this year’s participants as volunteers at Glasgow 2014 and other future sporting events.”

Hazel Williamson, Development Manager for the Youth Sport Trust in Scotland, said: “The Youth Sport Trust believes that sport changes lives and the Lead 2014 programme is an excellent way to motivate and inspire young people in Scotland. This initiative is a strong example of how sport can be used to develop a whole range of skills and benefit thousands of young people in so many different ways.”

Louise Martin, Chair of sportscotland, commented: “Lead 2014 is a fantastic opportunity to motivate and inspire young people to get involved with sport through volunteering and leadership. It has never been so crucial to engage young people in sport with major home Games on the horizon and Lead 2014 can create a legacy of young people enthused about volunteering and the benefits it can bring to their lives.”

In addition to pupil and student education, the campaign also offers an information workshop for secondary school PE teachers and Active Schools Coordinators.

Background information

Lead 2014 began several years ago at the University of Stirling under the guise of Top Link and was run by Youth Sport Trust and sportscotland. The campaign has been adopted as the main youth sports mentoring project in the lead up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

For more information on Lead 2014 at Stirling, visit:
www.sportingexcellence.stir.ac.uk/take-part/coaching-courses/lead-2014

Athlete profiles
Grant Sheldon was crowned British Triathlon Junior Super Series Champion in 2011 following three impressive podium finishes, including at his hometown event and future Glasgow 2014 triathlon venue - the GE Strathclyde Park Junior Triathlon. His performances were further rewarded with a first international appearance for Great Britain at the European Junior Championships. Grant trains with triathlonscotland’s national squads and is currently studying Mathematics at the University of Stirling. He receives support from the University, from national sports scholarships Winning Students, triathlonscotland, British Triathlon and the sportscotland institute of sport. View Grant’s full profile at: www.sportingexcellence.stir.ac.uk/performance-sport/scholarships/profiles/2011-12/triathlon/grant-sheldon

Talented swimmer Cameron Brodie represented Team Scotland at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games in the 100m and 200m Butterfly. The University of Stirling Sports Studies student bases his training at the British Swimming Intensive Training Centre (ITC) on campus, which includes a 50m pool and land conditioning suite. He is the current British Age Group champion at 200m Butterfly and was fifth at the 2011 British Senior Championships. A former national level rower, Cameron receives support from the University, Winning Students, Scottish Swimming, British Swimming and from the sportscotland institute of sport. View Cameron’s full profile at: www.sportingexcellence.stir.ac.uk/performance-sport/scholarships/profiles/2011-12/swimming/cameron-brodie

Stirling Dementia Centre shortlisted for Independent Specialist Care Award

2012-02-03 13:18:54

The University of Stirling Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) is a finalist in the Independent Specialist Care Awards 2012. The Centre has been shortlisted for work carried out in Northern Ireland, where they are working directly to support nurses and other staff who care for people with dementia.

The regional team has been nominated in the Training and Dissemination of Good Practice category, for ‘doing the most to make this ideal a reality’.

The category was open to training services providers and organisations effective in providing good, evidence-based practice in the provision or commissioning of social care for adults with specialist care needs.

Director of the DSDC, Professor June Andrews, said:"It is really exciting for the Centre to be recognised in this UK competition for our work in Northern Ireland. Our team is celebrating as it is a great honour to be recognised in this way.

“In dementia care it is important to us that training and good practice is key and Stirling leads the way in this world wide.

“Doing things well and educating staff properly through effective training is more cost effective than doing things badly."

The Dementia Services Development Centre Northern Ireland (DSDCNI) has transformed social care for people with dementia in the region since it was established in April 2009.

It is dedicated to sharing evidence-based good practice for the benefit of people with dementia, and providing expert training to those who care for them.

Rescue dogs help young offenders at HMYOI Polmont

2012-01-31 12:00:02

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS), Dogs Trust and Rebecca Leonardi, a postgraduate student from the University of Stirling, are collaborating on the first prison-based dog training programme in the UK.

Based at HM Young Offender Institute (HMYOI) Polmont, and aptly known as Paws for Progress, this pioneering programme involves young offenders from Polmont training rescue dogs from the nearby Dogs Trust West Calder rehoming centre. The aim is to help offenders address their behaviour and develop employment skills in preparation for release. The project was instigated by Rebecca Leonardi, as part of her Psychology PhD at the University of Stirling.

Paws for Progress runs in eight week cycles and each one sees a small group of prisoners take part in three training sessions each week, two of these with rescue dogs. As well as working with the dogs, the participants learn team working and social skills, while some become volunteer assistants and peer mentors for the programme.

Every prisoner is paired with a dog, making them responsible for its development and accountable for its behaviour. They are taught never to use punishment, while positive reinforcement techniques, like rewarding good behaviour, are encouraged. It is hoped that by completing the programme, prisoners will enhance their employability, develop social skills and gain the confidence to be positive about their future prospects.

Engaging participants in learning is central to the project’s success as young offenders often have a negative attitude towards education as a result of difficult experiences at school. After completing the course, participants are provided with ongoing support and development.

Ms Leonardi explains: “The young men involved in the programme are going through difficult and challenging periods in their lives. They are aware of how their attitude and behaviour impact upon their allocated dog’s progress – they must remain positive and help the dog to trust them - and work very hard to ensure their dog is given the best chance of a happier future. When they see how the dogs change as a result of their hard work, it is very rewarding and they realise that they are capable of changing too.”

With the help of HMYOI Polmont and Dogs Trust staff, Rebecca Leonardi runs the Paws for Progress sessions and will evaluate the effectiveness of the programme over the next three years. Paws for Progress was inspired by the success of a similar programme in America (Project POOCH), but it will be some time before the impact at HM YOI Polmont can be fully evaluated. Nonetheless, initial observations are overwhelmingly positive.

Kate Donegan, Governor at HM YOI Polmont, said: “This has been a mutually beneficial project for all involved. The young men at Polmont have enhanced their employability and literacy skills and, as a result of their involvement in Paws for Progress, have even been awarded an SQA certificate. I look forward to reading Ms Leonardi’s findings in the future and seeing how this research can be utilised to improve the efficiencies of the prison estate.”

Throughout the project the young offenders complete two portfolios: the first covers the dogs’ development (and includes a K9 CV) while the second focuses on that of the prisoner. The dogs’ portfolios are used by Dogs Trust training and behaviour advisers and shared with potential owners, who make an informed decision as to whether the dog is suitable for them. Students can achieve an SQA, which for many is their first qualification, and the successful rehoming of a dog is an achievement for the trainer.

The dogs involved have been carefully selected by Dogs Trust experts. The charity believes that the training they receive through Paws for Progress could increase the chances of their being rehomed. Susan Tonner, Manager of Dogs Trust West Calder, explains: “We’re very excited to be part of this groundbreaking project. The dogs taking part benefit from extra training and socialisation which, in many cases, increases their appeal to potential owners. It’s great to tell prisoners that their hard work with a specific dog has helped us to find a new loving home. We’re looking forward to lots more success stories.”

Paws For Progress from Amy Jopling on Vimeo.

Inspirational Stirling student film nominated for prestigious award

2012-01-27 15:58:45

A moving documentary about blind and visually impaired golfers created by Honours year students from the University of Stirling has been nominated for a prestigious Royal Television Society (RTS) Student Award.

‘A Bunch of Gentlemen’, made by Louise Begbie, Milla Harju, Fatima Heldu, Claudia Lorenz, Nadin Mai and Amanda Jayne Naughton, as part of their dissertation, features a selection of interviews with members of the Scottish Blind Golf Society.

During the short film the men discuss their love of the game, their experiences of losing their sight and how they adapted their lives to carry on enjoying the sport for which they hold such a passion.

Amanda Jayne Naughton (22), from Glasgow, said: “We are all really excited to be nominated for such an important award. We think the success of the film lies not only in the unique subject we explored, but also because of the characters of the men featured.

“Their stories were really intriguing and they are very inspiring people. Their sight problems are part of them but it’s not their defining feature. When they are on a golf course they are no different to any other golfer and their passion for the game is just as strong.

“To hear about them overcoming the challenges to go back to something they love was very moving. We take many things for granted and our sight is one of them.”

One man who encapsulates the determination and love for the game is 94 year-old Jim Watt from Edinburgh, who first picked up a set of clubs age 14.

The sprightly pensioner refuses to be driven round the course in a golf buggy and is described in the film by a fellow player as “quite amazing – just magic”.

Jim, who lost his sight in his 60s, comments in the film: “I think I am getting very close to mastering blind golf. I look forward to many years of playing this game. The day I need to use a golf buggy to get around the course is the day I stop playing.”

Scottish Blind Golf Society Secretary, Robin Clayden, who also features in the film, said: “This is a positive message to all budding golfers who might have thought the game was no longer possible for them because of sight problems. These girls deserve the highest praise - what a great bunch of ladies!

“Everyone from the society was very impressed by the professionalism of the students and how well they worked together. They had a natural ability to understand visually impaired golfers and took on board what we said about our lives, the game and the etiquette on the course.

“We are proud of them and the fantastic image they portrayed of us.”

The RTS Awards will be held on February 7 at BBC Scotland HQ, Pacific Quay, Glasgow.

To view the documentary visit http://www.fmjnews.stir.ac.uk/.

Stirling Dementia Centre launches international excellence awards

2012-01-26 16:47:34

Organisations and individuals working hard to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia are being invited to apply to the International Dementia Excellence Awards 2012, organised by the University of Stirling Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC).

The awards are a celebration of the important efforts undertaken to support people with dementia globally and are a show-case of innovation and good practice.

The awards will be presented as part of the ‘Risky Business’, International Dementia Conference, in Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia, on 28 June 2012.

The conference is aimed at all those who support people with dementia, including doctors, nurses, social workers, allied health professionals, service commissioners, inspectors, planners/architects, paramedics, housing organisations, the police, faith leaders, voluntary and private sector staff and people with dementia.

Nominations for the following categories are now being invited:

1. Dementia and the Arts

2. Life Engagement

3. Employee of the Year (Australia only)

4. Team of the Year (Australia only)

5. Volunteer of the Year (Australia only)

6. Researcher(s) of the Year

7. Dementia Design Innovation of the Year

8. Risky Business

Professor June Andrews, Director of the DSDC, said the Centre was proud to be leading the international competition.

She added: “Our last International Dementia Excellence Awards attracted entries from all over the world and gave an insight into the fantastic work that is going on globally.

“The 2012 awards are even more exciting, with new categories emphasising the importance of dignity in the care of older people.

“Scotland has led the way in improving dementia care for over 20 years since the opening of the Centre and we are always looking at ways we can improve people’s lives.”

For full terms and conditions and to nominate visit www.ideawards2012.com.

Stirling researcher finds social workers feel powerless to intervene in child neglect cases

2012-01-25 17:04:31

A study by University of Stirling Professor Brigid Daniel has found that fifty-one per cent of social workers, and thirty-six per cent of police officers report feeling powerless to intervene in suspected cases of child neglect.

Professor Daniel conducted the survey as part of a comprehensive review into child neglect, the first of a new annual series by the University, for children’s charity Action for Children. The report has been presented to the Westminster Government.

Over 4000 people, including the general public, a range of professionals and 47 local authorities, took part in the research through polling and focus groups.

The study found a worrying picture of neglected children getting trapped in, rather than caught by, the safety net in place to protect them, as teachers, health workers and nursery staff are increasingly aware of child neglect, yet unsure as to what to do.

Forty-two per cent of social workers questioned felt that the point at which they could intervene in cases of child neglect was too high. For those children who did meet the level at which they could intervene, fifty-two per cent of social workers cited a lack of resources and forty-three per cent said a lack of support services to refer families to, were barriers to acting.

The percentage of social workers who say they feel powerless to intervene in cases of child neglect has gone up from a third since 2009. Fifty-two per cent of those surveyed said they have been worried about the welfare or safety of a child they know or who is living in their area.

As well as social workers and police officers, professionals, including primary school teachers and health visitors, have shared with Action for Children their concerns over making referrals, with teachers reporting sleepless nights wondering what they should do in cases of suspected child neglect.

Professor Daniel said: “The review shows that the general public and professionals have concerns about neglected children and they believe that affected children and their families should have access to effective help before their problems become too entrenched.

“There appears to be insufficient help for parents who are struggling with substance misuse, mental health problems and domestic abuse. Neglected children and their families need sustained, empathic support that is offered in the context of a trusting professional relationship.”

Studies suggest that up to ten per cent of all children in the UK have experienced neglect.

Action for Children will be monitoring the scale and impact of UK child neglect and society’s response to the issue on an ongoing basis, reporting back annually on progress made and making key recommendations to the UK government.

Dame Clare Tickell, Chief Executive of Action for Children, said: “Neglect corrodes childhoods, robbing the most vulnerable children of hope, happiness and life chances. All our findings point to the stark reality that neglected children and their parents are being identified, but neither the professionals nor the public feel empowered to help or intervene, particularly at the early stages.

“When it comes to child neglect the reality is, we are only tackling the tip of the iceberg, and there are many thousands out there in desperate need. We are currently missing critical opportunities to help, and putting valued professionals in an impossible position.”

Further findings from Action for Children’s Annual Review of Child Neglect 2011/12, include:
· 81% of professionals that come into contact with children have suspected children of being neglected (compared with 78% in 2009).
· These professionals also stated that the most helpful improvement in tackling child neglect would be if they were able to report less serious suspicions before they became worse (55% of primary school staff, 46% of pre-school and nursery staff and 41% of health professionals).
· 80% of social workers think that cuts to services will make it more difficult to intervene in cases of child neglect.
· 37% of the general public said they would like more information about who to contact if they have a concern about a child who is being neglected. This has gone up from 23% in 2009.

AHRC Studentships Available

2012-01-25 11:42:46

The Universities of Stirling and Strathclyde have been awarded an AHRC Block Grant Partnership for 2011-13. Applications for postgraduate studentships are invited in the following eligible subject areas for 2012-13:

Creative Writing (Professional Preparation Masters)
English Language & Literature (Doctoral and Research Preparation Masters)
History (Doctoral and Research Preparation Masters)
Journalism and Publishing Studies (Professional Preparation Masters)
Librarianship, Archives, Record Management and Information Science (Doctoral and Professional Preparation Masters)

Studentships can be held at either University and there are opportunities for joint supervision of doctoral projects.

Deadline for studentship applications is Friday 30 March 2012.

Full details are available at www.artsandhumanitiesconsortium.org.uk, or contact:

Sheilah Greig
Graduate Studies Administrator
School of Arts and Humanities
University of Stirling
Stirling
FK9 4LA

E-mail: ahrcbgpapplications@stir.ac.uk

Tel: 01786 467592

Stirling’s campus voted second most picturesque in the UK

2012-01-24 15:47:45

The University of Stirling has been praised for its beautiful and natural surroundings by AllAboutCareers.com, a social careers information website, who rated the institution second most scenic in the UK.

The website commented that Stirling “certainly realises the magnetic power of its scenic campus”.

It added that Stirling is “widely regarded as one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. Stirling really does have it all.”

The online careers information service also praised the University’s castle, lakes, woods, meadows, golf course and green open spaces.

Karen Plouviez, Stirling’s Director of Estates and Campus Services said: “Stirling's campus is an exceptional place to both study and work. It is also well accepted that attractive surroundings have a direct impact on the quality of learning and student satisfaction.”

The online article went viral in just a few hours of posting with more than 10,000 page views.

After being posted on the University of Stirling Facebook page, it received more than 400 likes, over 30 comments and has been shared 88 times.

Jack Collins, Managing Editor of AllAboutCareers.com, said: “We knew it was going to prompt a reaction from some people, but we didn’t realise it was so important to so many students.”

The rankings are based on the images and videos provided by each university on their website and were ranked accordingly by the AllAboutCareers.com judging panel.