What do young 2018 people value about their friendships?

Project: Other projectProject from former institution

Project Details

Description

What traits do you look for in a friend? It might be a shared interest, such as a love of football. Alternatively it could be a good sense of humour, a similar outlook on life, or a shared experience - such as growing up in the same village. Other traits that you might value include kindness, trustworthiness and loyalty.

For the past six years the WISERD Education project has been following the lives of children and young people in Wales. The researchers have conducted an annual survey of over 1,000 young people each year, following them all from the beginning of secondary school in Year 7 to when they leave school (from Years 11 to 13). The point of the survey was to increase our understanding of the lives and educational experiences of young people in Wales.

At this event, researchers explained more about the survey to young people from Fitzalan High School in Cardiff, as well as discussing what the survey has shown about the traits young people look for in their friendships.

The interactive event also taught young people about the methods social scientists use, and how the survey data collected from them is analysed and used to inform social science research. In addition to engaging young people in research about themselves, this event tried to encourage more young people to consider a future career in the social sciences.

Layman's description

Secured small ESRC Festival of Science impact grant to promote social science research in secondary schools in Wales through discussions and interactive games about survey question data with year 9 and 11 pupils.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date5/11/187/11/18