Dr Laura Davies

Exploring Pathways for Inclusion

Laura is a senior lecturer in Sociology and associate director of the Centre for Applied Social Research at Leeds Beckett University. Her research and teaching is focused on understanding inequalities and peoples’ experiences of welfare interventions and other kinds of services that are designed to help them. Her primary interest is in examining whether the assumptions that are made by policy makers align with lived experiences of service users. She has worked with community groups, third sector organisations and local authority partners to develop inclusive service delivery and practice, and has contributed research evidence to the Economic Affairs Committee, Department for Work and Pensions and All Party Parliamentary Group on Fatherhood. Laura joined Calder Valley SRT as an operational trainee in January 2020, after spending eighteen months as an active supporter with the team.  

Laura will be joining Dr Jenny Hall (Cleveland MRT) and Aneela McKenna (Mór Diversity) in a workshop to explore pathways for inclusion. Since meeting through the Women in Mountain Rescue Group, they have developed a research project exploring the experiences of women in mountain rescue. Their aim is to develop an EDI strategy for MREW which can also be utilised by the wider network of organisations involved in UK search and rescue capabilities. They have received financial support from Leeds Beckett University and York St John University, and are awaiting the outcome of a larger bid for funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

‘We would like to invite you to join us for a themed discussion where you can share your knowledge and experiences. We are keen to hear your thoughts on recruitment, leadership, culture, behaviours and language through the following questions: What does inclusion mean to you? What does an inclusive environment look and feel like? How can we work together to create pathways to achieve this in MR?’