This year, I have made steady progress on my doctoral research exploring how voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations support Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities living with dementia in Birmingham. My work has focused on developing the thesis structure, engaging with key literature, refining research questions, and preparing for a mapping exercise of relevant organisations, including securing ethics approval. Guided by regular supervisory feedback, I’ve also been strengthening my methodological knowledge and conceptual framing to ensure the study is both rigorous and ethically sound.
Diversifying Dementia Care: Exploring Voluntary Sector Support for People from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Groups in Birmingham
My PhD project, Diversifying Dementia Care, explores how voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations support people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities living with dementia in Birmingham. Grounded in a social constructionist epistemology, the study draws on personhood theory, the social construction of ethnicity, and cultural competence to critically examine how dementia is understood and experienced in culturally diverse contexts. The research aims to understand how VCFSE organisations respond to these culturally shaped understandings, address systemic inequalities, and deliver care that is inclusive and meaningful. So far, I have developed the early thesis chapters, engaged with key literature, refined research questions, and gained ethics approval for a mapping exercise of local VCFSE services, which will inform future fieldwork.
University of Birmingham
Advisor: Kelly Hall
Contact: cbc426@student.bham.ac.uk
