Scope Articles

Northern Ireland: more Tallinn than Finchley

19 Dec 2019

We are often told that the UK is a powerful western economy. But that is profoundly misleading.

Reductive politics is on collision course with reality

18 Dec 2019

It wasn’t just election week, it was Brexit election week. Or was it? And what about the Stormont talks? Voters are more subtle than politicians and we stand at a policy crossroads. Without fixes there could be enormous public anger.

Employment highs are obscuring a great malaise

Credit to PropertyPal for analysing NISRA and LPS figures. We are working more because we think we have to. So keep the champagne on ice (or sell it).

13 Nov 2019

The latest job market updates look great. Take a peek behind the figures, however, and the story is different.

How is NI performing? (part three)

16 Oct 2019

Our third and final article looking at how our public sector is doing, by its own measure.

How is NI performing? (Part two)

NI - it's a beautiful place (photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash)

8 Oct 2019

The second in our trio of articles taking an accessible look at how our public sector is doing, by its own measure.

How is Northern Ireland performing? (part one)

3 Oct 2019

The Executive Office recently published its year-end report looking at progress against outcomes in the draft Programme for Government. Scope takes a look at the bottom line.

‘Traditional’ men’s work is not just for boys

Women’stec CEO Lynn Carvill (left) with Mark Nutt and Maria Bradley from Gilbert-Ash

19 Sep 2019

North Belfast charity Women’stec is tearing down barriers that have kept women from careers like joinery, plumbing and surveying. Scope speaks with CEO Lynn Carvill.

East Belfast community work is ready to blossom

6 Sep 2019

A multi-partner project aiming to build capacity and leadership among community groups appears to be that rare thing – an unqualified success.

Employers for Childcare publishes annual childcare report

27 Jun 2019

The need to restructure childcare in Northern Ireland has long been ignored. But the campaign for change is building momentum.

Re-defining rubbish - the Circular Economy

27 Jun 2019

It’s good that so many people are becoming more conscious about single use plastics. It’s even better that the environment has catapulted up the political agenda.

What can’t we afford? How economic inequality is about more than paying bills

19 Jun 2019

If wealth, rather than ability, drives educational achievement, we have to think hard about how we structure society to compensate for this.

Community economies: the quiet revolution

31 May 2019

One of the more troubling trends in recent times is that whilst the economy is growing most of us are getting poorer.

If you want to improve the benefits system, speak up

Prof. Eileen Evason (centre) along with Barry McVeigh (left) and Kevin Higgins (right), both members of her team that produced the Welfare Reform mitigation report, and the then First and deputy First Ministers

2 May 2019

The IFS says Universal Credit will lower the incomes of millions of people and that the welfare reform “hits the persistently poor the hardest on average.” But change is possible.

The first major effort at citizen’s income has some surprises

24 Apr 2019

Preliminary results are in from Finland’s experiment with a Universal Basic Income. The findings are mixed, interesting, and should arouse everyone’s curiosity.

Childcare in NI: parents and providers are both working too hard

12 Apr 2019

Northern Ireland is the UK’s poor cousin when it comes to childcare. Fixes to the sector’s struggling financial structure need legislation.

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