In this episode, hosts Dr Sara Black and Dr Pippa Sterk speak with Dr Tania de St Croix and Louise Doherty about their research into how youth work is being reshaped by impact measurement and policy reform.

Having started off as youth workers, both Tania and Louise journeyed into academia through their desire to research the field within which they worked, which has been the subject of continual budget cuts and changes implemented by policy. They joined forces on the research project ‘Rethinking impact, evaluation and accountability in youth work’ in 2017.

Drawing on their article “Embers and Fragments,” they reflect on the pressures of proving value in a field rooted in trust, relationships, and voluntary participation. Together, they challenge the rise of a deficit-based model that demands evidence from marginalised young people, and explore how creative, critical research can help protect the future of youth work.

Follow us:

📸 Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast

🐦 Twitter: @justresearchpod

📧 Email: justresearch-ecs@kcl.ac.uk

🌐 Website: kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hosts Dr Sara Black and Liam Cini O’Dwyer are joined by Dr Sarah Steadman to explore her research into the emotional and complex journey of becoming a teacher.

Dr Steadman, a lecturer in English Education and Programme Director for PGCE courses at King’s College London, shares how her doctoral research unexpectedly led her to a deeper exploration of teacher identity—an area often overlooked in mainstream educational research. Rather than focusing on programme designers or institutional structures, her work centres the voices and lived experiences of the trainees themselves.

Our hosts and guest reflect on the pressure trainee teachers face, the complexity of navigating one’s sense of self in the classroom, and the individualistic nature of teaching in an increasingly standardised policy environment. Dr Steadman underscores the importance of acknowledging teacher identity in efforts to tackle recruitment and retention, especially as the profession continues to weather crises—from pandemic disruptions to policy shifts.

Follow us:

📸 Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast

🐦 Twitter: @justresearchpod

📧 Email: justresearch-ecs@kcl.ac.uk

🌐 Website: kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of ‘It’s Just Research: Critically Questioning the world we live in,’ In this episode, hosts Dr Sara Black and Dr Pippa Sterk are joined by Dr Antonia Dawes to discuss her critical research into the presence of the military in the UK and its enduring imprint on the national psyche.

We delve into how military power is normalised in public life, through everything from Remembrance Day rituals to the symbolism of the poppy. And Antonia reflects on the contradictions of military expansion framed as ecological stewardship—such as protecting fairy shrimp in tank-made ponds—while questioning the secrecy around military spending and access.

Antonia's latest book, England's Military Heartland: Preparing for War on Salisbury Plains, is out now and shifts focus to the sprawling Salisbury Plain Training Area—the largest military training site in the UK.

Follow us:

Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast

Twitter: @justresearchpod

Email: justresearch-ecs@kcl.ac.uk

Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Follow us:

Instagram: @itsjustresearchpodcast

Twitter: @justresearchpod

Email: justresearch-ecs@kcl.ac.uk

Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/its-just-research-an-ecs-podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.