Are you a postgraduate student or and early career researcher with a disability? Help shape and influence future policy decisions about postgraduates with disabilities by contributing a 1 to 1 interview to the ‘Voices in the Community’ research paper
LaunchPAD is a 3-year, HEA-funded joint venture between AHEAD and NDPAC (National Disabled Postgraduate Advisory Committee), aimed at breaking down barriers and facilitating enablers to postgraduate study for disabled people.
Recently published AHEAD research shows that only 3.2% of the total postgraduate population engage with Disability Support Services, in comparison to 8.5% at undergraduate level. In recognition of these low participation rates, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) established the inclusion of students with disabilities in postgraduate study as a national strategic objective, as outlined in the Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education 2022 – 2028. LaunchPAD was founded in response to this recognition.
In years 1 and 2 of LaunchPAD, we are focused on developing and sustaining a postgraduate community, and we want to influence policy development by amplifying the lived experience of postgraduates with disabilities. With this in mind, LaunchPAD are seeking postgraduates and early career researchers with disabilities to talk about their experiences of postgraduate life as a person with a disability. These experiences will go on to inform a research paper entitled ‘Voices in the Community’ or similar. The conclusions and recommendations resulting from the ‘Voices in the Community’ paper will then be used to educate and shape key stakeholders and policy makers decisions on the particular barriers and enablers to success for postgraduates and early career researchers with disabilities.
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?
- Postgraduate students with disabilities
- Early career researchers with disabilities
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
If you are interested in being part of the ‘Voices in the Community’ research, you can use the expression of interest link at the bottom of this page, but please continue reading before you do so to ensure your informed consent. LaunchPAD aims to select a good balance and diversity of research participants with varying disabilities, fields of study/research, and a balance between University/Technological University based participants, and those who are current students vs early career researchers. So, please note that not everybody who expresses their interest will be selected.
WHEN AND WHERE WILL I BE INTERVIEWED?
If you sign up, the project leader Nicole Bennett will be in touch to set up a date and time that suits you to be interviewed. All interviews will take place over Zoom.
WILL I BE COMPENSATED?
AHEAD values disabled people’s time and input when participating in research and sharing their lived experience. If you are selected to be part of the research, you will be compensated for your contribution with a monetary transfer or AllGo Mastercard Gift Card (your choice) to an amount of 68 EUR.
IF I HAVE ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, WILL THEY BE MET?
Yes. Your accessibility requirements will be captured in the expression of interest form and the lead researcher will work to implement them and if necessary, will liaise further with you to ensure they are correctly put in place.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
Before expressing your interest in participating, please read the informed consent and participant information sheets (replicated in the expression of interest form) below.
If you have further questions about the research before expressing your interest, please contact the lead researcher Nicole Bennett – Nicole.bennett@ahead.ie.
Comments