Scope Articles

More than a good start

9 Jan 2020

Sure Start is two decades old but still going strong. Scope takes a look at a long-running programme that has managed to stay fresh.

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.

The importance of self-efficacy

12 Dec 2019

Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in their ability to succeed at tasks they take on. We should all know more about it, and its effects.

Another report warns the health service is crumbling

7 Nov 2019

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee also pointed out major failings – and possible solutions – in cancer care, social care and support for mental ill health.

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.

Autism petition approaches 10,000 signatures

29 Aug 2019

Autism NI is calling for mandatory autism training for all teachers in Northern Ireland –organising a petition they will present at Stormont next month. Scope speaks with CEO Kerry Boyd.

Poverty is bad for you

Photo by Anton Darius | @theSollers on Unsplash

1 Aug 2019

Northern Ireland has startling gaps in life expectancy between rich and poor areas. Scope looks at the latest figures from the Department of Health.

The future of wellbeing – prevention, tech, and more

30 Jul 2019

Mental health provision has never been good enough. As our understanding of mental health improves, we need to build a system fit for the future, not the present. Technology will play a part. We need to decide what part that is.

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.

Northern Ireland in no position to take a one-two-three punch

13 Jun 2019

Brexit, Welfare Reform and the health service – each is at a major moment for NI policy. But these are not independent issues. Any failures will compound. This could be disastrous.

Volunteering is good for you

Reuben volunteers in Age NI's shop in Coleraine

6 Jun 2019

It’s Volunteers’ Week. Scope takes a look at how people sacrifice their time for a good cause, why this is important – and also rewarding.

Global goals lack local focus

23 May 2019

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are nearly four years old. High-level strategies for the world (or 193 UN member nations) to build a “better and more sustainable future”. Too few people know what they are.

Loneliness: an underappreciated problem

17 May 2019

A huge number of people in NI frequently feel lonely. It is a problem for people of all ages and in all sorts of situations. The impact on health and wellbeing is enormous.

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.

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