Adele Irving

Adele Irving is a Senior Research Fellow at Northumbria University. She specialises in research into multiple social exclusion, with a particular interest in homelessness and offending. Adele has undertaken a substantial number of applied research and evaluation projects in the region, commissioned by a range of clients, including the DWP, local authorities, police forces, probation trusts, youth offending teams, homelessness charities and various trusts and foundations.

Current and recent research projects include: research into the use of legal highs by young people in Newcastle, research into the impacts of welfare reform on single homelessness in the North East, an evaluation of the ‘Positive Pathways’ scheme for offenders under Northumbria Probation Trust, an evaluation of the ‘Through the Gate Plus' scheme for offenders in the North East and strategic reviews of Newcastle city council’s ‘co-ordinated’ and ‘whole market’ approaches to homelessness prevention in the light of changing government policy. She is currently exploring the relationship between private rented housing for low-income households and wellbeing through doctoral study.

Adele is a founding member of the North East Homeless Think Tank, academic advisor to the North East Third Sector Research Group and a member of the Northumbria University’s Centre for Offenders and Offending. She was recently awarded the Local Area Research + Intelligence Association prize for ‘Best Presentation of Local Area Research’ for her ESRC-funded project, ‘Imaging Homelessness in a City of Care’, with Oliver Moss.

Adele has an excellent track record of successful collaborative working with the public and third sectors and a range of vulnerable groups across the North East and is committed to supporting knowledge exchange with and capacity building amongst the Third Sector and service users.