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The use of six non-fiction graphic novels to teach historical agency in a social studies methods course was examined in a critical action research study. Pre-service social studies teachers were asked to read one graphic novel and to discuss it with classmates, first in literature circles, then as a whole class. Data revealed graphic novels engaged pre-service teachers in thinking about historical agency, and helped them make connections between historical agency and their own agency. There were three overlapping ways pre-service teachers connected to historical agency in all six graphic novels: upbringing and personal experience, unpredictability of historical situations, and injustice. The findings highlight the value of graphic novels for teaching about historical agency in social studies courses because of their focus on historical agents’ positionality.

In the article ‘Approaches to Social Skills Training’ we outlined three levels at which social skills training can be conducted in terms of learning by Thinking, Doing and Feeling. We pointed out that often trainers concentrate on learning in one or two of these areas rather than mixing the approaches and integrating them in one learning process. We summarised some of the ingredients and consequences of these three approaches and presented a broad spectrum of training styles from which the social skills trainer can select. Finally we pointed out the need to distinguish between training and therapy at one end of the spectrum, and suggested how the trainer could establish a clear boundary. In this article we examine feedback in detail as one aspect of social skills training and we explore the range of choices the trainer has in this area.

The first article in this series outlined a range of options which the social skills trainer has when deciding how to design and run his training programmes. We also emphasised that there was no need for the trainer to attach himself too rigidly to one approach and that during a single training event he could give his course members the opportunity to learn through ‘thinking’, ‘doing’ and ‘feeling’. The second article concentrated on the crucial nature of feedback in social skills training, exploring different types of feedback and looking at the different ways in which it could be given. This third and final article describes the skills which the trainer needs to acquire and develop, and looks at the responsibilities he is likely to have. The points we make apply particularly to the types of courses which are based largely on a ‘feelings’ approach and which in broad terms are concerned to examine the nature of the relationships between the course members. However, we believe that the article will be of interest to anybody who has an interest in social skills training.

This is the first of three articles which describe some ideas which have been developed by us during the years in which we have been engaged in social skills training. By social skills training we mean, ‘Any form of training which is designed to help people understand themselves, learn about how others see them, and make choices about their behaviour’. It therefore covers a variety of activities where, for example, trainees might engage in role play interviews, building toy brick towers whilst others analysed their behaviour, or exploring their relationships with one another in a group. The three topics covered by these articles are firstly the spectrum of approaches to social skills training, secondly, the management of feedback and finally the qualities required of the social skills trainer.

This chapter presents a South American perspective on the environmental and financial sustainability of energy integration incorporating recent financial lessons from the United States and Europe. An illustrative project called UNASUR-GRID is presented to highlight new thinking on funding ecologically sensitive development (post-carbon electricity generation) and regional energy sovereignty via a new regional development bank for the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) called Bank of the South, Banco del Sur (BDS) ^1,2 . Sustainable BDS finance rules are presented that aim to break the link between development funding, environmental damage, and sovereign debt owed to banks outside the region, tapping into alternative finances to buffer the region against changes in global financial flows from core nations in the Great Recession.

The author attended presidential meetings of MERCOSUR and UNASUR supplementing this with presidential declarations comparing these with ongoing development planning from IIRSA, also interviewing a COSIPLAN representative. He also cooperated (as an independent researcher) with the Ecuadorian Central Bank research group called ‘New Architectures for Regional Finance’ (NAFR) and conducted technical interviews at South American energy institutes specialising in integration.

Development finance must reflect changes in both energy supply and demand while replacing fossil fuel inputs in electricity generation. Demand planning is necessary to attain sovereignty over a post-carbon electricity supply while maintaining dependability.

Successful energy cooperation is more than just energy infrastructure (UNASUR-GRID), cross-border confidence building is also required, reinforced by commercial treaties for energy exports and imports. Public and private national and regional energy companies need real incentives to trade internationally (improving competition) or renationalisation of supply and distribution may be necessary.

Highly original, this chapter incorporates government, UN and civil NGO inputs into primary research. BDS policy sources include government, ministerial and presidential speeches with interviews and participation in meetings with social movements. For indigenous ecological and social economic concepts such as Sumak Kawsay, the author has travelled extensively in South America and was an active participant at the first World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the 2010 Rights of Mother Earth (World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, 2014) in Cochabamba, Bolivia, along with ecologists and tribal representatives.

READERS can be forgiven if they have thought, from time to time, that we are anti‐union. This is not true, although we admit to thinking that they have for a long time forgotten their prime reason for existence — to fight for human rights for their members against what were, in days long gone by, very inhuman employers.

When properly designed and implemented, prison-to-community transition programs targeting older prisoners could potentially save resources, reduce reoffending rates and contribute to improved public protection and safety. However, older prisoners transitioning to community are often neglected and overlooked, and thus, interventions targeted to address their needs are limited. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and enablers to health and social services for older prisoners transitioning to community.

A qualitative study was conducted using focus group discussions with corrections officers, community corrections officers and parole officers (n = 32) in four correctional centres, two community corrections offices (CCOs) and one parole unit in New South Wales (NSW) in 2019. The authors used thematic analysis to analyse the findings.

The study identified three main themes relating to barriers and enablers: organisational, social and economic and individual and family and seven sub-themes: planning the transition, communication, assisting prisoners, transition programs, officers’ knowledge and scope of work, social and economic issues and offenders’ conditions

The processes required to ensure effective prison-to-community transition of older prisoners are not well-developed suggesting the need for more systemic and organised mechanisms. Implications of the barriers and enablers for policy, research and practice are discussed.

This study identified a composite of barriers and enablers to health and social services for older prisoners in NSW prisons and CCOs.

ALMOST EVERY communication we receive from manufacturers or suppliers, whether sent direct or from professional public relations companies, claims that the firm concerned is the most important firm in its category.