Alice McHale researched literature regarding Child-to-Parent-Violence during her CUROP internship at DECIPHer.
I study Human and Social Science (BSc) at Cardiff University and undertook this placement before entering my third year of the course. I aspire to use my research tools to make real social change in the psychological, sociological, and social policy fields.
Applying for a summer DECIPHer placement was an obvious decision for me. The experience gained from these programmes is personally, professionally, and academically enriching. I came into this role aiming to sharpen my qualitative skills, have a deeper understanding of the research process within universities, and have a taste of this professional sphere. I specifically remember my lecturer saying that all her PhD students had completed a CUROP placement, which shows this experience’s value for post-graduates. My social policy lecturer, Rhiannon Evans, encouraged me to apply for this scheme. I had the pleasure of working alongside her and several other lecturers. My friendly coworkers valued my thoughts and supported me in completing tasks. DECIPHer is a welcoming workplace, not to mention the impressive sbarc|spark building.
Using my skills
My project entailed researching the literature surrounding Child-to-Parent-Violence (CPV), supervised by Bethan Pell. This study investigated conceptualizations of CPV through a qualitative scoping review and meta-ethnography. This process analyses the voices of perpetrators, victims, practitioners, authorities, and communities to enhance our understanding of CPV. I also attended the First International Symposia on Adolescent Organised Leisure at Cardiff Metropolitan University during my placement. This event showcased the work of prominent academics, policists, social workers, and more from several countries. I additionally worked with Women’s Aid to deliver a demographic analysis of their programme reach, presented via infographics. Having these opportunities exposed me to different industries and career paths.
In the next year, I will use my skills gained this summer in a year-long placement in the Welsh Government’s Equality Evidence Unit as a social researcher. I plan to keep going down the social research/policy career route. This placement has been a wonderful start to that goal – I’ve even been teasing out the possibility of continuing this project in my dissertation!
Find out about on-campus placement opportunities at Cardiff University, click here: On-campus internship opportunities