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School of Social Sciences Supplement Trent University Alumni Association Summer 2011

Welcome Welcome to this special Network supplement for all former students of NTU’s School of Social Sciences. Like the University itself, the School of Sir David Attenborough with Chancellor Sir Michael Parkinson at the opening of Newton and Arkwright Social Sciences has gone from strength to strength in recent years. I first encountered what was then Trent Polytechnic back in 1980 when I Inspirational surroundings enrolled as a student onto the Diploma in Careers Guidance, and I’ve seen many changes since then. As I sit in World famous broadcaster and Britain’s best known our refurbished department in the Chaucer building, overlooking the natural history film maker, Sir David Attenborough, stunning Newton and Arkwright has officially opened Nottingham Trent University’s development, I still have fond memories of studying in York House in Newton and Arkwright buildings. the 80s, and going on to work as a guidance professional before returning to the University as a member of staff Visitors to Nottingham Trent University It has also triumphed against in 1993. over recent years could not fail to notice international competition to receive a Our course portfolio and research the ongoing transformation of our Civic Trust Award for the outstanding activities have expanded tremendously landmark buildings. The Grade II* listed contribution it makes to the quality and since then and you can read about Newton and Arkwright buildings have appearance of the environment, and for some of the developments in this been part of an ambitious regeneration bringing social, cultural and economic magazine. However one thing that has programme to create a vibrant heart for benefits to the local community. In stayed the same is our commitment to the University’s City site. Designed by addition, the scheme received the title of producing well-rounded, successful the internationally renowned Hopkins Project of the Year at the East Midlands graduates who really can make a Architects, the scheme has delivered Centre for Constructing the Built difference to people’s lives. world-class teaching and learning Environment Awards, and helped the I hope this supplement gives you a facilities as well as reinvigorating the University’s Estates and Resources team taste of life in the School today, and Nottingham cityscape. to receive a prestigious nomination for also the opportunity to reminisce Above all, the campus has been the Times Higher Education Leadership about your time here. I also hope that revitalised, creating an inspiring working and Management Awards 2011. it inspires you to keep in touch – we’d environment for students, staff and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Neil love to hear your memories, stories and visitors and a clear entrance to the Gorman, said: “Newton and Arkwright successes and to celebrate our University. are a showpiece for urban renewal and achievements together. Since its completion, the project has include some of the most far-reaching won a number of awards, including a green initiatives any university has ever Best wishes, prestigious national Royal Institute of seen.” Ann Allen (Careers Guidance 1981) British Architects (RIBA) Award 2011. Acting Dean of the School of Social Sciences 5755_S3_Network 2011:Layout 1 19/7/11 14:12 Page 2

network school of social sciences supplement

Health and Social Care student shines in British Margaret’s Council international awards Health and Social Care student Sabrina Bhundoo has picked up a top story accolade in a prestigious competition organised by the British Council by being named as the East Founder of the Nottingham-based Child Midlands Shine Migrants Trust, Margaret Humphreys CBE was International Student of the Year 2011. awarded an honorary degree by NTU in 1996 As part of the competition, international students for her contribution to knowledge of child care, across the country were required to share stories about their extra-curricular achievements, which illustrate social policy and practice. Now her story is the how they are making the most of their time in the UK. Each student was asked to write a personal ‘letter subject of a film – . home’ in English, detailing the out-of-class achievements that help make their time in the UK so rewarding. With some scenes filmed in and one person’s fight to have that Mauritian student Sabrina included information Nottingham, the £3 million film tells story known, and to give those people about her voluntary experience within health and how Margaret uncovered one of the some sense of identity.” social care. She has worked in a residential home, most significant social scandals of Oranges and Sunshine opened at learnt sign language and joined the Nottinghamshire recent times – the deportation of cinemas on 1 April 2011, and is Healthcare Community Befriending Scheme in thousands of children from the UK to available to buy on DVD from 25 July addition to her studies to gain a real insight into the . Almost single-handedly, 2011. caring profession. As one of 12 regional winners she against overwhelming odds and with travelled to London on Wednesday 13 April to have her little regard for her own well-being, extraordinary achievements honoured in a national awards ceremony. Margaret reunited thousands of Sabrina was one of more than 1,200 individuals families, brought authorities to from 118 countries to enter the ninth annual account and drew worldwide International Student Awards. The awards are a major attention to an extraordinary initiative from the British Council that shines the miscarriage of justice. spotlight on international students and their Actress , who plays contributions to life in the UK. Margaret in the film, said: “It’s an Sabrina said of her voluntary work: “I related to amazing story – very powerful and people in the residential homes in which I worked by compelling. It was one of those listening to them actively, showing empathy and things that just felt right from the off. valuing them for what they are. It is the people who I It’s about bearing witness to the support that have made me a winner and I have terrible abuse of innocent children gained a lot of self-esteem and confidence.” that could have gone without notice Emily Watson as Margaret Humphreys Sabrina receives a £1,000 prize for winning the regional award. “I am delighted to have won this competition, I was really not expecting to do this well but thought I would give it a go,” said Sabrina. Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, said the letters home written by the entrants were both poignant and inspiring. He said: “The students have immersed themselves in life in the UK and are making a huge contribution not just to their campuses but to the wider community. The British Council is delighted to recognise their considerable achievements.”

“I witnessed how service users felt important when they were listened to, shown respect and treated with dignity. They grew in self-esteem and their faces lit up with smiles.” Sabrina Bhundoo Actors and Emily Watson star in the film

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Exploring religion, youth and sexuality

For the first time, researchers have carried out a detailed study around sexuality and religion and how these issues affect and influence the lives of British 18-25 year olds.

Experts, including Dr Michael Keenan from examined young people’s experiences of sexualities however they wished, while Nottingham Trent University’s School of living in British society and how they others believed sexual expression should be Social Sciences and Dr Andrew Kam-Tuck understood and managed their gender limited to marriage or a committed Yip and Dr Sarah-Jane Page from the School identity in relation to their religious faith. relationship. Despite the diversity in of Sociology and Social Policy at The The research shows that nearly a third of opinion, most salient was the support , spent two years young people think celibacy is fulfilling, expressed across the board for investigating the attitudes, values and while nearly two thirds are committed to monogamous relationships by 83.2% of experiences of sex and religion among treating heterosexuality and homosexuality the sample. young adults. on equal terms. Meanwhile lesbian, gay, Their experiences in connecting their The project “Religion, Youth and bisexual and transgendered participants religious faith and sexuality were diverse. Sexuality: a Multi-faith Exploration” received reveal that there are psychological and Some had experienced tension and conflict. funding of nearly £250,000 from the Arts social costs to living their everyday lives, Others were able to deal with any conflict and Humanities Research Council and the particularly within religious communities. by compartmentalising faith and sexuality. Economic and Social Research Council. It Dr Yip said: “The aim is to document and While there were also participants who had involved nearly 700 young people from six disseminate the voices of religious young found a way of accommodating both. different religious traditions (Buddhism, adults - exploring how they understand their NTU’s Dr Keenan said: “The majority of the Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism sexuality and religious faith, and the religious young adults felt their religion was and Sikhism), as well as young adults of significant factors that inform such a positive force in their lives, and many felt mixed-faith. It highlighted the challenges understandings, as well as the strategies that their faith was the most important they face in reconciling their sexuality and they have developed to manage their influence on their sexual values and their religion, and the concerns they have sexual, religious, youth and gender practices. The study also shows that the about the stigmatisation of religion and the identities.” negotiation of religion and sexuality can be increasingly sexualised culture in British More than half the participants (65.1%) difficult and that there is a real diversity of society today. were involved in a religious community and experience among young religious adults. Participants were asked about their just over half (56.7%) attended a public We hope the research findings will lead to sexual and religious values, attitudes, religious gathering at least once a week. greater discussion of these important issues experiences and identities. The researchers Most thought that the expression of and stimulate dialogue between religions looked at their family background, social one’s sexuality was desirable but opinions and between religious and secular and cultural expectations, and participation varied with some believing that consenting organisations.” in religious communities. They also adults should be able to express their

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network school of social sciences supplement But will they vote? Researchers analyse young people’s engagement with politics

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Professor Matt Henn and Nick Foard from the University’s Business, Law and Social Science Graduate School are currently undertaking a major study into young people’s engagement with politics. They explain the background to their research here:

Over the past decade, there has been Since that research study, democratic Council, and the results will be reported back growing anxiety within government circles engagement has remained sluggish. Young to political parties and key citizenship that people in Britain are becoming people in Britain are even less likely to organisations and agencies. We will explore increasingly disengaged from the formal participate in elections, and only 44% voted the extent to which young people’s political political process. This concern has come to at last summer’s contest. Those young outlooks are shaped by factors such as the fore largely as a consequence of the people that did vote, however, seemed to be gender, social class, education, ethnicity and recent decline in voter participation rates. attracted to the promise of something new. the degree of party competition in For instance, at the landmark General Throughout the election campaign, Nick constituencies. We will also assess young Election of 2001 only 59% of the eligible Clegg talked of a ‘new politics’ and the need people’s political disengagement over time, electorate voted – which was in stark for ending the traditional, two-party system by comparing the results to the 2002 contrast with previous elections where which he and others claimed was outmoded previous study. turnout was significantly higher (71% in and out of touch with the aspirations of the Young people’s disengagement with 1997, 78% in 1992, and 75% in 1987). public. It is perhaps no surprise then, that politics is still a major problem despite A year on from the 2001 General Election, analysis of the British Election Study attempts by recent governments to address we conducted a national research study of post-campaign survey reveals that the the issue. We do know that many young over 700 young people that considered their Liberal Democrats attracted the largest people are very serious about democracy engagement with the political system. A proportion of votes from 18-24 year olds and voting but choose not to vote because detailed analysis of the data from this study – a group that was disenchanted with the they are concerned about the way in which indicated a general sense of unease with the two main parties. Come election night politics is being run. Finding ways of conduct of the political classes based in however, many of these Lib Dem votes did encouraging young people to engage with Westminster. not translate into seats in Parliament. politics isn’t just about making it easier to Although British youth expressed an Instead, the emergence of the coalition vote, it’s about changing political culture interest in a range of political issues and had government has arguably led to too; we need a concerted effort by parties a desire to play a more active role within the compromise on those very areas (such as and politicians, not just in the run up to an political system, they also found ‘politics’ to education) which affect young people most. election, but beyond. be remote and inaccessible – and regarded We are now conducting another national Professor Matt Henn and Nick Ford also politicians and the main political parties to study to try and understand why so many supervise MPhil / PhDs in the Graduate be a group with self-serving interests, in young people choose not to vote. This School. Visit www.ntu.ac.uk/research to whom young people had little faith or trust. project has received £96,000 of funding find out more about the opportunities from the Economic and Social Research available.

It’s an exciting time for politics at NTU. If you’re interested in this story you can browse lecturer Dr Matt Ashton’s media politics blog at http://drmatthewashton.com or take a look at our voting reform blog that includes articles written by academics from across the division in the run up to the national referendum. View the blog at http://ntureferendum.wordpress.com. You can also find out about our new MA Politics on page 8.

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New crime programme to target repeat youth offenders

A new youth justice programme which aims to reduce the number of young people re-offending in Derby has been developed with NTU’s help.

The development of the Acquisitive Crime suitable youth justice initiatives were sought sentence, and are believed to pose a threat Programme – which will be introduced by by the Derby Community Safety of serious emotional or physical harm to courts later this year – was headed by David Partnership. either themselves or others. Ellicott, a senior lecturer in youth justice and It will be offered during sentencing as “Currently many court orders involve youth studies with more than 20 years’ part of a youth rehabilitation order, and it intensive surveillance and supervision such experience within criminal justice as a will be a requirement to attend and as tagging or curfews, whereas this is a practitioner, probation officer and manager. complete all the sessions, which will be led cognitive programme which, while It builds on an already well-established by youth offending service workers. The complementing that, will seek to promote a resource, The Jigsaw Programme, which sessions will be interactive and aim to get to positive change in attitudes towards was previously written by youth justice the root of why an individual is offending, offending and behaviour. We believe this professionals and employed across a as well as providing them with the additional measure will significantly help to number of UK youth offending teams. knowledge and necessary skills to help address the government’s aim of reducing The programme, for 15-17 year olds, has them to make better decisions and prevent the number of young people in custody.” been developed for the Derby Youth re-offending. Suanne Lim, Head of Derby Youth Offending Service and is designed to The programme will address issues such Offending Service, said: “The Acquisitive address trends in Derby city relating as moral reasoning, interaction skills, self- Crime Programme effectively targets some specifically to domestic burglary, personal management, self-esteem, victim empathy, of the most prevalent aspects of youth and business robbery and vehicle crime. patterns and consequences, values, beliefs crime in Derby city. It has already been The reduction of such crimes is a key and relapse prevention. requested as a programme requirement in element of the government’s public service NTU’s David Ellicott said: “The many youth rehabilitation orders and we agreement regarding making communities programme will target those offenders who hope it goes from strength to strength.” safer, and the new programme comes as are at most risk of receiving a custodial

Working towards a sustainable future

Nottingham Trent University is committed transport psychology, to public health and to the promotion of environmental sustainability. awareness and sustainability through Members of staff have also been involved education, and researchers in the School of in other valuable projects to help the Social Sciences are helping the University to University and wider community achieve a deliver this. more sustainable future. These have More and more people in the United included research into the provision of Kingdom have a sedentary lifestyle that environment related support for small and could be damaging their health. To try and medium enterprises, an analysis of the combat this, a team of researchers from the notion of “big society” and food and land School of Social Sciences are undertaking an share projects, and the provision of innovative study into how to encourage sustainable food here at NTU. active travelling habits among staff and The University is also home to the Future students. The investigation will focus Factory – a project that offers small to attention on levels of active travel, as well as medium sized companies (SMEs) in the East looking at the potential for being more Midlands a fantastic opportunity to draw on physically active when travelling between the expertise they need to develop more home and campus. efficient and sustainable ways of doing The team of researchers, including Sian business. If you work in the East Midlands Buckley, Richard Howarth, Hugh Miller, and want to find out how they can help your Professor Jean Underwood and Glenn organisation visit Williams, will be applying their knowledge www.ntu.ac.uk/futurefactory for more and expertise from a variety of disciplines information. ranging from community psychology and

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Newopportunities

The School of Social Sciences has launched a number of exciting new courses over the past year and if you’re considering advancing your skills there are a number of options to choose from.

Leading the way are our new Masters All three of these courses provide Similarly our suite of professional courses in Sociology, Criminology and the skills required for a variety of roles courses in Risk Management have Politics. These build upon the varied in the public services, policy or research helped to maintain our well-respected research strengths of our staff and and there is the opportunity to apply reputation in the industry. These allow you to critically explore the for a Masters Scholarship worth up to innovative and flexible courses allow contemporary issues and debates. £2,000. Visit www.ntu.ac.uk/s3 you to build up your qualifications at a Our MA Sociology develops postgraduate to find out more. pace you control. They are delivered students’ understanding of a range of The School has a long tradition of via distance-learning with optional global issues and explores the debates delivering excellent guidance attendance days every five weeks for surrounding social inequalities, social education and we have utilised our those who want to incorporate division, the environment, and social expertise to provide the BA (Hons) face-to-face learning. Alternatively you impact. The MA Criminology has a Youth and Professional Career can choose to study individual specially designed Policy pathway that Guidance. This unique course enables modules for CPD purposes. Visit will be pertinent to those seeking a students to gain an honours degree in www.ntu.ac.uk/riskmanagement for related career in the Home Office, Youth Studies and a professional all the options available. government or crime reduction qualification in careers guidance in just partnerships and specialist units in the three years. This also means students Division conduct high-quality applied benefit from a significant financial criminological research. Finally the MA saving in relation to studying the two Politics spans political science, political qualifications separately. theory, comparative European, and global environmental politics to deliver a lively, informed and analytical programme.

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Stay connected

Our exclusive Online Community of over 12,000 alumni members – at www.ntualumni.org.uk – continues to provide visitors with news and nostalgia.

Members now use the Online Community to access a range of benefits and services, join discussion forums and view the nostalgia photo galleries. We also encourage you to update your details online so that we can keep in touch with the latest news from your University and your fellow alumni. Also, if we know where you are, then we can track you down if any of your friends are planning a special get-together. If you update your details online before 31 August 2011 you will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win £50 in Amazon vouchers. Through the Online Community you can also search for your Benefits for you! ‘old’ university friends and help us regain contact with alumni we As a valued member of our 95,000-strong alumni community, have lost touch with. don’t forget to check out the exciting range of exclusive benefits New members can join at www.ntualumni.org.uk – just select ‘Log in / Register’, click on ‘Register as a new user’ and complete on offer to you. the form. There are plenty of benefits, services and discounts available. Remember you can also join us on Facebook, LinkedIn and For example, cottages4you offer NTU alumni 10% off a superb Twitter too! collection of holiday properties scattered throughout the most desirable spots of the UK, Ireland, France and Italy. Visit www.ntualumni.org.uk/netcommunity/cottages for more information. Support your University Meanwhile, discounts on some of Nottinghamshire’s favourite attractions can be obtained by presenting your Venture Card. Your There are many ways you can support your University: volunteering Venture Card also entitles you to 10% off products at Blackwell to be an online careers mentor, offering to take current students on (both in store and online at www.blackwell.co.uk/ntualumni) work placements at your company, helping out at NTU Open Days, and 15% off your final bill at Nottingham’s Chino Latino or making a donation to one of our priority projects. restaurant. Cards are available to alumni on request – just email The continued support of our alumni and friends is valued and [email protected]. ensures that we provide the best opportunities for our current and future students, to give them the knowledge, skills and experience For a full run-down of the benefits and services you can enjoy visit to shape lives and society. www.ntualumni.org.uk/netcommunity/benefits. However you would like to become involved we would love to hear from you. Please contact the Development and Alumni Relations Team on [email protected] or call +44 (0)115 848 8777 to discuss how you can support your University.

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