Dr Sarah Ward
Lecturer in Learning in Communities

- Moray House School of Education and Sport, IECS
- University of Edinburgh
Contact details
- Email: sarah.ward@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Moray House School of Education and Sport, SJL
- City
- University of Edinburgh (Holyrood Campus)
- Post code
- EH8 8AQ
Background
Sarah is a qualified Community Development practitioner with over twenty years' experience in youth and community work practice in the field. Her PhD study evaluated a multi-site Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) programme, using theory-based evaluation to understand the contextual factors that limited the success of ABCD, and the Capabilities Approach to extend its social justice potential. She previously held a research post at Childern's Neighbourhoods Scotland, a Scottish Government-funded programme at University of Glasgow, where she developed a capabilities research model with children and young people, to promote youth voice in policy and programme decision-making. She is a committee member of CLD Standards Council.
Qualifications
PhD, Urban Studies, University of Glasgow, (2018) Thesis title: 'How can Asset Based Community Development support community wellbeing?'
MLitt Creative Writing, University of Glasgow (2010)
MSc Adult Education and Community Development, University of Glasgow (1998)
Postgraduate certificate in Adult Education, University of Strathclyde (1997)
Responsibilities & affiliations
Edinburgh Futures Institute Research Affiliate
Human Development & Capabilities Association, Education Thematic Group Coordinator (since 2020)
CLD Standards Council Committee member (since 2020)
Awards: Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2017, University of Cambridge
Undergraduate teaching
MA Learning in Communities Programme:
Community Learning 1: Building Professional Identity (EDUA07004)
Community Learning 2: Working with Groups with groups (EDUA08122) (Course Organiser)
Postgraduate teaching
MSc Social Justice and Community Action programme:
Activist Social Research (REDU11074) (Course Organiser)
Community Engagement (EDUA11358) (Course Organiser)
MSc Dissertation Supervision
MSc Education Dissertation Supervision
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Areas of interest for supervision
I would be interested in supervising doctoral students in the areas outlined under the research tab.
Current PhD students supervised
Anne O'Donnell
Topic: Informal education in the mental health survivor/service user movement in Scotland https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/anne-o-donnell-student
(Assistant supervisor with Dr Callum McGregor)
Fiona Lindsay
Topic: To build and research a curriculum to provide safe and effective physiotherapy CBR skills.
(Assistant supervisor with Dr Liz Grant and Dr Aisha Holloway https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/fiona-lindsay
Research summary
Community Development:
Using dialogue in groups
Building collective agency
Evaluating the resources to support grassroots participation
Youth work:
Participatory research with young people
Using the creative arts to support youth participation
Using the Capabilities Approach to understand youth priorities for change in high poverty neighbourhoods in Scotland
Research activities
-
The Impact of COVID-19 on Families, Children and Young People in Glasgow
Research output: › Other report (Published) -
Using theory-based evaluation to understand what works in asset-based community development
(19 pages)
In:
Community Development Journal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsab046
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Building a capabilities framework with learners from high-poverty neighbourhoods
(23 pages)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003128359
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (Published) -
Evaluating youth empowerment in neighbourhood settings: applying the capabilities 3C model to evidence and extend the social justice outcomes of youth work in Scotland
(16 pages)
In:
Journal of Youth Studies
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2022.2112160
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
What are the meso-level transformative conversion factors that support participation and voice capabilities in high poverty neighbourhoods in UK?
(18 pages)
Research output: Contribution to Conference › Paper (Published)
Papers delivered
Child and Youth Research Hub, University of Edinburgh, Oct 2022, Presented on using the Capabilities Approach to support child and youth activism in schools
HDCA, Sept 2022, 'Capabilities and Transformative Institutions',Presented paper on the institutional resources required to support community participation
HDCA, Sept 2022, Global Dialogue Day, Co-presented paper on what the Capabilities Approach offers as a framework for emancipatory change
HDCA, Sept 2021: Panel on ‘Children´s Participation in the 21st Century in Different Regions and in Times of Pandemic’, Human Development & Capabilities Association. Presented paper on ‘Using dialogue as a tool for critical thinking: developing a capabilities framework with children and young people in high poverty neighbourhoods in Scotland’
ICSEI 2021, April 2021: Presented paper on using the capabilities approach to articulate the priorities of children and young people in high poverty areas in Scotland
British Sociological Association, April 2021, Remaking the future: Co-presented paper on review of Youth Participatory Action Research
Action Research, Policy and Politics, International Journal of Action Research (IJAR) symposium, October 2020: Collaboration on presentation exploring use of action research
International Association for Social Work with Groups (IASWG) Symposium, June 2020 'The Climate is Ripe for Groupwork: Creating Connections and Restoring Hope in a Fragmented World', (Catherine T. Papell Invitational, Mutual Aid Track): Presented 90-min online workshop (Paper presentation and interactive learning activity) on ‘Building a Capabilities Framework through Collective Groupwork with Children and Young People’(recording). Co-hosted by Dr. Victoria Bianchi.
Connecting Capabilities, HDCA Conference 2019, London, September 2019: Presented paper, ‘Building collective capabilities with children and young people: a place-based approach to child poverty in Scotland’ as part of panel led by Dr. Solava Ibrahim on ‘Linking Capabilities and Power: The Dynamics and Complexities of emPOWERment.’
British Sociological Association Conference, Glasgow, April 2019: Presented paper: ‘How can a Capabilities Approach enable children and young people's voices to be heard?’
Place Leadership Conference, Corra Foundation Conference, November 2018: Co-led ‘in conversation’ session on the initial findings of a Children’s Neighbourhood in Scotland with Professor Carol Tannahill, GCPH.
Human Development and Capability Association Conference 2018, Cape Town, September 2017, ' Challenging Inequalities: Human Development & Social Change': Presented paper on ‘How can the Capabilities Approach help to reframe social policy interventions from a social justice perspective?’