This year we showcased the positive ways that our social sciences researchers are changing the lives of vulnerable and harder-to-reach groups with work that empowers them as individuals, that reduces barriers to their participation in society, or that highlights the challenges they face.
Through collaboration with a wide range of charities, policy makers, NGOs, businesses, and social enterprises, these innovative projects directly benefit communities in Plymouth and the South West, with many also influencing policy and practice nationally and internationally.
The public was invited to join us to talk to our researchers about their projects and to discover how they could get involved.
The evening was introduced by Professor Jerry Roberts, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, with an opening talk from Andy Phippen, Professor of Social Responsibility in IT, and lawyer Asha Beswetherick, a Senior Associate of Enable Law.
Andy and Asha talked about their work in developing knowledge among both litigators and care teams about the digital rights of people with learning difficulties and mental capacity issues and how this relates to Court of Protection rulings. The talk explored this from both a social and legal perspective highlighting how it is important to ensure safeguarding doesn’t become an excuse for the erosion of human rights and an excuse for excessive control and monitoring.
Afterwards there was an opportunity to chat to our researchers, network, and explore our exhibition featuring of a wide range of academic and student projects from across our Social Sciences, including:
- Prisoner lifestories through Dartington-based ‘Landworks’
- Experiences of employment for those with mental health issues
- How criminal justice responds to violent women
- Trans-communities lived experiences of harm
- Improving the health and wellbeing of those with combat PTSD
- Migrant agricultural workers in the South West
- Empowering harder-to-reach groups through food
- Providing young adults with a non-formal training route to employment
- The impact of family support agencies on so-called 'troubled families'
- Understanding how large organisations manage sexual harassment claims
- Addressing health inequalities for people from traditionally marginalised groups, including the homeless, substance users, and those who have had contact with the criminal justice system
- Gypsy, Traveller and Roma experiences of planning and policing, and their experience of hate crime
- Disadvantage and deprivation in English seaside towns
- Multidisciplinary health care teams in action
- Nancy Astor’s relevance to Plymouth today
- The award winning Plymouth Law Clinic
- HIV digital activism.
