Ujima Sponsors Three PhD Fellows in Pioneering Development
Ujima Housing Group is proud to announce that they have awarded three PhD Fellowships in partnership with the University of Greenwich, School Of Health & Social Care at Avery Hill Campus. Ujima is the largest black-led housing association in the UK and are deeply committed to strengthening Ujima’s health and social care services through education, research and training through this pioneering scheme.
The first selection of fellowships were awarded on a competitive basis and are in the areas of adult mental health, care of older and disabled persons, health promotion and prevention. The following fellows will commence their studies in September.
- Cashain DAVID: Ethnic matching in adult mental health services
- Iris KOTEI: Dementia and BME older persons
- Ike EZERIOHA: Black men’s’ Health
Dr Allan McNaught, Principal Lecturer in the University of Greenwich’s Health Development Department has been instrumental in developing this partnership in conjunction with Tony Brown, Ujima’s Managing Director for Health & Social Care. In 1984-87 Dr McNaught conducted pioneering research in West Lambeth Health Authority on how an inner city health authority and its providers responded to the health needs and practices with respect to equal opportunities in employment, a publication which although 19 years old remains a key text in this area of study. Dr McNaught has been invited to join Ujima‘s Health & Social Care Senior Management Group.
Dr McNaught said: “The partnership is a pioneering development for the School and a first of its kind for a housing association. The significance lies in the central role that housing associations now play in supporting persons with long term physical and mental health conditions, as well as the elderly. There is an absolute requirement that these users should receive the best care available and this is what this partnership is meant to achieve”.
Tony Brown, Ujima’s Managing Director for Health and Social Care is also excited by the partnership: “We intend to strengthen our relationship with the university. We are looking to the School to provide significant education and training interventions to improve the skills and competencies of our staff. We are also having discussions on how the university might help us to give users and the public opportunities to make a greater contribution to how we run and provide services. As we develop, we are also likely to sponsor another group of PhD Fellows. We look at this as a long term relationship and one that is critical for our strategic development”.
For more information please call:
· Alice Perry or Marinel FitzSimons on 0870 240 5536, or email alice@redheadpr.co.uk or marinel@redheadpr.co.uk
· Nick Davison, Press Officer,University of Greenwich on 020 8331 8092 or email n.a.p.davison@gre.ac.uk
Notes for the Editor
· Ujima is one of the largest Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) housing associations in Europe.
· The group was set up in 1977 by a small group concerned about the housing problems facing young black single men and women.
· The group has grown rapidly and now works in 6 core Boroughs and in Reading.
· Ujima owns and manages over 4600 general and special needs properties.
· Ujima houses people regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation or physical disability.
· Ujima is the largest provider of specialist accommodation for black elders and black people suffering from mental health problems.
· Dr Allan McNaught is Principal Lecturer in the Health Development Department of the School of Health.
· The School has been developing a partnership with Ujima since early in 2007.