Full-time PhD studentship available hosted by Lancaster University, via the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC). NIHR ARC NWC is one of 15 regional ARCS funded by the NIHR to bring together those needed to support research to improve health and care. Our vision is to address the considerable health inequalities across our region through the collaborative production and implementation of high-quality applied health research in our five themes. Research supported by the ARC NWC must be relevant to the needs of the diverse communities served by the NIHR ARC NWC and its local health and care system, and be generalisable across health and care nationally, as well as within the local health and care system where it is conducted. Our Doctoral Fellows are distributed across the themes and universities and are a crucial part of our Academic Career Development Strategy.
The studentships will be hosted within the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University. The Faculty's strategic aim is to produce excellent research that is both interdisciplinary and translational, having practical applications for human and societal benefit. We work within and across a number of research groups, with our PhD students as important members of those groups.
Project Outline
There is increased evidence that inequalities among adolescents are being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, posing particular risks to mental health and wellbeing. While the reasons are multifaceted, one pathway concerns the amount of control that young people have individually or collectively over decisions affecting their lives, with those experiencing most social disadvantage at greatest risk of disempowerment.
Adolescents occupy a liminal space between childhood and adulthood; a space characterised by a wide range of social and individual change, a space within which they are positioned as both vulnerable and as a threat to themselves and the communities which surround them. Attempts to encourage participation in decision making have tended to treat adolescents as proto-adults, expecting them to engage in structures and processes that privilege adult experience and know-how. At the same time their scope of interest and expertise is restricted to issues that are seen to directly relate to their social position as young people rather than as full members of communities and social systems. Research to date on young people’s participation has tended to focus on participation in formalised policy led structures (e.g., youth parliaments) or settings specific to young people (e.g., schools). Much less is known about how adolescents can be empowered to participate in community action such as grassroots organising by communities of interest or place.
Using participatory action research methodology this research will build on the expertise, capacity and insights of adolescents to explore more equitable processes of involvement and engagement. It will pay attention to the ways this can contribute to empowerment and participation of adolescents within the context of efforts to improve determinants of mental health and wellbeing.
The overall aim is to understand the processes, experiences and impacts of young people’s participation in community action in efforts to improve place-based determinants of mental health and wellbeing (e.g., neighbourhood conditions and environments).
The objectives are:
(1) To facilitate and evaluate the processes of participatory action research and change, including the power dynamics operating within these processes (e.g., between young people and other members of the community) and the experiences of young people involved.
(2) To assess the benefits of using participatory action research methods in enabling young people to influence social change.
(3) To produce academic and practical outputs (e.g., guidance for local health and care systems) on more inclusive approaches to involving young people in decision making and change.
Potential applicants must:
· consult the HIAT www.hiat.org.uk and demonstrate consideration of the toolkit in their research proposal
· discuss their research proposal with the appropriate Primary Supervisor prior to application
Applicants should have (or expect to have been formally awarded by 31st August 2021) at least a UK Bachelor honours degree at second class (upper division) level (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline.
Applicants must have completed and been awarded any current course of study by the proposed start date (1st September 2021) otherwise they will not be shortlisted.
Applicants require an English Language level of UKVI IELTS 6.5 (no sub-score less than 6.0) or acceptable equivalent qualification.
Further information
Applications should be made by email to Dr Mark Limmer quoting the studentship reference number ARC/0921/05. You must include:
CV (maximum 2 sides including details of two academic referees),
cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest in the studentship (maximum 2 sides) and
a document outlining your ideas for developing an aspect of the project you are interested in (up to 500 words (excluding references) explaining how you would develop the outline project plan contained within the studentship information. We do not expect a full project proposal, but would like to see you expanding on an element of the project to outline your ideas on how this could be achieved. We want to see an emerging understanding of relevant underpinning theory and empirical literature in this writing (referenced using APA style), and will be assessing this with reference to your understanding of the topic area and your ability to write succinctly, accurately yet persuasively).
Applicants MUST ALSO state the title of the project they are applying. Applications received without this information will not be considered.
Closing Date: 27 06 2021
Fixed Interview Date: 20 07 2021
CURRENT UNIVERSITY OF LANCASTER RESEARCH STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE RESEARCH STUDENTSHIPS