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Bridging inequities in palliative and end-of-life care: the role and experiences of community connectorsBackground: The Community Connectors programme is a UK pilot initiative designed to bridge gaps between cancer, palliative, and end-of-life care services and diverse ethnic and faith communities. Community Connectors are local individuals with strong cultural insight who enhance two-way communication, increase awareness of care services, and address the unique needs of seldom-heard groups, including South Asian, Black African-Caribbean, and Eastern European communities. By engaging trusted community members, the programme aims to foster relationships, empower communities, and improve understanding of cancer and palliative care pathways among underserved populations. Objective: To explore the experiences and perspectives of Community Connectors implementing this model, with a focus on feasibility, acceptability, and perceived impact within target communities. Methods: A qualitative longitudinal design was employed using linked interviews and reflective diaries. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to explore evolving perceptions of the role, community engagement, and barriers to care access. Semi-structured interviews (N = 3) were conducted between July 2023 and April 2024, focusing on emerging themes and changes in perceptions. In addition, Community Connectors (N = 4) kept diaries and activity logs to document their community interactions, challenges, and key observations throughout their involvement in the project. Results: Community Connectors reported success in building trust and relationships within the community, emphasising that trust, integrity, and passion for the role were more important than financial reward. Initially, there was confusion about the role, with expectations of marketing work evolving into a focus on research and engagement. They faced several challenges, including time constraints linked to the part-time nature of the role, as well as cultural sensitivities, language barriers, and stigma around cancer. Despite difficulties in measuring impact, Connectors reported personal growth, strong community relationships, and a sense of reward from their involvement. Conclusion: The Community Connector model is a feasible and culturally responsive approach to improving access to cancer and palliative care in underserved communities. Future programmes should provide clearer role definitions, sustained funding, and training in emotional resilience and cultural competence. Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of this model on health outcomes and its integration into mainstream health services.
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‘I AM IMPORTANT’: reflections from young people in Kenya and Uganda on the value of participation for children affected by sexual abuse and exploitationThe United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child gives children a fundamental right to participate in all decisions that affect them. ‘Participation’ is now a common ‘good practice’ principle when supporting, and working with, children and young people. However, practitioners are often unsure of how to facilitate the safe and meaningful collective participation of children and young people with lived experience of sexual abuse and exploitation (bringing them together in groups to inform and influence decision-making or actions that affect them as a specific group). Research indicates that there are myriad potential benefits when young people engage in safe and meaningful participatory processes. This Practice Perspective shares details of a participatory project we initiated with young people who had lived experience of child sexual abuse and exploitation and who had previously engaged in participatory initiatives. It shares their perspectives on the potential benefits of participatory practice for young people and the wider community. 19 young people, aged 17-25, in Kenya and Uganda took part in a series of workshops culminating in the development of a podcast to share their views on the topic.
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Measuring ICT-based agricultural knowledge transfer under a sender advantage asymmetric information structureKnowledge transfer (KT) has received increasing attention in recent years. This is eviident from many knowledge transfer initiatives and projects reported in the literature. However, how to measure the success of knowledge transfer projects still remains a challenge because knowledge transfer is a very complex process. This paper focuses on agricultural knowledge transfer facilitated by information and communication technologies (ICT). It attempts to develop a conceptual model for identifying the causal factors affecting the success of ICT-based knowledge transfer. Drawing firorn relevant literature it also proposes a set of associated measures for each dimension in the model. The success model of ICT-KT is based on a modification of a Delong & Mclean (2003) information system success model. Six dimensions in the model are developed, these being: knowledge quality; system quality; service quality (with sub-dimensions of e-service quality and extension quality); use; user satisfaction; and net benefits. Preliminary measures associated with each dimension are discussed and directions for future research are identified.
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Market signalling by microenterprises when building reputational capitalThis paper addresses two gaps in our understanding: how Microenterprises (MEs) build reputational capital and how this compares with current theory (here the Stereotype Content Model or SCM). It also aims to explain our finding that MEs focus on communicating their competence but not their status. A content analysis of the relevant parts of 44 ME websites from the UK and China, is used to assess ME signalling of their ‘warmth, competence, and status’ and to identify major themes within each category. Both samples included B2B as well as B2C businesses and a wide range of business types. Data were collected during late 2021. As hypothesised from the SCM, MEs used all three types of signalling. Contrary to SCM theory, but compatible with prior work that small firms are stereotyped as lacking in competence, competence, rather than warmth, signals predominated. Status signalling was the least used option. Using a 2 × 2 experimental design survey among potential customers, competing explanations for this last finding are then tested. A tenet from the SCM, that the role of status signals is to inform competence evaluations, was not supported. Instead, status signalling was found to be potentially off-putting to customers as it can imply higher prices. The paper’s practical contributions include both examples and a thematic structure to guide the content of ME communication. The theoretical implications are that some of the SCM’s underlying theory may need modification in the context of MEs, specifically that concerning the role of both competence and status signalling.
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Nonlinear dynamics of militarization and income inequality nexus in post-socialist Eastern Europe: a panel kink regression analysis (1990-2023)This paper examines the relationship between militarization, and income inequality in Eastern Bloc European countries from 1990 to 2023 – a period marked by post-socialist transition, economic upheaval, and political instability. The region’s unique geopolitical position and complex socio-political structure have contributed to widening socioeconomic disparities and rising militarization. Using a panel kink regression (PKR) model with the Global Militarisation Index and GINI index, we identify a critical threshold beyond which militarisation’s effect on inequality reverses. Below this point, militarization modestly reduces inequality; above it, further increases worsen disparities. These findings underline the need for balanced policies that promote both security and social equity in the region.
