The 2023 YLT (Young Life and Times) Survey and KLT (Kids' Life and Times) Survey Results Launch event was held on the 5th of September.
The results are now available for review! If you're curious about the perspectives of 10-11-year-olds and 16-year-olds in Northern Ireland, delve into the surveys, which uncover their thoughts on important topics like the cost-of-living crisis, mental health, sport and physical activity, as well as issues related to good relations and gender-based violence. Interested in discovering more, click the link to the YLT Survey and the link to the KLT survey.

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ARK produces a range of publications, including Research Updates and Policy Briefs. The team also publishes articles in academic journals, and recently published include:

• Early, Erin and Devine, Paula (2023) Men's Health in Northern Ireland: Why do we need a men's health policy? Sociology of Health and Illness
• Carney, Gemma M., Lugea, Jane, Fernandez-Quintanilla, Carolina and Devine, Paula (2023) 'Sometimers, Alzheimer's? I love that! That's definitely me': Readers' responses to fictional dementia narratives, The Gerontologist
• Lagdon, Susan, Klencakova, Lucia, Schubotz, Dirk, Shannon, Ciaran, Tully, Mark A., Armour, Cherie and Jordan, Julie-Ann (2023) Young People's Understanding of Coercive Control in Northern Ireland, Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma
• Lloyd, Katrina, Schubotz, Dirk, Roche, Rosellen, Manzi, Joel and McKnight, Martina (2023) A Mental Health Pandemic? Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Young People's Mental Health, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

For a full list of publications, as well as links, visit our Publications page

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Two new reports published by The Executive Office and NISRA explore public attitudes relating to gender-based violence using data from the 2022 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey and 2022 Young Life and Times (YLT) survey:

• Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Experiences and attitudes of adults in Northern Ireland in 2022
• Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Experiences and attitudes of 16-year olds in Northern Ireland

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In partnership with Dublin City University (DCU), from September ARK will be involved in a study on Inclusivity in Volunteering in Ireland. The study is funded by the Irish Government and led by DCU. The study will add to ARK's portfolio of research on volunteering.

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From September to December, Joey Van Matre, a PhD student from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, will join ARK as a visiting researcher. Joey's research primarily centers on adolescent and young adult development in education, with a specific focus on LGBTQ adolescents. During his time here, Joey will delve into ARK's YLT data and explore other research pertaining to young people in Northern Ireland, including their involvement in civic engagement, volunteering, and education.

ARK is Northern Ireland's social policy hub. Established in 2000 by researchers at Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University, its primary goal is to increase the accessibility and use of academic data and research. Most of our dissemination is via our website at www.ark.ac.uk, which is divided into five main areas:

• Surveys
• Projects
• Resources
• Publications
• Events

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