Liam Spencer Email & Phone Number

Newcastle Upon Tyne, Gb

Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

I joined IHS in December 2014, and I am part of the SPARKS team (Supporting Prevention and care for Alcohol and other RisK behaviourS), where the current focus of my work is the NIHR SPHR Public Mental Health programme, and ATTUNE (Understanding Pathways to Stimulant Use: A mixed-methods examination of the individual, social and cultural factors shaping illicit stimulant use across Europe). I am also co-applicant on the project 'Using Behavioural Insights to Improve the Uptake of Support for Services for Drug and Alcohol Misuse in Hartlepool', and work as an embedded researcher in the Hartlepool Action Recovery Team. In 2018 I co-authored the Tyne and Wear Citizens 'Living Well: Mental Wellbeing and Public Life in the North East' report, following an AskFuse enquiry. Previously, I worked on PROMOTE: NE (Preventing Risks Of Mental illness Onset and Treating Early in the North East), which I was co-applicant for (funded by the Institute for Local Governance and Public Health England), to assess the need and provision of interventions to address mental health difficulties in young people across the North East. Prior to that, I worked on an independent evaluation of the NHS 111 Learning & Development Programme Phase 2; which was established to support and promote evidence-based service development for the NHS 111 service. The first project I had involvement with was the NIHR programme SIPS Junior; comparing the effectiveness of a face-to-face brief intervention with an electronic brief intervention (smartphone app) designed to prevent alcohol-related harm in young people aged 14-17 years presenting at A&E.

North East

This role was involved with increasing the participation of, and engaging with children and young people aged 11 to 25 on the latest YoungMindsVs campaign. This included developing and delivering issue-based universal intervention sessions in schools, colleges and youth clubs.

North East

I began working on a summer holiday scheme in Darlington, attended by children and young people of a variety of ages with various needs. This involved supporting the young people in a range of activities and trips. I am currently involved with regular short-break respite and personal assistant support sessions, mainly with young people with Autism and/or behavioural issues, focussing on their social integration, anxiety issues and outreach within the community.

Having previously volunteered at Labelled (see below) I took on a similar (paid) role; working with young people and young adults with learning/physical disabilities - supporting them to transition onto employment/self-employment or further training.

Darlington, United Kingdom

I began working for Darlington Borough Council in 2008 as a Youth Support Worker. This was originally as part of the digital media team, working with children and young people in collaboration with the Northern Echo in order to create written articles, podcasts, blogs, radio shows and videos. In 2009 I began working with the early intervention and prevention team with government funding from the youth crime action plan (YCAP). This involved working in detached, street-based, drop-in and youth club contexts with young people with mixed-abilities and a large proportion of targeted young people; based on their educational-attainment, family background, anti-social behaviour and locality. As part of a large local authority, I was fortunate enough to be provided with plenty of CPD training on subjects such as drugs and alcohol misuse, smoking, sexual health and nutrition. Through my connections at Darlington Borough Council, I was able to shadow an Educational Psychologist in summer 2010, which enabled me to work alongside her, observing 1-1 sessions with early years and older children, as well as active involvement with, and sitting in on meetings.

Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

This role involved going into local secondary schools in order to promote higher education to young people of GCSE age. This work was focussed mainly on targeting young people from backgrounds of low academic achievement. This involved planning and leading on group work sessions, following specific session plans and evaluating these sessions, monitoring the progression of the young people.

London, United Kingdom

In August 2010 I began working for an organisation in London called Cernis, as a Young Associate. The aim of this role was to work in consultation with young people and service providers for NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in order to develop an online webtool for feedback from service users. This position lasted until March 2011 on a casual basis and enabled me to work with a variety of people, in consultation and delivering presentations across the country.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Public Health

Master Of Science (Msc), Social Science And Health Research

Project: 'Exploring the acceptability of school-based mental health interventions: young people's perspectives'

Bsc (Hons), Psychology

Project: 'Exploring tactile perception and texture preference'