Molly ⋅ Meadows Nursery/ Early Years Community Research Centre

Researcher Details

Name
Molly

Nationality
UK

University
Sheffield 

Research Pathway
Education, Childhood and Youth (ECY)

Thesis Project
A closer look at parent responsiveness and childhood outcomes: A mixed method approach.

Mode of Study
Full-time

About the Placement 

Role Title

Project Assistant

Mode of Placement

Part-time

Placement Location

Hybrid

How did you find your placement?

I speculatively contacted a host that I was interested in working with

What were your main responsibilities during your placement?

During my placement, I took on a broad range of practical responsibilities.

• I supported the establishment of a new parent community group, helping to co-design services with and for local families.

• I contributed to data collection and analysis to track the impact of different community services and support their long-term sustainability, including gathering data for the Save the Children South Yorkshire Child Poverty Summit.

• I helped write grant applications to fund summer holiday activities for families and improvements to a community space.

Throughout, I worked directly with parents and collaborated with policymakers, local employers and charitable organisations.

How did your placement help you to develop your current skills and knowledge?

The placement has allowed me to get to know and work alongside families in Sheffield living in areas of high deprivation, which has given me a much richer understanding of their day-to-day experiences, challenges and needs. Through working across different parent community groups, summer holiday trips and by simply being present within the nursery, I have spent time in conversation with parents. These conversations will shape my research going forward, helping to ensure it is relevant and useful to families.

I have also learned how research sits within wider priorities at both local and national government level. For example, at the Save the Children South Yorkshire Child Poverty Summit, I was involved in discussions with individuals from academia, frontline services, the charity sector and local government who came together to develop action plans for tackling child poverty. Being part of this gave me an appreciation of the differing priorities, ways of working and challenges involved in collaborating across sectors.

How has your placement experience influenced your future career goals and aspirations?

My placement has shown me that multi-sector collaboration is essential for impactful research. By working alongside community organisations that are already doing excellent work, researchers can engage in richer and more meaningful research while also supporting the communities involved. This experience has strengthened my commitment to ensuring that my future research is grounded in the communities it aims to serve.

What tips or advice would you give to current or future WRDTP postgraduate researchers interested in undertaking a placement?

Meet each opportunity and each person you work with with openness and curiosity, and be willing to step beyond tasks you already feel confident in.