Funding

Funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

SHES8210723

Start dates

October 2023

Application deadline

19 May 2023

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in October 2023. 

This PhD studentship provides an opportunity to join an exciting collaborative research team with members from the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science (SHES), the Department of Psychology and the School of Education and Sociology at the University of Portsmouth, as well Community Action Isle of Wight and the Bay Area community on the Isle of Wight. Working as a member of the Individual, Occupational and Organisational Performance Theme based in SHES, the successful candidate will lead the project team in working with youth living in the Bay Area on the Isle of Wight. 

The supervisory team for the project will include Dr Thierry Middleton, Dr Matt Miller-Dicks and Dr Juliette Stebbings, with further mentorship provided by project team academic and community members. 

Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£17,668 for 2022/23). Bursary recipients will also receive a £1,500 p.a. for project costs/consumables.

 

The work on this project aims to:

  • Engage in a community-based participatory action research approach to working with youth to bring about social change related to the way youth engage in sport, exercise and physical activity
  • Examine how empowering youth to lead community development projects can increase a sense of belonging to their community thereby leading to improved mental wellbeing.

A lack of available activity options has been found to be a primary cause for declining activity levels of youth living in the United Kingdom. The Bay Area in the Isle of Wight, has been identified as a ‘left behind area’ in relation to the availability of youth facilities and services. A recently conducted mental health survey also found a higher-than-average proportion of youth living in the area had sought help from a mental health professional. The successful candidate will join a project team engaged in a community-based participatory action research project aimed at bringing about social change through the (re-)development of a sport and leisure space.

Sport, physical activity, and exercise can have a multitude of positive impacts on youths’ physical and psychosocial development. However, participation in sport does not automatically result in positive development. Rather, there are several complex interpersonal and contextual factors that need to be considered to facilitate positive change for youth sport participants. One complicating factor in much sport related research is that youth have often been neglected as participants in research concerned with issues that concern them. 

The successful candidate will lead the process of developing relationships with youth and providing opportunities for them to develop the capacity to contribute to their community through a collaborative form of praxis. One line of inquiry during the capacity-building process will focus on developing a youth-led understanding of how sustained youth engagement in sport, exercise and physical activity may be fostered in the community. The candidate will also develop alternative lines of inquiry in collaboration with youth research partners. While the research approach necessitates flexibility, a potential three-year plan may include:

  • Contextualised and participant-led interview methods 
  • Collaborative forms of data analysis 
  • Unique approaches to (re-)presenting findings in evocative and accessible formats 
  • Critically analysing the role of academic researchers in developing impactful and meaningful local change 

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

 

Experience in qualitative research methodologies, and more specifically participatory research methods, is an advantage, but not a requirement. Experience outside of academia in working with youth, developing relationships with individuals in sport, exercise, and physical activity settings and working with an interdisciplinary team would be strong assets. This opportunity will suit a person who has a strong work ethic, is self-motivated, is a good communicator and is reliable and diligent. The successful candidate will also be humble in their appreciation for the expertise of community members from different walks of life and have a desire to learn and develop the skills needed to become an excellent community-based researcher. The candidate should also be willing to consider living in proximity to the community to enable deep immersion and the building of trusting relationships. Applicants from a range of disciplines including sport and exercise science, (sport and exercise) psychology, (sport and exercise) sociology, sport management and social work are encouraged to apply. 

The candidate will be supported in their work by academic and non-academic research team members. Expertise of these members is highlighted by award-winning work in their respective careers. Support from gatekeepers in the community has also been received, with many eager to contribute when and where possible. The School also boasts a thriving and connected postgraduate research community of over 50 students who are actively involved in the wider research environment of the school, faculty and University. 

 

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Thierry Middleton (thierry.middleton@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our online application form. Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code SHES8210723 when applying.