20 December 2012
Research fellowship aids bereavement and loss project
photo of Hannah Young.
A member of staff from PAMIS, the University of Dundee-based charity that works with people with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) and their families, has won funding for a two-month research fellowship in Germany next year.
Hannah Young, a project worker and researcher at the organisation, has received a £2000 Caledonian Research Foundation award from the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
This will enable her to work with Professor Barbara Fornefeld, University of Cologne in two research areas - multi-sensory stories for people with PMLD and bereavement support for people with PMLD, a subject Hannah has conducted extensive research in.
The collaborative work that Hannah is pursuing with international colleagues will be highly beneficial to PAMIS, staff and students at Dundee and Cologne, and clients and their families in both countries.
Hannah (24), who has worked at PAMIS since graduating with a degree in Psychology from Dundee in 2009, said she was delighted with the award.
"I'm really looking forward to working with Professor Fornefeld in Cologne and am sure it will be a great experience," she said. "I met her when she visited Dundee a couple of months ago. She is working on multi-sensory story telling, and came here to share her research with us.
"Professor Fornefeld is also doing research looking at bereavement and loss issues affecting people with PMLD and their families, which is the area I've been working in for the past three years. We have already developed a resource pack for this area, and it made sense for us to collaborate.
"The award will cover travel, accommodation and living costs and this is a fantastic opportunity that will help us to advance our shared research interests and bring benefits to the people with PMLD and their families that we work with."
Hannah will visit Cologne twice as part of her research fellowship. She will fly out to Germany for two weeks in March to attend a major international conference before returning for a six-week research visit in October.
PAMIS aims to ensure that people with profound and multiple learning disabilities are valued both as individuals and in the contribution they make to the community. It is the only organisation in Scotland to provide support exclusively to people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their families from birth right through to adulthood and for the rest of their lives.
PAMIS has worked closely with the Scottish Government on the development of policy and practice. This work includes representation on government committees, responding to consultation exercises, and campaigning on key issues.
More information is available at www.pamis.org.uk.
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