On Wednesday 20 June, Professor of Childhood Studies Emma Renold won the Outstanding Impact in Society award in the 2018 Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Celebrating Impact Prize.
The award was given in recognition of Professor Renold’s research, which helped inform Wales’ proposed overhaul of sex and relationships education in Wales. It also recognises the impact of AGENDA: A Young People’s Guide to Making Positive Relationships Matter, a resource co-created with Welsh Women’s Aid, NSPCC and others, which supports and provides tools for young people to raise awareness healthy relationships and address sexual violence and domestic abuse.
Eleri Butler, CEO of Welsh Women’s Aid said:
“We are delighted that Emma has won this prestigious ESRC prize, in recognition of her collaborative research with young people and specialist services in Wales, which has extended the scope of feminist activism in Wales and beyond.
“We are particularly pleased to see the resource for young people – AGENDA – be recognised for its impact. This online resource was developed in partnership with young people, Welsh Women’s Aid and NSPCC amongst others, and is used by young people in communities and schools across Wales to help prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence, and promote equality and human rights.
“Having contributed to the Wales Expert Panel that made several recommendations to improve the Welsh school curriculum, I saw firsthand how Emma’s expert leadership of the panel and research on sexuality education was instrumental in informing the panel’s success. This included our securing Welsh Government commitment to making Relationships and Sexuality Education statutory from 2022, accompanied by professional learning pathways for teachers to deliver this effectively.
“Emma’s commitment to joining up research, feminist activism, and young people’s central involvement in decisions about their lives, provides a unique platform from which we can work together to address structural inequalities based on sex, race and class that underpin gendered violence and to prevent violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence in Wales.”
To view the Agenda toolkit – A young people’s guide to making positive relationships matter, please click here.