Dr Gemma Yarwood

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My profile

Biography

Gemma is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology in Dept of Sociology. She has 20 years experience of research and lecturing in the broad areas of social justice, substance (mis)use, applied social care research and critical criminological theory. She has practice experience of working with people (and their families) with experience of substance (mis)use and the criminal justice system.
She has written many publications including: journal articles; website content; book chapters; reports for various organisations, local authorities and national charities.
She was a founding member of both national and international substance use and associated behaviours (SUAB) networks.

Current and recent research projects include;

*Through the Prison Gate: Holding Families Plus Project. Source: Public Health England, Department of Work and Pensions and Early Break. Principal Investigator.
*Developing A New Model Of Care For People With Problematic Substance Use And End Of Life Care Needs Source: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Co-Investigator, Qualitative Research Lead.
*End of life care and substance use - mixed methods across 6 research strands. Source: The Big Lottery Fund Co-Investigator, Family Work Package Lead.

Research Methods
Gemma uses mixed methods but has expertise in qualitative participatory research with people with experiences (PWEs) of the substance use and criminal justice. Gemma’s research designs include PWEs, families, key informants, policy agents and practitioners. Gemma is experienced in leading, managing and undertaking research for funding councils, statutory and non-statutory organisations in the field of applied health and social care.

Selected Recent Publications

McVeigh, J., Chandler, M.D., and Yarwood, G. (In Press 2021) ‘Chapter 6: Exercise and the use of image & performance enhancing drugs within the gym environment’. In : O. Corazza and H Bowden- Jones (ed) From exercise to addiction: The fitspirational era of image and performance enhancement. Cambridge University Press.

Wright, S. and Yarwood, G. (In Press 2021) ‘Chapter 13: When long-term recovery isn’t an option: people at the end of life’. In: Galvani, S., Roy, A., and Clayson, A. Long-term recovery from substance use: International perspectives. Policy Press: Bristol.

Higgs, P, Yarwood, G, Webb, L and Witham, G and Galvani, S (2020) Highlighting the palliative care needs of people using drugs. Collegian: The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research. ISSN 1322-7696 

Galvani, S. and Yarwood, G. (2019) ‘Chapter 21: End-of-Life Care: alcohol and other drugs.’ In: D. Cooper (ed.) Palliative care within mental health: ethical practice. Book 3. London: Routledge

Witham, G., Yarwood, G., Wright, S., and Galvani, S. (2019). An ethical exploration of the narratives surrounding substance use and pain management at the end of life: a discussion paper. Nursing Ethics
 

Words of wisdom

If you’re thinking about learning with us, spend time preparing and reading around the topics of criminal justice, substance use etc, Observe some criminology in action yourself by volunteering at a cjs charity, visiting a local court, speaking to practitioners such as police, probation officers, substance use services etc. Hopefully, it will inspire you and bring your studies to life. And not forgetting, keep up to date with current affairs as things never stand still in our field so you need to keep your finger on the pulse.

Academic and professional qualifications

PhD Social Psychology,

BSc Hons Sociology

Other academic service (administration and management)

Strategic Partnership Lead: Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust & Manchester Met University 2016-2019

A partnership to accelerate improvements in community and mental health care

External examiner roles

External Examiner on Joint Honours BA Society - Contemporary Health Studies, Northumbria University

External Examiner of BA (Hons) Integrated Health and Social Care, Northumbria University

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

I am a NIHR peer review for clinical research network for grants and bids
 

Community, charity and NGO links

Community Research Award: Partners of Prisoners

Government and industry links

Exemplary researcher award - July 2016 Manchester Metropolitan University.

Community Research Award - Partners of Prisoners Research Project 2017 

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

NIHR peer review for clinical research network for grants and bids

Editorial Board membership

International Journal of Innovative Interdisciplinary Research

International Journal of Social Science and Humanities

Reviewer

International Journal for Harm Reduction.

Community, Work and Family

Feminism and Psychology

Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research

Get in touch

0161 247 2509
410 Geoffrey Manton Building

Impact

REF 2021 assessment Submitted Impact case study Unit of Assessment: C20 Social Work and Social Policy

Title of case study: Improving and developing care for people using substances: supporting professionals and marginalised communities.
 

Compassionate end-of-life care

Improving social and health care for substance users, their families and friends, and the practitioners who support them.

Read more

Projects

  • Partners of Prisoners Project  Community Research Award
  • Malaysian Young Leaders - Transnational Professional Practice: Partnership developing core leadership and professional skills. Students participate in a seminar with Dr Gemma Yarwood  “Back home there is a distance between the professor and the students. Here, we were encouraged to participate and be involved in the lesson,” added masters Psychology student Yusri Bin Satan. “The learning and teaching environment here is totally different, I love it. Being able to voice your opinion and be confident that your ideas matter is amazing.” http://www.mmu.ac.uk/news/news-items/3315/
  • Norwegian Education & Research Partnership https://www.hisf.no/nn/node/1242#.Vxn8AoUrLIU
  • EU-Hungary Leadership and management training: Project spearheaded by Dr Gemma Yarwood and Dr Jenny Fisher,  280 Hungarian care professionals enhanced leadership and management skills. http://www.mmu.ac.uk/news/news-items/2989/

Teaching

Why do I teach?

I enjoy bringing teaching to life with real world examples from my research and practice experience. I see my teaching legacy as giving students a feel for criminology in practice: what it’s like, what’s important and how we can make a difference to other peoples’ lives. One of the best parts of teaching is inviting alumni graduates back in as visiting speakers, it really motivates existing students to develop employability skills.

How I’ll teach you

I’m approachable, supportive and try to make learning interesting. My aim is to prepare students for the real world so they become independent critical thinkers.
I teach using a variety of methods and like to keep up to date with teaching and learning technologies.

Postgraduate teaching

I teach on the MA in Applied Criminology.  Previous Postgraduate teaching includes MA in Health and Social care. MSc in Practitioner Research,

Supervision

I supervise a range of PhD students which presently include:

An Interpretive Phenomenological analysis of South Asian families intergenerational care practices and expectations.

Hands up and hand-outs: an exploration of participation in voluntary welfare provision in relation to individual and community resilience in contexts of austerity and social exclusion: Using IPA in an ethnographic study.

Kinship care and parental substance use: developing responsive and effective services: A Co-prodcutive participatory study. (VC awarded Scholarship Funding) 

Parental substance use, child protection and social work responses: A qualitative study using grounded theory.

Exploring reasons for clients’ non-attendance of appointment at a community-based alcohol service: clients’ and practitioners’ perspectives. Mixed Methods study.

Research outputs

Gemma uses mixed methods but has expertise in qualitative participatory research with people with experiences (PWEs) of the substance use and criminal justice. Gemma’s research designs include PWEs, families, key informants, policy agents and practitioners. Gemma is experienced in leading, managing and undertaking research for funding councils, statutory and non-statutory organisations in the field of applied health and social care.

Current research projects

*Through the Prison Gate: Holding Families Plus Project. Source: Public Health England, Department of Work and Pensions and Early Break. Principal Investigator.
*Developing A New Model Of Care For People With Problematic Substance Use And End Of Life Care Needs Source: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Co-Investigator, Qualitative Research Lead.
*End of life care and substance use - mixed methods across 6 research strands. Source: The Big Lottery Fund Co-Investigator, Family Work Package Lead.
*Partners of Prisoners - mixed methods project. Principal Investigator, Community Research Award

Press and media

Media appearances or involvement

The Future of Social Care: National Carers week  (2015) Pure FM Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1121fzG61Nc