Public Relations and Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relations and Promotion - Essay Example This has affected, in an adverse way, the anticipated economic gains that would have been made in the area. For the past 5 years, this wave of destruction has swept through the county of Mobley in spite of the public protests and demonstrations her residents has conducted. MADAAT has recorded successful initiatives over the last three years with more than 2700 persons rehabilitated and the rate of drug and substance abuse decreased by 30%. This will be a great event and a lot of activities will take place. Their will be Football and Volleyball tournaments, debates on how to curb alcohol and drug abuse, free counseling on alcohol and substance abuse and training on how to counsel and care for drug addicts to help them rehabilitate. Mobley has lost very young and energetic youths to drug abuse; about 300 annually, according to MADAAT Secretary General, Mr. Godwin Brooke. â€Å"We urge the Mobley’s vast society, whether affected or otherwise, to try and come for the organized event. We further encourage all the individuals that wish to participate in any of the activities of the big day, to apply and submit their applications on-line through our website,† MADAAT Organizing Secretary said on his speech while addressing the students at Mobley College for Business Studies. â€Å"This event will add a lot of force to the fight against drug and substance abuse in Mobley. We target to achieve a decrement in this disaster practice by 10-15% by the end of this year,† He added. The Mobley Alcohol and Drug Abuse Awareness team was found and initially made up of 28 members from The Ashleigh University Christian Union, Mobley. Today, it’s a well organized fraternity of men and women across the Mobley County; persons with common interests and beliefs to curb this monster that threatens to tear Mobley apart. The preferred media target would be

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay Example for Free

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay The central idea is the author’s implied comment on the subject of the story. In The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, the central idea being told in the story is the danger of blindly following tradition because of traditions mark on society. Tradition plays a huge role in our society; it provides reason for certain actions amongst a community without really ever having a reason to do something outrageous to begin with. Jackson points out our human flaws by creating a story which seems wrong and unlawful by many people so that people could see that they take part in pointless festivities backed up by their tradition. The story has its way of getting to your head, constantly leaving one with unanswered questions and looming thoughts behind the motif of this story. In The Lottery, Jackson provides us with numerous amounts of details about the day of the lottery. The details are specific and play a huge part of the setting. In the first paragraph, Jackson describes the setting by giving us the date (June 27), time (about 10 a.m.), and temperature (warm). In this scene Jackson lists a couple of more important information such as the flowers and green grass, the town square, and the post office and bank. She even explains the specifics of the town, like how many people are living there, or which town neighbors this one, just so that we can see the difference between an older community who takes part in tradition, and a younger community who has forgotten the principles of tradition. All of these details account for the setting which acts as a huge role in understanding the central idea. Because Jackson sets the story firmly in a specific time and place, the reader may suggest that she does this so that one could recount the tradition of the lottery. The story continues with specifics in detail and sharp images that tend to build suspense towards every oncoming sentence. Jackson paints a world so familiar to us, and then twists reality around when unusual punishment takes its place through pure violence and disturbing images. More often than not, the setting supports the central idea of the story, so any changes in the story significantly alter the story. For instance, it’s hard to believe that something terrible could happen on a sunny day, but when tension rises, and someone has to go, a change in weather occurs as Mr. Summers lets the rest of the papers go with the breeze (a sudden wind pattern that wasn’t mentioned at all prior to this moment). Questions rise as to why many of the villagers left out many of the rituals of the tradition like the singing and the formal addressing of the people but did not forget about the most important part, the stoning. Jackson makes it clear that all that was remembered about the tradition were the violent parts. All the other bits and pieces of the tradition were forgotten so that the villagers could embrace that secure moment of killing. It may seem harsh, but it truly portrays the fin bit of blindly following tradition. The villagers’ acceptance of the lottery has allowed for an annual event to take place, that for some reason, no one can change. The villagers’ are powerless in accepting change, although no one is forcing them from keeping with their tradition around. The villagers’ are aware of how bad this is, but the fact that it’s a tradition merely suggests that it will keep going on, and for no reason to. In The Lottery, Old Man Warner suggests that it would be a foolish thing to do if they had stopped the lottery when he says,† Pack of crazy fools†¦listening to the young folks, nothings good enough for them. Next thing you know, theyll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live hat way for a while. Used to be a saying about Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. First thing you know, wed all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. Theres always been a lottery† (Jackson). And when he says, â€Å"There’s always been a lottery,† it is easy to conduct reasoning behind Jackson’s main point on loosely accepting tradition for what it is. For the villagers’, tradition is all the justification they need to continue on with their malicious actions.

banks :: essays research papers

If much of contemporary literary theory emphasizes the cultural production of class, race, and gender in American fiction, contemporary fiction that utilizes the resources of narrative minimalism to explore issues of cultural division - fiction by such writers as Raymond Carver, Toni Morrison, Susan Minot, and Russell Banks - increasingly provides the context for critical debate. The refusal to elaborate plot or to use plot to suggest a narrator who controls interpretation, becomes itself a strategy that allows the reader to observe clearly the boundaries between the story's minimal plot and the way the socially produced narratives invoked by the story enforce cultural division. If we conceive of narrative as the establishment, for the reader, of a network of expectations within a frame of contingency, then perhaps no expectation is more fundamental than that of intelligible action@ the progression of story through chronological time, which we commonly refer to as plot. In a world w here the possibilities of plot express unattainable desires on the part of a narrative's characters, however, the reader's desire for a resolution of plot into meaning is thwarted, and the resultant anxiety the reader feels underscores his or her complicity with the frustrations and incoherencies of the characters, lives. These incoherencies resist sentimental assimilation into the reader's aesthetic imagination. The resultant daydreams and wish-fulfilling fantasies display, as Fredric Jameson argues, the otherwise inconceivable link between history and desire (182). Russell Banks's Black Man and White Woman in Dark Green Rowboat" presents precisely such an evasive narrative, one whose very evasion establishes a dialogic relationship between the reader and a cast of characters whose lives display the wreckage of the larger cultural narratives that marginalize them. In effect, Banks's minimalism accentuates the missing cultural narratives that have written the characters into th e margins. "Black Man and White Woman" does, of course, present things that happen. The story opens with an apparently random variety of people who live in a trailerpark commencing their days. The reader is not immediately aware that the black man and the white woman are the focus of the story. They gradually emerge from the narrative background, and the story follows them as they row onto the lake, converse laconically, and row home. The sense of nothing happening is created in the context of their desire, both their physical desire for each other and their desire to construct plots that might provide a meaningful structure to their lives.

Cognitive Development Study Essay -- Piaget’s Theory of Development

Introduction The purpose of this study is to analyse, in a practical way, the theories and concepts of cognitive development, across different age-related stages. Using Piaget’s theory of development, the cognitive ability of two subjects, aged 4 and 18 years, are examined against the milestones of the respective preoperational and formal operational development stages. Cognitive ability is determined by focusing on the subject’s capability and rationale to group 20 different objects. Based on the research outcomes, comparisons will be made to Piaget’s theory and the expected learning ability at their age-related development stage. Jean Piaget was considered a pioneer in cognitive research. Piaget developed his theory of cognitive development based on the sequence of changes that occur to the cognition of a person as they mature. Piaget believed that older children not only know quantitatively more than younger ones, but actually think in qualitatively different ways. Children and adults are thought to possess an inbuilt ability to experiences organise their knowledge and into schemes (Lambert, 2007). Jean Piaget defined schemes as both internalised behavioural patterns and mental understanding (Piaget, 1963, as cited in Berk, 2009). People are thought to actively seek knowledge and information from the surrounding environment and absorb or process this information using schemes. New knowledge is built on existing knowledge and as a person becomes older these schemes become increasingly more complex. This knowledge adds to a person’s intelligence providing them with an adaptation to succeed or survive in the world (Piaget, 1963, as cited in Berk, 2009). Through this reasoning, Piaget determined that learning occurred across ... ...nstra, G., Koelen, M., Kok, F., and Graaf, C. (2007) Cognitive development and children's perceptions of fruit and vegetables; a qualitative study. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2007;4: 30. Published online 2007 July 9. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-4-30 BioMed Central. Web. 12 May 2015. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1941844/ Schaffer HR. Introducing child psychology. UK Edition. Oxford , Blackwell Publishers; 2003. p.352. Berk, L E (2009). Child Development. Pearson International Edition. 8th Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Lambert, B. (2007). Cognitive Schemes and Scripts: Research Evidence from Children’s Drawings. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 10, pp. 69 – 80. Cunningham, D. (1996). Jean Piaget’s Genetic Epistemology. Web. 12 May 2015. http://home.gwu.edu/~mcorry/corry2.htm

Perodua †Csr Essay

Periods – Advertising with social dimension Executive Summary Periods was set up as a national car project in the year 1993. In the initial years of its inception the company operated in a protected environment marked by both tariff and non-tariff barriers. By the year 1998 leveraging on its high local sourcing strategy the company, along with Proton, managed to capture up to 90% market share. In 2001 the company set up a Joint venture with Dadaists Motor Co. And Mitosis & Co. , the Japanese partners being responsible for manufacturing and engineering operations. Operating in an open economy post AFT in year 2006, Periods has found its niche in the small car segment and completely dominates the sub-1000 c motor vehicle segment. Periods has been extensively using â€Å"cause related marketing approach† treating Government, suppliers and dealers, employees and customers as stakeholders in its business. It also has 2 different kinds of ad programs, product ads promote individual brands, whereas corporate ads carry social message and promote the company. 2 different departments handle the designing and positioning of these different ad types. There are obvious benefits to using corporate ads with emotional appeal; studies eave established that companies tend to realize enhanced relationship with their agencies. However on the flipped designing these ad campaigns is very complicated as sensibilities of all sections of the society have to be taken into consideration. A major downside to Persona’s corporate ad campaign is that no evaluation model has been adopted to measure the effect of such advertising on company’s short term goal I. E sales or long term goal of being a responsible corporate citizen. The company should immediately adopt both qualitative and quantitative measures to understand the benefit of its campaign. Depending on results obtained Periods can decide on how to continue with its corporate ad campaign. Industry Overview The ass and the ass were the decades of â€Å"Industrial Nationalism† in Malaysia and the Government set up the national automotive programmer. Prior to 1985 Malaysia was an importer of automobiles and the aim of the programmer was to build a nationally owned and controlled automotive industry. Proton was the first of the 2 national cars and was established in 1985. It was a Joint Perusal Automobile Asked Sad Bad (Periods) was established in 1993 and was the 2nd National car project. The Government also established a heavy vehicle company â€Å"Malaysian Bus and Truck (MAT) in 1994, a motorcycle manufacturer â€Å"MODERNS† in 1995 and a light commercial vehicle manufacturer â€Å"MIGNON† in 1997. In order to protect the domestic industry the Malaysian Government imposed substantial import duty on all completely built-up imported cars or completely knocked down vehicles. Apart from the import duties, non-tariff barriers such as licensing and import quotas were also enforced. The 1980 â€Å"Mandatory Deletion Programmer† (MAD) made local sourcing of components, between 45-60%, compulsory pending on the cubic capacity of the car. In 2005-06 under the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (KEPT) scheme Malaysia was required to dismantle both tariff and non-tariff barriers. The applicable KEPT rate depending on the country of origination is shown below: The most obvious consequence of implementing the KEPT for Malaysia’s car producer is the minimization of protective automotive policy and disappearance of price advantage. This will open up the market for greater competition from companies from other SEAN countries like Japan and South Korea which are major automobile producers in the region. See Exhibit 1 for breakup of vehicles produced and assembled in Malaysia) Periods – A background Perusal Automobile Asked Sad Bad (Periods) was established in 1993, this was the second national car project of Malaysia after Proton was set up in 1985. Periods was a Joint venture between Dadaists, Missus, and other Government controlled companies with Malaysian equity amounting to 68%. See exhibit 2 for Persona’s shareholding structure in 1993). Operating in a protected environment Periods was able to leverage on the MAD programmer and made use of up to 75-90% local content in its cars. This gave the company a significant price advantage over its competitors. Both national cars exploited the pricing advantage and accounted for 90% of vehicles sold in 1998. In 2001, Periods set up a Joint venture, with Dadaists Motor Co Ltd. And Mitosis & Co. Ltd. , called the Periods Auto Corporation Sad Bad (BPCS). As per the Joint venture agreement, the Japanese partners would control the manufacturing and engineering operations whereas the Malaysian partner would have the largest stake. Persona’s strength is in the small car segment and the company aims to serve the coal and overseas market’s demand for compact, affordable and reliable vehicles with excellent standards and quality. As of June 2009, the company employed about In order to enhance efficiency and cost competitiveness the company has introduced Toyota Production System (TIPS). TIPS is driven by the concept of â€Å"Good Thinking Meaner Good Product† and comprises of 2 main systems â€Å"Just in Time† and â€Å"Kodak†. The TIPS aimed to eliminate excessive lead-time, lower inventory levels and reduce costs. Persona’s Joint venture with Dadaists gave Periods an opportunity to get in shape or liberalizing of auto industry post-AFT. In 2006 the company overtook Proton to become the biggest car seller in the Malaysia. The liberalizing campaign has presented Periods with a mixed big. Persona’s expertise in manufacturing small cars has opened up new export markets for the company. At the same time big players with sophisticated technology and competitive production techniques now have access to Malaysian car market, thereby increasing competition for Periods in its own backyard. Marketing communication and advertising process Cause related marketing approach A marketing communication program can be successful only when all the departments of the company are actively involved in the marketing plan. All company departments and personnel should communicate the same message to the target audience. Periods places Corporate Social Responsibility (CARS) at the heart of all its business activities. So naturally the company’s CARS activities form the central theme of its â€Å"cause related marketing†. As part of the strategy, Periods follows a 4 pronged approach where the Government, suppliers and dealers, employees and consumers re all treated as stakeholders in the business. (see exhibit 3 for Persona’s stakeholder structure). Some of the activities undertaken by the company to engage stakeholders are: * Government Periods engages with the Government by contributing to local man power training. In-spite of having the option of importing foreign workers, the company spends substantial amounts on training locals and employing them at its plants. The company also helped develop the local auto component and parts industry. * Suppliers and dealers Periods has developed a quality audit system to optimism local vendor’s performance ND to assure the quality of components’ supplied to the company. During the Asian financial crisis the company allowed vendors to increase prices to ensure they had sufficient working capital. Credit terms were reduced from 30 to 60 days. Employees Periods believes in an inclusive work environment and allows employees to grow invests in its work force through training, counseling and providing healthy and conducive work environment as well as employment benefits. * Consumer & public Persona’s strength lies in the small car segment. It intends to provide more affordable vehicles’ for lower income level and rural people. In add ition to providing quality products at affordable prices, the company through its corporate ads also works to increase social awareness about safe driving practices and other positive social values. The company has also designed and implemented a training programmer for youth living in the locations that Periods operates in. It also supports various causes, financially as well as in kind, responding to the needs of less audits to ensure Advertising process privileged. The company conducts stringent environmental environmentally safe practices have been adopted. Periods has 2 kinds of ads: * Product ads – These are designed with the objective of communicating the product range, features of the product etc. To the end user. Such ads are handled by the marketing section of the company. * Corporate ads – With the express desire of becoming a socially responsible corporate citizen these ads with social dimension have been launched. The public affairs section is responsible for these ads. Marketing, sales and manufacturing department departments are involved in the design of these ads. See exhibit 4 for advertising matrix) Periods operates in a multi-cultural society and the main objective of the corporate ad is to transcend the racial boundary and get close to the target buyer. The company understands its consumers are realists who do not relate to superficial messages; they consider things in real terms and are practical in life. In order to connect to these â€Å"real people†, the ads always portray Periods as part of the society and the ad message always reflects existing social phenomenon. The main objective of these corporate ads is to create awareness amongst the general public about oral values the company believes in. Some of the social messages or issues that the company has worked with, is based on elements like driving etiquette, nationalism, inter-racial harmony and family reunion. One unique aspect about Persona’s ads has been its use of the individual as focus to bring out the social message; both negative and positive emotional appeals are used in the ads. The company has used both television and print media to carry its corporate ads. Newspapers are used as supplementary coverage medium to reach specific ethnic groups. Strengths of Persona’s advertising campaign: The company has been associating itself with elements like driving etiquette, family harmony, nationalism, racial harmony etc. These are emotions that middle class and rural people of Malaysia immediately connect with. Constant exposure to such ads will lead consumers to perceive the company as being â€Å"good†. * Medium of advertising The company uses television as the primary medium of advertisement. Images work quicker and convey meaning at once. Weakness of Persona’s advertising campaign: * Sensibilities in multi-cultural society The company operates in a multi-cultural society; perceptions and attitudes of people from different ethnic back ground towards all aspects of life might be very different. For example black in Chinese culture has neutral meaning, whereas Hindus usually consider black as a negative color. So when designing ads the company will have to be careful to ensure sensibilities of particular ethnic groups are not offended. * Enforcing/reinforcing racial stereotypes Racial stereotyping is a bane of multicultural societies. Any ad that might inadvertently reinforce such stereotype will definitely create backlash and lead to active publicity, which Periods can do without. Uncertain impact No actual evaluation has been conducted to measure the effect of the company’s corporate advertising program. Effect of such ad on company sales or perception of general public about Periods is unknown. Exhibit 1: Breakup of vehicles produced and assembled in Malaysia Exhibit 2: Persona’s shareholding structure in 1993 Exhibit 3: Persona’s marketing communications stakeholders Exhibit 4: Advertising matrix of Periods [ 1 ]. Periods corporate website – h ttp://www. Periods. Com. My/corporate/company

A critical lens essay on the novels The Lord of the Flies by William Golding and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A critical lens essay on the novels The Lord of the Flies by William Golding and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee "...in all of us, even in good men, there is lawless wild-beat nature..."Plato, The Republic, Book IXThere is a second side to mankind, which is the uncivilized side. Even in the best of mankind, the wild beast can come out resulting in brutal wounding, drugs, alcohol and even killing. In the novel, The Lord of the Flies, the beast awakens within Jack and Ralph. However, in To Kill A Mockingbird, Bob Ewell and Atticus do not have a good and bad side.Atticus, a good character and Bob Ewell, a bad character do not have a civilized side. Bob has the uncivilized nature and Atticus has the civilized nature.An example of this is when Atticuses gets spat in the face by Bob Ewell, Atticus then responds by saying "'I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco,'" pg. 217. This quote shows how good Atticus is, when Bob spat on him.Lord of the FliesAt the end of the novel Atticus does not let out his anger, when the court case that he worked on did not turn out properly. He held his anger down, which a normal person would be really mad, because the accused was black which made him guilty even though he was not guilty. An example of Bob Ewell not following the critical lens is when he spat in Atticus's face after winning the trial. "Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he'd get him if it took the rest of his life." This shows the evil in Bob by stopping Atticus and threatening him that he is going to "get him" when he already "got him" in the court trial. Bob Ewell should be jumping for joy that he won the trial but he...

Study of the Coalition Governments scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) The WritePass Journal

Study of the Coalition Governments scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Abstract Study of the Coalition Governments scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) AbstractIntroductionDiscussionConclusionsReferencesBibliographyRelated Abstract This paper addressed decision by Coalition government to scrap the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) paid to students who stayed in post- compulsory education. It explored the history of EMA and the circumstances leading to its scrapping. The paper presented discussions emerging from those who are in support of EMA and those who aren’t and the context in which Coalition decided to scrap it. The discussions explored beliefs that decisions taken by Coalition do not take into consideration their impact on students across the country. The paper discussed an academic literature, viewing the conflicting and opposed nature of EMA in post-16 education and, therefore, may be understood better from students’, staff and parents’ perspectives. The decision by the researcher to tackle this current issue was because of concerns about the future of 25 students on Foundation Learning and Springboard who were all EMA recipients on full  £30 a week band. The researcher wanted to find out if the new funding mechanisms replacing EMA were the best to tackle problems of deprivation and disadvantage students faced and how not getting EMA would impact on their learning. Introduction The aim of the paper was to find out if EMA delivered policy requirements of widening participation, increased retention and attendance, encouragement of social mobility, inclusivity, access for all, Every Child Matters and equal opportunities to resources. These policy aspects were examined in detail as they are embedded in the whole realm of EMA. The influence of EMA on crime was discussed in relation to its ability to reduce crime. The paper attempted to seek justification as to why Coalition scrapped EMA and replaced it with different funding mechanisms, eradicating uninformed assumptions as to which funding practices are either appropriate or effective. The paper examined these aspects in relation to their influence on choice of destinations for students. Policies which impact on post-16 education and further education (FE) were discussed to enhance understanding of the initial introduction of EMA policy. Discussion In the United Kingdom, during the 1980s to1990s there was an influx in post-16 education. Many 16, 17 and 18 year olds remained in full time education. By 1994 numbers had doubled. In 1998 four fifths of post-16 children came from families where parents were managers or professionals, compared to less than half of those from poor working class backgrounds. Children from poor working class backgrounds made up ten percent of children not in education, employment or training (NEET). DfES (2004). This became policy issue for Labour in terms of post-16 education being largely enjoyed by children from wealthier backgrounds. This necessitated the formulation of education policies to narrow the gap between poor and rich children. The first policy was the Standardised National Curriculum, (Market Reform) for all learners from the age of 7 to 16. It’s purpose was to make pupils study certain curriculum subjects in detail in order to tackle problems of poor numeracy and literacy to raise standards, widen access and improve basic skills. Many children left school without qualifications, GCSE pass rate was low, more than 2/3 did not pass GCSE and many opted for vocational qualifications. Dearden   et al (2005). This policy was time consuming as teachers planned all the subjects. Parents were given the right to choose schools, impacting on housing and cost of moving for poor parents. League tables made some schools look bad. The quasi-market system made it hard for some schools to improve. It created social- class and educational inequalities. Poor students were left behind, attending poor schools, underachieving in disadvantaged societies. Funding was based on school enrolment. Schools were given autonomy on the type of student to enrol, encouraging social and educational exclusion. Following this policy in 1998, was the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies (Curriculum Reform). Policy objective was to improve basic skills by using prescriptive methods to help teachers to know what to teach and how to teach it and allowing literacy and numeracy hours on the curriculum. Students were tested on their understanding of curriculum subjects by using national tests at 1, 2, 3, and 4 key stages. The limitations of this policy made it difficult to attract qualified teachers because of poor teachers’ packages, introduction of performance related pay and unfavourable conditions in relation to other professions. There was no autonomy for teachers. Everything was prescribed, removing creativity and initiative in teaching. In spite of efforts by Labour, post-16 participation remained low. Another policy was introduced, the Vocational Qualification Reform which introduced the NVQs and NGVQs for students who were not performing well academically and to raise participation in post-16 education. It was a way of encouraging work- related education and making vocational qualifications look attractive to employers. Dearden et al.(2002) This policy was unsuccessful. The qualifications were not valued by employers who thought only low performing students took vocational courses and therefore paid them low wages. Machin and Vignoles (2006). There was no unification of the system. There were too many different providers offering too many different qualifications with no economic value which Melia (1995) called â€Å"The Further Education Qualification jungle†. This did not encourage poor students to stay on in post-16 education. Following 1991 and 1992 Education White Papers was the Kennedy Report (1997), which recommended that extra funds be made available to Inner City Colleges for students from socio-economically deprived backgrounds and those from poor post code areas, to widen participation. Children who fitted this category were nicknamed the ‘Kennedy Children’. Public view suggested this was done at the expense of children from the ‘right’ postcodes. Researcher can argued that the ‘Kennedy children’, as a matter of policy,     had a right to benefit from extra funding to encourage them to stay on in education and achieve, from exclusion to inclusive education. Green and Lucas (2000). This led to the introduction of EMA policy.   EMA policy was designed to address financial constraints which formed a barrier to post-16 participation in FE particularly among learners from low socio-economic backgrounds. Policy objectives were designed to improve student reten tion and attendance rates in sixth form and post-16 education, to raise participation and attainment levels in further education. Labour launched the pilot project in September 1998-1999 in 56 out of 150 Local Authority Areas (LEAs). It targeted students in areas with low post-16 participation, low retention, low achievement rates, in areas where there was deprivation, where most of the population lived in rented accommodation and did not participate in the job market because of low qualifications and lack of skills. Heaver et al (2002). After the first pilot proved a success the second pilot was launched in 2002-2004. Machin and Vignoles (2004) in agreement with the Kennedy Report reviewed a policy reform which introduce EMA to help students from poor backgrounds whose parents earned less than  £30,000 a year if they remained in education beyond compulsory education. EMA policy was administered first through the Learning Skills Council (LSC) but was moved to Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA). YPLA aims are raising aspirations, improving attainment targets to Level 2/3, reducing the NEET cohort and delivering Every Child Matters outcomes for young people. Eysenck (December 2010) affirmed â€Å"EMA makes it possible for students from poorer backgrounds to go onto sixth form or college rather than forcing them to leave school to take low paid, dead end jobs†. It was officially launched nationwide in 2006 after being regarded a success in encouraging young people to stay on in education and opening up chances for students from disadvantaged back grounds who were unlikely to stay on in education after the compulsory education period. Chancellor Gordon Brown announced â€Å"The four pilots of EMA had proved a success, helping 20,000 extra students a year to stay in education†. Slatter (July 2003:2). By putting this policy in place Labour recognised   Every Child Matters outcomes on inclusive education, raising aspirations, access and equality of opportunities for students with special or additional learning needs. Miles (2010). The Kennedy report pointed the need for these groups to be adequately educated to prevent social and economic exclusion.   The recent proposed scrapping of EMA contradicts the Kennedy Report EMA was means-tested. Students received varying amounts depending on their family yearly income. Some students received  £10,  £20, others received the full  £30 allowance a week. In addition, each student received various bonuses for attendance and achievement at the end of the course. Table1 shows how the students were paid according to individual household income.   In 2004 about 50% of 16-19 year olds qualified to be eligible for EMA. Table 1 Up to  £20,817  £30.00 a week  £20,818- £25,521  £20 a week.  £25,522- £30,810  £10 a week  £30,810+ Nothing Source: Dearden et al (2005) Social welfare benefits, child credits received by parents and earnings gained through part time jobs taken by young people were not considered. The money was paid into students’ accounts to help with the purchase of educational materials, bus fares and lunch but students could spend it as they wishe Coalition decided to scrap EMA. In support, Nash (2002) announced that EMA had not been successful in encouraging participation of poor children. New applicants were not accepted after January 2011. Grounds for scrapping EMA given by Coalition are, it has not been properly targeted when Labour introduced it, Labour covered every young person with the same blanket and made them eligible. They claimed that learners were abusing it by spending it on alcohol, luxury goods, cigarettes and not using it to buy educational materials. Coalition goes further to say EMAs were costing the taxpayer  £564 million a year and there was no evidence on attainment of qualifications by those staying on at school.   Not achieving qualifications and receiving EMA was like their parents signing on to get benefits.   Lee (January 2011). Some researchers say â€Å"they see no reason why these youngsters cannot take part time jobs like newspaper rounds like we did in our days†. Freedman (2008: 2) . Encouraging children to take part time jobs helps them to develop work ethics. According to Michael Gove, EMA did not achieve the initial objective of encouraging young disadvantaged people to stay on in education after the compulsory education period. This was Labour’s way of keeping unemployment figures down as they did not have other options for them. Pearson (February, 2011). Labour argued this by quoting the education spokesman who said â€Å"†¦96% of 16- year olds and 94% of seventeen- year olds   participate in education, employment or training because of the EMA†. Pearson goes further to say children do not need to be bribed to stay in education. What they need are initiatives, excellent teachers and help to remain focussed and find purpose in school. McGivney (December 2005:3) says â€Å"A curriculum that is based on varied interests and wishes of learners is far more effective in attracting learners and sustaining their motivation.† What is needed is to make learning meaningful and enjoyable to prevent dropouts. When Michael Gove was Shadow Schools Secretary for Conservatives he hinted that EMAs were an expensive undertaking causing huge deficits which the country cannot afford. Coalition was accused of being out of touch with the plight of disadvantaged and poor people in this country. The context in which Coalition is scrapping EMA is strengthened by a letter written to The Guardian by a seventeen year old student drawing attention to abuse of EMA by students who owned cars and laptops and receiving EMA while living with their divorced mothers. Jones (2010) Although Labour had planned to scrap EMA in 2013 when their proposed plan to raise school-leaving age to 18 came into place, they are now on the opposition trying to stop scrapping of EMA. Labour ministers lost the parliamentary vote to stop this decision by Coalition and Andy Burnham expressed concern that the decision will force children out of full time education, he predicated a raise in crime and said it will influence students’ decision making. Liard (2010). A survey conducted by Buie (2007) found no evidence of the impact of EMA except that it encouraged the benefit culture as most of recipients’ parents were on social benefits and their children might see it as the norm but Jaquette (2009) showed achievement rose by 10% with large numbers from disadvantaged communities. During this survey, students who were interviewed complained that some students just came to make up their hours and get paid and they were distracting lessons and stopping others from learning. In addressing the issue of students not in education, employment or training, (NEET) Buie (2007:3) said â€Å"they have become disengaged and disaffected well before the age of 16, and EMA has little impact on them†. This is why some researchers have suggested EMA should only be paid on achievement rather than waste it on young people who do not take interest in educational achievements. However, Coalition is proposing to cut out EMA and raise school leaving age and replace EMA with Pupil-premium Fund in schools and the Discretionary Learner Support Fund in Colleges (DLSF). The learner support fund will cost  £78 million per year in comparison to EMA. Finlay et al (2007b: 233 ) called it â€Å"Flowers in the desert†. This indicates funding is likely to run out before provision is finished and students are not automatically entitled. Answering to questions in parliament, Mr. Hughes, Coalition’s access advocate strengthened their position by announcing that government could not sustain the system to carry on as it is, there is no money. He went on to warn that at EMA’s full value of  £564 million a year to cover 6480,000 students, the scheme is unsustainable. J. Lee (January 2011). Rogers (December 2010:2) in support of the DLSF reiterates that â€Å"ensuring the most disadvantaged pupils get the support they need has to be our priority†. This fund is paid directly to FE colleges. Principals and Managers of these institutions will use their discretion to decide how this money will be used in line with the 1992 Education Act which urged Principals and Managers of FE colleges to provide students in their colleges with financial or other help of any nature as they consider fit. This gives autonomy to colleges and the money will be properly targeted. The public argument against scrapping of EMA is partly based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children and the ten year strategy for children and young people (UNCRC) for 2008-2011. The convention mentions the importance of developing a culture which considers matters that impact on children and young people and review them routinely. Bearing in mind the requirements of the convention, the 2009 Youth Conference agreed EMA will be made available to all post -16 students without considering parents’ earnings. In view of what is going on currently, Coalition would dispute the later part of this statement because it is not targeted specifically towards poor students. Labour opposed scrapping of EMA from the point of view that without funding, policy on inclusive education is rendered ineffective and support for learners with special educational and additional needs will drop, compromising their job prospects, adding numbers to the benefit bill and social mobility will be affected as students cannot move out of the grips of poverty. Mittler (2005) defines policy on inclusion as affording each person the help they need to achieve. Scrapping their EMA will open the poverty gap between the rich and poor, causing educational inequalities, as many will not be able to stay on in education. Colleges and other FE institutions delivered inclusive education because the EMA afforded students to attend but without it, it will be hard to bring students back from the NEET. EMA was the attraction, encouraging access and equality of opportunities. Laird (2010) EMA confirmed that in the past six years post-16 participation has improved by 30 percent and she links this back to the fact that EMA was introduced, and encouraged children to stay on.   Labour also goes on to say the cost of EMA will be outweighed by the higher wages the students will earn in the long run when they are qualified and benefits payments will be reduced. Organisations campaigning against scrapping of EMA, (Save EMA and Unison) considered taking legal action against the Coalition for failing to recognise an earlier statement which stated that learners who had started new programmes in 2010 will continue to receive the EMA until 2013. Coalition has now said all EMA funding will stop at the end of the 2010 academic year. Crime data published by the Home Office Offenders Index showed that during the pilot period EMA had a positive impact on reducing crime. Table 4 shows a reduction of crime in all areas where the young people received EMA. Violent crimes remained high. This may be due to the different types of crimes constituting â€Å"violent crime.† Table 4 showing crime reduction in pre- and post- EMA periods LEAs Pre- EMA Post-EMA Areas with EMA Violent  Ã‚   1,645Burglary   4, 219 Theft   7, 643 1,4682,230 4,817 Areas without EMA Violent   1,137Burglary 2,227 Theft 7,643 0, 9771,176 4,817 Source:     Hirschfield   (2004) The areas chosen were known to have high crime rates and the main perpetrators were young men. The differences in crime rate between EMA and Non-EMA areas could mean the likelihood of other crime reducing strategies working alongside EMA but the evidence is there that EMA helps to reduce   theft and burglary crimes by providing ready cash for young people and they do not have to get it by illegal means. From teachers’ perspective, EMA has helped to develop parents’ interest in the education of their children. They were involved at the initial application of EMA and phoned the institution if there was a problem with the student’s payments and the teachers used this opportunity to discuss other issues pertaining to the education of the particular student. One parent admitted â€Å"On occasions the threat of loosing his EMA got him out of bed† Jones R (2010:2).   FE teachers see the removal of EMA as a real challenge for them to get students motivated to attend. This confirms Labour’s argument that EMA has improved attendance and participation. Student A. who has made it to CambridgeUniversity said he would not have made it if it wasn’t for EMA. The Guardian (April 2010). In contrast, Coalition, in 2010 recorded students’ reactions to a question which asked them what effect scrapping of EMA would have on their education and choice of destinations. Students responded in the following manner: 45% said none. 42% said they would have stayed in education but would have needed to take a part time job. 7% said they would have gone into work-based learning. 6% said they would not have stayed on at all. The evidence is shown here that 90% young people would have stayed on with or without EMA. Bolton (2011) Poorer students have been cut off from the social arena and their window of opportunity has been closed. This is breaching ‘Every Child Matters’ policy   aspect on   Ã¢â‚¬Å"making positive contribution, enjoying and achieving economic wellbeing†. It is extremely difficult to meet these objectives under the current situation. The Child Act (2006) stated that providers incorporate â€Å"Every Child Matters† frame work and that it is Ofsted inspected but in any political climate according to Ball (1997:105),) â€Å"policies shift and change their meaning in the arenas of politics† and they are understood and used differently by different actors with different interests. Steer et al (2007 This researcher has seen how EMA helped young Asian women, who would otherwise be married off by their fathers the moment they finished compulsory education. EMA has helped them avoid becoming victims of their culture. Parents arranged forced marriages if girls were not engaged in education. Mirza (2009) described it as being persuaded into a marriage against ones will in the name of family honour. During class discussion on scrapping of EMA the girls told the researcher this decision by Coalition had hit them hardest. They said staying on in education was the only way of delaying forced marriages. The diverse nature and cultural backgrounds of students need to be considered when making decisions so that certain groups of the population do not feel excluded and victimised by the system. This is in accordance with the UN Convention 2010-2011. Another EMA recipient, student B who is studying sciences to qualify to study medicine said â€Å"I will have to take a part time job as my parents cannot afford transport and lunch money for me but I know that I shall have less study time and it will have an impact on my results†. Recipient C said she lived on her own and uses some of her EMA to pay bills and transport and if she does not get it she will have to stop studying for her Level 2 English and Mathematics. Student C said he was from a working class background and although he only received  £10 a week it went a long way to help him complete his studies. This shows how students have been affected by scrapping of EMA in their individual situations and how it might alter their destinations. Coalition has effectively altered provision and opportunities available to students. Bolton (January 2010) Coalition is considering a 14-19 funding system and extending the pupil-premium fund to FE colleges. The extra money could be used to hire more staff or improve facilities which will benefit more people than paying EMA to a few individuals. Government will pay more money to colleges who enrol more students from poor backgrounds. A research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that post-16 study is a follow up of good GCSE’s.  Ã‚   It is, therefore, meaningful to stop EMA and spend money on improving pupils’ grades at this level. The impact of scrapping EMA in the researcher’s organisation influenced behaviour management and pedagogy. On starting a course students sign an EMA contract which binds them to rules on attendance, time keeping, acceptable behaviour and achievement. The researcher used this contract as a tool to encourage positive behaviour and students’ EMA payment would be stopped if parts of the contract were breached. When the announcement to scrap EMA was made, the researcher felt disarmed and discouraged. EMA was used to motivate and discipline students. Students who enrolled after January 2010 often missed sessions complaining they had no bus money and borrowed money to buy lunch from staff members. Some students left before completing their courses to get jobs. Enrolment numbers dropped.   Several students openly said â€Å"I only came to collect my money. If I don’t get paid I don’t come†. These students disrupted lessons and abusing the EMA. Decreasing student numbers caused financial deficits which resulted in staff redundancies.   The manager controlled purchasing of stationary. Her decisions   adversely affected teaching due to lack of resources. Students who completed Level 2 English and Maths did not apply to colleges due to uncertainty about EMA. This impacted on the organisation’s finances as they could not make claims on progression. On the other hand, there were some good outcomes. Some students said they will have to stop smoking, drinking, cut down on mobile phone calls and nights out because they could not afford them anymore. In the researchers’ professional practice, scrapping of EMA brought the realisation that the job was more pastoral care than teaching, there was need for a sympathetic approach and more understanding when addressing students’ problems. The researcher learnt new behaviour management techniques which promoted conformity and encouraged achievement.   Using EMA to control behaviours was punitive and unethical. The method did not foster good student –teacher relationships. Methods of planning and presenting lessons changed to captivate interest and enthusiasm to cater for students who were at risk of dropping out. The generic lesson plans produced by the company were not student-centred. The researcher became more pro-active and innovative in sourcing out learning aids as there was no money to purchase them from shops. Regionally, institutions of FE offered staff voluntary redundancies as they fore saw reduced numbers of students enrolling on courses after the scrapping of EMA. There seemed to be more young people on the streets during week days which could be indicative of children going back to NEET. There were radical changes in contracts at the local college to embrace the changes. Learners complained they have not been listened to. Many students took poorly paid part-time jobs to fund transport to college and pay for educational materials. One office which referred students from NEET to institutions of FE closed their High Street office and moved into a small place and some staff made redundant. A local Youth Centre run by the NHS has reported a rise in numbers of young people frequenting the place to play games and watch television during week days. Conclusions At the beginning of this paper seven key issues were identified and have been used to analyse the impact of the scrapping of EMA on post16 students and their choice of destinations. EMA influenced students’ decisions to stay in education after the age of 16 and fulfilled it’s policy objectives on widening participation of students from poor backgrounds, inclusion and social mobility.   The NEET cohort was reduced because students were rewarded financially for turning up, making their study look like work. EMA had a positive effect on students’ decision making and choices of destinations, encouraging equal access to opportunities. In terms of crime reduction, EMA played an important role alongside other crime reduction mechanisms. EMA encouraged parental support and dialogue with staff. Children perform better when they feel supported by family. Every child in this country deserves to benefit from a healthy economic environment which embraces those born into poverty according to Children’s Act 2004 and Youth Matters. Every citizen aspires to benefit from a society with strong educational achievements, skilled people and reduced crime rates. Our government shoulders the responsibility to ensure every child achieves their full potential by putting in place economic policies which do not create stumbling blocks for young people but point them towards the right direction and provide the necessary help for them to complete their learner journeys.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No of words: 4,359 References Ball, J S., (1997)   Education Reform. Open University Press. 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