How Singapore is using tech to rehabilitate prisoners
https://govinsider.asia/innovation/how-singapore-is-using-tech-to-rehabilitate-prisoners?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Varissara Charassangsomboon
GovInsider
11 January 2019
Text / Under 800 Words
The Digitalisation of Inmate Rehabilitation & Corrections Tool (DIRECT) project gives inmates in Singapore tablets to communicate with family members and access e-learning resources. Similar initiatives have been shown to reduce recidivism rates. “The resources in DIRECT allow for inmates to take greater ownership of their rehabilitation and prepare them for reintegration back into society upon their release,” Neo Ming Feng, the Deputy Superintendent of Prisons, said.
Everyone’s a victim
https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/everyones-a-victim?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Angela K. Evans
Boulder Weekly
10 January 2019
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Having your identity stolen, especially a social security number, is frightening and can have far reaching consequences for everyone involved; while some of the people who commit identity theft have malicious intents, some are undocumented people who are seeking work to make a living. A new program in Boulder, Colorado is using restorative justice practices to help mediate between and humanize the two parties and, hopefully, minimize long-term consequences for those in a tight spot.
Action Civics in Schools
https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/ideas-we-should-steal-action-civics-in-schools?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Michael Deal
The Philadelphia Citizen
9 January 2019
Text / 1500-3000 Words
With a new law requiring an experiential civics curriculum in the classroom, Massachusetts is leading the country in efforts to reinvigorate outdated civics coursework.
How Dutch Transit Agencies Fend Off Fare Evaders
https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/01/fare-calculator-dutch-transit-enforcement-rail-bus-tickets/579715?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Feargus O'Sullivan
CityLab
8 January 2019
Text / 800-1500 Words
Dutch public transportations are trying some innovative techniques to cut down on fare-evaders, emphasizing that consequences for those evading fares should not just impose fines but convince them to become ticket buyers. Other strategies include barring access to stations themselves without tickets and including a card pre-loaded with 10 rides when a person is penalized for fare-evading.
Athens' Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Addresses Resident Needs
http://gradynewsource.uga.edu/blog/2019/01/06/athens-long-term-care-ombudsman-program-addresses-resident-needs?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Kristen Adaway
Grady Newsource
6 January 2019
Text / 800-1500 Words
In Athens, Georgia, an ombudsman program for long-term care residents at senior and nursing homes is holding institutions accountable and ensuring that residents' complaints are heard. The program comes from a requirement in the amended Older Americans Act and encompasses anything from complaints about food to hygiene to being treated with dignity.
‘When I Skate It Just Feels Free’:Figure Skating in Harlem helps young women of color see themselves on ice
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/05/style/figure-skating-harlem-women-of-color.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Lovia Gyarkye
The New York Times
5 January 2019
Text / 800-1500 Words
Figure Skating in Harlem is a group working to help young girls of color in New York learn teamwork, dedication, and hardwork - and the art of figure skating, a sport that is often perceived as inaccessible and overwhelmingly white and Asian-American. But the program doesn't just stop there; the program also includes academic and leadership development.
Three promising new technologies could help send stormwater to taps in thirsty cities
https://ensia.com/features/capturing-reusing-urban-storm-water-stressed-cities?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Lindsey Konkel
Ensia
4 January 2019
Text / 800-1500 Words
With water scarcity becoming a reality for many cities, people are looking towards the premise of recycling stormwater into drinkable water collected from urban runoff. One major limitation of this is that the water often is too polluted for consumption, however researchers have piloted several new technologies that may hold the key to being able to scale the stormwater recycling solution.
The Fight to Keep Teachers in Tech Hubs From Being Priced Out
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/04/us/teachers-priced-out-tech-hubs.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Dana Goldstein
The New York Times
4 January 2019
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In an attempt to retain teacher talent, the Santa Clara Unified School District has begun renting out apartments to teachers at subsidized rates so they can afford to stay and teach. While several cities across the country have attempted ways to offer more affordable housing to teachers, they are up against residents who are worried about the value of the their homes decreasing, even as tech companies move in. To keep teachers and families and good schools, something will need to change.
Health departments are on climate change’s front lines
https://ensia.com/features/public-health-departments-climate-change?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Dave Levitan
Ensia
2 January 2019
Text / 800-1500 Words
Climate change is proving to have a significant impact on more than just the weather. From an influx of diseases due to more natural disasters to extreme heat, climate change is taking a toll on the health of many worldwide. In response, public health departments are taking steps to implement programs to lessen the impact while also learning from one another about what works and what limitations exist.
Climate Change Is Bad For Peru's Pastures ... But There's A 1,200-Year-Old Fix
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/01/02/600833370/climate-change-is-bad-for-perus-pastures-but-theres-a-1-200-year-old-solution?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Elda Cantú
NPR
2 January 2019
Text / 800-1500 Words
Not all solutions have to be new in order to work, some just have to be modernized for today's needs. This was the lesson learned when villagers in Peru decided to restore centuries-old hydraulic systems to revitalize their depleting wetlands.
This deep-red state decided to make a serious investment in preschools. It's paying off big-time.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/01/alabama-serious-investment-pre-k-education-paying-off?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Kiera Butler
Mother Jones
1 January 2019
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In 2017, Alabama was one of only three states to meet all 10 of the national recognized benchmarks for preschool quality. The state credits bipartisan support, a low teacher-to-student ratio, and high teacher salaries and credential requirements for its recent improvements. “We hoped that quality preschool would benefit the most at-risk students,” the head of the Alabama School Readiness Alliance says. “It’s surpassed our expectations.”
What Happened After Two Decades of Affordable Child Care in Quebec
https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/12/affordable-daycare-subsidized-child-care-working-mom-quebec/579193?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Molly McCluskey
CityLab
31 December 2018
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In Quebec, a subsidized affordable child care program has proven itself over two decades, contributing to a spike in the employment of mothers with young children. Research also shows that program is financially sustainable, but there is a disparity in quality between child care centers - an issue that is also prevalent in other places that have adopted the model.
