Louisa Thomson
Research student
You can email Louisa Thomson directly; but for media enquiries please contact a member of The Open University's Media Relations team.
Current research
Between policy and practice: the case of providing positive activities for young people
This is a three year studentship in collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Council and the National Youth Agency. The research has explored the translation of policy between central and local government - using youth policy under the previous Labour Government as a case study.
In 2007, the Labour Government published 'Aiming High for Young People: a ten year strategy for positive activities' . This strategy involved some far-reaching changes for local authorities. Through research in one local authority, interviewing policy makers; youth work practitioners; and young people, the practices, processes and texts around policy were explored, to understand how sense is made of policy and how it is enacted at a local level. The research aims to identify where the interactions work well (or less well) and why and produce guidance and toolkits for practitioners, policy makers and researchers in the youth provision field.
The project is currently in its final stages and due to be completed early in 2012.
Supervisors
Testimonials
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