Suzanne Wilson

Suzanne is a Research Fellow in Social Exclusion and Community Development at The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). The research agenda, which is in partnership with the Samuel Lindow Foundation and The Centre of Citizenship and Community, is to work with communities to identify effective and sustainable means of increasing community capital. Prior to this, Suzanne was a Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate with the university, working with Inspira to research, development and deliver a family centred intervention to support parents in raising children’s aspirations. This received the ‘The John O’Donoghue Award for Research’ for excellence in educational research at UCLan. The intervention that was produced, ‘In This Together’, is currently funded by Cumbria County Council to be rolled out throughout West Cumbrian secondary schools, for two years.

Currently working towards a PhD, Suzanne was awarded a Commendation for her Msc Dissertation at Lancaster University, which explored community resilience in West Cumbria following the November 2010 floods and West Cumbrian Shootings of June 2011. This work was presented at the British Psychological Society annual conference in 2014.

With over 10 years’ experience in mental health, Suzanne has worked with a range of local services such as Mind in West Cumbria, Whitehaven Community Trust and Psychological Services at WCH, and is trained in integrative counselling and brief solution focused coaching. Suzanne is passionate about social justice and equal opportunities, and is a member of the British Psychological Society, Social Policy Association, British Educational Research Association, West Cumbria Child Poverty Group, Academics Against Poverty and The Centre of Citizenship and Community.

In June 2012 Suzanne was honoured to carry the Olympic flame through Carlisle, after being nominated as a Torchbearer for her charitable work for Mind in West Cumbria. This sparked a love for running, especially in the Cumbrian fells and coastline.

Her previous qualifications include:
MPhil Applied Policy Science, UCLan, 2017
MSc Psychological Research Methods, Lancaster University, 2013
BSc (hons.) Psychology, University of Bath, 2006
An Introduction to Brief, Solution Focused Therapy, 2016
CMI Level 5 Certificate in Leadership & Management, 2015
AQA Counselling Skills Level 1& 2, 2011
Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector, 2010