• Contribute to emerging knowledge of young people’s contribution and capacity in disasters
• Contribute to innovative research in a Centre of Excellence
• Create networks and research alongside like-minded colleagues in academia and practitioner environments.
• $35,006 per annum stipend (full-time)

About the Project

The PhD research project will contribute to the work of the Centre of Excellence: young people and disasters.

The Centre is a partnership between Youth Affairs Council Victoria and Victoria University’s Youth and Community Research Group and champions the inclusion and active involvement of young people to contribute to all aspects of disaster response. The Centre takes a strengths-based approach and utilises evidence to inform and improve engagement with young people and their communities in policy responses.

The PhD research project will be supervised by the Centre’s lead researchers, Associate Professor Fiona MacDonald and Professor Tim Corney, using qualitative or mixed-methods, critical research approaches to investigate young people’s involvement in disaster response.

The research focus is young people (e.g. 12-24 years) and disasters in an Australian context. The research can focus on targeted aspects in this field of research (e.g. young people’s involvement in climate change mitigation, bushfire or flood recovery etc).

The successful applicant will need to meet the entrance requirements for a PhD or Masters by Research degree at Victoria University.

Required Disciplinary Knowledge

Applicants will require an Honours degree or Masters degree (by research thesis) with Second Class Honours/Distinction grade average or above in a cognate discipline e.g. Social Sciences (particularly Sociology of youth, Sociology of change); Education (particularly adult or community pedagogy); Professional youth work or community development work; Human Rights (particularly child and youth rights, UNCRC).

Required Special Conditions

Successful applicants will require the following before commencing the project or scholarship:

• Working with Children Check
• Police Check
• Assignment of Intellectual Property to the University (excluding copyright in the thesis)

Funding

Successful applicants will be supported by a tax-exempt stipend scholarship ($34,320 p.a.indexed annually, full-time study rate) and a tuition fee offset. All applicants who are made an offer and accept must present in Melbourne by the stipulated enrolment date of 17 February 2025.

This opportunity is offered to Domestic (Australian citizens, or for those who have been granted permanent resident status, including New Zealand citizens who are granted permanent residency status on arrival) and International students.

This opportunity is offered for commencement in Research Period 2 2025.

How to apply

All applicants must contact the Principal Supervisor and receive in-principle approval to submit an application.

Please contact [email protected] using the subject line: Research Scholarship - Disasters and Young People enquiry via EthicalJobs to discuss your interest.

Please click the "Apply Now" button for instructions on how to submit your application and relevant commencement and coursework dates.