Pride and Prejudice essay †a comparison of Elizabeth and Lydia Essay

Elizabeth Bennet is the second eldest of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s five daughters. Lydia is the youngest. The only thing these two siblings seem to have in common is their family. The girls contrast starkly. Lydia Bennet has a rather childish and fun loving disposition. She comes across as a little lacking in intelligence and her own father even goes as far as to call her ‘one of the silliest girls in the country.’ As well as saying that she is ‘silly and ignorant like other girls’. Elizabeth on the other hand is mature, kind, compassionate and rather more in her fathers favour than her younger sister. He seems particularly fond of his ‘little Lizzy’ and tells his wife that she ‘has something more of quickness than her sisters’. Throughout the novel the girls opposing personalities are demonstrated. Lydia’s flirtatious and frivolous ways are very apparent at the beginning of the novel through her behaviour towards the soldiers. Elizabeth’s wisdom shines through at the first ball in the novel, when she overhears Mr Darcy describing her to Mr Bingley as ‘tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me’. Elizabeth however takes this on the chin, and instead ridicules him by recounting the story to her friends and laughing at his rudeness and arrogance. Her conduct is admirable, a lesser girl would have been devastated to hear herself described in such an unflattering and uncomplimentary way, and in this instance we truly see her good manners and sense of maturity. Both Elizabeth and Lydia are confident and outspoken girls although in rather different ways. Lydia tends to say exactly what she thinks without much consideration, whereas Elizabeth’s words are always thoughtful and quick witted. Her observance and good sense make her mostly a consistently accurate judge of character. For example she recognises the inappropriate behaviour of some members of her family, like her mother and Lydia, and feels embarrassed. Also she realises Mr Collins unsuitability for her and refuses his proposal, despite it offering her notable financial stability. She also takes a dislike to Lady Catherine De Bourgh, regardless of her influential position, and stands up for herself and her family. However, in the case of Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy, her perception was originally misguided, but later she recognises her mistakes. Lydia on the other hand does not have such a sound sense of judgement. She believes that Wickham genuinely loves her and will marry her, when his intentions were only to elope with her. She was so gullible that she ran away with him and her only saving grace was Mr Darcy forcing Mr Wickham to enter into marriage with her. Lydia rushes headfirst into her affair with Wickham and claims to love him, although in reality she barely knows him. Elizabeth is completely different to her sister and by no means hurries into her romance with Mr Darcy. She demonstrates at several stages in the novel that she does not want a pretentious and shallow relationship or marriage for practicality, but wants to find a true love match. Her cousin Mr Collins is very admiring towards Elizabeth and asks for her hand in marriage. The acceptance of this proposal would have offered Elizabeth a sound life as Mr Collins had ‘a good house and very sufficient income’. But having no physical or mental attraction to the man, Elizabeth tells how, in regard to his proposals ‘it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them.’ Mr Darcy also asks for Elizabeth’s ‘acceptance of his hand.’ At the stage when he makes his first proposal to Elizabeth she believes him to have wronged Mr Wickham and feels a ‘deeply rooted dislike’ for him and so declines his proposal. In this instance she follows her heart, despite Mr Darcy earning ‘ten thousand a year’ and having a very respectable status and estate. Neither Lydia nor Elizabeth really conform to the expectations of the society that they live in. They are both different to the mould of average women of the setting, but in their own ways. Lydia is less discreet than her elder sister and certainly makes a name for herself with her flirtatious and attention seeking tendencies. She is only fifteen years of age and many people scorn her for socialising with men, attending balls and such like. Lady Catherine De Bourgh is a prime example of this and tells Elizabeth that it is ‘very odd’ Lydia being out at only fifteen years of age. Another far more scandalous way in which Lydia does not conform to the values of her society is her elopement with Wickham. She runs away with him to London without a single care for her family or the disgrace it might bring to their name. She believes all that he tells her unquestionably and is certainly very niaive. She is ignorant with regard to her family’s feelings and her actions outrage her father and cause her mother to be ‘taken ill immediately’. It places their home in ‘such confusion’ and forces Mr Darcy to pay out a substantial sum of money to the penniless Wickham. Lydia’s behaviour was not the norm and Elizabeth tells how her ‘conduct has been such as neither you, nor I, nor anybody can ever forget’ which implies that the elopement has tarnished the Bennett name lastingly. At the time the novel was written, women were expected to become ‘accomplished’ in things such as art, music and reading. Elizabeth is suitably talented at playing the piano and ‘has a good notion of fingering’ and Darcy tells how ‘no one admitted to the privilege of hearing’ her ‘can think of anything wanting.’ She is also ‘a great reader’ and so all in all is quite an accomplished girl. Lydia though does not, as far as I can tell, show much talent or interest in the areas of music and arts. She seems rather preoccupied with the soldiers in neighbouring Meryton, clothes, balls and gossip. Although Elizabeth is generally well liked and highly thought of, she does not completely live up to expectations in her society. As I have discussed previously she doesn’t, like most girls of the time, consider money an important enough reason to marry and hence refuses two marriage proposals. In this period, women were considered second class citizens in society, as equality had not yet been established between the sexes. This makes Elizabeth an even more remarkable character as she is by no means intimidated by Mr Darcy and is intelligent and assured enough to tease and mock him, questioning his actions and picking him up on his past wrongs. Her disposition is so confident that she has enough conviction to stand up for herself and express her views cleverly regardless of the company she is keeping. This is demonstrated when she stands her ground when confronted by Lady Catherine De Bourgh, telling her in no uncertain terms that her prospective marriage to Mr Darcy is none of her business. In the period that the novel was written, this would not have been considered acceptable conduct as Lady Catherine is of much higher social status than Elizabeth. Lady De Bourgh explains how she has ‘not been accustomed to language as this’ and goes on to ask Elizabeth – ‘do you know who I am?’ Elizabeth also causes a minor stir when she walks three miles from Longbourne to Netherfield. It was unusual for ‘ladies’ of the time to walk so far unaccompanied – they would usually have taken a carriage. This is a way in which Elizabeth takes a subtle stand and resolves to do as she pleases regardless of what people may think. Miss Bingley tells how Elizabeth seems to ‘show an abominable sort of conceited independence.’ The main character of the novel is Elizabeth Bennet and much of the story is portrayed through her eyes, leading the reader to favour her. She is the heroine of the novel and the main narrative is her story in particular. I think that Jane Austin meant for her to be a particularly likeable character, as she shows admirable and dignified conduct throughout. She is the sort of woman that many people would aspire to – she has intelligence, beauty, talent and is a kind and compassionate sort of person. She does not allow herself to simply be dictated to, but has the strength of personality to do and say as she sees fit, and for these reasons I think that she earns almost all readers approval. I do not think that Jane Austin intended us to approve of Lydia. Her behaviour certainly was not approved of by the characters in the book as she acted without any consideration for others. She was self centred, reckless and stupid. However, I do not think that Lydia is a bad character that we are meant to strongly dislike, but on the contrary, we are meant to be entertained by her antics. She adds a touch of scandal to the story making it all the more interesting and in the end it is her carelessness in not thinking before she speaks that lead to Elizabeth and Mr Darcy finally uniting. The two sisters are very different indeed and are both portrayed to opposite extremes. Elizabeth’s responsibility and great qualities are magnified by Lydia’s outrageous behaviour at the other end of the scale. I think that without Lydia’s character Elizabeth would not seem quite so exemplary, and without Elizabeth to live up to, Lydia would not seem such an immature and thoughtless character. I personally prefer Elizabeth and I think this is a feeling that most readers would share. I think she is an ideal role model who overcomes many obstacles to find truly deserved happiness in the story. Although I don’t particularly dislike Lydia, I think that she is a silly and annoying character who lacks all the inspiring qualities possessed by her older sister, Elizabeth Bennet.

Bestfoods Case study Essay

Bestfoods can only perform effectively through interactions with the broader external environment of which it is a part. The structure and function ¬ing of the international organisation must reflect, therefore, the nature of the environment in which it is operating, including workforce diversity issues. In order to ensure its survival and future success Bestfoods must be readily adaptable to the external demands placed upon it using appropriate structure and support of its HR management team. In this case, Bestfood is responsive to change through workforce diversity management. To operate internationally, Bestfoods has to provide diversity management in order to leverage differences between employees. 1. The key diversity challenges facing by the company include: – two-thirds of employees working outside the USA; – disproportionate number of women and minorities who leave Bestfoods; – gender inequalities (women can reach only middle management level); – women and minorities have less opportunities for career development than men (according to the survey); – high turnover level among women and minorities at every management level; – attitudes and behaviour barrier for promotion; – few women at high positions. These challenges shows that Bestfoods has high diverse workforce that prevent the company to grow rapidly. Managing gender and racial differences should be the part of the management concerned with the maintenance of human relationships and ensuring the physical well being of employees so that they give the maximum contribution to efficient working 2. To overcome diversity problems, Laura Brody was appointed to develop and implement equal opportunity campaigns involving international divisions of the company. She called her task as a â€Å"double edge sword† aimed to propose everyone equal opportunities for carrier development. The key actions helped this strategy to succeed include: – global action learning programs and an incremental change; – the first woman appointed as a country general manager; – the diverse board of directors consisted of two female, an African American CEOs and four males form other countries; – senior-management training programs; – long-term objectives of the company rather than compliance; – Diversity Advisory Council. These key issues encompassed a strategic perspective of the company and were closely related to the management process as a whole demanding that each functional manager and supervisor apply the principles effectively. 3. In order to implement diversity programs, Bestfoods took several steps. (1) Brody changed the nature of Diversity Advisory Council implemented a team-building approach aimed to establish a common vision. If a team is to be successful and perform effectively there must be a spirit of unity and co-operation, which can be achieved through scheduling and decision-making. As a part of this action, the Council developed a Balance Scorecard for diversity. (2) Examining and borrowing experience from leading companies about â€Å"leveraging workforcce† (p. 529) (outside practitioners, gathering best-practice and benchmarking studies). This step helped to avoid possible mistakes and faults. (3) A Cultural Connections program was implemented. It helps to reconcile the gap between what should happen, and desire-targets and standards of performance; and what is happening and levels of work performance. It involved: educational programs, training, sexual harassment prevention training, motivation for further education, etc. (4) Forum initiative. 4. In general, the idea of a Forum was very effective helping to join employees, increase their confidence, motivation and commitment; provide recognition, enhanced responsibility, and promotion; give a feeling of personal satisfaction and achievement, and broader opportunities for career progression. The idea of Forum could help to improve organisational perfor ¬mance as it increases the level of individual and organisational compe ¬tence. Nevertheless, the drawback of this policy was that Brody decided to involve only women as participants. Instead of a blend of competence, the Forum resulted in greater diversity within organization. (5) An alternative action to this program can be the International HR management Forum involving male and female employees, HR managers from different countries and the USA. This strategy would be more effectible in terms of overall company’s policy towards diversity management. This International HR Form would ensure human resources policy as an essential part for every manager and supervisor aware of diversity management. It would develop an integrated approach for organisations to locate equality issues in their mainstream activities. (6) The main problems faced by Brody and Shoemate included negative attitudes of male employees and women excluded from discussions the diversity issues. In general, this approach broadened gander diversity, and created a negative image of females as executives. Many women were afraid that: â€Å"after attending an all-women forum might encourage others to think their success was owed primarily to their status as women rather to their competence† (p. 540). The challenge was that the Forum forced some executives to rethink their attitude towards women’s potential and look objectively at their competence and professional skills. (7) Unfortunately, the Forum was negatively perceived by male employees. For some of them it was nothing more than â€Å"koffee-klatch† (p. 541) and discrimination on the gender basis. It is possible to treat this meeting as indirect discrimination depriving most employees from opportunities to be involved in problem-solving and strategic planning. This policy did not offend only male employees, but women who had not been invited. Most women called it another â€Å"private club† party (p. 540). Brody and Shoemate did not develop a sense of people per ¬ception, and did not understand the feelings of staff, their needs and expectations. (8) In any case, leadership played a crucial role helping to held female employees together and motivated them to give their best effort to the job. Communication strategies helped to provide satisfaction of members’ social needs, and a sense of personal identity and belonging to organization. Communication provided additional channels and means of motivation, for example, through status, social inter ¬action. Decision-making about the future strategy of the organization was made and implemented by employees. It was very important that employees were involved in this process. The unity of leadership, communication and decision-making created an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between managers and employees. (9) Bestfoods and Brody can institutionalized the position of a diversity manager in every office around the world. This strategy will help to address not only women question, but to cover equal employment opportunities for all employees in spite of their gender, position in the company or racial/national differences. The Forum should be based on an elective principle which means that every employee in the company has an equal opportunity to take part in it. The Forum can address different questions involving all employees of Bestfoods. This strategy will increase team effectiveness which depends upon different strategies including a spirit of unity and co-operation, which can be achieved through leveling of differences. In an opening letter to all CPC Employees, Shoemate underlined that the policy of the company is: â€Å"an ongoing process that affects everyone in the company. †¦ we need to engage every person in this effort† (p. 546). Nevertheless, the Forum did not present different groups of employees focused only on gender diversity question. To overcome this drawback, the Forum can create separate working teams examining gender diversity, minorities’ rights, equal opportunities and equal pay issues. Recognising that men and women present different cultures at work, as well as different ethnic groups, and that this diversity needs to be managed, is key to promoting a positive environment of equal opportunity, which goes beyond merely fulfilling the demands of the statutory codes. References 1. Case Study: Bestfoods.

Analyse the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion

Feodor is a 31 year old man who was born in the Russian Federation. He served as a Russian soldier and saw active duty, in the 1994-6 Chechen war, during which time there was discrimination bombing and shelling of Chechen towns and villages. Feodor has stated that over 250, 000 people of the Russian federation were killed in Chechnya during the collapse of the Soviet Union ‘that was genocide’. He has referred to hostage situations in both Budennovsk and Beslan when hundred died. He has quoted the Russian Premier Putin as stating ‘that the war was over 3 years ago’, Feodor contends that the brutal conflict goes on unabated. As a soldier he say it is no surprise that they (The Russian Army) did what they did, the Chechens gave them no choice. So he has come to the UK seeking asylum, work, a better life, a chance to start again, to escape from the nightmares fear. He is now opposed to the conflict in Chechnya and has expressed his opposition to many people, som e of them with power and some from the army in senior positions in the Russian Federation; he believes that he may be at risk of retribution from the Russians and the Chechens. The Social exclusion unit (SEU 2004) defines social exclusion as shorthand for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as disabilities, unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environment, bad health and family breakdown. Sayce (2000) described it as the interlocking and mutually compounding problems of impairment, discrimination, diminishing social role, lack of economic and social participation and disability. Also Jermyn (2001) state social exclusion is complex multi-dimensional in the nature and can occur when various linked problems are experienced in combination. Among the factors at play are social status, jobless, lack of opportunities to establish a family, small or non-existent social network, compounding race and other discrimination, repeated rejection and consequent restriction of hope and expectations. Pierson (2002) suggested that social exclusion is a process that deprives individuals and families, groups and neighbourhoods of the resources required for participation in the social, economic and political activity of society as whole. This process is primarily a consequence of poverty and low income, but other factors such as discrimination, low educational attainment and depleted living environment also underpin it. Through this process people are cut off for a significant period in their lives from institutions and services, social networks and developmental opportunities that the great majority of a society enjoys. Dunn (1999) mentions that the largest UK inquiry into the social exclusion and mental health service users appears to take ‘social model of disability’ perspective and while it discusses social exclusion, the key problem it highlights is discrimination. It states that the inquiry panel receives strong and consistent evidence concerning the discrimination of people experiencing a direct result of their own mental health problems. The report also argues that this discrimination can occur in various areas of life. Especially within jobs and education, this makes mental health service users vulnerable to extreme exclusion from virtually every aspect of society. On the other hand, Repper and Perkins (2001) suggest that social inclusion requires equality of opportunity to access and participate in the rudimentary and fundamental functions of society, for example access to health care, employment, education good housing and ultimately recovery of status and meaning and reduced impact of disability. According to Department of Health (2009) social inclusion in mental health services is improved rights to access to the social and economic world. The new opportunities to recovery status and meaning have reduced the impact of disabilities. However (Bates, 2002) stated that everyone, including people who use mental health services, should be able to enjoy a good standard of health, develop their skills and abilities, earn a wage and live a life in the community in safety. Similarly, the National Service Framework Health Standard One (Department of Health, 1999b) demands that all people whose care is managed through the enhanced care programme approa ch should have a plan that addresses their needs for housing, education, employment and leisure. Within this framework, an inclusive mental health services will address basic standards of living issues. According to the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), and the establishment of the new Disability Rights Commission (2004). Social inclusive perspective, including within the antidiscrimination law, equality and human rights, social justices and citizenship, in addition to clinical perspective, it is from this point that pernicious nature of exclusion and the importance of social inclusion for people with mental health problems and those with intellectual disabilities can be most clearly appreciated. In this case Mental Health Professionals have a responsibility in helping people with mental health problems to make sure they become socially included and not socially excluded. In Feodor’s case mentioned earlier in the assignment that he came to UK seeking asylum, work, and better life. Refuges and asylum-seekers experience a higher incidence of mental distress than the wider population (Future Vision Coalition, 2009). The most common diagnose are trauma related psychological distress, depression and anxiety (Crowley, 2003). In which this is the case with Feodor, much of the distress experienced by him is strongly linked to the events that happened in his home town which have led to his departure. However distress occurs when you are unable to cope with pressure there is also strong evidence that Feodor’s mental distress is as a result of the difficult circumstances experienced in the UK. He was a victim of discrimination and social exclusion and this had very big impact on his mental state. Mental health policy (Department of Health, 2005) recognizes that refugees and asylum-seekers are particularly vulnerable and at risk group, however progr essively more restrictive UK asylum policies have had an increasing negative impact on mental health well being (Royal College of Psychiatry, 2007). Asylum-seekers who are unable to provide accommodation for themselves in UK have been sent to different parts of the country on no choice circumstances. This process does not take into account the community support networks, family of friends. However some of these areas in which dispersed asylum-seekers are housed in many cases are deprived areas with multiple social problems and little experience of diverse communities. This has often resulted in social tension and racism towards refuges and asylum-seekers like Feodor and they are much more often victims than the perpetrators of crime (Leff, and Warner, 2006). Refuge Media Action group (2006) states that accommodation provision for asylum-seekers have improved over the last few years but there are still concerns that it can be poor quality and unstable in some areas. Poor housing, as an immediate environmental stressor, therefore, plays a central role in the psychological well-being of residents both at an individual and community level. (The Acheson Report). Asylum-seekers are prohibited from working or undertaking vocational training and currently receive at around 50% of income support, which has been cut from ?42,16 to ?35,13 a week compared to ?67,50 a week for those on employment support allowance and some are being given vouchers instead of cash (Mind, 2009). As a result many are living in poverty they are deprived of the important integration opportunities which employment can provide (Bloch, 2002). However (Leff, and Warner, 2006) suggested that the working environment offers the opportunity of making friends, gives a structure to the day, increases the person’s self-esteem, and provides an income especially for men like Feodor. Asylum-seekers do not have access to learning opportunities, learning is central to economic success and social cohesion. Feodor was disadvantaged educationally, economically and socially. One problem that will be addressed from the care plan that has great impact on Feodor’s is employment. Unemployment is both a key characteristic and a primary economic cause of exclusion and is linked with poverty, social isolation and loss of status and significantly increase disability and impedes recovery (Percy- smith 2000). It reduces opportunities for good life which lead to social exclusion as people cannot afford the basic necessities, decent food, clothing, holidays and social activities. It has been linked with increased general health and mental health problems (Repper and Perkins, 2003) which means that as long as Feodor remains unemployed he will be socially deprived. Asylum-seekers like Feodor are prohibited from working whilst waiting for a final decision on their asylum claim, but finding work is their main priority just after granted status (Bloch, 2002). For this reason the mental health services could be improving with reference to anti-oppressive and discri mination by assisting Feodor to find voluntary work as short term goal, volunteering for charities or community organisation. Voluntary work will help Feodor with the opportunity to grow in confidence, reduce his own social isolation and increase opportunities to improve language skills; it also contribute to career development and work experience (Refugee Council Online). Voluntary will also provide some evidence of motivation to prospective employers, enhancing job-readiness and prevent going rusty. It also provides opportunity for Feodor to become familiar with other local services, gain experiences of working practices in the UK hence help him to integrate in the society. Feodor does not have the right to get paid job, but voluntary work and study will help him to prepare for employment and alleviate the stress of his situation. (Sainsbury Centre, 2008). Even though this might not change his situation much since there is no income that comes under voluntary work. Paid work is th e only route for Feodor to sustained financial independence, (Askonas and Stewart, 2000) work is an important element of the human condition, it helps fulfil our aspiration-it is a key to independence, self-respect and opportunities for advancement. The other things what the mental health service need to do for Feodor is to refer him to vocational rehabilitation for vocational training. Vocational rehabilitation is a process of interventions whereby people with mental health problems or disabilities like Feodor can build up individual capacity to enable himself to the best he can be, achieving better work related outcomes (Waddell et al, 2008). Access to vocational training and education system is crucial for migrants to enable them to adapt their skills and qualifications to the labour market requirement of receiving countries. These services will offer Feodor opportunity to develop confidence, resilience and work skills. Vocational rehabilitation programmes have a greater emphasis on work skills development and on progression towards employment. Employment has been identified as a primary factor in the integration of migrants’ life Feodor into UK (Phillimore et al, 2006). Research also shows that employment is good for our physical and mental health (Waddell and Burton, 2006). Unemployment can damage our health and lead to a range of social problems such as debt and social isolation (Black, 2008). Inability to provide for yourself or to contribute to the society can have negative impact on self esteem, confidence and mental health especially for men like Feodor (Mind, 2009). Being in employment and maintaining social contacts can improve Feodor’s mental health prevent suicide and reduces his reliance on mental health services (SEU, 2004). Employment can also improve Feodor’s quality of life and well being, reduces his social exclusion and poverty (Waddell and Burton, 2006). As stated earlier by (Askonas and Stewart, 2000) that work is an important element of the human condition, it helps fulfil our aspiration-it is a key to independence, self-respect and opportunities for advancement. Employment has a central role in most people’s lives offering beyond that of income but still there are very large and growing numbers of people with mental health illness who are out of work, most of whom want to work (Bond, 2006). They cannot get a job if they have or have had a mental health problem because of the discrimination by employers. This goes on even though it is illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act. A socially inclusion approach includes recovery-oriented practice, an emphasis on social outcomes and participation, and attention to the rights of people with mental ill health, as well as to citizenship, equality and justice, and stigma and discrimination. (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009). Genuine social inclusion can only be achieved by valuing the contribution people can make to society. Because somebody has mental health problems does not mean that he or she can not make a contribution to the community. People need to be given information, choice and freedom and the opportunity to make decisions for themselves. Within the professional service, it is important that staff develop an awareness that different individuals have different needs, and service users should be involved in the care. The Department of Health (2000) states that patients should not be seen as mere recipient of care, but should be empowered to work in partnership with their health and social providers. In helping people to build their lives, mental health workers need to address social inclusion at both ethnos and demos (Repper and Perkins, 2003). People need to participate in and feel part of the community in which they live and more likely to be able to take part if the have a right to those things that are valued in their community such as decent housing and job. Social inclusion is not treatment or care alone, this means identifying, recovery and social inclusion as explicit goals and taking the opportunity of policy initiatives both within and outside the mental health arena to work for the reduction of discrimination against service users. The complementary concepts of inclusion and their application to mental health practice, provide a significant new basis for common between multi-disciplinary team and service users. To conclude Mental Health does not exist in isolation a good Mental Health is linked to good physical health and is fundamental to achieve improved education attainment, increased employment opportunities, reduce exclusion and criminality and social participation. REFERENCE LIST BATES, P. (2002). Working for inclusion. London, Sainsbury for mental health Publication. BLOCH, A. (2002). Refugees, opportunities and barriers in employment and training. Department for Work and Pension, Research Report 179. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. BOND, G. R. (2006). Supported Employment: evidence for an evidence-based practice. Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Journal 27, pp. 345-360. CROWLEY, P. (2003). An Exploration of Mental Health Needs of Asylum-seekers in Newcastle, The Tyne, Wear and Northumberland Asylum-seeker health group. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2000). The expert patient. London: The stationery office. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2005). Delivering race equality in mental health care: An action plan for reform inside and outside services and the Government’s response to the independent inquiry into the death of David Bennett. Department of Heath (1999) National Service Framework for Mental Health: DH Department of Health (July 2009) New Horizons: Towards a shared vision for mental health consultation: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/liveconsultations/dh_103144 Disability Discrimination Act (1995) Meaning of â€Å"discrimination†. Accessed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/50/section/20 Disability Rights Commission (2004) ‘The Web: Access and inclusion for disabled people’, at: http://joeclark.org/dossiers/DRC-GB.html Dunn, S. (199) Creating Accepting Communities: Report of the Mind Enquiry into Social Exclusion and Mental Health problems. Mind FUTURE VISION COALITION (2009). A future vision for mental health. London. The stationery office. LEFF, J and WARNER, R. (2006) Social Inclusion of People with Mental Illness. PERCY-SMITH, J. (2000). Policy Responses to Social Exclusion: Towards InclusionOpen University Press. Maidenhead. PIERSON, J. (2002) Tackling social exclusion. PHILLIMORE, J., ERGUN, E., GOODSON, L. and HENNESSY, D. (2006). Employability initiatives for refugees in Europe: Looking at, and learning from, good practice. Report for Equal and the Home Office. Birmingham: Centre for Urban and Regional studies, University of Birmingham. REFUGEE COUNCIL ONLINE: Volunteering in Leeds. REFUGEE MEDIA ACTION (2006). Seeking asylum: a report on the living conditions of asylum-seekers in London, Migrants Resource Centre. REPPER, J. and PERKINS, R. (2001). Voting as a means social inclusion for people with mental illness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 9, pp. 697-703. REPPER, J. and PERKINS, R. (2003) Social Inclusion and Recovery: A Model for Mental Health Practice. Bailliere Tindall Elsevier Science Limited. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRY, (2007). Improving the lives of people affected by mental illness. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS, (April 2009). Approved by the Central Policy Coordination Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists at: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/social%20inclusion%20position%20statement09.pdf SAYCE, L. (2000). Psychiatric patient to citizen. Overcoming Discrimination and social exclusion. London Macmillan. SAINSBURY CENTRE (2008). Briefing 35: Employment support, mental health and black and minority ethnic communities. London: Sainsbury centre for mental health. SOCIAL EXCLUSION UNIT (2004). Mental Health and Social Exclusion. London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. SOCIAL INCLUSION Possibilities and Tensions, (2000). Edited by: PETER, ASKONAS and ANGUS, STEWART. The Acheson Report. (November 1998) Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health. WADDELL, G., BURTON, K. and KENDALL, N. (2008). Vocational Rehabilitation- what works, for whom and whenLondon: TSO. Analyse the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion Feodor is a 31 year old man who was born in the Russian Federation. He served as a Russian soldier and saw active duty, in the 1994-6 Chechen war, during which time there was discrimination bombing and shelling of Chechen towns and villages. Feodor has stated that over 250, 000 people of the Russian federation were killed in Chechnya during the collapse of the Soviet Union ‘that was genocide’. He has referred to hostage situations in both Budennovsk and Beslan when hundred died. He has quoted the Russian Premier Putin as stating ‘that the war was over 3 years ago’, Feodor contends that the brutal conflict goes on unabated. As a soldier he say it is no surprise that they (The Russian Army) did what they did, the Chechens gave them no choice. So he has come to the UK seeking asylum, work, a better life, a chance to start again, to escape from the nightmares fear. He is now opposed to the conflict in Chechnya and has expressed his opposition to many people, som e of them with power and some from the army in senior positions in the Russian Federation; he believes that he may be at risk of retribution from the Russians and the Chechens. The Social exclusion unit (SEU 2004) defines social exclusion as shorthand for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as disabilities, unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environment, bad health and family breakdown. Sayce (2000) described it as the interlocking and mutually compounding problems of impairment, discrimination, diminishing social role, lack of economic and social participation and disability. Also Jermyn (2001) state social exclusion is complex multi-dimensional in the nature and can occur when various linked problems are experienced in combination. Among the factors at play are social status, jobless, lack of opportunities to establish a family, small or non-existent social network, compounding race and other discrimination, repeated rejection and consequent restriction of hope and expectations. Pierson (2002) suggested that social exclusion is a process that deprives individuals and families, groups and neighbourhoods of the resources required for participation in the social, economic and political activity of society as whole. This process is primarily a consequence of poverty and low income, but other factors such as discrimination, low educational attainment and depleted living environment also underpin it. Through this process people are cut off for a significant period in their lives from institutions and services, social networks and developmental opportunities that the great majority of a society enjoys. Dunn (1999) mentions that the largest UK inquiry into the social exclusion and mental health service users appears to take ‘social model of disability’ perspective and while it discusses social exclusion, the key problem it highlights is discrimination. It states that the inquiry panel receives strong and consistent evidence concerning the discrimination of people experiencing a direct result of their own mental health problems. The report also argues that this discrimination can occur in various areas of life. Especially within jobs and education, this makes mental health service users vulnerable to extreme exclusion from virtually every aspect of society. On the other hand, Repper and Perkins (2001) suggest that social inclusion requires equality of opportunity to access and participate in the rudimentary and fundamental functions of society, for example access to health care, employment, education good housing and ultimately recovery of status and meaning and reduced impact of disability. According to Department of Health (2009) social inclusion in mental health services is improved rights to access to the social and economic world. The new opportunities to recovery status and meaning have reduced the impact of disabilities. However (Bates, 2002) stated that everyone, including people who use mental health services, should be able to enjoy a good standard of health, develop their skills and abilities, earn a wage and live a life in the community in safety. Similarly, the National Service Framework Health Standard One (Department of Health, 1999b) demands that all people whose care is managed through the enhanced care programme approa ch should have a plan that addresses their needs for housing, education, employment and leisure. Within this framework, an inclusive mental health services will address basic standards of living issues. According to the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), and the establishment of the new Disability Rights Commission (2004). Social inclusive perspective, including within the antidiscrimination law, equality and human rights, social justices and citizenship, in addition to clinical perspective, it is from this point that pernicious nature of exclusion and the importance of social inclusion for people with mental health problems and those with intellectual disabilities can be most clearly appreciated. In this case Mental Health Professionals have a responsibility in helping people with mental health problems to make sure they become socially included and not socially excluded. In Feodor’s case mentioned earlier in the assignment that he came to UK seeking asylum, work, and better life. Refuges and asylum-seekers experience a higher incidence of mental distress than the wider population (Future Vision Coalition, 2009). The most common diagnose are trauma related psychological distress, depression and anxiety (Crowley, 2003). In which this is the case with Feodor, much of the distress experienced by him is strongly linked to the events that happened in his home town which have led to his departure. However distress occurs when you are unable to cope with pressure there is also strong evidence that Feodor’s mental distress is as a result of the difficult circumstances experienced in the UK. He was a victim of discrimination and social exclusion and this had very big impact on his mental state. Mental health policy (Department of Health, 2005) recognizes that refugees and asylum-seekers are particularly vulnerable and at risk group, however progr essively more restrictive UK asylum policies have had an increasing negative impact on mental health well being (Royal College of Psychiatry, 2007). Asylum-seekers who are unable to provide accommodation for themselves in UK have been sent to different parts of the country on no choice circumstances. This process does not take into account the community support networks, family of friends. However some of these areas in which dispersed asylum-seekers are housed in many cases are deprived areas with multiple social problems and little experience of diverse communities. This has often resulted in social tension and racism towards refuges and asylum-seekers like Feodor and they are much more often victims than the perpetrators of crime (Leff, and Warner, 2006). Refuge Media Action group (2006) states that accommodation provision for asylum-seekers have improved over the last few years but there are still concerns that it can be poor quality and unstable in some areas. Poor housing, as an immediate environmental stressor, therefore, plays a central role in the psychological well-being of residents both at an individual and community level. (The Acheson Report). Asylum-seekers are prohibited from working or undertaking vocational training and currently receive at around 50% of income support, which has been cut from ?42,16 to ?35,13 a week compared to ?67,50 a week for those on employment support allowance and some are being given vouchers instead of cash (Mind, 2009). As a result many are living in poverty they are deprived of the important integration opportunities which employment can provide (Bloch, 2002). However (Leff, and Warner, 2006) suggested that the working environment offers the opportunity of making friends, gives a structure to the day, increases the person’s self-esteem, and provides an income especially for men like Feodor. Asylum-seekers do not have access to learning opportunities, learning is central to economic success and social cohesion. Feodor was disadvantaged educationally, economically and socially. One problem that will be addressed from the care plan that has great impact on Feodor’s is employment. Unemployment is both a key characteristic and a primary economic cause of exclusion and is linked with poverty, social isolation and loss of status and significantly increase disability and impedes recovery (Percy- smith 2000). It reduces opportunities for good life which lead to social exclusion as people cannot afford the basic necessities, decent food, clothing, holidays and social activities. It has been linked with increased general health and mental health problems (Repper and Perkins, 2003) which means that as long as Feodor remains unemployed he will be socially deprived. Asylum-seekers like Feodor are prohibited from working whilst waiting for a final decision on their asylum claim, but finding work is their main priority just after granted status (Bloch, 2002). For this reason the mental health services could be improving with reference to anti-oppressive and discri mination by assisting Feodor to find voluntary work as short term goal, volunteering for charities or community organisation. Voluntary work will help Feodor with the opportunity to grow in confidence, reduce his own social isolation and increase opportunities to improve language skills; it also contribute to career development and work experience (Refugee Council Online). Voluntary will also provide some evidence of motivation to prospective employers, enhancing job-readiness and prevent going rusty. It also provides opportunity for Feodor to become familiar with other local services, gain experiences of working practices in the UK hence help him to integrate in the society. Feodor does not have the right to get paid job, but voluntary work and study will help him to prepare for employment and alleviate the stress of his situation. (Sainsbury Centre, 2008). Even though this might not change his situation much since there is no income that comes under voluntary work. Paid work is th e only route for Feodor to sustained financial independence, (Askonas and Stewart, 2000) work is an important element of the human condition, it helps fulfil our aspiration-it is a key to independence, self-respect and opportunities for advancement. The other things what the mental health service need to do for Feodor is to refer him to vocational rehabilitation for vocational training. Vocational rehabilitation is a process of interventions whereby people with mental health problems or disabilities like Feodor can build up individual capacity to enable himself to the best he can be, achieving better work related outcomes (Waddell et al, 2008). Access to vocational training and education system is crucial for migrants to enable them to adapt their skills and qualifications to the labour market requirement of receiving countries. These services will offer Feodor opportunity to develop confidence, resilience and work skills. Vocational rehabilitation programmes have a greater emphasis on work skills development and on progression towards employment. Employment has been identified as a primary factor in the integration of migrants’ life Feodor into UK (Phillimore et al, 2006). Research also shows that employment is good for our physical and mental health (Waddell and Burton, 2006). Unemployment can damage our health and lead to a range of social problems such as debt and social isolation (Black, 2008). Inability to provide for yourself or to contribute to the society can have negative impact on self esteem, confidence and mental health especially for men like Feodor (Mind, 2009). Being in employment and maintaining social contacts can improve Feodor’s mental health prevent suicide and reduces his reliance on mental health services (SEU, 2004). Employment can also improve Feodor’s quality of life and well being, reduces his social exclusion and poverty (Waddell and Burton, 2006). As stated earlier by (Askonas and Stewart, 2000) that work is an important element of the human condition, it helps fulfil our aspiration-it is a key to independence, self-respect and opportunities for advancement. Employment has a central role in most people’s lives offering beyond that of income but still there are very large and growing numbers of people with mental health illness who are out of work, most of whom want to work (Bond, 2006). They cannot get a job if they have or have had a mental health problem because of the discrimination by employers. This goes on even though it is illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act. A socially inclusion approach includes recovery-oriented practice, an emphasis on social outcomes and participation, and attention to the rights of people with mental ill health, as well as to citizenship, equality and justice, and stigma and discrimination. (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009). Genuine social inclusion can only be achieved by valuing the contribution people can make to society. Because somebody has mental health problems does not mean that he or she can not make a contribution to the community. People need to be given information, choice and freedom and the opportunity to make decisions for themselves. Within the professional service, it is important that staff develop an awareness that different individuals have different needs, and service users should be involved in the care. The Department of Health (2000) states that patients should not be seen as mere recipient of care, but should be empowered to work in partnership with their health and social providers. In helping people to build their lives, mental health workers need to address social inclusion at both ethnos and demos (Repper and Perkins, 2003). People need to participate in and feel part of the community in which they live and more likely to be able to take part if the have a right to those things that are valued in their community such as decent housing and job. Social inclusion is not treatment or care alone, this means identifying, recovery and social inclusion as explicit goals and taking the opportunity of policy initiatives both within and outside the mental health arena to work for the reduction of discrimination against service users. The complementary concepts of inclusion and their application to mental health practice, provide a significant new basis for common between multi-disciplinary team and service users. To conclude Mental Health does not exist in isolation a good Mental Health is linked to good physical health and is fundamental to achieve improved education attainment, increased employment opportunities, reduce exclusion and criminality and social participation. REFERENCE LIST BATES, P. (2002). Working for inclusion. London, Sainsbury for mental health Publication. BLOCH, A. (2002). Refugees, opportunities and barriers in employment and training. Department for Work and Pension, Research Report 179. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. BOND, G. R. (2006). Supported Employment: evidence for an evidence-based practice. Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Journal 27, pp. 345-360. CROWLEY, P. (2003). An Exploration of Mental Health Needs of Asylum-seekers in Newcastle, The Tyne, Wear and Northumberland Asylum-seeker health group. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2000). The expert patient. London: The stationery office. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2005). Delivering race equality in mental health care: An action plan for reform inside and outside services and the Government’s response to the independent inquiry into the death of David Bennett. Department of Heath (1999) National Service Framework for Mental Health: DH Department of Health (July 2009) New Horizons: Towards a shared vision for mental health consultation: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/liveconsultations/dh_103144 Disability Discrimination Act (1995) Meaning of â€Å"discrimination†. Accessed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/50/section/20 Disability Rights Commission (2004) ‘The Web: Access and inclusion for disabled people’, at: http://joeclark.org/dossiers/DRC-GB.html Dunn, S. (199) Creating Accepting Communities: Report of the Mind Enquiry into Social Exclusion and Mental Health problems. Mind FUTURE VISION COALITION (2009). A future vision for mental health. London. The stationery office. LEFF, J and WARNER, R. (2006) Social Inclusion of People with Mental Illness. PERCY-SMITH, J. (2000). Policy Responses to Social Exclusion: Towards InclusionOpen University Press. Maidenhead. PIERSON, J. (2002) Tackling social exclusion. PHILLIMORE, J., ERGUN, E., GOODSON, L. and HENNESSY, D. (2006). Employability initiatives for refugees in Europe: Looking at, and learning from, good practice. Report for Equal and the Home Office. Birmingham: Centre for Urban and Regional studies, University of Birmingham. REFUGEE COUNCIL ONLINE: Volunteering in Leeds. REFUGEE MEDIA ACTION (2006). Seeking asylum: a report on the living conditions of asylum-seekers in London, Migrants Resource Centre. REPPER, J. and PERKINS, R. (2001). Voting as a means social inclusion for people with mental illness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 9, pp. 697-703. REPPER, J. and PERKINS, R. (2003) Social Inclusion and Recovery: A Model for Mental Health Practice. Bailliere Tindall Elsevier Science Limited. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRY, (2007). Improving the lives of people affected by mental illness. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS, (April 2009). Approved by the Central Policy Coordination Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists at: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/social%20inclusion%20position%20statement09.pdf SAYCE, L. (2000). Psychiatric patient to citizen. Overcoming Discrimination and social exclusion. London Macmillan. SAINSBURY CENTRE (2008). Briefing 35: Employment support, mental health and black and minority ethnic communities. London: Sainsbury centre for mental health. SOCIAL EXCLUSION UNIT (2004). Mental Health and Social Exclusion. London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. SOCIAL INCLUSION Possibilities and Tensions, (2000). Edited by: PETER, ASKONAS and ANGUS, STEWART. The Acheson Report. (November 1998) Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health. WADDELL, G., BURTON, K. and KENDALL, N. (2008). Vocational Rehabilitation- what works, for whom and whenLondon: TSO.

Harlem Renaissance Poets Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Harlem Renaissance Poets - Research Paper Example Moreover, before, poetry and literature had been dominated by the white people and was all about white culture. However, he brought an explosion of black literature; hence, giving the minority groups a voice. He also gave them pride and hope of a brighter future; hence, encouraging them to reject the principles that had been set out by the white models by expressing their creativity and individuality (America’s Story, n.d). Countee Collen was born in the year 1903 in New York and was an American poet and a leading figure during the period of Harlem Renaissance. He played a major role because he was able to establish a new aesthetic as far as racial statement was concerned with the help of his colleagues by writing poems. His formal education in an environment that was full of white people shaped his literary life in believing that no race was superior to the other; hence, wrote poems on racism and how unfair it was. Research shows that he was the most representative voice during that era and helped in ensuring impartiality for all. He also believed that art transcended all races; hence could be used as a means of minimizing the distance between the white and the black people. He also gave hope to black poets by showing them that they could excel in a realm that was dominated by white culture (Poetry Foundation, 2014). The Harlem Renaissance period was characterized by dualism, which was also known as double consciousness that was focused on evaluating whether black artists ought to remain bound to their African roots or cultural assimilation was inevitable for them. For instance, ‘the Negro Speaks of Rivers’ is a poem by Langston Hughes that addresses the rich history of the black people. In his poem, the audiences are able to visualize and create mental images on how the black people struggled with their identity. Hughes uses elements such as symbolism to present the main relationship that existed

Starting a Business Online Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Starting a Business Online - Assignment Example It is in this context that reselling of domain names to third parties, as mentioned in the case, is likely to increase the chances of fraudulent and miscommunication in the business process further leading to customer dissatisfaction. This can be considered as a legality constraint while selling a domain name (Clayton & Moore, 2011). In the referred case, the domain name of the organization can be identified playing a vital role to provide a professional appearance in the online business which can be more viable for the enterprise in its future conducts. However, the domain names also transmit some disputes along with it. For instance, the selling of domain names are often identified to increase the risks of subjectivity in terms that the future prospects of generating significant cash flows in future can raise confusions in calculating its proper valuation (Investopedia, 2012). Therefore, considering the future chances of generating larger cash flows and other constraints in terms o f subjectivity and legality, it would be a better decision not to sell the domain name at the quoted price. Answer 2 The catalog display in the e-commerce involve with the facilities to display the products or the features of providing services with regards to online sales. The concept of e-commerce entails with the visual communication about various products/services along with the different varieties, ingredients, and pricing options to the customers. The catalog display of e-business is one of the major tools which communicates and provides browsing options in order to assist the user in acquiring the desired products/services presenting additional and comprehensive information concerning promotional offers (Chopra, n.d.). Similarly, the shopping cart is also regarded as one of the major facets in the e-commerce business model. It assists the customers to maintain a track of the products purchased of those which have been selected for purchased through the electronic shopping car ts. It further allows the customers to check and recheck their purchases adding new items in the cart as well as, if wished, removing any products while making their ultimate purchases. This in turn can assist the organization to build up a productive relationship with its targeted customer group (King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, n.d.). Furthermore, the business transaction processing signifies the set of practice or actions of performed through online or e-commerce software. It is often regarded to act as a system which is performed as a base for other allied operations in the online e-commerce system and thus play a vital role in serving the customers in a better way. As customers are able to obtain superior quality assistance from the marketer through online sites owing to the virtues of transaction processing, organizational are also benefited in terms of enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty (Becherer & Halstead, 2004). Answer 3 In this present competitive sce nario, the online business entrepreneurs must need to look after various criteria to facilitate the customers rendering them ease in accessing the site. Therefore, building the online website as per the customers’ convenience is one of the crucial factors to accumulate and sustain in the current competitive e-commerce portfolio. The initial step of instigating an e-business model is the registration of a special domain which should reflect the registered name of the organization. The next step

Sport marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sport marketing - Essay Example Notably, a sport marketing strategy is most in the offing to be effectual if there exists a vibrant frontrunner or set of frontrunners who can assume full accountability for its final execution. Moreover, it is pertinent for all players of the sport marketing team to possess a clear comprehension of the marketing idea and where probable; make a sufficient contribution in accordance with their knowledge, abilities and unique skills (Mullin et al. 2009). The process, therefore, demands for a team comprising a blend of volunteers and staff who possess the proper mix of attitudes, experience, know-how and skills in the foremost step (Shilbury et al. 2004). Whether the execution of the sport marketing initiative shall be affluent relies on the personal and group effort of the involved volunteers and professional staff. The eventual part of the implementation stage of the marketing plan is to revisit, analyze and evaluate the aftermaths on a regular basis. It is highly pertinent to monitor how successfully the strategy is doing and to give way for variations in the current state of affairs are not progressing as intended from the initiation of the strategies. An ideal control process offers the structure to the incoming feedback (Shilbury et al. 2004). The entire sport marketing control initiative comprises of five major steps. The foremost step includes initiating performance measures. Such measures ought to be already in practice according to the second phase of the sport marketing initiative. The subsequent part of the framework is putting the performance measures into practice, through evaluating performance prior to and after the marketing initiative is under complete implementation (Hoye 2009). Succeeding the second level is the third stage whereby, a top down comparison of the results to identify gaps, loopholes, drawbacks and performance success occurs. Control in the sport marketing strategy involves the process of setting various standards,

Literature Review for Concept Analysis Dissertation

Literature Review for Concept Analysis - Dissertation Example This is the premise in which exercise became an inevitable element for sustaining a healthy life. The changes that happened in the society were also reflected in the psychological and moral realm of lives as well. Thoughts about rights and power also emerged out of leisure and the question that who are the owners of leisure, and who commands it, arose. Though Oxford Dictionaries Online has offered several definitions for the term, ‘exercise’, I will explore the following two definitions in this concept analysis, a) â€Å"activity requiring physical effort, carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness,† †¦[and b)]†¦ â€Å"the use or application of a faculty, right, or process† (Oxford Dictionaries Online, 2010). The first definition stresses the meaning of exercise as a physical activity while, the second one views exercise as the fulfillment of a duty and as the claiming of a right. Taking these two definitions are taken as the yardsticks to understand the importance of education, this analysis envisages to find out how exercise attains a valuable place in the three areas of knowledge, namely, theology, psychology, and nursing. Exercise in theology In a democratic society, an individual has several rights and powers, the exercise of which is supposed to be the foundation of the democratic system itself. Whenever the exercise of any such right or power is denied, the foundations of democracy feel threatened. And this is why the people of many nations around the globe had to fight prolonged battles to be able to exercise these powers and rights. For example, in America, the people felt that â€Å"the right to vote was denied for so long to so many that we cannot afford to ignore any impediment to its exercise† (Grey, 2005). In the theological realm also, there are a set of such rights and powers, which follow the democratic rights but also give rise to many contentious issues as well. For example, Pos t (1995) has observed that â€Å"free exercise is justifiably overridden to promote public health- for example, medical treatment is required to minimize the spread of contagious disease or to benefit minors, even if religious belief is offended† (p.22). Though Post (1995) has reminded, â€Å"the free exercise clause of the First Amendment is central to American public life,† from a nurse’s point of view, situations may arise when a patient wants to exercise his/her right to refuse treatment and the nurse and the system in which he/she works are compelled to use authority and power to prevent that (p. 22). This is particularly important because, just as any other freedom, the freedom to exercise one’s religion also has limits and can be overridden if public health is at risk of being jeopardized (Post, 1995). Taking into consideration these two opposite yet justifiable positions, nurses have to be aware that a patient has the right to refuse or seek treat ment based on their religion and when the right to this free exercise is dishonored, it should be examined and justified. Post (1995) has discussed a legal case in which religion, law, and medicine clash. The article is based on the true story of Baby K, a baby born with anencephaly. The mother, who believes in the sanctity-of-life principle, wants Baby K kept on a ventilator; because of her faith, she believes that a person’

Canadian law and politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Canadian law and politics - Essay Example The position of criminal law authority reversed the earlier decision in the case of Industrial Acceptance Corp. v. The Queen [1953] 2 S.C.R. 273, in which the court had agreed that the Narcotic Control Act was constitutional under criminal power. The proceeding of the case in R. V. Hauser focused on challenging the restrictions to the jurisdiction of federal criminal law. This commentary examines the federal parliamentary legislation and provincial power on criminal laws in Canada and the validity of Narcotic Control Act as discussed in the case of R. V. Hauser. The federal criminal code 1959 empowered the provincial attorneys through provincial court to powers to petition the attorney general or his agent to institute prosecution against the offenders (Roman, 2007). However, the amendment delegated the federal state powers to prosecute offenses under Narcotic Control Act thus causing conflicts concerning the federal and provincial attorneys’ power to prosecute offenders. S.91 (27) defines the federal powers in administration of criminal matters and enforcing criminal law. The constitution does not impose any prohibitions on â€Å"federal for a provincial prosecutor in narcotic offenses† (Laskin, 1980, p 564). In R. V. Hauser, the respondent was accused of being in possession of cannabis resin and cannabis (marijuana) for the purpose of trading contrary to the Narcotic Control Act s. 4(2). The summons signed by the agent of Attorney General of Canada. The respondent moved the prohibitions by challenging the legitimacy of the c onstitution in the definition Attorney General† as stipulated in the in s.2 of the Criminal Code (Roach et al., 2004). The case was terminated in the first hearing, but it gained support under majority decision in the court of appeal in Supreme Court of Alberta. In the appeal issue raised was to challenge the legitimacy of parliament of Canada to make legislations that empower Attorney

Solutions for Stay at home fathers and mothers from a marketing Essay

Solutions for Stay at home fathers and mothers from a marketing perspective - Essay Example most people become stay at home mums and dads not out of their will but as victims of circumstances, they tend to become highly depressed and lonely with this new trend of role. It is not surprising therefore that latest reports show high rates of cases of heart diseases (Watkins and Mohr, 2001). But as long as the cause of most cases of stay at home fathers and mothers is as a result of economic factors, marketing philosophies, which are directly related to economics could be used to salvage the problem. Two of these are discussed below. Support network is an important marketing perspective that can be used to address one of the issues commonly faced by stay at home fathers and mothers, which is the problem of dilemma between traditional and untraditional gender stereotypes. Especially for stay at home fathers who function in backgrounds where much premium is placed on traditional roles of husbands and wives, they often become confused as to roles they have to take up and those they have to abandon as they stay at home. But should these people use the marketing strategy of support network, which deals with the setting up of connections and networks with people who are involved in similar trades, they would be presented with the opportunity of learning from one another, how they cope with their individual dilemmas and the eventual decisions they take to come out of these dilemmas. Then also, the support network can help them in learning new strategies of generally overcoming their weaknesses and threats and turning t hese into strengths and opportunities, just as it happens in SWOT analysis (Wheatley, 2007). Another marketing perspective from which these confused and isolated stay at home mothers and stay at home fathers can have solutions to their problem has to do with packaging. In marketing, packaging is often used to describe the medium through which the product is conveyed to the consumer (Flick, 2008). In the present circumstance, packaging can be used the

Social Change Essay Example for Free

Social Change Essay Social Change is defined as any modification in the social organization of a society in any of its social institutions or patterns of social roles. Usually social change refers to a significant change in social behavior or a change in some larger social system, rather than to minor changes within a small group. Thus, social change refers to changes in the established patterns of social relationships for example in family, religious or economic life. One of the biggest social changes that has happened during my lifetime is the development and distribution of cell phones. Ten years ago cell phones were never even heard of and now they seem to be a necessity to life. The first cell phones were made back in the 1980s and were the size of bricks. They were also costly so not many people had them. The first experience I had with a cell phone was when I was in 5th grade and my mom bought our family’s first cell phone. It was a solid black flip phone that had a pullout antenna and a black and white screen. When my mom bought the phone my siblings and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and we use to beg our mom to let us play games on her phone. A few years later, due to the ever growing popularity of portable phones, the rest of my family would be getting their first cell phones. I received my first cell phone when I was in 7th grade and most of my other friends were starting to get theirs. It was a solid red phone with a slide down keyboard and it was one of the more favorable cell phones at the time. When I bought the phone, I immedia tely noticed a big change for me and that was no longer having to remember people’s phone numbers. Instead of memorizing twenty to thirty numbers I could just program them into my phone and never have to worry about them again. By the time I entered high school, every kid had a cell phone and now it was a competition to see who had the best and most up to date cell phone. Since the invention of cell phones the technology and software of the phones have increased exponentially in such a short period of time. The biggest leaps in the phones technology happened when I was in high school. During my softmore year touchscreen phones came out and everybody had to have one.

Health And Safety In A Mechanics And Office Construction Essay

Health And Safety In A Mechanics And Office Construction Essay Occupational Safety and Health is one of the main concerns of employers not only because of the human dimension involved but also because of their legal responsibilities. The objective of the Mauritius Employers Federation in this key area is to create greater awareness among both employers and employees about the need for a safe and healthy work environment. This is essential for the enterprises to be able to play their economic and social role. It cannot be denied that, besides the legal requirements, there is a cost-benefit relationship between OSH, on the one hand, and productivity as well as profitability, on the other. We believe that human and financial losses maybe avoided through professional safety management for the benefit of employees as well as enterprises. Health and Safety in a workshop is very important. If an employee uses equipment, tools and machinery, he should receive safety training. This should ensure that he feels confident in the use of machines and can operate them without having an accident or causing an accident to other people. Before an employee can use equipment and machines or attempt practical work in the workshop the employee must understand basic safety rules. These rules will help keep the employee and others safe in the workshop. In order to assure a safe system of work in the motor vehicle mechanical repair workshop, results from a systematic examination of a task in order to identify all the hazards and assess the risks, and which identifies safe methods of work to ensure that the hazards are eliminated or the remaining risks are minimized. A motor vehicle mechanical repair workshop constitute of several employees and several types of machineries that are being used. In order to recognize the hazards that are present, there are several steps that can be taken into consideration: Check the manufacturers instruction or data sheets for chemicals ( grease, benzene, engine oil, etc ) and equipment ( electrical trolley, towing machines, overhead lifting crane, etc ). Walk around the garage and take notes of things that an employee may thought to pose a risk. Talk to staff/employees to find out what work methods are currently in use, what training they had been given, and any particular requirements. Listen to the employees own concerns about health and safety Go through the accident book In a mechanical workshop, health and safety will deal with biological hazards, chemical hazards, physical hazards and ergonomics. Most accidents in mechanical repair involve trips and falls or poor methods of lifting and handling often resulting in serious injury. Accidents involving vehicles are  frequent and cause serious injuries and deaths . Work on petrol tanks in particular causes serious burns, hundreds of fires and some deaths. Fire and explosion Fires and explosions are the cause of most deaths and property damage in motor vehicle repair workshops. Mostly, they involve the mishandling of petrol when draining fuel tanks and lines but incidents have also occurred during hot work (any process which generates flames, sparks or heat) repairs on diesel tank or the inappropriate use of paints/thinners e.g. to light rubbish fires. Make sure that safe methods of work with flammable materials and high temperatures. Some dos and donts Use a proprietary fuel retriever/adaptor when draining petrol from tanks and lines Store containers of flammable liquids in a safe place Before carrying out any hot work on drums or other containers that may contain vapours such as petrol, diesel, paints, solvents etc carefully consider the risks. Safer options include using cold cutting/repair techniques and replacing rather than repairing. Where hot work on a tank or drum is necessary, reduce the risks by emptying, cleaning, gas-freeing or inerting. Dont drain petrol over or close to pit or drain Dont smoke, weld or carry out other hot work while handling petrol or flammable paints/thinners Dont use petrol/thinners to burn rubbish or unwanted materials Hand-arm vibration Power tools transmit vibration into the operators hands and arms. Hand-arm vibration (HAV) can cause vibration white finger, a permanent and painful numbness and tingling in the hands and arms, also painful joints and muscle weakening. Hand-held portable power tools are used extensively in motor vehicle repair workshop. Purchase tools that have been designed and constructed to reduce the risk of vibration, and are suitable for their intended use. Train workers to use them safely and keep them properly maintained. Plant and equipment Plant and equipment can cause accidents if they are used unsafely or poorly maintained. Vehicles falling/rolling off incorrectly positioned jacks or stands, particularly where they are not chocked, are one of the main causes of fatal accidents in motor vehicle repair. In particular: lifting plant and equipment, including bottle/trolley jacks, axle stands ensure they are regularly serviced, maintained and, where necessary, thoroughly examined use correct pins in axle stands correctly position jacks and axle stands, and use chocks ensure that vehicles are always properly supported Guards and other safety devices must be maintained in good condition and properly maintained. Struck by Accidents are the cause of about 20% of injuries in motor vehicle repair. This category includes being struck by vehicles falling off inspection lifts, materials falling from elevated storage areas or the raised forks on fork lift trucks, by tools and materials ejected from plant and equipment and by movement of vehicles under repair. Tyre removal, replacement and inflation Tyre removal, replacement and inflation should only be tackled by competent staff. The main hazards which can arise include: manual handling injuries, which account for nearly a half of all tyre-related incidents reported; tool-related injuries (which make up a quarter of incidents), particularly from handtools such as tyre levers; and compressed-air accidents e.g. from a ruptured or burst tyre or violent separation of the component parts of the wheel. These accidents tend to result in serious injuries, including fatalities. Safety during tyre inflation Inflated tyres contain a large amount of stored energy, which varies according to the inflation pressure and the surface area of the tyre. If the tyre fails, an explosive force can be released at an angle of up to 45 degrees from the rupture. This has resulted in numerous fatalities. It is crucial that the airline hose between the clip-on chuck and the pressure gauge/control is long enough to allow the operator to stand outside the likely trajectory of any explosion during inflation. This will vary depending on the size of the tyre and its positioning. Car tyres generally contain less energy than truck tyres and their size and profile make them less likely to fail catastrophically. Sensible precautions are still required, but a restraining device such as a safety cage is not normally necessary. Welding fumes Fume from welding, flame cutting and other hot work varies greatly and may cause dryness of the throat, tickling, coughing, tightness of the chest and difficulty in breathing. Long- term changes in the lung are possible. Harmful fumes and gases during welding in motor vehicle repair include those from primer and paint layers, other surface coatings such as underseal, and from lead in car bodies. Use local exhaust ventilation e.g. mobile extraction unit with flexible exhaust hood and trunking, wherever possible and always in confined spaces. Roadside repair and recovery: Road traffic incidents (RTIs) and roadside safety People at work on the roadside either recovering or repairing motor vehicles, including tyre and windscreen replacement, are at risk from other road users. Protection of workers and members of the public from traffic risks on public roads is mostly a matter for road traffic law, which is enforced by the Police and other Agencies. However, existing health and safety legislation requires employers and self-employed persons to protect workers and safeguard others put at risk by their work activities. For example safe systems of work should be devised to ensure the safety of workers and the occupants of vehicles being recovered/repaired vehicles and/or attachments e.g. winches, cranes etc may be subject to health and safety legislation. Conclusion Working in the motor vehicle repais industry exposes people to  potential dangers  and it is the task of the employer (or self-employed person) to identify and minimize those risks. Health and safety in the woodworking industry The woodworking industry has one of the highest accident rates in manufacturing, most of which are caused by contact with moving machinery. Around two-thirds of all accidents occur on just three types of machine: circular saws vertical spindle moulders surface planers Risk management To reduce the chances of an accident occurring, its best to look at what might cause one and then decide what you need to do to stop it happening. The best way to do this is by a risk assessment. Assessment of the workshop Conditions will vary from clean to workshops where machines are buried under dust and off-cuts. The general tidiness is often a good barometer of how well other issues are being managed. Machinery should all be well maintained and have the correct safeguards. It should also only be used by those competent to do so and there should be evidence available to prove this. There should also be good control of health risks from wood dust (asthma, dermatitis), manual handling and noise, etc. Safety topics Working with machinery: Woodworking is the only industry where machinery accidents cause more injuries than slips and trips. Around 25% of these are classed as major injuries. Accidents can be caused by either contact with the moving parts, including tools, or kickbacks of timber and ejected cutters. This happens because of inadequate guarding and poor systems of work, often resulting from insufficient training. Slips, trips and falls account for 19% of accidents in this industry. Vehicles: major injuries to workers and members of the public were caused by vehicles at work. So it is vital to put sensible precautions in place to reduce the risks that vehicles can cause. Fire and explosion: Wood dust is highly flammable and you need to take care to extract it safely and keep it away from sources of ignition. Health topics Health risks in woodworking are not as well known as the safety risks but it is important that they are also included in the risk assessment. Key health concerns in the woodworking industry are: Manual handling Wood dust Noise Hazardous substances Manual handling Most injuries in the woodworking and furniture industry are caused during manual handling activities. There is potential for injury present during: handling of timber and board material machining and assembly handling and storage of the finished product Lifting and handling aids can significantly reduce the risk of injury. Wood dust Wood dust can cause serious health problems. It can cause asthma, which carpenters and joiners   are more like to get. Hardwood dust can cause cancer, particularly of the nose. Settled dust contains the fine particles that are most likely to damage the lungs. Noise Woodworking has some of the noisiest work places in industry. Short exposure to high noise levels can cause temporary hearing loss, but longer exposures can result in permanent damage. Sufferers often do not realise their hearing is being damaged, as hearing loss tends to be gradual. However, some effects such as tinnitus can develop more quickly. Tinnitus can be a permanent ringing or whooshing sound in the ears which can be very distressing, particularly when its quiet, such as when you are trying to go to sleep. Hazardous substances As well as causing asthma, wood dust, sap and the lichens associated with wood can have adverse health effects on the skin, respiratory tract (nose and lungs), eyes as well as the whole body. Some chemicals used in the woodworking industries can have adverse health effects. Particular care should be taken when using dichloromethane (DCM), also known as methylene chloride. This solvent is used to strip paint from wood. As well as being classed as a carcinogen, the vapour can cause drowsiness and headaches. In high concentrations this can lead to unconsciousness and death. Conclusion Key elements to managing woodworking safely include: Risk management: To reduce the chances of an accident occurring, it is best to look at what might cause one and then decide what you need to do to stop it happening. Training and supervision: By law, all workers must receive training and supervision that is appropriate to the equipment they will be using. Workplace management: Paying attention to layout, worker movement and keeping workshops and storage areas tidy can help reduce the risks. Workers themselves should also be encouraged to become involved in health and safety as they are often the best people to understand the risks and help find solutions. Through worker involvement, employees and employers, can act together to reduce accidents and ill health within the workplace. Health and Safety in the office Introduction The modern office environment presents an array of potential hazards that can be avoided by taking simple precautions. Although working in an office has always been considered relatively safe, office workers face occupational hazards that include eye strain, overuse syndrome, headaches, discomfort, trips and falls and manual handling injuries. The ACT Occupational Health and Safety Act 2005, aims to protect the health, safety and welfare of all people in every place of work. Under the Act employers, employees and the self-employed are required to meet certain standards of health, safety and welfare. Employers must ensure the health safety and welfare of their employees. To comply employers must: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide or maintain equipment and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensure that equipment and substances are used, stored and transported safely and without risks to health. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide information, instruction, training and supervision that ensures the health and safety of employees à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintain their workplace in a safe condition including entrances and exits. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide adequate information about any research and tests of substances used at work. Employers must also ensure the health and safety of visitors to the workplace. Employees must: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cooperate with their employers in their efforts to maintain the required level of health and safety. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Take reasonable care of the health and safety of others. The self-employed must ensure the health and safety of visitors to the workplace who are not their employees. Manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and substances must: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensure that their products are safe and not a risk to health when properly used. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide clear information about the safe use of their products. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Make available information about research and testing. People in control of workplaces (e.g. building owners who are not the employer) must ensure that the workplace including entrances and exits is safe without risks to health and safety. Reporting and recording workplace injury and dangerous occurrences Employers and persons in control of workplaces must report serious workplace injuries, illness and dangerous occurrences to the ACT Occupational Health and Safety Office on a Injury and Dangerous Occurrence Report Form. Employers are also required to maintain workplace records of employee injuries or illness that result in absences from work of one day or more. Office environment The office environment is a combination of lighting, temperature, humidity and air quality. The office can be a healthy and comfortable place to work if the correct combination of these elements is maintained. Temperature and air conditioning Office temperatures can be localized. A desk situated in direct sunlight will be much warmer than the average temperature in the office and a desk situated directly under an air conditioning vent can be cooler than average. Some older personal computers can generate as much heat as small electric bar heaters raising local temperatures above the room average. This problem can be compounded by the clustering of computers in one particular section of the office. Many of the complaints of discomfort in air-conditioned offices occur in the winter time. The cause of the complaints can be because if the air temperature is about 24 degree Celsius this feels hot to the worker coming into the building from the outside air. The problem can be made worse if the air movement is less. Humidity Humidity refers to the amount of water vapour in the air. The optimum comfort range for relative humidity is 40-60 per cent. Low humidity can cause dryness of the eyes, nose and throat and may also increase the frequency of static electricity shocks. Relative humidity above 80 per cent can be associated with fatigue and reports of stuffiness. If relative humidity is consistently high or low call in an air conditioning expert to conduct a review. Ventilation Ventilation refers to the movement of air and rate of fresh air input. Air movement of less than 0.1 metres per second can lead to stuffy rooms whereas above 0.2 metres per second draughts can be felt. Contaminated air Air contaminants in the office can include bacteria, viruses, mould spores and dusts, solvent vapours or chemicals generated or used in the building. Air conditioning units that do not provide adequate amounts of fresh air can cause high levels of CO2. Stale air due to poor ventilation and excessive heat build-up or humidity can also contribute to air contamination. Appropriate control measures for the reduction of air contamination include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Effective air filtration. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensuring that adequate amounts of fresh air enter the building. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintenance of air conditioning units, including regular cleaning. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Preventing the obstruction of vents. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Locating equipment using solvents in areas with substantial air movement and/or installing local exhaust ventilation. Smoking Environmental tobacco smoke is an indoor contaminant and there is growing recognition that non-smokers may suffer adverse health effects through inhaling tobacco smoke. Organisations are increasingly expected to limit passive smoking risks in offices in the interest of their employees and clients. A number of employers have fulfilled their legal obligations to provide a safe and healthy work environment by implementing no-smoking policies in their workplaces. Procedures such as consultation, education programs and the allocation of designated smoking areas are recommended for the development of an effective no-smoking policy. Plants in the office United States NASA studies have shown that plants reduce the levels of toxic substances such as formaldehyde, benzol and carbon monoxide in the air. Lighting The basic requirements for adequate lighting are that the work must be easy to see and the light comfortable to the eyes. Illumination is measured in units of LUX lumens per square metre. Sharp differences in illumination between adjacent areas should be avoided. Ideally the surrounding area should be slightly lower in luminance than the task area itself, except in special cases such as viewing outlines against a luminous background. Light should fall from the side rather than from the front to avoid reflections on the work surface. Glare causes visual discomfort and is usually caused by light sources which are too bright or inadequately shielded. Safety in the office Most office accidents result from slips, trips and falls, lifting objects, punctures or cuts and being caught in or between things. Slips are caused by slippery floors, uncleaned spillages or gripless shoes. Trips occur over objects lying on the ground or jutting out into aisles or poorly maintained floor surfaces. Falls can be from ladders or from standing on chairs to reach an object. Many of these accidents can be avoided by simple planning and good housekeeping: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Traffic ways and aisles should be well lit, and be kept clear of materials, equipment, rubbish and electric leads. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Floors should be level and the use of mats discouraged. Spilled liquids and anything else dropped on the floor should be immediately picked up or cleaned away. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Free standing fittings should be completely stable or secured to the wall or floor. Filing cabinets should be placed so that they do not open into aisles and should never be left with cabinet drawers open. For stability load cabinets starting from the bottom and do not open more than one drawer at a time. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Office machines and equipment should be kept in good working order. Equipment using hand-fed processes such as electric staplers and paper guillotines should be guarded and staff trained in their proper use. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Many pieces of equipment using electricity can mean trailing cables, overloaded circuits, broken plugs and sockets. Ensure that these dangers are seen to by qualified personnel. Escalators and moving walkways Escalators and moving walkways should function safely, be equipped with any necessary safety devices, and be fitted with one or more emergency stop controls which are easily identifiable and readily accessible. Manual handling Manual handling is a term used to describe everyday type activities such as carrying, stacking, pushing, pulling, rolling, sliding, lifting or lowering loads. For office workers this can include tasks such as moving boxes of stores, filing, getting equipment from cupboards and filling the photocopying machine with paper. Injuries that are a result of a manual handling incident include twisted ankles, sprains and strains, torn ligaments or broken bones. Many risks arising from manual handling can be controlled by quite simple solutions. Reducing manual handling injuries Stage 1: Risk identification Where are the manual handling injuries happening in the office? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Look at injury records. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Talk to employees and the workplace OHS committee. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Watch the work in progress. Stage 2: Risk assessment What is causing these manual handling injuries? Look at: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Force applied à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Actions and movements à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Range of weights à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How often, and for how long the job is done à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where the load is positioned and how far it has to be moved à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Availability of mechanical aids à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Layout and condition of the work environment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work organization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Position of the body while working à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Analysis of injury statistics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age of the workers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Skill and experience of the workers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Nature of the object handled à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Any other factor considered relevant. Stage 3: Risk control What changes can be made to prevent these manual handlinginjuries? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Redesign the job à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide mechanical handling equipment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide training in manual handling skills Once this process has occurred it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes that have been made. Any evaluation must assess whether the changes are used correctly, help reduce manual handling injuries and have not created new problems. Chairs and posture checklist for keyboard workers Well adjusted chairs improve body position and blood circulation, reduce muscular effort and decrease pressure on the workers back. Chairs should swivel, have five wheels for stability, breathable fabric on the seat, a rounded front edge and have adjustable seat height and backrest for lumbar support. Lighting for VDUs Place VDUs to the side of the light source(s), not directly underneath. Try to site desks between rows of lights. If the lighting is fluorescent strip lighting, the sides of the desks should be parallel with the lights. Try not to put the screen near a window. If it is unavoidable ensure that neither the screen nor the operator faces the window. If the VDU is well away from windows, there are no other sources of bright light and prolonged desk-work is the norm, use a low level of service. Using a mouse A well designed mouse should not cause undue pressure on the wrist and forearm muscles. A large bulky mouse may keep the wrist continuously bent at an uncomfortable angle. Pressure can be reduced by releasing the mouse at frequent intervals, by selecting a slim-line, low-profile mouse and by using the mouse at a comfortable distance from the body. Rest breaks and keyboard work Frequent short breaks are most effective in relieving the strain associated with keyboard work. For reasonably sustained keying activity a break should be taken for a few minutes every half hour. During this break operators should walk around and perform whatever movement relieves the feeling of muscle fatigue. Movements that are a natural response to fatigued muscles such as shrugging the shoulders are generally the most effective in dealing with the fatigue. A particularly useful method of relieving muscle fatigue is to occasionally alter posture. That is, to change from the recommended posture for short duration. Some chairs have a forward tilt control that allows the worker to sit forward which can sometimes help to reduce fatigue to the muscles of the forearm, neck and shoulders. Eye strain Working with VDUs can produce tired and sore eyes and eye strain. To reduce strain take short rests and look into the middle distance or if necessary close the eyes and cover them with the hands without pressing and breathe deeply eight or nine times. Muscle care and preparation The following exercise should be done before commencing work and after lunch breaks. However it is important to: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Never stretch to the point where pain is experienced. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Refrain from doing these exercises if you have a medical condition that could be made worse by stretching. Welfare Sanitary conveniences and washing facilities Suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences and washing facilities should be provided at readily accessible places. They and the rooms containing them should be kept clean and be adequately ventilated and lit. Washing facilities should have running hot and cold or warm water, soap and clean towels or other means of cleaning or drying. If required by the type of work, showers should also be provided. Men and women should have separate facilities unless each facility is in a separate room with a lockable door and is for use by only one person at a time. Drinking water An adequate supply of high-quality drinking water, with an upward drinking jet or suitable cups, should be provided. Water should only be provided in refillable enclosed containers where it cannot be obtained directly from a mains supply. The containers should be refilled at least daily (unless they are chilled water dispensers where the containers are returned to the supplier for refilling). Bottled water/water dispensing systems may still be provided as a secondary source of drinking water. Drinking water does not have to be marked unless there is a significant risk of people drinking non-drinking water. Accommodation for clothing and facilities for changing Adequate, suitable and secure space should be provided to store workers own clothing and special clothing. As far as is reasonably practicable the facilities should allow for drying clothing. Changing facilities should also be provided for workers who change into special work clothing. The facilities should be readily accessible from workrooms and washing and eating facilities, and should ensure the privacy of the user, be of sufficient capacity, and be provided with seating. Facilities for rest and to eat meals Suitable and sufficient, readily accessible rest facilities should be provided. Seats should be provided for workers to use during breaks. These should be in a place where personal protective equipment need not be worn. Rest areas or rooms should be large enough and have sufficient seats with backrests and tables for the number of workers likely to use them at any one time, including suitable access and seating which is adequate for the number of disabled people at work. Where workers regularly eat meals at work, suitable and sufficient facilities should be provided for the purpose. Such facilities should also be provided where food would otherwise be likely to be contaminated. Work areas can be counted as rest areas and as eating facilities, provided they are adequately clean and there is a suitable surface on which to place food. Where provided, eating facilities should include a facility for preparing or obtaining a hot drink. Where hot food cannot be obtained in or reasonably near to the workplace, workers may need to be provided with a means for heating their own food (eg microwave oven). Canteens or restaurants may be used as rest facilities provided there is no obligation to purchase food. Suitable rest facilities should be provided for pregnant women and nursing mothers. They should be near to sanitary facilities and, where necessary, include the facility to lie down.