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Social Justice

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Social Justice

Newcastle is committed to social justice in all that we do. We are dedicated to working together to create a fairer and more just society.

Social justice is about the distribution of society's benefits and burdens. Social justice is about addressing the unfair outcomes that result from the coming together of social inequalities and institutions.

Children, youth and lifecourse

We promote social justice in our focus on the inequalities and injustices negotiated by children and young people.

Poverty, welfare and social class

Our commitment to social justice includes drawing attention to issues of poverty, welfare inequalities and socio-economic marginalisation.

Race, religion and migration

Our work about race, religion and migration promotes social justice. This includes challenging inequalities in the asylum process.

Gender, sexuality and relationships

We are dedicated to exploring diverse genders and sexualities. We press for social justice when it comes to gender equality and LGBT+ rights.

Health, well-being and care

We underpin our focus on health, well-being and care with the promotion of social justice. We tackle health inequalities across people's lifecourses.

Education, work and employment

We explore how to advance social justice through diverse forms of education and in access to, and experiences of, work.

Housing, neighbourhood and region

We are committed to demonstrating the consequences of housing inequalities. Our work also promotes place-based (territorial) justice.

Peace, reconciliation and human rights

We are devoted to promoting human rights and peace. This includes opportunities for reconciliation as advanced by Dr Martin Luther King.

Climate, nature and built environment

We are dedicated to environmental and climate justice. We explore ways to promote social justice through our work about the natural world and built environment.

We are clear that Newcastle University exists to benefit society through our education and research. Crucially, social justice is a core value, which runs through everything we do.

Jane Robinson, PVC Engagement and Place
Social Justice Advisory Group

The Social Justice Advisory Group steers the University’s strategy in addressing social and environmental justice issues. Membership of the Advisory Group includes representatives from the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and local authorities, as well as academic and professional services staff and students.

Newcastle University is looking to appoint a co-chair of the advisory group from the North East’s VCSE Sector. To be considered for the role, please read the following guidance on how to apply.

Co-chairs

  • VCSE Co-chair – Michele Deans (Operations Director at Children North East)
  • Academic Co-chair - Professor Liz Todd (Professor of Educational Inclusion in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences)

External members

  • Busola Afolabi (Success For All)
  • Paul Court (Healthworks)
  • Barbara Douglas (Elders Council of Newcastle)
  • Thomas Elwick (Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums)
  • Karen Froggatt (Glendale Gateway Trust)
  • Arianne Graven (Citizens Advice Gateshead)
  • Anne Iqbal (Angelou Centre)
  • Debra Lagun (Connected Voice)
  • Luke Myer (IPPR North)
  • Vici Richardson (Disability North)
  • Claire Rodgerson (Tyne and Wear Citizens)
  • Elaine Slater (Tyneside Women’s Health)
  • Sam Turner (Kinship)
  • Selina Turner (Horden Youth & Community Centre)

Professional services staff members

  • Bob Allan (Engagement Support Co-ordinator, External Relations)
  • Amanda Bailey (Director, North East Child Poverty Commission)
  • Katie Blundell (Students Union Volunteering Manager, Newcastle University Students Union)
  • Paul Britton (Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion, People Services)
  • Rachel Brown (Senior Bid Development Manager, Strategic Partnerships)
  • Jonny Gray (Business Development Manager, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Andrea Henderson (Engagement Manager, External Relations)
  • Fiona McCusker (Business Development Manager, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Thomas McDaniel (Research and Impact Facilitator, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering)
  • Umbereen Moir (Public Lectures and Events Manager, Corporate Affairs)
  • Rachel Lennon (Strategic Cultural Partnerships Manager, Business Development and Enterprise)
  • Katy Smith (Sustainability Officer, Estate Support Service)
  • Bridget Stratford (North East Solidarity and Teaching N.E.S.T., Newcastle University Students Union)
  • Eris Williams-Reed (Research Impact Officer, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences)

Student representatives

  • Sami Ahmed (BAME Officer, NUSU)
  • Brett Cherry (PhD Student)
  • Aleena Ikran (Welfare and Equality Officer, NUSU)
  • Sam Robson (PhD Student)

Academic staff members

  • Dr Alison Atkinson-Phillips (Research Associate in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology)
  • Dr David Baines (Senior Lecturer in the School of Arts and Cultures)
  • Dr Matej Blazek (Senior Lecturer in Human Geography in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology)
  • Dr Clara Crivellaro (Senior Research Fellow in the School of Computing)
  • Dr Jenny Davidson (Senior Lecturer in Leader Development and Organisation Futures)
  • Dr Julia Heslop (Postdoctoral Fellow in Architecture, in the School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape)
  • Dr Karen Laing (Senior Research Associate in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences)
  • Dr Karenza Moore (Lecturer in Sociology of Crime in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology)
  • Dr Michael Richardson (Lecturer Human Geography in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology)
  • Danielle Robinson (Research Assistant in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences)
  • Professor Alison Stenning (Professor of Social and Economic Geography in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology)
  • Lucy Tiplady (Research Associate in the Centre for Learning and Teaching)
  • Dr Luisa Wakeling (Senior Lecturer in the School of Dental Sciences)
Social Justice Fund

The Newcastle University Social Justice Fund is currently closed. Contact socialjustice@ncl.ac.uk for queries and information on future deadlines.

The Fund is developing a portfolio of successful relationships between the University and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. Funded projects will focus on key social justice issues. They will take a long-term view to enhancing the relationship between Newcastle University and the VCSE sector.

We are particularly interested in applications that will contribute to meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships between the University and VCSE partners and that are co-produced.

2019-2020 awards

  • Forest School for wellbeing: addressing children and young people's mental health
    • Scotswood Garden collaborating with Lucy Tiplady, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences
  • Developing a User Led Support Network for Disabled People and Personal Assistants: Recognising the Value of Interdependent Care
    • Disability North collaborating with Professor Janice McLaughlin, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • Reducing farm fatalities and accidents in England
    • Farm Safety Foundation collaborating with Professor Sally Shortall, Centre for Rural Economy, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
  • Environmental Justice Network Ireland
    • Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland collaborating with Ciara Brennan, Newcastle Law School
  • Supporting Roma in Newcastle: Access to Higher Education
    • Roma Right Path Project collaborating with Dr Heather Smith, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences
  • Inclusive and Safe Spaces: Transgender and Non-Binary Survivors and Domestic Abuse Services
    • Tyneside Women’s Health and Cygnus Support collaborating with Professor Rachel Pain, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • Into the Swim of Things: Well-being in older adults in North Tyneside, a case-study
    • Panama Swimming Club collaborating with Dr Simon Woods, Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences
  • Beyond 2020: A vision for the People’s Kitchen at 35 years
    • People’s Kitchen collaborating with Dr Ruth McAreavey, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • Building the foundations of a youth-led mental health campaign towards ending AIDS by 2030
    • Youth Stop AIDS collaborating with Nadege Sandrine Uwamahoro, Institute of Health and Society
  • The West End Refugee Service at 20 (1999-2019): Building Sanctuary in Complex Times
    • West End Refugee Service collaborating with Dr Silvia Pasquetti and Professor Cathrine Degnen, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • The investigation of allegations of torture: Towards a more effective framework
    • International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute collaborating with Professor Gavin Oxburgh, School of Psychology

2018-2019 awards

  • Foodbank Histories
    • Northern Cultural Projects CIC and Newcastle West End Foodbank collaborating with Dr Alison Atkinson-Phillips, Oral History Unit and Collective
  • Growing up in Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods: Young People, Place and Belonging in Southwick, Sunderland
    • Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project collaborating with Dr Robin Finlay, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University 
  • Shieling: Co-designing a community research hub
    • Shieldfield Artworks (SAW) collaborating with Dr Julia Heslop, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
  • Women Warriors
    • Workie Ticket Theatre Company collaborating with Dr Alice Cree, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • Tribalism is Killing Us (TIKU): A Collaborative Research Platform and Film
    • Bridge + Tunnel Productions collaborating with Dr. Tina Gharavi, School of English, Language and Linguistics
  • Tackling Loneliness through Playing Out
    • Playing Out CIC collaborating with Professor Alison Stenning, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • Girl Kind Screen Takeover
    • Little Big Butterfly collaborating with Dr Sarah Winkler-Reid, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
  • Campus-Community Engagement
    • VODA (Voluntary Organisations Development Agency) North Tyneside collaborating with Dr Helen Jarvis, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology
Social Justice Forums

The social justice forums are developed in collaboration with Newcastle University’s Social Justice Advisory Group.

They connect various stakeholders in the North East including:

  • voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector
  • local authorities
  • think tanks
  • universities
  • research institutes

The forums allow these groups to connect around the themes of social justice through knowledge exchange and collaborative action.

 

Social Justice Research in the North East

Date: Wednesday 13th April 10.00 – 12.00
Venue: Gorgon & Faraday, The Catalyst, 3 Science Square, Newcastle Helix, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG

Register now

 

Asylum and Refugee Issues

Date: Thursday 9th June 10.00 – 12.00
Venue:: Riverside Community Health Project, Atkinson Road, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 8XS

Register now

Sanctuary Scholarships

Newcastle University is proud to support equal access to higher education and is pleased to offer Sanctuary scholarships consisting of full tuition fee support and a bursary for living expenses for applicants wishing to study at the University.

The scholarships have been designed to enable students from asylum-seeker and refugee backgrounds to progress to higher level study.