My Journey 2 a PhD

As I near the submission of my first-ever ethics form for my PhD research, I’m feeling a mixture of relief, excitement, and a fair amount of nerves. It’s been a long process of carefully crafting each element, from the design of consent forms to the creation of information sheets—each step making me more aware of the weight of responsibility that comes with working with children and young people. While I’m excited to finally get the ball rolling and begin my data collection, the journey to completing this form has been anything but straightforward. Fortunately, my supervisor has been an absolute rock, offering both guidance and encouragement when things felt overwhelming. The Challenge of Ethics: Why It Matters Before I can even think about collecting data, I need to gain ethical approval from my university. This might sound like a routine task, but completing the ethics form is a crucial part of any research process especially when your participants are children and young people. T...

  I recently had the privilege of attending the Stop the Clock Conference held at Ulster University, Belfast, which ran from September 3rd to September 5th, 2024. This conference, co-hosted by the Centre for Youth Research and Dialogue and the Journal of Youth Studies , provided a dynamic platform for academics, practitioners, and youth workers to discuss pressing issues in youth studies, including transitions, inequalities, and participatory research methods. As a PhD student engaged in comparative studies of children's experiences of custody, I found the discussions invaluable to my research. The atmosphere at the event was warm and engaging. The organisers and attendees fostered a welcoming environment, making it simple to strike up conversations with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds. Networking during the coffee breaks and lunches allowed for rich exchanges, and I felt supported and intellectually stimulated throughout the event. It was clear that the people w...