Role
As a Visiting Fellow in the School of Social Sciences, Jennie supports the teaching and research in the school through activities such as lecturing, student supervision and mentoring.
Career overview
Jennie started off working in youth, community and social work in both the voluntary and statutory sectors. From the late 90's to November 2013 she worked at the Centre for Social Action at De Montfort University where she was Reader in Participatory Research and Social Action from 2011-13 and the Director of the Centre for 10 years. She has worked on projects in the UK, USA, South Africa and Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and many other Eastern European countries.
Research areas
Jennie's experience includes participatory research, especially the involvement of young people, community members and service users in research in a range of social, community and organisational contexts. She has experience working with public and voluntary sector institutions, multi-agency partnerships, NGOs, government departments and agencies in a wide range of participatory evaluation, research and change projects.
Projects Jennie has worked on include:
Young Carers in Focus, Children's Society supporting young people in evaluation of the project working with young carers.
DIEGO (Disseminating Impact from Engagement with User Groups and Organisations) – PI on this to develop a case study looking at the analysis of the impact of participatory research in the area of Social Action
WRVS, Shaping Our Age – BIG Lottery funded research project, to investigate the best ways to encourage older people to help each other to improve their health and well-being
Standards We Expect – joint academic lead in consortium led by Shaping Our Lives on a Joseph Rowntree funded project to identify and develop ways of enabling and promoting person-centred systems which empower both people who use services and staff
Howard League, U R Boss evaluation - Evaluation of the U R Boss legal service for young people
External activity
Jennie is a Co-Director of Practical Participation and Co-editor of Groupwork and a Board member of the International Association of Social Work with Groups. She is a Co-ordinator of Social Action Net.
Sponsors and collaborators
Jennie's research and consultancy work always involves collaboration with, and funding from, a diverse range of bodies including: The Children Society, Centre for Citizen Participation, National Youth Agency and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. She has worked extensively in partnership with local and regional charities and third sector organisations.
Publications
Mullender A, Ward D and Fleming J (2013) Action for Empowerment: Self-directed groupwork London: Palgrave Macmillan
Fleming J with Beresford P, Bewley C, Croft S, Branfield F, Postle K and Turner M (2013) 'Working together – innovative collaboration in social care research' Qualitative Social Work DOI: 10.1177/1473325013506929
Fleming J and Ward D (2013) 'Facilitation and groupwork tasks in self-directed groupwork' Groupwork DOI:10.1921/4901230203
Fleming J and Boeck T (eds) (2012) Involving Children and Young People in Health and Social Care Research London: Routledge pp253
Fleming J (2012) 'Young People's Participation — Where Next?' Children and Society DOI:10.1111/j.1099-0860.2012.00442.x
Beresford, P. Fleming, J. Glynn, M. Bewley, C. Croft, S. Branfield, F. Postle, K (2011), Supporting People: Towards person-centred support Bristol: Policy Press pp442
Fleming J (2010) 'Young people's involvement in research – still a long way to go?' Qualitative Social Work May 2010 pp207-224
Fleming J, Goodman-Chong H and Skinner A (2009) 'Experiences of Peer Evaluation of the Leicester Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Strategy' Children and Society vol.23, no.4 (Jul), 279-290.
Berdan K, Boulton I, Eidman-Aadahl E, Fleming J, Gardner L, Rogers I and Solomon A (Eds) (2006) Writing for a Change: Boosting Literacy and Learning through Social Action California: Josey Bass pp165