Research Associate - Liverpool, United Kingdom - Liverpool John Moores University

Liverpool John Moores University

Verified Company

Liverpool, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

We are recruiting for an exceptional individual to join us as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate to work with Dr.

Darren Chadwick to undertake a multi-site research project, IncludeAge, situated broadly within the research area of inclusive and age-friendly places to support the virtual and geographical community inclusion under-researched and under-served older groups in society.

The project is led by the University of Dundee by Professor Judith Sixsmith and Dr Mei Fang (co-leads).

Project Overview

Many older people experience exclusion from the communities they live in.

The World Health Organisation has recognised this through their Age Friendly Cities and Communities programme, which encourages the development of different spaces and places to improve older peoples' inclusion in their communities and cities.

Historically and politically people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and people who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans + (LGBT+) have been socially excluded from their communities throughout their lives; when people with IDD were housed in institutions and homosexuality was seen as an illness or criminalised.

These life experiences put older people from these two groups at greater risk of inequality, discrimination and exclusion in community contexts.

Using online technology has also been difficult for older people, particularly for people who already experience exclusion such as those with IDD and those identifying as LGBT+.

So far, very little research has been done with these two groups to hear their experiences of local and online community inclusion and exclusion and to better understand how community inclusion can be strengthened in England and Scotland.

This study aims to develop knowledge of the community spaces and places (local and virtual) that people with IDD and LGBT+ use in their everyday lives.

The main research questions examine how older people with IDD and LGBT+ describe and experience inclusion and exclusion and what these mean to them.

We will explore how local and online community places can be improved to reduce social inequalities.

Finally, the research will look at how these new ideas might be used to shape government policy and organisational practices.

The research is organised in five related work packages, jointly led by university researchers and practitioners in third sector and community organisations.

All stages of the research will be guided by people with lived experience in IDD and LGBT+ in advisory groups.

People with IDD and LGBT+ lived experience will work as trained co-researchers on the project.

We will use a variety of verbal, visual and geographical methods to access marginalised voices in appropriate ways and enable diverse people's views to emerge.

Role Purpose

LJMU are committed to adhering to the Principles set out in the Researcher Development Concordat; in line with this all fixed-term researchers will be supported to complete 10 days professional development activities per year (pro-rata).