The Narrative Practice Research Network is pleased to announce its first Narrative Practice Research Fellowships.
We will provide a small number of practitioners with support, accompaniment and resources to undertake a small research project. This round of Fellowships is available to community-based narrative practitioners anywhere in the world.
Applications for this round closed on 31 January 2024.
Fellows will receive:
- support to design and implement a research plan
- mentoring from a university-based researcher with relevant experience and expertise
- opportunities to develop meaningful ongoing connections with other researchers and practitioners
- access to The University of Melbourne’s library, including scholarly databases and research librarian support
- access to The University of Melbourne’s online research resources and online researcher development training
- access to research ethics review and approval processes
- academic status as an Honorary Clinical Fellow at The University of Melbourne for the duration of the fellowship.
We invite applications from narrative practitioners who would like support and accompaniment with a contained, achievable research project. This could be preliminary research towards a larger project or a small stand-alone project. We are particularly interested in supporting practice-based research that has the potential to contribute to people and communities facing mental health difficulties as the result of significant hardships.
Who can apply?
Narrative Practice Research Fellowships are available to persons who:
- work as a narrative practitioner on an employed or voluntary basis
- have support from their organisation to spend time working on a research project.
In addition, successful applicants will:
- have a viable idea for an original small research project that has the potential to contribute to people and communities facing mental health difficulties as the result of significant hardships and that can be completed within 12 months
- be committed to narrative therapy principles and ethics
- be willing to share their research results
- have the capacity to plan and complete a research project with guidance and support from academic mentors.
Please note, PhD graduates, current postgraduate research students and people employed in academic positions are not eligible to apply for this round of Narrative Practice Research Fellowships.
Practitioners may choose to apply for a joint Fellowship to complete a shared project.
The application process
- Submit an online application form (link below)
- Applications will be evaluated by a committee including representatives from The University of Melbourne’s Department of Social Work and Dulwich Centre.
- Shortlisted applications will be shared with researchers at The University of Melbourne and other universities to determine whether a suitable mentor can be found for the particular project.
- Projects for which a suitable mentor can be found will be selected on the basis of the criteria below.
Selection criteria
- understanding of and commitment to narrative principles and ethics
- quality and feasibility of proposed research project
- potential contribution to people and communities experiencing significant hardships.
The selection committee will consist of at least:
- an academic from The University of Melbourne
- a practitioner from Dulwich Centre
- applications proposing work with a First Nations community will be assessed by a First Nations practitioner and/or researcher.
Fellows will be asked to contribute to the Narrative Practice Research Network in the following ways:
- Supply a brief blog post for the NPRN website about their research project and the Fellowship experience.
- Acknowledge the Fellowship, Dulwich Centre and The University of Melbourne in any publications resulting from the research project.
- Make an online or in-person presentation to NPRN members about the research conducted.
- Be available to meet with future Fellowship recipients.
