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Graphics students commissioned for ground-breaking research

Tuesday 30 July 2019

TWO GRAPHICS students have been commissioned to produce a graphic novel to accompany new ground-breaking research about the role of the benefits system in transitions from military to civilian life.

The research, Sanctions, Support & Service Leavers, was led by Lisa Scullion, professor of Social Policy at the University of Salford, and funded by the Armed Forces charity the Forces in Mind Trust. (FiMT) 

The project is part of the Salford Anti-Poverty Hub work, funded by Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) and managed by the Industry Collaboration Zone (ICZ) team at University of Salford. Salford’s ICZ strategy enables strong connections with industry to be built, and is generating high impact research and knowledge exchange, and providing excellent opportunities for students.

The project represents the first substantive research in the UK to focus on veterans’ experience of the benefits system and shines a light on an issue that is rarely discussed and barely ever mentioned during military service.

The two students, Isabel Dane and Dylan Worthington, have been working alongside Lisa and the research team to produce illustrations for the output to create an innovative means of communicating the key messages of the research. 

Isabel said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was a really nice brief to work on and I felt that I had a lot of creative freedom within it. All the work was well received and praised by those involved.

“It was a really great experience to meet a lot of people who were involved and interested in the research and thought the outcome was a fantastic idea. People were engaged with the graphic novel and I hope it may produce more work for myself in the future.”  

Isabel and Dylan accompanied Lisa to the House of Lords recently to help launch the findings of the research, where they had the opportunity to discuss their work with MPs, and representatives from Government departments, local Government and Armed Forces charities. The research was also recently debated in the House of Commons.   

Lisa said: “It was a fantastic experience working with Dylan and Isabel. They approached the project with professionalism and sensitivity and helped to bring the stories of our participants to life. The project is having a significant impact with commitments from policy makers to take some of our recommendations forward. Being able to bring together our social policy expertise with Dylan and Isabel’s creativity has been essential to enabling us to disseminate the findings as widely as possible”.      

The full graphic novel is available on the FiMT website here.

Find out more

Chloe Deakin

0161 295 2237