Research Fellow in Community Wellbeing

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a highly motivated and compassionate research associate to join our team. The research associate will support the delivery of a project aiming to develop the care system to include arts-based approaches in the support of people who experience homelessness (PEH). Specifically, the post will focus on the delivery of three work packages focusing on 1) developing the integration of arts based activities and organisations within the care system for PEH and evaluation of an online directory of services; 2) support the development of creative initiatives to challenge homelessness stigma and 3) Work with decision makers in the North East North Cumbria to ensure that services work together to prevent and tackle homelessness. 

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will support the Principal Investigators in delivery of research activity on the project titled: Making Every Community Asset Count: Improving Health and reducing inequalities for people experiencing homelessness

The role is a fixed term contract for a duration of 36 months, ending 31st March 2027.

The role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 therefore the successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Homelessness, meaning people without a secure and stable place to live (including those in shelters, hostels, and temporary or unsuitable accommodation), is often the result of severe and multiple disadvantage, meaning people with experience of homelessness (PEH) have faced sustained periods of difficulty which are both a cause and a result of poverty, poor health, and inequality (NICE, 2022). To overcome homelessness, we need to make sure people have equal access to housing, healthcare, education, employment, and opportunities to grow, develop skills, and live healthy and fulfilling lives. Many health and social care providers, public services, and community-based organisations are committed to improving health and reducing health inequalities, yet despite their efforts homeless people often find themselves unable to access and engage with services that might be able to help them. Creative health approaches (art, crafting, cooking, gardening, sports, singing, reading, writing and more) recognise people as complex and multifaceted, with spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical needs. However, despite evidence showing the positive impact of creative initiatives, these assets have not typically been meaningfully included in the wider care system.

This project aims to grow the care system, so it includes creative health approaches and learns to support people better. It will be led by people with experience of homelessness, and using participatory methods, will be organised in five work packages to: 

1. Understand the impact of trauma on people’s experiences, their homelessness, and how they have been enabled to access support; 
2. Understand what creative approaches work, how and for whom;  
3. Develop a network of care services, to include creative health approaches, and encourage them and people who have been homeless, to learn from each other; 
4. Use creative approaches to challenge stigma around homelessness; 
5. Work with decision makers in the North East North Cumbria to ensure that services work together to prevent and tackle homelessness. 

In addition to shaping policy and practice, findings will be shared using creative methods to amplify the voices of those experiencing homelessness and celebrate the strengths of individual and community assets.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The research project will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team bringing together researchers from Northumbria University and Newcastle University, practitioners from statutory and voluntary services, decision makers, and Experts by Experience from across the North East and North Cumbria area.   

ABOUT YOU

Applicants should hold a PhD in a relevant discipline, such as Public health, Psychology, Sociology. Knowledge of the contemporary debates and challenges relating to creative health initiatives and multiple and complex needs is essential. Evidence of publication is required. 

Further information about the requirements of the role is available in the person specification.   

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact christina.a.cooper@northumbria.ac.uk 

To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now'.  Your application should include a covering letter and a CV.  

We welcome applications from the UK and across the world. Visit our web pages for details about Relocation Assistance.  

ABOUT US

At Northumbria, we embrace tomorrow. We pursue new thinking, forge new partnerships, create, and exchange new knowledge, and find new solutions. Our inspirational academics, partners and students work together to tackle tomorrow’s challenges head on. We are ready for the future whatever it may hold. 

Awarded the title of University of the Year in the 2022 Times Higher Education Awards, Northumbria University is a research-intensive modern university with a global reputation for academic excellence. 

Northumbria recorded the biggest rise of any UK university for research power in the Research Excellence Framework for the second time in 2021 and is now ranked top 25 for this measure. 

One of the largest universities in the UK with over 37,000 students from 137 countries, filled with world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and students at the heart of an outstanding experience, Northumbria is a new kind of excellent university. Discover more about us.  

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Our Behaviours were co-created by colleagues from a range of roles across the University, who worked collaboratively to consider what it feels like to work for Northumbria, and where we need to continue to transform together to achieve what’s important to us. 

Please visit Our Values and Behaviours page to find out more.

We are an on-campus organisation where colleagues work regular patterns of hours and on campus, with some flexibility on the timing of their hours and the location of their work in discussion with their manager. Our campus locations include City Campus Newcastle and Coach Lane Campus Newcastle.

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our staff.  We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community.  The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme.  We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers.  

The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.

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