Skip to main content

The Latest Bulletin

Researchers want to create safe, inclusive virtual reality hangouts for teens

Researchers want to create safe, inclusive virtual reality hangouts for teens

The advent of the internet shifted how we socialise. Chat rooms, forums, and eventually social media platforms opened up new ways to both communicate and express ourselves. Online anonymity, for example, allowed us to be whoever we pleased to anyone with a connection — for better or worse. Psychological research followed this shift, and decades later there are troves of papers on almost every aspect of online interaction you could hope to explore. As technology continues to march onwards, it’s brought with it increasingly accessible options for socialising in virtual reality (VR). Though VR is by definition virtual, the experiences users have in it are very much real. Since VR’s accessibility is so recent, we currently don’t have good understanding…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 13, 2021
Lived experience influencing policy – How we did it

Lived experience influencing policy – How we did it

A group of people with lived experience of poverty have enjoyed success in their campaign for their voices and experiences to be included in policy discussions, debates and solutions. Group member Tracey Herrington tells their story. The Poverty2Solutions journey began over three years ago. Three grassroots organisations led by people with lived experience of poverty (ATD Fourth World, Dole Animators and Thrive Teesside) teamed up with Dr Ruth Patrick from the University of York and graphic designer Dan Farley to share and merge their expertise. Our aspiration is to ensure that the voice of lived experience is taken seriously and can inform decisions that have an impact on the lives of people in low-income communities. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
December 13, 2021
5 checks to see if you’ve been greenwashed by a ‘sustainable’ product

5 checks to see if you’ve been greenwashed by a ‘sustainable’ product

When you’re trying to buy products that don’t contribute towards climate change, words like “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” on packaging can suck you in. You might also be drawn towards big businesses who’ve made headline-grabbing, green pledges. But unfortunately, not all is as it seems. While some products and brands are making environmentally-friendly changes, others are simply capitalising on the moment, without actually making a meaningful difference. This marketing ploy is known as greenwashing – when companies make spurious environmental claims about their products or services. And as journalist Sophia Smith Galer pointed out, even some of the sponsors of the COP26 climate conference are guilty of it. Greenwashing is not a new trend and brands have been in trouble in…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 13, 2021
Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – There’s no point rushing

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – There’s no point rushing

‘More haste less speed’ is a well-known saying and it has more than a grain of truth to it. So many people tend to respond to pressure by rushing, and this is a dangerously counterproductive strategy. When we rush our error rate goes up significantly and our sense of control goes down significantly – and, of course, losing our sense of control is a major step in the direction of stress. What is also significant is that, when we start rushing, we start giving people the message that they are not important, that we have more pressing things to do than to listen to them and take in an interest in them. Working slightly faster than usual is one thing,…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2021
Seth Godin’s Blog – Books unread

Seth Godin’s Blog – Books unread

I was sitting in a friend’s study the other day, and noticed that he had hundreds of books I’d never read. Each was written, perhaps over the course of a year (or a decade), by a smart, passionate person with something to share. All of that focus and insight, generously shared with anyone who wants to take the time. It reminded me of how much is out there, just waiting for us to explore and understand. We have a chance to learn and move forward if we care to. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2021
Trussell Trust – Research and Advocacy

Trussell Trust – Research and Advocacy

Our vision is for a future without the need for food banks. To realise this, we need a benefits system that works for everyone  and secure incomes so people can afford the essentials like food and heating. Our policy asks and campaigning are rooted in evidence from food banks in our network across the UK, and the people they support. We use our evidence to campaign for change so that in the future no one needs to use a food bank. We do this by sharing our evidence with policy makers and the public to ensure they understand fully the state of hunger and poverty in the UK. Click here to read more  
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2021
Rising poverty among children and pensioners shows why Covid inquiry must consider its impact

Rising poverty among children and pensioners shows why Covid inquiry must consider its impact

The independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is calling for any public inquiry into Covid-19 to examine the impact of the UK’s high poverty levels going into the pandemic on its health and economic impacts. Commenting on the figures, Helen Barnard, Director of JRF said: “Going into the pandemic, 14.5 million people were trapped in poverty, with 600,000 more children and 500,000 more pensioners pulled into poverty in the last six years. Around half of all lone parents and people from Bangladeshi and Pakistani backgrounds were living in poverty. In a society like ours, this is indefensible. “The evidence we have so far from our own research and conversations with people experiencing poverty shows that the pandemic has made an already…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2021