International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions
The International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions is an international peer reviewed journal which publishes articles and multimedia outputs of interest to researchers, practitioners and policy makers in the field of educational and life transitions across the world. The Journal is interdisciplinary in approach, and publishes research studies (theoretical, conceptual, methodological and empirical), policy reviews, literature reviews, protocols, and multi-media and creative outputs. Multi-media can also be embedded in the articles. Research involving more than one discipline, sector (e.g., academic and practitioner) and/or nation are particularly encouraged. Some examples of multiple and multi-dimensional educational and life transitions include, but are not limited to transitions: to and through primary school to adulthood of disabled children and young people of international families from paediatric to adult services from hospital to community of LGBTQ+ young adults to and through employment of families who have experienced bereavement to parenthood of mothers with preterm babies of older adults towards age-friendly cities and communities The focus within these transitions could, for example, be on educational, social, cultural and/or psychological adaptation in multiple contexts such as home, school, workplace and/or community.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms. If a submission is rejected or withdrawn prior to publication, all rights return to the author(s): Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access). Submitting to the journal implicitly confirms that all named authors and rights holders have agreed to the above terms of publication. It is the submitting author's responsibility to ensure all authors and relevant institutional bodies have given their agreement at the point of submission. Note: some institutions require authors to seek written approval in relation to the terms of publication. Should this be required, authors can request a separate licence agreement document from the editorial team (e.g. authors who are Crown employees).
"Your Head is on the Chopping Block": Exploring the Transitions from Primary Trainee Teacher to Early Career Teacher in England
This paper is based on the first author’s doctoral research. Existing literature demonstrates that teachers experience high workloads, significant accountability, poor mental health, burnout and low job satisfaction. Longitudinal studies which explore pre-service teachers’ experiences of their initial teacher training and then subsequently their transitions into, and through, their first year of teaching are rare, and therefore this study addresses a significant gap in knowledge. This study explored participants’ experiences of transitions during their initial teacher training year and first year of teaching. The study adopted a longitudinal design and data were captured at key points during the training year and first year of teaching. Data were captured using a focus group, semi-structured interviews, photo-elicitation, and diaries. The data indicate that participants experienced multiple and multi-dimensional transitions as they progressed in their careers from pre-service teacher to early career teacher. These include physical, social, cultural, and psychological transitions. These transitions also impacted on others, thus illustrating the multi-dimensional nature of transitions. Implications for theory and practice are drawn out of the data. We offer a modified framework to support the development of teachers at the early stages of their careers.
Copyright (c) 2024 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
In Conversation: LGBT+ Transitions Before and During Prison
Prison environments can be dangerous places in which hypermasculine discourses prevail. They are often dehumanising, inflexible and viewed as places of punishment rather than rehabilitation. Regimes of power circulate to reinforce informal hierarchies and violence, intimidation, physical and sexual abuse may go unchallenged. Within this context, LGBT+ people in prison are particularly vulnerable. This paper uses extracts of dialogue from conversations which took place between both authors between March-April 2024. We focused our dialogue on educational and life transitions before and during prison to capture the lived experiences of Scott, one of the authors of this paper. The dialogue highlights the multiple transitions which Scott has navigated before and during his time in prison. These transitions were synchronous, ongoing, and multi-dimensional. We do not offer a systematic analysis of the dialogues. Instead, we offer our individual reflective commentaries on the conversations and identify some implications for policy and practice. The insights from a serving prisoner and the application of Jindal-Snape’s Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions theory (Jindal-Snape, 2016) to this context provide a unique and original contribution to knowledge.
Alternative Provision Primary School Teachers' Perspectives of Trust Within Student-Teacher Relationships Following Exclusion and/or Suspension Transitions
The following study explores primary school alternative provision (AP) teachers’ perspectives of trust within student-teacher relationships (STRs) following exclusion and/or suspension. The current study conceptualises trust in STRs as a protective factor in the development of resilience amongst young people, which impacts their learning and development. It also considers the potential underlying vulnerabilities of excluded children and why trust is particularly important for them when building relationships. This study seeks to firstly understand AP primary school teachers’ perspectives of trust within STRs immediately following exclusion and/or suspension, and how trust is rebuilt. The study adopts a qualitative approach to gain a rich understanding of the perceptions and experiences of the participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four primary school AP teachers. The findings of this study identify exclusionary practice as a potentially damaging transitional experience which can impact on young people’s abilities to form trusting relationships. It emphasises the importance of trust within STRs when attempting to achieve positive outcomes for excluded young people and explores how students’ feelings of rejection following exclusion can impact on their self-esteem, willingness to be vulnerable, and ultimately their ability to trust teachers. Furthermore, the study indicates how the participants rebuild trust within STRs following exclusion, through the use of more consistent, positive, and nurturing teaching strategies, such as unconditional positive regard and trauma aware practices. The present study makes several original and significant contributions to AP research and practice, which are discussed.
Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Design and Validation of the Primary-Secondary School Transitions Emotional Wellbeing Scale (P-S WELLS); the First Scale to Assess Children's Emotional Wellbeing in the Context of Primary-Secondary School Transitions
Children with poor emotional wellbeing and mental health, following primary-secondary school transitions, are more likely to experience increased educational disruption, poor academic attainment, and social maladjustment, which can lead to poor life chances and exacerbate existing social inequalities. However, the corpus of scales used to assess primary-secondary school transitions and emotional wellbeing during this time have considerable limitations, which has significant consequences for identifying and supporting children’s emotional wellbeing at this critical juncture. Outlined is a protocol for the design and validation of the first robust, sensitive, and standardised accessible scale, to longitudinally assess children’s emotional wellbeing in the context of primary-secondary school transitions. This brief and accessible scale will be named the Primary-Secondary School Transitions Emotional Wellbeing Scale (P-S WELLS). P-S WELLS will be developed following a multi-informant, mixed-methods model of scale development, which we outline to facilitate transparent reporting. The lack of a standardised, robust, sensitive, and accessible quantitative scale to assess children’s emotional wellbeing, over time and in the context of primary-secondary school transitions, is inhibiting empirical progress within the field, our ability to best support children in practice, and likely leading to policies and practices that are not fit for purpose. P-S WELLS and its development will be novel in its (a) approach, in that we will ask children about their feelings towards the changes they are negotiating in context; (b) use longitudinal design and operationalisation; and (c) aim to overcome limitations found in previous work.
Effective Practices in School Transitions for Autistic Children and Young People: A Literature Review and Case Study
Supporting children and young people’s school transitions has been a key policy driver for Scottish schools. School transitions can be challenging for children and young people (Hopwood et al., 2016) particularly those on the autistic spectrum (Yazici & Akman, 2020). It is important that schools provide effective transitions practices to maximise the opportunities for students to experience positive school transitions. School transitions in this paper refer to both early years centres to primary school and primary to secondary school. This paper is made up of two related studies. Study One considers the peer-reviewed published literature from 2002–2022, with fifty-five papers meeting the inclusion criteria, to investigate the nature of effective school transitions for autistic children and young people. Included papers were analysed thematically and 13 evidence-based effective practices (EPs) identified. In Study Two these EPs were used as a priori themes to help understand the processes underpinning practice in one Scottish local authority (LA). Results from a semi-stratified sample of 7 transitions policies from the LA revealed that student-centred planning, collaborative working, discussions around additional support needs (ASN) and effective planning were the most noted transitions supports. Staff knowledge of transitions, adaptations for Covid and environmental supports were the least mentioned. Understanding the nature of EPs in this area may facilitate their implementation and help practitioners better support transitions between schools for autistic children and young people.
Immersed in the Transitioning Higher Education Sector: The Impact of Transitions in the Higher Education Sector in England on Staff and Students
The increasing marketisation of the UK higher education sector in recent years has resulted in multiple transitions for universities. Student evaluations of teaching and university league tables have placed greater importance on both the quality of teaching and student experience. Arguably, these have become regulatory mechanisms for holding lecturers and university managers to account. More recently, new metrics introduced by the Office for Students have resulted in continuation, completion and graduate employment rates being adopted as a proxy for the quality of teaching. These metrics regulate the sector and have resulted in changes to course availability, recruitment practices, course design, assessment practices and student placements. The UK higher education system operates within a discourse of performativity. The university experience, which was once a space for critical thinking and debate, has been transformed into preparing workers of the future who can enter the neoliberal market as oven-ready graduates who can make a contribution to the global economy. Universities have had to adapt to take their place within a neoliberal marketised society. However, these transitions have also resulted in transitions for university students who have been re-positioned as consumers and future workers. This paper draws on Multiple and Multi-dimensional transitions theory (Jindal-Snape, 2016) to explore the implications of these transitions.
Mapping the Methodological Quality of International Primary-Secondary Transitions Research Literature: A Systematic Methodological Review
This is the first systematic methodological review undertaken of international primary-secondary transitions empirical research. It sought to understand and rate the researcher/s’ congruence between their: stated philosophical perspective and methodology; conceptualisation of transitions and methodology; theorisation of transitions and methodology; and the overall quality and rigour of the research. The literature review covered the period 2008–2021. A review of reviews ascertained that no previous studies focused on either the congruence between researcher/s’ philosophical stance nor their theorisation of transitions with research methodology. Only one review briefly noted the importance of the congruence between transitions conceptualisation and methodology. Therefore, this review is unique in its purpose and internationally significant. Five data bases were searched applying specific inclusion criteria (e.g., peer reviewed empirical papers, international, covering the period 2008–2021) resulting in 151 papers. A rigorous and systematic approach was adopted throughout all stages of the research process (searching, screening, describing and mapping, and quality appraisal). 74 papers were cross-checked for quality assurance purposes. A self-developed assessment framework was used in the first phase of analysis. The next phase involved the use of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool to assess methodological quality. Findings indicate that approximately 91% of papers did not state their philosophical perspective. Two thirds of researchers did not provide their conceptualisation of transitions and 59% failed to provide their theoretical perspective. Those studies which offered their conceptualisation and theorisation of transitions were of a higher quality than those which only indicated their conceptualisation or theorisation of transitions. These findings have implications for researchers to state their conceptualisation and theorisation of transitions. Policy makers and practitioners should be aware of how they understand and action primary-secondary transitions research. As such, this paper provides a unique insight and makes an original and significant contribution to the field.
Copyright (c) 2023 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Transition Into HE: The Views and Experiences of Learners with Physical Needs
This article draws on data gathered to explore experiences of students with a physical need in Higher Education (HE). Participants were recruited from several HE institutions using purposive sampling. Drawing upon Jindal-Snape’s (2023) Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions theory the article acknowledges the complexity and diversity of individual experiences while recognising the role of dispositions and environmental factors in supporting successful transition. This scoping exercise delved into the personal experiences of 7 individuals who were either current or recent students at several HE institutions. Initial findings are that despite an increase in the numbers of students entering HE with a known disability, environmental and infra-structural barriers remain for these students both prior to transition and during their time at university. Findings from in-depth interviews led to 3 principal recommendations for reflection and change by HE institutions: a need for a systematic and comprehensive review of provision across University departments to ensure a joined-up approach with regards to accessibility needs; further considerations of both environmental and curricular barriers that create social and academic exclusion; and the engagement of those with lived experience to inform policy and support change in what can be considered a dynamic environment. Regular individual HE reviews and ongoing amendments to support learners with physical needs are recommended.
Transition Away from School: A Framework to Support Professional Understandings
The numbers of children with ‘special educational needs’ deregistering from UK schools to begin home-education has been increasing. This article is based on findings from a survey of 93 families of such children in England, Scotland and Wales conducted as part of a study that investigated the processes leading them to home educate. The research question was: What circumstances inform the transitions of families to and within home-education? Home-education is often portrayed as a rejection of social norms, a perception that can result in parents’ feelings of exclusion even when children are no longer enrolled at school. The research revealed often protracted, cumulative, and frequently traumatic sequences of events pushing families to home educate. The study’s framework blends Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological system’s model with Turner’s liminal theory and stages of social drama to analyse these relationships and processes. Staged circumstances reflect aspects of metaphorical ritual, where actors transition to, through and beyond liminality, supported by others with similar experiences. The study’s original framework provides a lens for educators to consider families’ experiences. This can support them to meet existing institutional, professional and ethical responsibilities. As well as its potential to scaffold practice for individual educators, children and families, the framework has implications for teacher education, and the implementation and development of policy.
Conceptualising the Primary to Secondary School Transition within the Theoretical Framework of Ecosocial Theory
The transition between primary and secondary school is an important event in the lives of young people with the potential to impact mental health outcomes in the short and long term. This paper argues that ecosocial theory, a theory of epidemiology, offers important insights into the relationship between students, schools and mental health across the transition process. It draws on theoretical perspectives on psychosocial and flexible resource distribution, contending that low socio-economic status is associated with lower resources, resulting in greater risk of a problematic transition experience. It also highlights that the school environment may affect how stressful the transition process is for young people, influencing levels of school connectedness and sense of belonging post-transition. The paper concludes by considering how critical realism, in its ontological realism and epistemological relativism, offers an important research paradigm from which to research school transition and mental health.
Discourses Shaping Primary School Leaders' Approaches to Transition to School in New Zealand
Children’s initial transition from early childhood education (ECE) to school has been well studied across the world, with diverse accounts of policy and practice in a variety of contexts. However, to date, the specific contributions of those school staff in leadership roles who shape and oversee transition-to-school processes have been under-researched. Furthermore, little research to date has considered transition to school through a discourse lens. This paper responds to these gaps, reporting findings from a post-structural discourse analysis of interviews with five primary school leaders (deputy/associate principals or across school leaders) responsible for supporting children transitioning from ECE to large New Zealand primary schools. The data analysis suggested that leaders’ ways of talking about transition to school reflected four specific discourses, which we termed structural, relational, pedagogical, and achievement discourses. These discourses within the schools intersected with each other and with wider social and educational discourses (e.g., discourses of managerial leadership, “best transition practice,” sociocultural, child readiness, neoliberal, data, and play). The paper looks critically at the discourses on transition that both produce and are reproduced by policies and practices in some of New Zealand’s schools. In doing so, the paper offers a fresh perspective on the role of primary school leaders in constructing transition-to-school approaches within their school contexts. The paper highlights the importance of critical examination of discursive forces and invites school leaders and others to exercise agency in constructing transition-to-school approaches and discourses within their specific contexts.
'If there is a Dream there, Don't Squash it!': School to Life-after-School Transition Experiences of Autistic Youth within Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme
Introduction: Difficulty accessing services and supports during critical life transitions are recognised as contributing to unacceptably poor life outcomes for Autistic Australians. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding for eligible individuals with permanent and significant disability to purchase services and supports to meet their needs and aspirations, holding the potential to improve transition support for the third of all NDIS participants with a primary diagnosis of autism. Aim: This paper reports on research to better understand the NDIS policy and practice environment supporting Autistic youth during transition to life-after-school. Methodology: Using a qualitative approach, individual interviews were completed with four Autistic NDIS participants aged 18–21 in 2019. Separate interviews were conducted with four family members nominated by each of the youth interview participants. Thematic analysis explored how Autistic youth and those who support them, experienced NDIS facilitated transition to life-after-school. Results: Two key themes emerged: 1) Transition journeys: aspirations and experiences, and 2) Navigating the NDIS in pursuit of better transition experiences. Conclusion: The research highlights a cross-sector, person and family-centred approach is needed to address barriers and build systems literacy for the NDIS to better meet the transition requirements of Autistic Australian youth.
Teachers' Beliefs on Parental Involvement in Children's Transition from Home to ECE Settings
Children’s development is impacted by changes in the environments in which they interact. Normative transitions such as entry into an early childhood education (ECE) setting come with opportunities and challenges for children and their families. Supporting families and encouraging their involvement during the transition period enables children to understand their new environment and make new connections with teachers and classmates. This article analyses case studies from a doctoral research study based in Cameroon and identifies teachers’ beliefs on orientation processes and their contribution towards the transition process to ECE. Examples of transition practices in the study context are shared through data gained from semi-structured interviews, observations, and informal conversations, providing educators’ perspectives and the role of multiple caregivers in children’s daily activities. Findings reveal the need for building connections between teachers and families before families begin attending the educational context, as it allows the families’ individual needs to be better supported. The study provides evidence of the implications of orientation processes aimed at familiarising families and aiding their adaptation to a new educational context. The article considers teachers’ views on transition and suggests recommendations for effective orientation processes that address the specific needs of families.
Care in Early Learning and Childcare Transitions
There has been a global trend in the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) provision meaning more children of younger ages accessing ELC and experiencing the associated transitions than was previously the case. This has occurred within an increasingly Neoliberal context, with a greater focus on measurable educational outcomes, which are often placed as juxta positioned to care, which may prove challenging to define and quantify. These challenges are compounded when considering the often taken for granted nature of care in ELC, rendering it often unspoken and therefore at greater risk of being undermined or deemed a dispensable aspect of the increasingly multifaceted role. Given the above context, it was deemed essential that the concept of care was explicitly and critically explored in relation to the many multiple and multidimensional transitions which occur in ELC. This paper considers the criticality of care as part of ELC transitions by reviewing literature from 2010-present day. Findings suggested the role of ELC has shifted over time, leading to ambiguities and sometimes tensions in expectations between and within stakeholders. This in turn has influenced how care is defined, enacted and valued within ELC, with the overwhelming literature suggesting care is viewed less highly than education, for reasons such as difficulties in quantifying quality of care and the perception that care is innate rather than skilful. Transition practices were considered in relation to previously discussed definitions of care, which led to the identification of how care is enacted during ELC transitions.
Leaving a Pupil Referral Unit in Wales: Care Experienced Young People and their Post-16 Transitions
Care experienced young people are more likely to leave compulsory schooling with fewer qualifications than their non-care experienced peers. They continue to be over-represented in school exclusion figures and are more likely to attend alternative provision such as pupil referral units (PRUs). Transitions at 16 can be difficult, particularly when support systems are lost. As such, these young people are at greater risk of homelessness, criminality and suicide, on leaving compulsory education. The risks associated with these transitions are heightened even more for those leaving alternative provision. Exploring what factors can support the transitions of PRU learners into post-16 destinations is an important line of enquiry. This article discusses qualitative findings from the first year of a three-year mixed methods study involving research with 14 PRU learners. It explores young people’s reflections on their educational journeys so far and their expectations for life after the PRU. The findings highlight how experiences of school exclusion can impact negatively on future trajectories. Despite this, the participants were still able to foresee and describe ambitious plans, supported in part by caring PRU professionals and positive role models in their lives. The article concludes by considering the factors that may facilitate or create barriers to sustainable transitions for this cohort of young people, as they begin to leave the PRUs.
Widening Access for Home-Educated Applicants to Higher Education Institutions in England
There has been a rise in Elective Home Education (EHE) as a result of the global pandemic and with this, an anticipated increase in EHE students applying to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). With this increase, it is vital institutions acknowledge and prepare for widening accessibility. It is the expectation that institutions are inclusive, and this study opens discussions on the inclusivity of this applicant group and the knowledge exchange and collaboration opportunities to facilitate change. The aims of this study were to identify potential barriers in accessing HEIs for EHE students and to gain insight into the experiences of these participants. This study will create a basis for developing policies and practices to work towards building an inclusive transitional process into HEIs for all students and be instrumental in building bridges between mainstream and alternative education. Through a semi-structured interview with a HEI applicant, an online survey with 3 HEI applicants and 2 staff from admissions teams at HEIs in England, and a document analysis on the HEI websites, it is highlighted that more work is needed on improving the inclusivity at these establishments and further study into accessing EHE students for research purposes should be sought. Recommendations are shared.
Young People's Perceptions of Transitioning from School to Higher Education: A Cross-National Perspective
Education can provide individuals access to work and career possibilities. It may also contribute to greater societal equality, facilitating social mobility. The transition from secondary school (SEC) to higher education (HE) (and beyond) is particularly important, impacting both on individuals’ lives and on society more widely (e.g., by supplying labor markets with required qualifications). Taking an interdisciplinary, cross-national perspective, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 young people from Germany, Argentina, and Chile, aiming to enhance understanding of individuals’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators of transitioning from SEC to HE, in the context of their personal/family situations, social structures and cultural environments. Thematic data analysis pointed to commonality in terms of what young people from the three countries consider as facilitators (e.g., personal ambition; support from family/friends) and barriers (e.g., high expectations of oneself/family/friends; lack of interest in study subject). Unsurprisingly, given the three countries’ distinct educational systems, societal structures, cultural values etc., the findings also revealed some differences across the three cases, such as role models acting as an important facilitator much more in Germany compared to Chile and Argentina. We conclude that many contextual and personal factors can both facilitate and hinder young people from accessing to and thriving in HE, most of which are relevant to individuals regardless of their country of origin. Further research could expand our qualitative study, for instance, through a large-scale, quantitative study across a wider range of countries.
The Lived Experiences of Transition from College to University in Scotland: A Qualitative Research Synthesis
The Scottish Government has recently accepted the recommendations of the Scottish Funding Council to move towards a coherent tertiary education and skills system. This is one where colleges and universities in Scotland accelerate and deepen their collaboration to provide fair, flexible, and sustainable learner journeys. This paper provides a timely summary and analysis of what is known about the lived experiences of those involved in making effective transitions from college to university in Scotland. Previous project work has identified this transition as problematic, suggesting an academic ‘deficit model’ of college students transitioning to university. This qualitative research synthesis seeks to move beyond this to identify common themes from published literature to inform learning and teaching practice in both colleges and universities in Scotland. These themes include the sectoral, academic, personal and logistical factors that influence making effective transitions. We raise key topics for discussion in relation to the development of a coherent tertiary sector: (1) Responsibility for Transition, (2) Alignment between Colleges and Universities and, (3) Widening Participation. While our findings will have clear implications for those in the Scottish sector, more broadly it also has implications for all those considering relationships in, and between, further and higher education.
Undergraduates' Perceptions of how Post-secondary Education Characteristics Shaped their Transition to University
It is well known that privately educated young people benefit from access to competitive degree programmes at the most prestigious universities. Less is known about how stratified post-secondary education provision and socio-economic differences impact upon state educated young peoples’ transitions into higher education. Using interview data from twelve undergraduates reflecting on their journeys into higher education, differences in post-secondary education experiences were explored. The findings indicated that middle-class university entrants who had studied at selective sixth-forms and sixth-form colleges were exposed to a range of cultural practices to maximise a successful and smooth entry into higher education. Conversely, the working-class participants studying at small school sixth-forms and further education colleges were more likely to encounter structural factors which resulted in complex and difficult transitions into higher education. However, for working-class students who had received individualised and tailored support from their teachers, they experienced similarly smooth transitions as middle-class entrants, highlighting the impact teachers can have in supporting working-class university applicants. These findings indicated that whilst universities are doing much to widen participation, this cannot be done in isolation of consideration of post-secondary education characteristics which may (or may not) facilitate smooth transitions for all young people wishing to access higher education.
"More of a Kind of Patchy Transition into University as Opposed to the Kind of Smooth Story that People Expect." Transitions to Higher Education for Care-Experienced Students
Despite an increased focus on supporting under-represented groups into Higher Education (HE), care-experienced young people are still significantly less likely to transition into HE than their peers who have not had this experience. With rates of children taken into care increasing in Wales, there is value in understanding how best to support care-experienced young people with educational transitions. Based on pan-Wales research into access to, and success in, HE for care-experienced young people, this paper presents the experiences of 13 young people in Wales regarding educational transitions and the support they have – or have not – had in their transitions to university. Recommendations are made for improving transition support and for creating better signposting to existing support.
Understanding Place Histories to Inform Positive Ageing-in-Place Transitions: An Intersectional Place Perspective of Forced Relocation Experiences
Background: Forced relocation is not always experienced as a single occurrence or event in time. Currently, there is a limited knowledge on how several substantial relocations across a lifetime impacts the health and wellbeing of older people. Aim: This study explores forced relocation experiences of older, low-income migrant Canadians through inquiries into their past place histories and examines how these have shaped opportunities and oppressions leading up to transitions into affordable housing in Richmond, BC, Canada. Methods: Informed by an intersectional place perspective model developed specifically for this research, a multi-method, qualitative community-based approach was undertaken involving in-depth interviews (N = 15), storytelling sessions (N = 10), and photo-tours (N = 8), with 28 participants. Narrative and visual data were co-analysed with participants, using a framework thematic analysis approach. Results: The analysis revealed oppressive structures that influenced the everyday lives of older people, which generated feelings of distress, fear, exclusion, feeling unsettled, and being ‘othered’. However, within oppressive structures of enforcement emerged experiences of empowerment engendered through gaining a sense of community, realising social belonging and family, maintaining pride and personal integrity as well as capturing community, social, psychological, physical and health transitions. Discussion: Unique insights acquired from an intersectional place analysis highlight how past experiences of place shape current perceptions of home and provide important implications for supporting and maintaining the health and wellbeing of older people during this type of relocation. The theoretical resource developed for this study, offers researchers, planners and developers an important tool for procuring a more critical perspective when creating homes for marginalised persons.
"You Should Not Need to Go to a Table in the Corner": Experiencing Transitions with Jim Mann, Dementia Educator and Advocate
On April 5th, 2022, the author, Dr. Josephine McMurray, sat down with Jim Mann, former Director of Government Affairs at Air Canada, who in 2007 at the age of 58, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Since then, Jim’s transition from retiree to “person living with dementia” was swiftly replaced with “advocate and educator” after observing and experiencing the sharp stings of stigma and stereotyping that can accompany a dementia diagnosis. Since then, Jim has dedicated his life to living positively with his diagnosis. He has appeared before federal and provincial Parliamentary committees, been interviewed for radio, television, and podcasts, and spoken throughout Canada to large and small groups as a keynote speaker or discussant at conferences, meetings, and in classrooms. He also collaborates with researchers across Canada on grant applications and academic publications. Above all, Jim’s message about dementia-awareness is one of education and hope. In 2020, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC) for his advocacy on behalf of the rights of people with dementia. The University noted, “he has been acknowledged as the single-most influential person in Canada for countering negative stereotypes and promoting an inclusive society in which persons with dementia can make an active and meaningful contribution.” Jim Mann is a Canadian national treasure, and after reading our conversation with him (presented verbatim but divided into sections for clarity to highlight key aspects of transition), we are confident you’ll agree that his personal transition to dementia advocate and educator has been our gain. At the conclusion of the interview, the author provides a reflection on the interview and its possible interpretation situated in the context of contemporary transitions theory.
Continuous Change as a Disruptive Force: Exploring Homecare Transitions for Carers of People Living with Dementia in Scotland
Due to an ageing population and strategic moves away from institutional care, the number of informal carers supporting a person living with dementia in Scotland is set to rise. The shift toward community-based care means that informal carers are often in contact with homecare workers during a transitional period between being the primary carer and sharing care with homecare workers. As part of the findings from a larger study that focused on the experiences of co-habiting carers of a person living with dementia when homecare began, this article presents ‘continuous change as a disruptive force’ as a key concept of carers’ experiences of transition. Recognition of continuous change for carers can inform our understanding of transitional processes and ways in which homecare providers’ response to change has considerable impact on carers’ transitional experiences. Interview data were generated remotely with five participants in Scotland. Two participants completed eight interviews over a period of six months. All data was collected between June 2021 and December 2021. Data were collected by telephone, online video meeting (Teams), and in one instance by email and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. This article focuses on disruption through change caused by dementia – including unpredictability and impermanence, and homecare providers’ lack of responsiveness the closer to crisis participants became. In conclusion, the experiences of transitions to homecare for those caring for a person living with dementia are multiple, complex, and perpetual. I recommend subsequent research into reducing liminal periods for people encountering non-normative transitions and suggest that homecare providers focus resources on providing consistent and reliable services and on training staff specifically in carer support.
'I Feel Like I Identify as a University Student, I Just Don't Identify with My University' - how First-Year Students Developed their Identities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
This study explored, in detail, the development of student identity as students transition to university, during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The study explored the journeys of four first year students from two United Kingdom (UK), Higher Education (HE) institutions and compared their expectations of the transition to HE to their experiences during their first six months of study. The study was underpinned by the principles of case study research with four ‘cases’ across two institutions. This study adopted a narrative approach, utilising paired interviews to explore student identity in relation to social integration and academic belonging. The data analysis was conducted using principles from Lincoln et al.’s (1994) audit trail. Three key themes emerged from the paired interviews: ‘academic belonging’, ‘informal learning conversations’ and ‘intrinsic motivation to study.’ In conclusion, this small-scale, qualitative study has identified that first-year students can develop a sense of ‘academic belonging’ via an online learning environment. Nevertheless, the participants did report experiences of low motivation and isolation, which hindered the development of a student identity. While the longer-term impact on students is uncertain, this study may also serve as a documentation of the experiences of students during the pandemic.
Higher Education, Social Mobility and Social Class: Importance of Habitus and Capitals when Analysing Student Choice and Transitions
Extensive literature spanning decades articulates the complexities for young people from ‘lower socioeconomic communities’ in the decision-making process surrounding education – possibly highlighting how Widening Participation (WP) policy and practice, is not necessarily reducing socioeconomic inequalities, and contributing to social mobility. Arguing for the crucial role of cultural, social, and economic capital to be considered in educational policy-making, this article examines the educational and transitional experiences of students from lower socioeconomic communities within the United Kingdom (UK), moving to Higher Education (HE). Bourdieu’s conceptual toolkit (habitus, agency, and capitals) is operationalised in reference to the data, to unravel the fraught relationship of habitus and choice or more specifically ‘free choice’. Through the use of focus groups, the research suggests that despite governmental optimism and policy the presence of anxiety and fear in young people from lower socioeconomic communities, in applying to HE, is multifaceted. This article highlights that despite students demonstrating a determination and aspiration in the transition from Further Education (FE) to HE, the idea of ‘choice’ remains widely problematic for the under-represented. The article urges educators and policy-makers to rethink the complexities of choice concerning student transitions when opportunities in terms of life trajectories remain governed by social class boundaries.