Funded Child Youth Adult Projects

• The Professional Student Programme for Educational Resilience, (2017 - 2019); Funded by the Irish Research Council. In this research-practice partnership, UCD School of Education researchers are collaborating with two DEIS post-primary schools and subject specialist teachers to embed psychosocial competencies training into the English and SPHE school curricula. Through the mediums of these subjects, students will learn how to better manage the organisational, academic and social demands of secondary schooling and stay engaged in learning. The programme is being evaluated using a rigorous quasi-experimental design. (Contact Dr Jennifer Symonds jennifer.symonds@ucd.ie, and Dr Benjamin Torsney, benjamin.torsney@ucd.ie).

• Level Up: Enhancing socially disadvantaged young people’s career, college and work readiness through a school-based training programme, (2017 - 2018); Funded by University College Dublin. This project assesses the feasibility of implementing a career and college readiness training programme with Transition Year students (age 15 - 16) in one DEIS post-primary school. The training programme is written by occupational and developmental psychologists as well as experts in creative pedagogies, and was originally used with unemployed young adults in Dublin city. (Contact Dr Jennifer Symonds jennifer.symonds@ucd.ie, and Dr Benjamin Torsney, benjamin.torsney@ucd.ie).

• Dublin – a child friendly city? An interdisciplinary study of children and young peoples agency in, and lived experience of, the urban environment, 1997- 2017 (2017 - 2019); Funded by Irish Research Council. This interdisciplinary study draws on the fields of children’s rights, sociologies of childhood, geography and urban studies. It explores the experience of Dublin as a Child Friendly City during a period of intensive boom and bust (from 1997 – 2017).  It traces how this rapidly changing economic and policy landscape impacted on children and young people in terms of their engagement with the urban environment. Professor Dympna Devine, UCD School of Education and Associate Professor Niamh Moore-Cherry, UCD School of Geography. Contact Cliodhna.martin@ucdconnect.ie

• So How Was School Today? (2017); Funded by Dept of Children and Youth Affairs. This study is the first national level study of the perspectives of young people of of teaching and learning in secondary schools.  The survey accessed young people through Comhairle Na NOg with a sample of over 3,000 respondents.  Please contact Professor Dympna Devine (dympna.devine@ucd.ie) for further details.

• Quality of Life and Well-Being of children with Cystinosis across Family, Community and School, Cystinosis  Ireland, (2017); Commission review of research in relation to children with Cystinosis and related studies of children with chronic illness.  

• Valuing the Past, Sustaining the Future  (A international comparative study of Education, Knowledge and Identity in coastal communities), 2016–2020; Funded by the Norwegian Research Council. This project addresses education, knowledge and identity formation among girls and boys across three generations (as perceived by youth, parents and grandparents) of diverse ethnic backgrounds in coastal communities in five countries. The overall aim is to provide a deeper knowledge base about the shifting and dynamic interplay between education (non-formal and formal), society and working life, bridging past-present-future in cross-national contex (contact Professor Dympna Devine: dympna.devine@ucd.ie)

• A cluster-randomised controlled trial and process evaluation of Zippy’s Friends, 2016 - 2018; Funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (England). This project evaluates the impact of a school-based, social and emotional learning programme, designed to be delivered by the class teacher on a weekly basis throughout the course of a school year, on academic, social and emotional outcomes for 6-7 year olds in England. Trial registration: ISRCTN82558815 (contact Dr Seaneen Sloan, seaneen.sloan@ucd.ie)

• Philosophy Ireland (A national network of researchers and teachers concerned with the advancement of Philosophy at all levels of Irish society); 2015 – 2017; Funded by the Educational Studies Association of Ireland. The ambition of Philosophy Ireland is to raise awareness about the educational significance of Philosophy, both as an evolving history of ideas and as a mode of thoughtful and creative inquiry. Among a number of initiatives in the Irish context, the network is interested in researching the pedagogical mode of “P4C” (Philosophy for Children), which foregrounds children’s voice and creative participation in the classroom space. The official launch of Philosophy Ireland takes place on August 27th at the City Assembly House, 58 South William Street, Dublin 2. More info at our website, philosophyireland.ie. Contact Áine Mahon (aine.mahon@ucd.ie)

• PROMQUE (Promoting  Equity and Equality in schools); 2014–2017; Funded by the EU Commission. This is a three-year study examining the impact of positive interventions in working with teachers and school leaders in DEIS schools. A key focus is examining school cultures for change, supporting school teams  through the process of reflection and change and evaluating overall impact in terms of both quality of teaching and learning outcomes.  (contact: Professor Dympna Devine: dympna.devine@ucd.ie; Dr Declan Fahie: declan.fahie@ucd.ie; Dr Catherine Merrigan : catherine.merrigan@ucd.ie) 

• PEER (Participation, Experience and Empowerment of Roma Children and Youth; 2014–2016; Funded by the EU Commission. This is a comparative study of Roma and Traveller children in seven European countries, building capacity toward real and meaningful change in their lives.  It does so through drawing on participatory action inquiry, and working directly with the young people on areas of concern within their communities. The Irish team is currently working with four groups of Traveller children across two communities. (contact: Professor Dympna Devine: dympna.devine@ucd.ie;  Cliodhna Martin (cliodhna.martin@ucdconnect.ie)

• Comhairle Na nOg – a study of the process, methodology and work of the National Executive of the Children’s Youth Parliament ; 2014–2016; Funded by the Dept of Children and Youth Affairs. A two year study tracing the work of these young people as they develop an action plan in relation to the promotion of mental health awareness among young people in Ireland. (Professor Dympna Devine: dympna.devine@ucd.ie;  and Dr Deirdre McGillicuddy: deirdre.mcgillicuddy@ucdconnect.ie)

• Children’s Citizenship across family, community, home and school; 2012–2017; Funded by the Irish Research Council. This study explores dimensions and experiences of citizenship in the lives of 9 and 13 year olds in Ireland.  It draws on national level data through the Growing Up in Ireland study coupled with intensive case study analysis of practice in 6 schools at primary and secondary level across Ireland. (Contact: Professor Dympna Devine: dympna.devine@ucd.ie;  and Ms Fiona O’Shea: Fiona.oshea@ucdconnect.ie)

• The Impact of (Hetero)Normative Organisational Cultures & Systems on the Experiences of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Teachers in Irish Primary Schools, 2012-2014; Funded by The Irish Research Council (IRC). This research explores how the overwhelmingly denominational systems and structures which operate in Irish education impact upon the experiences of LGB teachers as they negotiate their personal, professional and sexual identities. (contact Dr Declan Fahie: declan.fahie@ucd.ie)

• Migrant children in Education (on-going); Funded by the Irish Research Council; Fulbright Commission; Department of Children and Youth Affairs; EU Commission. Research exploring the changing ethnic and demographic profile in schools in Ireland over the past fifteen years.  A core focus has been identifying policies and practices in schools in newly multi-ethnic contexts and the challenges as well as opportunities that arise from rapid social and cultural change. A specialist focus has been exploring these issues through the lens of children’s voices, highlighting dynamics of inclusion/exclusion, power and in/equalities as migrant children traverse between home/community and school.   This research has explored how teaching and leadership practices evolve in newly multi-ethnic contexts and the wider impact of increasing ethnic diversity in a predominantly faith (Catholic) based state-funded education system (contact Professor Dympna Devine: dympna.devine@ucd.ie)