Enhancing Social Connection and Community Engagement following stroke or acquired brain injury (ENSConCE)
The Project
There is a pressing need for research and intervention to prevent mental ill-health, promote wellbeing and address health inequalities with people with acquired brain injury and their families. The proposed PhD builds on our prior work understanding how people develop and sustain social connections following acquired brain injury, and how this might improve wellbeing. The aim is to co-design a novel intervention programme for social connection involving people with brain injury, family and various community partners. This will require development and application of methods and knowledge spanning neurorehabilitation, qualitative methods, community participation and inclusion and intervention development.
The Setting
This PhD provides a great opportunity to develop expertise in community intervention co-production and qualitative methods. The candidate will join a vibrant community of researchers and clinical academics in the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies within the Faculty of Medicine and Health, UEA. The supervisory team have expertise in community rehabilitation of brain injury, qualitative and mixed methods, systematic reviewing and community engagement approaches, have strong links with statutory and third sector organisations and a passion for these topics.
The candidate will access an excellent programme of training in transferable research skills via the postgraduate research personal development programme. Postgraduate Research students come together for learning and socialising through the University-wide Doctoral College as well as School and topic-specific seminars and events.
Within the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies there are additional opportunities for peer learning from doctoral students and trainees working on psychosocial issues following stroke and brain injury. Placement with a community partner provides an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge and experience working with service users and providers. This underlies the ethos of our research team that the activity of research also involves and fosters development of connections across sectors and disciplines.
The Person
We are seeking a Psychology, Health Sciences or Sociology graduate with a 2:1 or above. Prior experience in qualitative methodologies and an interest in and commitment to social inclusion and addressing health inequality are essential.