Launch of the Courage Scholarship!

The Courage Scholarship falls under the Positive Psychology Centre and is funded by the Positive Psychology Guild. One fully-funded position and two partially funded positions are available in 2020/2021 for the Violence & Post Traumatic Growth Initiative.

The objective of this scholarship is to explore aspects of character, community, and courage during and after situations of violence and crime. It is aimed at people working in the security, emergency, and humanitarian services, where exposure to violence and crime is experienced on a regular basis.

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Phase 1: Diploma Studies

Three successful scholarship applicants will first train as Positive Psychology Practitioners. They may select one of the following 1-year, part-time, online Positive Psychology in Practice courses most relevant to their future research project:

• Level 5 Diploma in Positive Psychology Practice & Coaching (Pathway 1)
• Level 5 Diploma in Positive Psychology Practice & Training (Pathway 2)
• Level 5 Diploma in Positive Organisational Psychology (Pathway 3)

During practitioner training, the scholars will study the Psychology of Character Strengths, Authenticity, Resilience, Positive and Negative Emotions, and Motivation. They will then train and qualify as Positive Psychology Practitioners in their chosen pathway through supervised coursework and fieldwork.

Full tutor support will be available during this process and there will be freedom to explore topics of personal and professional interest to compliment the learning process. This part of the scholarship will result in a pilot-tested Positive Psychology Intervention.

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Phase 2: Research Project

Following certification, the 3 scholars will design, implement, and evaluate a research study in their workplace or in their community for the Violence and Post Traumatic Growth Initiative. They will build on their experience of designing and testing a Positive Psychology Intervention during their Level 5 Diploma in Positive Psychology in Practice. The research project will address a topic relevant to the phenomenon of violence, trauma, resilience, and courage in their work setting or community. For example, staff resilience or working with victims of crime.

Using a qualitative research method such as Grounded Theory, Narrative Inquiry, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, or Autoethnography, the study will examine if and how Positive Psychology may be a helpful intervention for people who have experienced or witnessed violence and/or crime in this particular setting.

The scholars will commit to fulfilling the following over a period of 8-12 months:

• Research Ethics, Proposal & Design (1-3 months)
• Research Implementation & Evaluation (6 months)
• Research in Practice Paper (1-3 months)

Training in qualitative research methods during the project design phase may be offered if a successful applicant does not possess the required research skills. This will be discussed during the application phase and may add a further 1-3 months to the above timeline to allow space for these additional studies.

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Phase 3: Research Presentation

The research project will be supervised by the Positive Psychology Centre and published as a professional paper by the Positive Psychology Guild in the Positive Psychology Network Journal, Perspectives in Practice.

The scholars will receive tutor and supervision support throughout the scholarship process. Both the diploma and research project process will be self-paced, however the scholars will be expected to present their professional paper within 2 years of starting the scholarship. They will also be invited to present their research at a Positive Psychology Guild event.

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Eligibility Criteria

We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and geographical locations. Applicants will be assessed on skill, experience, vision, and character.

Essential

• Fluent English (written, spoken, reading)
• Strong interest in studying Psychology and Positive Psychology
• Capacity to study at Level 5 (equivalent to Bachelors degree in the UK)
• Available to start studying online in September 2020 (part-time)
• Able to commit to a one-year online training programme (part-time)
• Able to commit to a further 8-12 months of research (part-time)
• Professional experience in any of the following sectors: Military, Police, Security, Fire Brigade, Emergency Health, Humanitarian, Human Rights, Development

Desirable

• Understanding of scientific research methods (qualitative, quantitative)
• Prior qualifications in Psychology or working with people in a support capacity

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Application Process

Please note that there are 3 places available for this scholarship:

• One fully-funded place (zero cost to scholar or employer)
• Two partially-funded places (£1225 GBP cost to scholar or employer)

The application deadline is 30th June 2020. Interviews will take place online between 15th and 31st July 2020. The scholarship will begin in September 2020.

If you wish to apply for this scholarship, or you have questions, please contact us for further information and an application pack at: research@ppnetwork.org