Researcher

Location: Centre for Practice Innovation and OSS Kirkcaldy

About Scottish Autism

Scottish Autism seeks to promote and provide care, education, support and opportunities for people with autism of all ages throughout Scotland.  We work tirelessly to create a world where autistic people are understood and enabled to lead meaningful, fulfilling and happy lives as valued members of the community.

A key expectation of everyone who works for Scottish Autism is that they live and breathe our values; Collaboration, Change Makers, Compassion and Contribution. Our values come into play throughout everything we do at work – how we work together, and how we deliver services to the people we support and to the people we work alongside.

About Centre for Practice Innovation

The CPI is our organisational hub for the development of practice and leads on the delivery of our staff learning and development. We undertake participatory practice research and seek to facilitate and inform research activity that is compatible with our organisational values. The centre delivers our community facing services such as our advice line, external training and consultancy. Our national and international networks and partnerships are developed through the CPI. Additionally the CPI works to inform and influence policy and legislation that has a direct impact on the lives of autistic people in Scotland.

Test for Change Project

Scottish Autism has been awarded funding to pilot improved mental health support for autistic people through our One Stop Shop in Kirkcaldy. The pilot will focus on greater inter-professional working between mental health and autism professionals; enhanced accessibility of mental health support through provision in an autism-specific service setting, and improved pathways for acute mental health referrals.

The Role

Reporting to the Research and Policy lead, the post-holder will be employed to undertake a research-based evaluation of the pilot, involving a range of stakeholders that include people who access the one-stop-shop, their families, mental health and autism support professionals, and allied professionals. They will work collaboratively with the team at the One-Stop-Shop and be part of Scottish Autism’s Centre for Practice Innovation.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Regular liaison with project team to establish evaluation criteria and monitor the progress of the project.
• Collecting evidence for the effectiveness of the project through interviews, focus groups, case studies, and survey work with a range of stakeholders.
• Analysis of data (inc. thematic and/or framework analysis)
• Regular reporting and consultation with Scottish Autism’s research and policy lead
• Writing-up and disseminating the results of the evaluation through a range of media (formal reporting, blogs, presentations and publications) in collaboration with project partners.

Skills and Attributes

• Personal and professional values that align with Scottish Autism’s organizational values of compassion, collaboration, contribution, and being change-makers
• A commitment to inclusive research
• The ability to work independently and project-manage the evaluation on a week-to-week basis
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Ability to work flexibly to complete the evaluation

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience in collecting and analysing social research data
• A postgraduate qualification in an appropriate discipline, PhD preferred
• A track record of meaningfully involving stakeholders in research
• Experience working with people who have diverse thinking and communication styles
• Experience of inter-professional working

Apply now