ESRC Festival of Social Science

Q-Step Leeds comes to LUBS for the ESRC Festival of Social Science

Forty-five year 12 pupils, from schools and colleges around Leeds and Bradford, visited Leeds University Business School on Monday 9th November, to take part in an ESRC Festival of Social Science event. Organised by the University of Leeds Q-Step Centre, the event focused on 'Work and Employment in 21st Century Cities'.

Through a range of interactive sessions, the event explored the changing nature of work, employment, unemployment and welfare in 21st century cities. It looked at how cities such as Leeds and Bradford are shaped by changes occurring in the world of work and employment, and explored the role played by cities in shaping agendas and opportunities for work, employment and welfare support in the 21st century. A prominent theme throughout the day was on how data – quantitative, qualitative, visual and spatial - could be used to help understand contemporary changes in work, employment, unemployment and welfare.

The morning session began with a keynote address from the Co-ordinator of the Q-Step Centre, Professor Chris Forde, who is based in the Centre for Employment Relations Innovation and Change. Pupils then broke out into groups, facilitated by Dr Andy Turner (Geography), Daisy Payne (Sociology and Social Policy), Professor Jocelyn Evans (POLIS), and Michael Millward of Abeceder Consulting, and to look at skills needs in 21st century cities; social deprivation; the experience of work; and welfare and support.

In the afternoon session, pupils participated in a Question Time Debate on work and employment, with a panel comprising Andy Turner, Michael Millward, Albert Varela (Sociology and Social Policy), Dr Susan Gaines (POLIS) and Professor Barbara Summers (LUBS).