General Reports and Other Publications

CRC: Jo Lavis, of the Commission for Rural Communities, has written an article for the September issue of Shelter’s Roof magazine, which explores the growing lack of affordable rural housing and the ideas & opportunities to improve the availability of affordable housing in the future.
Press release ~ Read Jo's article ~ Sustainable Rural Communities in the 21st Century
 
ESRC: The British government has invested more money in Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) in its schools than any other government in the world, but is this huge investment worth it?  Have the new data projection technologies allowed students to learn more effectively?  This is the subject of recent research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

The system consists of a computer linked to a data projector and a large touch-sensitive board, which displays images, graphics, animations and videos.  You can write captions directly onto the board and instantly convert your handwriting to type.  A unique strength of IWB technology is that it allows teachers and students to revisit previous sessions of saved activity, which helps to reignite and build on earlier learning.
 
A series of 5 interactive CD-ROMs have been developed for teachers.  These are designed to stimulate debate around key issues rather than offering models of ‘best practice’.
Press release ~ ICT-Supported Subject Teaching & Learning ~ ESRC Society Today ~ ESRC Grant
 
Cabinet Office: A new report highlights what needs to be done to get more under-represented groups of women to play an active role in civic & civil life. Women from all walks of life remain underrepresented in decision making roles and this is particularly true of women from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
 
Closing the Gap is a report on the findings of The Women Take Part project announced in 2007, by Government Equalities Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government, which aimed to identify the key ingredients to supporting women from underrepresented groups to become active in public life and deliver change - what works & why; and the key elements likely to have a long term & sustainable impact.
 
Also published is Sex and Power, the Equality and Human Rights Commission's annual report looking at women in top positions of power and influence which finds that more progress is needed for women to achieve equality in public life, and the public and private sectors.
Press release ~ Closing the Gap  ~ Summary version ~ Women in Public Life ~ Government Equalities Office ~ Sex and Power, the Equality and Human Rights Commission's annual report ~ Human Rights Commission ~ Women's Representation in Politics ~Take Part
 
Cabinet Office: New survey findings show that 58% of men & women support making it illegal to pay for sex if it will help reduce women & children trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation.
 
The Home Office is conducting a wide ranging review looking at what more the Government can do to tackle demand for prostitution, exploring both the legislative and non-legislative options and is due to report later this year.  As part of this Ministers have visited Sweden and The Netherlands to look at how trafficking is being tackled internationally.
Press release ~ POPPY Project ~ UK Human Trafficking Centre ~ Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit ~ Operation Pentameter 2 ~ Office for Criminal Justice Reform ~ Updated UK Human Trafficking Action Plan ~ Don’t close your eyes ~ Council of Europe Convention on Human Trafficking
 
TfL: Are you sitting comfortably?  According to new research from Transport for London (TfL) 71% of London‘s cyclists are riding badly-fitting bikes.  A snapshot survey, conducted for TfL by cycling ergonomics specialist CycleFit, found that having the wrong saddle height is the most common mistake.  
 
Only one in five cyclists’ saddles were found to be at the correct height; with 43% of people positioning their seat too low.  Women are twice as likely as men to make this mistake, which can lead to fatigued thigh muscles and sore knees.

The Tour of Britain is the next event in the Mayor’s Summer of Cycling campaign, which culminates on 21 September with the Sky Sports London Freewheel.
Press release ~ CycleFit ~ Tour of Britain ~ TfL - Cycling ~ Sky Sports London Freewheel ~ Cycling in London? Take a picture and share it with the world! (Closing date 15 September 2008)
Free, Secure, Compliant UK Public Sector IT Recycling Service