Improving Young Mothers’ Mental Health Literacy through the Development of a Digital Learning Resource

Scholarship Description:

Improving Young Mothers’ Mental Health Literacy through the Development of a Digital Learning Resource is open for International Students, Domestic Students . The scholarship allows Research level program(s) in the field of All Subjects taught at Western Sydney University . The deadline of the scholarship is expired at 30 Apr 2022.

A collaborative team of Western Sydney University academic and professional staff from the School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Translational Health Research Institute, The Centre for Transforming Early Education and Child Health (TeEACH) and The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development have partnered with Western Sydney Local Health District’s Perinatal Child Youth Mental Health Service (PCYMHS) and a number of other government and community-based organisations to deliver a project funded by the Ministry of Health focusing on the Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing Program’s Emerging Priorities. The project is titled ‘Young Well Beings – Improving young mothers’ mental health literacy through the development of a digital learning resource co-designed with consumers and persons with lived experience’.

The overall aim of the project is to develop, from the ground-up, a digital resource that supports young mums’ perinatal journey, as a preventative tool to support their mental wellbeing. The PhD student will be immersed within the project and will have the opportunity to explore research questions that arise from the process of development and implementation of this resource, including, but not limited to, the following:

1) What are the experiences, needs and expectations of young mothers in relation to their mental health and wellbeing during the perinatal period, and how they differ across different socio-cultural groups?

2) What are the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the needs of young mothers and how they might use and benefit from mental health literacy resources?

3) What are the enablers and challenges associated with the development of a co-designed, lived experience-informed learning resource targeted at young mothers?

4) How effective is a co-designed digital resource in supporting young mothers’ wellbeing?

The PhD project is expected to use a qualitative approach, integrating a range of data collection methods.

The project provides an exciting opportunity for the candidate to work in collaboration with a range of government and non-government organisations in the mental health and perinatal fields, as well as with a multi-disciplinary team of world-renowned academics.

Degree Level:

Improving Young Mothers’ Mental Health Literacy through the Development of a Digital Learning Resource is available to undertake Research level programs at Western Sydney University.

Available Subjects:

Following subject are available to study under this scholarship program.

• All Subjects

Scholarship Benefits:

• Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $30,000 per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
• International candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $30,000 per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs. Those with a strong track record will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
• Support for training, conference attendance, fieldwork and additional research costs as approved by the School.

International candidates are required to hold an Overseas Student Health Care (OSHC)(opens in new window) insurance policy for the duration their study in Australia. This cost is not covered by the scholarship.

Eligible Nationalities:

All Nationalities

Eligibility Criteria:

The successful applicant should:

• hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following (i) an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Masters degree, or (iv) equivalent international qualifications.
• demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to one or more areas of focus of the project, including but not limited to qualitative and participatory methodologies, social determinants of health, youth mental health, education and training, and digital media.
• have an understanding of the importance of youth mental health.
• be willing to learn and develop skills in participatory research, co-design and digital media.
• have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• be willing to work with others in a team environment.
• be willing to conduct fieldwork across NSW.
• be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level.

Application Procedure:

Follow the step-by-step instructions on the how to apply for a project scholarship

• Note: You do not need to complete 'Step 5: Submit an online application for admission' when applying for this scholarship. You must complete 'Step 6: Submit an online application for a project scholarship'.

Incomplete applications or applications that do not conform to the above requirements will not be considered.

For questions and advice about the research project, please contact the Lead Researcher;
Associate Professor Arianne Reis: a.reis@westernsydney.edu.au