Ulster University

Ms Louise O’Boyle (Ulster) This presentation will discuss the findings from evidence-based research into the effectiveness of a partnership between Louise O’Boyle (Ulster University) and PIPS Charity North Belfast, over a series of collaborations between 2012-2016. The constituency of North Belfast is an area of multiple disadvantages and has the highest suicide rate in Northern… Continue Reading Promoting community well-being through partnerships and co-production

Dr Nat O’Connor (Ulster) Economic inequality is rising in the developed world and influential research has found major risks to economic growth and population health; including OECD reports, IMF working papers, Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century and the UK’s ‘Marmot Review’. Nobel economist Robert Shiller has called it “The most important problem that we are… Continue Reading Assessing the risks of economic inequality; the impact on societal wellbeing and economic development

Dr Linda McElduff (Ulster) Coastal communities on the island of Ireland face a range of structural and locational challenges, including changing environmental parameters and the risk of specific coastal hazards. Such challenges have clear implications for the planning and regeneration of coastal resorts, as well as integrated coastal management. Some coastal communities are seeking to… Continue Reading Planning for Coastal Community Resilience

Dr Maria Truesdale and Dr Laurence Taggart (Ulster) Health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities (LD) is a critically important issue for primary and secondary healthcare services. Although health inequalities are, to an extent avoidable, it is evident that existing patterns of healthcare provision are insufficient and likely to be in contravention of legal… Continue Reading Diabetes education for adults with learning disabilities: addressing the inequalities

Mrs Ursula Walsh (Ulster) Farming is a very stressful occupation and ranks in the top ten job groups with a high mortality from suicide. This presentation aims to highlight the results of recent research (involving over 90 Northern Ireland farmers) that found that bureaucracy remains a significant cause of stress to farmers. Farmers reported that… Continue Reading Regulation and bureaucracy – a significant source of Farmers’ stress

Prof Joan Ballantine, Dr Graeme Banks, Prof Kathryn Haynes, Dr Melina Manochin and Mr Tony Wall (Ulster) The highly contentious issue of gender equality with regard to executive and non-executive director positions has received considerable attention in the context of the private sector. However, substantially less is known about gender equality issues at the senior… Continue Reading Gender Equality in the Northern Ireland Public Sector – a View from the Top

Prof Mickey Keenan (Ulster) Currently in the USA, 44 States have introduced legislation to ensure that parents have access to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) for the treatment of autism; hundreds of major companies have also made ABA available under their health insurance policies for workers. The supporting evidence to introduce this legislation will be outlined… Continue Reading Evidence and Policy: How to help families of children diagnosed with autism in Northern Ireland

Dr Matt Jennings (Ulster) Work within the arts sector is often precarious, inequitable and underpaid. Yet policy bodies increasingly recognise the social and economic benefits of the creative industries and cultural development. Management research has identified the flexible approach of arts organisations as a model for workplace relations everywhere. Yet the resilience of cultural workers… Continue Reading ‘Quality of Life’: inclusion and resilience in community cultural development

Dr Sharon McClements, Prof Martin Haran and Mr Andrew McErlane (Ulster) Research has established that social infrastructure provision positively influences economic growth and social development, and a review of historical spending in NI indicates an identified need to upgrade and replace social infrastructure. Yet, as the UK Government continues to implement its austerity policies, the… Continue Reading Unlocking Benefits and Opportunities through Social Infrastructure