Reflections on national parks
I am writing this From the Editor after returning from a week of exploring five national parks in Utah, USA. They were Capital Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion national parks. As Enos Mills wrote, “within national parks is room — glorious room — room in which to find ourselves, in which to think and hope, to dream and plan, to rest and resolve.” These parks offered a multitude of benefits including connecting with nature, while promoting physical and mental wellbeing. As papers published in WORK have shared, spending time in nature is linked to health benefits such as stress reduction and relaxation.
World national parks are the custodians of our plant’s most remarkable landscapes, preserving their natural beauty, biodiversity, and ecological integrity for past, current, and future generations to enjoy. I realized that these parks are also cultural landscapes that are shaped by human history and capture stories, traditions and relationships that intertwine with their ecosystems. As you immerse yourself in the pages of this issue of WORK, I hope you find inspiration, new perspectives, and a renewed sense of appreciation for the wonders of our world’s national parks and the importance of the natural environment’s impact on wellbeing.
This issue of WORK has 30 papers with five regarding COVID-19 and work.
The Editor’s Choice paper is A scoping review of refugees’ employment integration experience and outcomes in Canada authored by Senthanar, Dali, and Khan. The authors conducted a scoping review to investigate the employment experience and outcomes of refugees in Canada. Upon the completion of the review, they identified the following issues: refugees do not secure jobs that are in line with their previous skills and experience which leads to “ … downward occupational mobility and poorer health with refugee women experiences these outcomes more acutely”.
Our upcoming Learn at WORK webinars are:
September 12 at 1-2pm EST on post-traumatic growth and trauma-informed care in vocational rehabilitation through the lens of the conservation of resources theory presented by Drs. Baumunk, Tang, Rumrill, Conder, & Rumrill. Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4365756484474027358
October 19 at 1-2pm EST on factors contributing to financial distress in young adults with cancer presented by Drs. Robert and Granger. Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5677821302932403549
December 5 at 12-1pm EST on an analysis of the perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities on employment in the Icelandic labor market by Drs. Hardonk and Hafsteinsdóttir. Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5373083958842751062
Please stay up to date on our Learn at WORK webinars, blogs, and news by going to our website at workjournal.org.
As always, I look forward to you being in touch.
Founding Editor, WORK
Occupational therapist & ergonomist
