Previous projects

In 2022-23 our projects were:

• Health Inequalities and Rurality, with Healthwatch, North Yorkshire
• Peer support in Recovery from Drug and Alcohol Misuse, with York in Recovery
• Disability Access to Bluespaces, with Open Country
• Diversification of visitors and organisation, with York Archaeological Trust
• The Dancefloor Project, with Bolshee CIC
• Researching anti-racism practices in York, with Inclusive Equal Rights UK

Health inequalities and rurality: an exploratory case study of North Yorkshire

VCSE Partner: Healthwatch North Yorkshire

York St John Researchers: Sarah Baker and Mark Mierzwinski

The purpose of this project was to examine the relationship between rurality and health and social care services. The aim of this project was to determine if it is necessary to categorise rurality as a geographical factor when addressing rising levels of health inequalities.

Benefits will be primarily driven through Healthwatch North Yorkshire's information sharing, championing and campaigning work.

Investigating the role of peer support in recovery from drug and alcohol misuse

VCSE Partner: York in Recovery

York St John Researchers: Nick Rowe and Converge Evaluation Research Team

Support from peers is a key element of recovery from drug and/or alcohol misuse. It features in the approaches of established organisations such as AA and Changing Lives. York in Recovery complements the work of these organisations offering a more informal peer support model.

The aim of this research was to understand the perceptions and experiences of those who attend meetings and to gain a clearer understanding of the role it plays in the wider recovery community.

To find out more read a blog post about this project: Researching peer support in recovery from drug and alcohol misuse.

Disability Access to Bluespaces

VCSE Partner: Open Country

York St John Researchers: Catherine Heinemeyer

The right to swim, or otherwise enjoy 'blue spaces' (lakes, seas, lidos reservoirs and rivers), is far less well established than the right to roam in the UK, because of pollution as well as land and watercourse ownership. These obstacles are multiplied in the case of disabled people, whose access to blue spaces for open water swimming, kayaking, sailing and other outdoor water-based activities is limited by numerous physical barriers.

The project worked with Open Country, a Yorkshire-based charity promoting and facilitating disabled people's access to the countryside, to investigate and address some of these barriers.

To find out more, read the 'Disability Access to Bluespaces' report on our Reports page.

York Archaeological Trust – Diversification of visitors and organisation

VCSE Partner: York Archaeological Trust

York St John Researchers: Brendan Paddison, Jenny Hall, Tom Ratcliffe, Rebecca Biggins, Artemis Alexiou

York Archaeological Trust (YAT) is seeking to develop a better understanding of the social and cultural diversity of its audience. YAT is particularly keen to enhance audience diversity in terms of ethnicity, disability, social mobility, age, gender, LGBTQ+ and faith.

This project explored how York Archaeological Trust can build diversity into its museum programming and community work.

Public sexual harm of women and girls: The dancefloor project

VCSE Partner: Bolshee CIC

YSJ Researchers: Anna Macklin, Jenn Cassarly, Melanie Douglass

This project focused on young women's lived experiences of sexual harm in public spaces and their perceptions of barriers to public safety. An art installation consisting of a dancefloor experience was produced, designed to elicit women's experiences of sexual harm, barriers to safety, and testimonials of how they want to be treated in public spaces.

Based on the data collected, a range of resources were produced to highlight experiences of sexual harm and how women want to be treated in public spaces.

To find out more read a blog post about this project: The Dancefloor Project: An art and psychology collaboration.

Researching anti-racism practices in York

VCSE Partner: Inclusive Equal Rights UK

York St John Researchers: Steven Hirschler, Anna Waistnage, Cintia Silva Huxter

The aim of this research was to support IERUK's development of an anti-racism and inclusion strategy and action due to be submitted to the City of York council in February 2023. This research illuminated the extent to which ethnic minority groups within York are exposed to racism and discrimination in the areas of education, healthcare and policing to facilitate the production of a comprehensive, evidence-based anti-racism and inclusion strategy.

The working relationship between IERUK and York St John University researchers covered a range of research activities (both qualitative and quantitative) in a collaborative fashion.