How do the Transport Choices of Young People Impact on Education and Health?
Supervisor: Professor Helen Roberts (IoE)
Co-Supervisor: Dr Judith Green (LSHTM)
This studentship addresses the question 'How do young people in London understand and manage the opportunities and risks presented by transport choices? The objectives are to:
- Understand how young people aged 11-18 in London make decisions about travel;
- Understand how considerations relating to education and health influence those decisions;
- Inform and draw on London-wide work addressing London schooling and inequalities in health.
Restrictions on young peoples' independence, due in part to the concerns of young people and parents about road danger and other risks, and in part to a decline in walking and cycling, have been identified as contributors to rising obesity. A restriction on independent travel also potentially limits well-being and opportunities for participation in education in its broadest sense. Pilot data from LSHTM (from ongoing funded work on road safety) and other studies suggest that young people's transport choices are shaped by availability; their own and parents' perceptions of risk and safety; identity and peer group norms. Policies aimed at changing these choices thus have to take into account a range of positive and negative impacts on health and other outcomes, as well as the contexts within which decisions are made. As part of a new collaboration, which both supervisors are developing, on transport and inequalities in child and adolescent health, this proposal is for a studentship which will contribute to understanding the links between mobility, health and education choices in relation to young people's travel. Both 'health' and 'education' will be broadly defined to include the range of factors that young people identify as important, including emotional well-being and fear of crime and both formal and informal education. Important London factors include the GLA bill, which has given the new mayor a duty to promote a reduction in inequalities in health.
The academic aims of this project are to contribute to an understanding of links between education and transport and to the emerging field of transport and health; to contribute to methodological development including the synthesis of findings, and to carry out, analyse, and disseminate high quality qualitative research with young people.
From a policy perspective, findings from this study are likely to be useful for identifying factors that might increase levels of active transport, through providing detailed information about levers and barriers.
The proposal is designed to be sufficiently flexible to be shaped by the intellectual interests of the student appointed. This is primarily a qualitative study, but one which will synthesize both quantitative and qualitative data and sufficiently flexible to be shaped by the intellectual interests of the student appointed.
Graduates in sociology or another social science with a good first degree, and a masters degree including methods of social research are encouraged to apply. The student will have access to a range of methodological, theoretical and topic-based advice as well as opportunities to focus on health, transport and education.
Key References
1. http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/
2. Sonkin, B., Edwards, P., Roberts, I., Green, J. Walking, cycling and transport safety: an analysis of child road deaths. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (2006), 99: 402-5.
3. Gough, D.A., Oliver, S., Brunton G., Selai, C., Schaumberg, H. The effect of travel modes on children's mental health, cognitive and social development; a systematic review. REport for DETR. EPPI Centre, Social Science Research Unit. ISBN: 0954203674
4. McNeish, D., Scott, S., Arai, L., Stevens, M., Roberts, H. The State of London's Children (2007) GLA.
Further details about the project may be obtained from:
Supervisor: Professor Helen Roberts; h.roberts@ioe.ac.uk
http://www.ioe.ac.uk/staff/SSRU/SSRU_41.html
Co-Supervisor: Dr Judith Green; judith.green@lshtm.ac.uk
http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/people/green.judith
Further information about PhDs at the Institute of Education is available from:
Application forms and details about how to apply are available from:
doc.enquiries@ioe.ac.uk
Please indicate in your request and on the application form the studentship for which you wish to be considered: BCPhD: Roberts.
Additional Application Requirements
In addition to the standard application form we require:
1. A short statement of no more than 500 words on:
- why you interested in this project;
- your current knowledge of the areas it covers and/or the way in which you will bring yourself up to speed on the subject matter and the related policy concerns.
2. A copy of a piece of your own written work. This might be something you have written as coursework, or a publication (either for a peer reviewed journal or something more journalistic such as a student newspaper).
Closing Date for Applications is Monday 6th July 2009
