Describe How Active Participation Benefits An Individual

Describe How Active Participation Benefits An Individual Introduction Recent decades have seen a greater emphasis on service user participation than had previously been the case (Beresford, 2001). In the past, decision making in social care and associated policy development had been led by practitioners, politicians and academics, with service users and citizens having minimal say in what services they received and how services were provided (Beresford, 2001). This study examines how active participation of service users has developed over the last 20-30 years and how the progress made in encouraging participation has benefited individuals and the overall quality of service provision. For the purposes of this study, there is primarily a focus on the service user as the individual who engages in active participation although it should be accepted that family members and carers have their own separate and sometimes conflicting needs for participation (Roulstone et al., 2006). Service users are described by Beresford (2001, p.9) as â€Å"people who receive or are eligible to receive social care services† and it is important to note that people can self-identify as a service user. However, active participation of people outside of the health and social care arena will also be discussed as there is evidence that participation in community activities can be beneficial to citizens who are not in receipt of social care services. Policy and Legislation A shift towards more active participation has a basis in the policies and legislation introduced under New Labour. Government took a view that greater participation would be a way of increasing the number of citizens who would be active citizens (Millward, 2005) and the Health and Social Care Act 2001 was at the forefront of extending service user choice and the enablement of people to decide on their own services through schemes such as Direct Payments. Other relevant legislation and guidance has included the White Paper Our Health, Our Care Our Say (Department of Health, 2006); Valuing People (Department of Health, 2001); the National Service Framework for Older People (Department of Health, 2001). With specific reference to social care, Putting People First (2007) set out a commitment to closer working between central and local government, and the health and social care sectors, alongside better partnership working with service users and carers. More recently, under the Coalition Government consultations such as A vision for social care: Capable communities and active citizens (DH, 2010) and Caring for our future: Shared ambitions for care and support (DH, 2011) have continued to encourage participation with an expectation that it can help people to live healthier and more independent lives. It is evident from cross-party support that active participation is something supported across the political spectrum. Participation is seen as something that encourages better citizenship and it can also be argued that it offers a form of low level democracy. Participation is also something that pulls back direct state intervention in people’s lives. What is Active Participation? Active participation can be defined in a number of ways and can be related to both individuals who are in receipt of health and social care services and those who live independently in the community without service provision. Definitions such as ‘consultation’, ‘partnership’ and ‘involvement’ are often used to explain participation (Roberts, 2002). In social care terms participation might be seen as allowing and individual to have control over day to day decisions such as what time meals would be taken or when personal care services would be delivered; at a more strategic level, participation might involve giving a say in how services are commissioned and delivered to a wider group of service users (Mordey and Crutchfield, 2004). Service user consultation groups or local forums for citizens to discuss how services are prioritised and delivered are examples of this broader level of active participation. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has developed some useful definitions for participation. It uses the word participation as being â€Å"to talk about actively working together on a particular project or activity† (SCIE 2004, p.2). It also sets out a number of key values and principles which should inform participation work. These include a belief in citizenship; the promotion of empowerment; developing a human rights culture in social care; giving equal priority to all opinion; developing new approaches to participation; being inclusive; and making it clear what people can and cannot be involved in (SCIE 2004). The final point is important. Active participation is rightly seen as a positive development for service users but there still has to be a line where organisations can make decisions irrespective of service user participation. Adult safeguarding is an example of this, where sometimes decisions may have to be made without the participation of an individual in order to protect his or her welfare. Nonetheless, the link between participation and social work values is a positive one. It suggests that participation is grounded in a commitment to human rights and equality, something that should bring benefits to the individuals who take up the opportunity to participate. SCIE also draws a distinction between the different types of participation that can be found in social care, suggesting that participation can range from providing information and actively listening to service user views, to providing assistance or even financial support to allow people to research or provide services (SCIE, 2004). Participation can also be applied to a range of service user groups including older people, children and families, people with disabilities and people with drug and alcohol misuse problems (SCIE, 2004). The Personalisation Agenda The personalisation agenda in health and social care has been critical in promoting the idea of active participation. Personalisation is primarily a new way of providing social care support which puts the person requiring a service at the centre of the assessment process and allows individuals and their carers a real say in identifying their needs and making choices about how services will be provided (Carr, 2010). It recognises that people are individuals with diverse strengths and preferences, and aims to empower people through better provision of information and advocacy, early intervention to get the right support in place and also recognising the rights of carers (SCIE, 2012). Given these aims of personalisation, one of the key benefits for the individual would be having greater control over services provided and consequently there being a greater chance of the rights services being provided, with positive outcomes. Another key point about personalisation and participation is that it still has to be facilitated by agencies and policy makers. As much as people may want to participate in service delivery or more simply just in community work, they still require the tools to do so and also the autonomy to make their own decisions. Benefits of Participation Greater participation in how services are delivered can bring a number of benefits to service users. Active participation can help develop more customer/service user-friendly versions of existing services and give individuals more say in how their services are run and how they can access them. Participation gives service users – who are also tax-payers – a greater say on how money is spent on services in their area and also helps individuals become co-designers and co-producers of the services that they use (Leadbetter, 2004). At a wider level, it can be argued that active participation allows for self-organisation by communities, rather than service provision being dictated by external agencies or distant central government. Participation also supports the development of greater citizenship. Participation and influence over how public funds are spent can be seen as being an important part of the democratic process and the concept of citizenship lends itself to ideals of equity and collective provision which are embedded in public services. For the individual, participation in public service can increase a sense of civic attachment and impress on the individual what it means to be a member of a democratic society (Leadbetter, 2004). Participation and Young People Discussions around personalisation and participation generally have an emphasis on the participation of adult service users but active participation can also have a positive impact for young people who access social care support and services. Legislation and guidance including the Children Act 1989 and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child have a focus on the child’s right to participate in decision making and there are a number of benefits for both young people and the organisations that provide services. For young people, active participation can help them gain new skills and experience, develop self-confidence and influence the decisions that affect their lives. They can develop social networks and begin to understand how organisations work. Participation can also quite simply be fun for young people, and it can help them feel valued and empowered (Wright et al., 2005). Active participation can be particularly beneficial for children and young people who might be consider as disadvantaged or vulnerable. Groups such as looked after children, young offenders, care leavers, young carers and gay and lesbian young people are easily marginalised and many agencies tend to direct them rather than engage with them. They face a number of barriers to participation such as a lack of motivation to engage; mistrust of adults and a feeling that their views will not be listened to because of their past experiences (McNeish, 1999). Research studies highlight a number of positives from individual participation projects which could be used as a benchmark for future initiatives. In Hampshire for example, a Care Action Team (CAT) was established bring together members and officer from the County Council to work with people who were in, or had been in care. Regular meetings to gather the views of young people led to a number of improvements in how services to young people were delivered. These included development of a new sleepover policy making it easier for looked after children to spend the night with friends; involvement of young people in the inspection of children’s homes, and a Children’s Homes Education Policy which improved the educational support for looked after children. A more general improvement from the establishment of the CAT was that young people developed a greater sense of worth and awareness that they were not alone in their experiences (Wright et al., 2005). For organisations, encouraging active participation by young people can also bring improvements to service delivery. It helps them become more responsive to the needs of children and young people; it increases the accessibility of organisation and makes them more efficient in providing effective services (Wright et al., 2005). Active Participation in the Community Active participation has benefits for society as well as the individuals involved. We live in a nation with an ageing population and many older people have greater expectation of both opportunity and support from public services in later life. An Audit Commission report (2004, p.2) stated that â€Å"the shift in proportion, composition and attitudes of the older age group has profound implications for public services. We need to start taking action now to shape things for the better†. Active participation does not only relate to people who are in need or receipt of social care services however. Participation in the community can also benefit individuals who do not require social care provision. Many older people for example, benefit from active participation in their local communities and government studies have suggested that active participation is linked to the overall well-being of individuals (Audit Commission, 2004). A number of strategies can be developed to encouraged independence and participation for older people. These can include work to support people ensuring that they have a safe comfortable home, and live in a neighbourhood close to friends and amenities. Good public transport networks allow people to get out and about whilst social and leisure activities promote social inclusion. Information for older people on how to access amenities encourages active participation as do healthy living initiatives which help people to stay active and healthy (Audit Commission, 2004). Active participation for older people is also a way of tackling the ageism that exists in society. Participation allows people to feel valued and able to challenge stereotypes that older people offer less to society that younger people. Participation allows them to have a say in decisions made about them both as individuals and as a wider group in society. A Department of Pensions report published in 2009 identified LinkAge Plus (LAP) pilots as initiatives which enable older people to become more active in their communities (Willis and Dalziel, 2009). Schemes to give opportunities to socialise through social, leisure and training activities help to address wider community and social wellbeing outcomes through the creation and development of social capital. Examples might include over 60s clubs providing activities ranging from Tai Chi to adult art classes. Network Centres establish social networks for older people which improve confidence and well-being and the DWP report concludes that people are â€Å"empowered when new or stronger bonds are created between themselves and the community in which they live† (Willis and Dalziel, p.45). Other examples of active participation demonstrate older people have an active role in local decision making and commissioning of services. The Gateshead Older People’s Assembly for example was funded to assess the appropriateness, accessibility and effectiveness of services for older people in the region. The benefits were twofold – the Assembly allowed a number of individuals the opportunity to become involved in stimulating research and study activities, whilst the conclusions were feedback into local service procurement, ensuring that the views of the wider population of older people were being heard (Willis and Dalziel, 2009). Criticisms and Obstacles Whilst most of the evidence points towards active participation being a positive opportunity for individuals there are some concerns about how it might delivered and that there will be obstacles to real and effective active participation. Some commentators suggest that the whole personalisation agenda will simply tie up social workers in drafting support plans and assisting with finances, rather than providing a more person-centred social work support, whilst there are also concerns that the introduction of personal budgets will be seized upon by individual who have motives other than the well-being of services users (Needham, 2010). There are also concerns that personalisation is simply a way of implementing public sector budget cuts and introducing a level of consumerism into social care for vulnerable people. The emphasis on individuals managing their own finances could possibly lead to financial abuse or simply people mismanaging their personal budgets (Needham, 2010). Even outside of social care, a cynical view of encouraging people to find their own ways of participating in the community could be that it is simply a way for the state to withdraw from provision of leisure services and have people fund and manage them themselves. A final concern around active participation is that it could lead to discrimination against vulnerable groups if they were to become more active and visible in the community. Services users with physical and learning disability who try to manage their own care in the community may be probe to physical, emotional or financial abuse by neighbours and Burton et al. (2012) also suggest that disabled people trying to live ordinary lives in the community, and participating in community activities, may cause some hostility. Conclusions The evidence available suggests that participation is a positive thing. The applies equally to participation in service delivery and review for those in need of social care, and to those in the community who simply wish to remain active members of the community. In social care, the personalisation agenda and the move towards self-directed support and personal budgets has promoted active participation. It puts individual service users in greater control of what services they receive and allows services user groups to have a greater say in how services are commissioned and delivered. This benefits individuals as it allows them to have a real say in how they receive support; it should also assist the organisations that provide services to develop and improve the services that they provide. Similar principles apply in social care provision for children and young people, as active participation allows their voices to be heard and should give decision makers a better understanding of what is needed to support vulnerable young people It is important to note that active participation in social care can be linked into some basic social care values. Good social work practice should involve putting the individual first (SCIE, 2012) and initiatives such as personalisation and can help demonstrate a commitment to respect for the individual and self-determination. Social workers that encourage active participation will generally be demonstrating a person-centred or child-centred approach that will enable an effective and non-discriminatory relationship with the individual that they are trying to help. Again, this is further evidence that active participation is largely beneficial to the individual. Active participation for people outside of the social care system also appears to have a positive effect on people’s lives. It promotes social inclusion and the evidence suggests that being active in the community promotes well-being and helps people to live more fulfilling lives. In a modern, democratic society, there is no reason why active participation should not be commonplace. It demonstrates that as a society we value the views and opinions of all citizens and that when people need support, they can have a say in how it is provided, rather than the state simply imposing a service that may not meet the individual’s need. By encouraging more general participation in society, active participation also demonstrates that we value the input of all members of society into the community, regardless of age or disability. Cynics might argue that active participation is a way for local and central government to save money and pass the onus for some tasks back to service users and the local community. Whilst their might be an element of truth in this, the reality is that active participation is largely a positive development. Many citizens want to participate in decision making both for themselves and their local communities and the evidence suggests that this participation produces good outcomes. Bibliography Audit Commission. (2004). Older People – Independence and Well-being – the challenge for public services. London: Audit Commission Publications Beresford, P. (2001). Service users, social policy and the future of welfare. Critical Social Policy, 21 (4): 494–512. Burton, J., Toscano, T. and Zonouzi, M. (2012) Personalisation for Social Workers. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Department of Health. (2001). National Service Framework for Older People. London: TSO Department of Health. (2006). Our Health, Our Care Our Say. London: TSO Department of Health. (2011). Caring for our future: Shared ambitions for care and support. London: TSO Leadbetter, M. (2004) Personalisation Through Participation. London: Demos Millward, L. (2005). Just because we are amateurs doesnt mean we arent professional: the importance of expert activists in tenant participation. Public Administration, 83 (3): 735–751. Needham, S. (2011). Personalising Public Services, Bristol: Policy Press McNeish, D. (1999). From rhetoric to reality: Participatory approaches to health promotion with young people. London: Health Education Authority. Mordey, M. Crutchfield, J. (2004). User involvement in supported housing. Housing, Care and Support, 7 (1): 7–10 Roberts, K. (2002). Exploring participation: older people on discharge from hospital. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 40 (4): 413–420. Roulstone, A., Hudson, V., Kearney, J., Martin, A., with Warren, J. (2006). Working Together: Carer Participation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. London: Care Institute for Excellence. SCIE (2004) SCIE Participation Strategy [online] Available: [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/corporate/files/participationstrategy.pdf] accessed 10th October 2014 SCIE (2012). Personalisation: A Rough Guide. [online] Available: [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide47] accessed 10th October 2014 Willis M. and Dalziel, R. (2009) LinkAge Plus: Capacity building – enabling and empowering older people as independent and active citizens. DWP Research Report 571 [online] Available: [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/186778/rrep571.pdf] accessed 9th October Wright, P., Tirner, C., Clay, D. and Mills H. (2005) The participation of children and young people in developing social care. SCIE Participation Practice Guide 06 [online] Available: [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide11/files/guide11.pdf] accessed 10th October 2014

Reforestation :: essays research papers

Reforestation The purpose of this written report is to inform the reader about the concerns and facts involved with reforestation. Reforestation began in Ontario after World War II. What happened was, professional foresters were assigned to an area and became responsible for its well being. Under the Crown Timber Act, long term management was prepared. Then the many steps needed to rebuild a forest began. Included in this report will be information on the effects of cutting and replanting, such as Carbon Dioxide, and Global Warming. Following this will be methods for planning a forest, and how they are conveyed before planting in a forest begins. There are many reasons why forests are cut down. One is to benefit economically, with furniture and home building. But there is also another reason. Arguments say "the United States could help slow the atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide by replacing old-growth forests with faster-growing young trees". A new study of young and old forests says how this is in fact not true. Loggers have said that new trees pull the carbon dioxide better than old trees, and this may seem true, but it is not. There is one point being overlooked from all of this. The older, larger trees can store much, much more carbon dioxide than a new tree could. By cutting and burning these magnificent seasoned trees, the CO2 is being released back into the atmosphere. These releases of carbon dioxide add up in our surroundings, only to intensify Global Warming. Although this shows what happens when one burns and cuts down old forests, one must still plant new trees for long term plans, not letting them grow for a few years, to then cut them down. There are many methods for planning a forest. The simplest method of replanting a forest is to leave it to nature. A suitable seed bed in which trees will readily take root is integral for successful regeneration. Reducing competition by eliminating grass, weed or shrubs is another requirement in securing a new crop of trees. These will sprout to produce seedlings. Though the weeds were eliminated before, they still grow back, and because of this poor, quality trees will grow. Another method though, is to create a planned forest, where new conifers are grown from seed in a special nursery. Seeding is a reforestation technique used mainly in the Boreal forest area where fire or logging tends to leave no or very little seeds for growth. In specific cases, Ministry staff seed the area with treated tree seeds. Following this is the planting. In many

Argumentative Essay Essay

Every body loves the triple bacon cheeseburger from Wendy’s, extra bacon. Or the brand new Iphone that has just been released and you suddenly feel that daunting desire to be holding it in your hands. America is all about living for excess. People live for what is easily accessible no matter the cost. In reading of a Buy Nothing Day implemented and imposed on Canada, to increase the awareness of excessive consumerism, we must ask would this be beneficial to the United States? I must agree that it would be beneficial to some in raising awareness. Though I agree, I must also strongly negate the idea of a â€Å"Buy Nothing Day† due to the low participation amongst our society in America, and the difficulty in implicated such a day. First, I agree with the idea that our nation could use a â€Å"Buy Nothing Day† and it could be very beneficial in raising the awareness of our excessive consuming. Having the opportunity to travel to a poverished country myself, I have found myself with an increasing awareness of my consumerism. I distinctly remember walking out of the â€Å"Barra Payan† sandwich shop with a grin on my face, excited to devour the sandwich I had spent no more than 3 dollars on. As I continued to walk out, a young boy approached me, and in his broken English asked if I would give him just a bite of my sandwich. He had no shoes on, a shirt that had been worn to the seams and swim suit meant for a toddler, though he managed a crooked little smile as he asked. The disparage on his face was eminent though, and he wavered my heart. Haphazardly, I preceded to hand him my entire sandwich. Hugging me, he ran off devour the sandwich I had just bought. Being down in the Dominican Republic for a week, I found myself aware of my extensive consumerism I display on a day to day basis, while people can hardly have enough food to survive. Though having a singular day in America may not be to this extreme, I strongly feel that it would be an important way of helping raising the awareness of this problem in America today. Though on one hand I feel it would be a positive idea to establish an annual â€Å"Buy Nothing Day†, I must negate the idea of it. As is, America is nothing but nation living for excess and ease. No matter where we drive, or wherever we may go, there is that unsaid rule that you must aim for the best. I am sure you have had that memorable experience of driving by the cherry red Ferrari and with a little jealousy you envy to have that car. Or you go into Five Guys to get a burger and you see the guy in front of you ask for every topping on his burger. So you say to hell with it, I am doing what I want, and all those toppings will be on my burger. I have seen this countless times. In a nation where we squander countless hours shopping and impulse buying, there is no way a vast amount of people would participate in a day such as purposed. With that stated, I must strongly negate the idea of an annual â€Å"Buy Nothing Day†, simply due to the fact of it is nothing our culture is accustomed to. Correspondingly, we as Americans are extremely narrow minded and would not be willing to integrate such a day. Consequently, I must negate the idea of integrating a day such as this due to how consumer dependent our society is. You can hardly drive a mile these days without seeing something you can buy. I live in a town by the name of Castle Rock Colorado, and in our town we have a Home Depot, and a Lowes just a mile down the road. Why our town needs two home improvement stores is beyond me. Maybe it is the completion between each company, or possible which has more inventories. This is a classic example of what our culture is here in America. Same goes for gas stations. There is one intersection with 3 gas stations. All of which, trying to entice you with slightly lower gas prices, or the world’s best selection of junk food. Competition is what drives our economy and in pushing to try to encourage a day to not buy anything, completely degrades the idea of our moral values as Americans whether I agree with them or not. Since our society singularly runs mostly on big business, the idea of this day exalts the things we hold so dearly as Americans. Alongside this, the first time trying to implement such a day is near impossible, and would be strenuous to all people who live in America. In looking deeply into imposing a â€Å"Buy Nothing Day† in America, I strongly agree with the fact that for some it may raise some awareness temporarily. Though I agree, I must also negate the implementation of this day because it would be hard to gain participation as well as the strenuous tasks of difficulty in integrating a day such as this due to how consumer dependent our society is.

History of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

History of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars After the French Revolution transformed France and threatened the old order of Europe, France fought a series of wars against the monarchies of Europe to first protect and spread the revolution, and then to conquer territory. The later years were dominated by Napoleon and France’s enemy was seven coalitions of European states. At first,  Napoleon first bought success, transforming his military triumph into a political one, gaining the position of First Consul and then Emperor. But more war was to follow, perhaps inevitably given how Napoleon’s position was dependent upon military triumph, his predilection for solving issues through battle, and how the monarchies of Europe still looked at France as a dangerous enemy. Origins When the French revolution overthrew the monarchy of Louis XVI and declared new forms of government, the country found itself at odds with the rest of Europe. There were ideological divisions - the dynastic monarchies and empires opposed the new, partly republican thinking - and family ones, as relatives of those affected complained. But the nations of central Europe also had their eyes on dividing Poland between them, and when in 1791 Austria and Prussia issued the Declaration of Pillnitz - which asked Europe to act to restore the French monarchy – they actually worded the document to prevent war. However, France misinterpreted and decided to launch a defensive and pre-emptive war, declaring one in April 1792. The French Revolutionary Wars There were initial failures, and an invading German army took Verdun and marched close to Paris, promoting the September Massacres of Parisian prisoners. The French then pushed back at Valmy and Jemappes, before going further in their aims. On November 19th, 1792, the National Convention issued a promise of assistance to all people looking to regain their liberty, which was both a new idea for warfare and the justification to create allied buffer zones around France. On December 15th, they decreed that the revolutionary laws of France – including the dissolution of all aristocracy – were to be imported abroad by their armies. France also declared a set of expanded ‘natural borders’ for the nation, which put the emphasis on annexation rather than just ‘liberty’. On paper, France had set itself the task of opposing, if not overthrowing, every king to keep itself safe. A group of European powers opposed to these developments was now working as the First Coalition, the start of seven such groups formed to fight France before the end of 1815. Austria, Prussia, Spain, Britain and the United Provinces (Netherlands) fought back, inflicting reverses on the French which prompted the latter to declare a ‘levy en masse’, effectively mobilizing the whole of France into the army. A new chapter in warfare had been reached, and army sizes now began to rise greatly. The Rise of Napoleon and the Switch in Focus The new French armies had success against the coalition, forcing Prussia to surrender and pushing the others back. Now France took the chance to export the revolution, and the United Provinces became the Batavian Republic. In 1796, the French Army of Italy was judged to have been underperforming and was given a new commander called Napoleon Bonaparte, who’d first been noticed in the siege of Toulon. In a dazzling display of manoeuvre, Napoleon defeated Austrian and allied forces and forced the Treaty of Campo Formio, which earned France the Austrian Netherlands, and cemented the position of the French-allied republics in North Italy. It also allowed Napoleon’s army, and the commander himself, to gain large amounts of looted wealth. Napoleon was then given a chance to pursue a dream: attack in the Middle East, even on into threatening the British in India, and he sailed to Egypt in 1798 with an army. After initial success, Napoleon failed in a siege of Acre. With the French fleet seriously damaged in the Battle of the Nile against British Admiral Nelson, the Army of Egypt was greatly restricted: it could not get reinforcements and it could not leave. Napoleon soon left – some critics might say abandoned – this army to return to France when it looked like a coup would take place. Napoleon was able to become the centerpiece of a plot, levering his success and power in the army to become First Consul of France in the Coup of Brumaire in 1799. Napoleon then acted against the forces of the Second Coalition, an alliance which had gathered to exploit Napoleon’s absence and which involved Austria, Britain, Russia, the Ottoman Empire and other smaller states. Napoleon won the Battle of Marengo in 1800. Along with a victory by French general Moreau at Hohenlinden against Austria, France was thus able to defeat the Second Coalition. The result was France as the dominant power in Europe, Napoleon as a national hero and a possible end to the warfare and chaos of the revolution. The Napoleonic Wars Britain and France were briefly at peace but soon argued, the former wielding a superior navy and great wealth. Napoleon planned an invasion of Britain and gathered an army to do so, but we don’t know how serious he was about ever carrying it out. But Napoleon’s plans became irrelevant when Nelson again defeated the French with his iconic victory at Trafalgar, shattering Napoleon’s naval strength. A third coalition now formed in 1805, allying Austria, Britain, and Russia, but victories by Napoleon at Ulm and then the masterpiece of Austerlitz broke the Austrians and Russians and forced an end to the third coalition. In 1806 there were Napoleonic victories, over Prussia at Jena and Auerstedt, and in 1807 the Battle of Eylau was fought between a fourth coalition army of Prussians and Russians against Napoleon. A draw in the snow in which Napoleon was nearly captured, this marks the first major setback for the French General. The stalemate led to the Battle of Friedland, where Napoleon did win against Russia and ended the Fourth Coalition. The Fifth coalition formed and had success by blunting Napoleon at the Battle Aspern-Essling in 1809, when Napoleon tried to force a way across the Danube. But Napoleon regrouped and tried once more, fighting the Battle of Wagram against Austria. Napoleon won, and the Archduke of Austria open peace talks. Much of Europe was now either under direct French control or technically allied. There were other wars – Napoleon invaded Spain to install his brother as king, but instead triggered a brutal guerrilla war and the presence of a successful British field army under Wellington – but Napoleon remained largely master of Europe, creating new states such as the German Confederation of the Rhine, giving crowns to family members, but bizarrely forgiving some difficult subordinates. The Disaster in Russia The relationship between Napoleon and Russia began to fall apart, and Napoleon resolved to act quickly to overawe the Russian tsar and bring him to heel. To this end, Napoleon gathered what was probably the largest army ever assembled in Europe, and certainly a force too big to adequately support. Looking for a quick, dominant victory, Napoleon pursued a retreating Russian army deep into Russia, before winning the carnage that was the Battle of Borodino and then taking Moscow. But it was a pyrrhic victory, as Moscow was set alight and Napoleon was forced to retreat through the bitter Russian winter, damaging his army and ruining the French cavalry. The Final Years With Napoleon on the back foot and obviously vulnerable, a new Sixth Coalition was organized in 1813, and pushed across Europe, advancing where Napoleon was absent, and retreating where he was present. Napoleon was forced back as his ‘allied’ states took the chance to throw off the French yoke. 1814 saw the coalition enter the borders of France and, abandoned by his allies in Paris and many of his marshals, Napoleon was forced into surrendering. He was sent to the island of Elba in exile. The 100 Days With time to think while exiled in Elba, Napoleon resolved to try again, and in 1815 he returned to Europe. Amassing an army as he marched to Paris, turning those sent against him to his service, Napoleon attempted to rally support by making liberal concessions. He soon found himself faced by another coalition, the Seventh of the French Revolutionary and Napoleon Wars, which included Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia. Battles were fought at Quatre Bras and Ligny before the Battle of Waterloo, where an allied army under Wellington withstood the French forces under Napoleon until a Prussian army under Blà ¼cher arrived to give the coalition the decisive advantage. Napoleon was defeated, retreated, and forced to abdicate once more. Peace The monarchy was restored in France, and the heads of Europe gathered at the Congress of Vienna to redraw the map of Europe. Over two decades of tumultuous warfare had finished, and Europe would not be so disrupted again until World War 1 in 1914. France had used two million men as soldiers, and up to 900,000 had not come back. Opinion varies on whether the war devastated a generation, some arguing that the level of conscription was only a fraction of the possible total, others pointing out that the casualties came heavily from one age group.

How to Write a Claim Letter for a Business

How to Write a Claim Letter for a Business Claim letters are used to make claims due to unsatisfactory work or products by companies that have contracted another party to complete work. For example, if a company outsources production of a part required for a final product and is unsatisfied with the contractors work, that company will write a claim letter to demand superior products. As such, claim letters have a very formal and serious tone. Use the suggested  phrases  and model letter below to model claim letters for use in your own business activities. The following letters make claims against unsatisfactory work. You can find different types of business letters and the guide to further refine your business English letter writing skills. Useful Key Phrases As someone who has worked with ...we were very disappointed to find/see/have discovered ...As our written agreement stipulated, we expected ...I think you will agree that a communication problem exists.We would like you to ...  or provide us with a refund. Example Letter Drivers Co.3489 Greene Ave.Olympia, WA 98502August 17, 2001 Richard Brown, PresidentDocument MakersSalem, MA 34588 Dear Mr. Brown: As someone who has worked with your company for over 3 years, we were very disappointed to see the documents you produced for our latest Drivers Co. publicity campaign. As our written agreement stipulated, we expected full-color leaflets with fancy explanatory texts, but instead, we found that black and white photos had been included in the prepared leaflets. I think you will agree that a communication problem exists. We would like you to send out a photographer to provide us with the promised color coverage  or provide us with a refund. Yours truly, (signature here) Thomas R. Smith,Director TRS/lj For further types of business letters, use this guide to different types of business letters to refine your skills for specific business purposes such as making inquiries, adjusting claims, writing cover letters, and more.

Developing The Planning And Design Of A Public Safety Facility Essay

Developing The Planning And Design Of A Public Safety Facility - Essay Example Police Department, 2. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. In order to develop the public safety facility, the specifications and necessary criteria like site related systems, building systems, work-space analysis and related technologies, building interiors including layouts, furnishings, finishes and equipment, have been considered to formulate the basis of the design. Demographics of the city of Pinellas Park: Pinellas Park is a city in the county of Pinellas, in Florida State. The city is situated 5 miles north of Saint Petersburg, and the nearest large city is Tampa. The total area of Pinellas Park is around 38.7 square kilometers, with approximately 19,500 households and a population density of around 1200 per square kilometer. According to the Bureau of census, US Department of Commerce, the population of the city since 1990 is as follows: This represents a population growth rate of around 5% per decade. It is therefore decided to design a facility capable of serving a population of around 50,000,which will take care of the population growth in the next decade. At present this department is divided into three divisions, namely Operations, Services and Investigations. Each division is commanded by a captain and is under the overall control of the Chief of Police. The recommended national average of police officers is 2.6 officers per 1000 residents. As per this recommendation, the desired strength of officers in this case will be around 130 officers. Currently, the patrol section, which is the largest component of the operations division of the Pinellas Park police department in terms of staffing, comprises of 14-officer level and 48 patrol staff. We can thus assume a support staff ratio of 3 per police officer. Hence the requirement for staffing is needed for 130 police officers and 390 support staff. As far as the space requirement is concerned, assuming 3 shifts of 8 hours, we will require to house around 44 officers and 130 support staff at any given time. The housing requirement for the staff will be as follows: 1. Office of the police chief and his assistant staff: This will need an area of 500 sq. feet 2. 10 cabins of 200 sq. feet each for the senior officers. 3. A large hall of 3000 sq. feet for other officers. 4. A large hall of 3000 sq. feet for the support staff, assuming 50 % of the ground staff is on patrol duty. Other Support Facilities: The following facilities are needed for the smooth operation of the police department: Toilets and restrooms. (10 nos. @ 100 Sq. feet each = 1000 sq. feet) 1. Record room. (500 Sq. feet) 2. Locker room for the belongings of staff. (1000 sq. ft) 3. Hall for storage of arms and ammunition. (1000 sq. ft) 4. Interrogation room. (200 sq. ft.) 5. Conference hall. (1000 sq. ft) 6. Jail facility for detention of convicts. (1000 sq ft.) 7. Parking Area for fleet of transport vehicles. (5000 sq ft) 8. Control room with installation of communication facilities for organizing patrol and other duties. (500 sq. ft.) If the parking area is considered separately, the building area necessary is around 14700 sq. feet. We can

GAP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

GAP - Research Paper Example In as much as it is a publicly traded company in the United States of America, Gap’s brand is known all over the world. Currently, it is a billion dollar company that has over one hundred thousand employees in all its stores spread all over the world. Gap Inc. headquarters is currently in San Francisco, California. However, it also has some of its design offices London, San Francisco and London. The company’s brand name is Gap, and it sells clothing to all groups of people ranging from males, females and children. Gap operates five principal divisions namely; Banana Republic, Piperlime, the namesake banner, Athleta, and Old Navy. The Piperlime is its online store that sells handbags and shoes to its customers; the Banana Republic brand demonstrates a high quality and a luxurious brand; Athleta is a novel brand that was created by athletic women to make and sell athletic clothing to active women; and Old Navy brand which meets the demands for all the cost-conscious customers (Rosenbloom, 2008). From all these, it is evident that Gap Inc. covers and all people and meets the demands of almost all age groups. From its inception, Gap Inc. has remained the largest specialty retailer in United States of America despite being surpassed by Inditex Group, a Spanish-based company, as a the world’s leading apparel retailer. Some of its strengths that have enabled it to remain relevant in the market include; brand recognition, multiple stores worldwide, segmented markets, product utility, among others (Maheshwari, 2012). However, it failed to acknowledge the importance of its customers by paying lots of attention to its expansion strategies, instead of meeting the customer needs. It is a fact that expansion strategies can only be successful when apposite research is done. Concentrating on expansion strategies is correct for several stores only when they have a strong foothold in the market, or when their customers are extremely loyal. However, these two fundamental