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The Meaning of Home podcast: Loughborough University Doctoral Researchers launch podcast about Home and Homelessness

Loughborough University’s HOME CDT PhD researchers have launched a new podcast series called ‘The Meaning of Home’, which aims to generate conversations to rethink experiences of home and homelessness in the UK.

Hosted by Sara Christou and co-produced by Dave Angel, the podcast highlightshome and homelessness as a multi-facetedsocial problem. By sharing insights and ideas, the aim is to build understanding of the issue from a multitude of different perspectives.  

The first six episodes include guests ranging from doctoral researchers and academics who are part of the HOME CDT, service providers, those affected by homelessness, artists and other academics interested in home(lessness).Themes so far have included: empathy, visibility, belonging, and voice.  

HOME CDT Director Professor Rebecca Cain, who you can hear on episode one ‘Beginnings’, said of the podcast: “We are really proud to see how this group of doctoral researchers have come together to deliver this podcast as a team effort, above and beyond their individual PhD projects. We are grateful to the range of guests who have given fascinating insights into and perspectives on the issues surrounding home and homelessness, through sharing their own experiences. We hope that the podcast will be an inspiring and thought-provoking listen for anyone with an interest in the meaning of home. 

Amid concerns over rising numbers of youth homelessness in the media and Centrepoint’s Christmas Appeal to help support vulnerable young people this winter, episode six of the podcast explores the impact of homelessness on young people locally in both Leicestershire and London. Host Sara is joined by guests Phil Kerry, CEO of New Horizon Youth Centre, and Hannah Deignan​, Shine Project Coordinator at YMCA Leicestershire.  

When asked why such a podcast is needed, host Sara said: “We want to pioneer collaborative working with communities and stakeholders affected by homelessness, to develop impactful new research. So, the podcast is a fantastic platform to amplify the voices of people affected by the loss of home, as well as an opportunity to have rich discussions about the complexities of the meaning of home. We hope the podcast will ignite further conversations, whilst dismantling stereotypes.”  

The Meaning of Home Podcast’ is available to download fromPodbean. Listeners can subscribe to the channel and will receive an alert once new episodes are published. 

The Harnessing Opportunities for Meaningful Environments Centre for Doctoral Training - HOME CDT- is a cohort of seven PhD projects at Loughborough University. Its transdisciplinary team explores under-researched contexts across different types of homelessness, and uses creative methodsas a means to understand lived experiences.  

 

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