School of Social and Political Science

Bryony Nisbet

PhD Student

Bryony
B.G.Nisbet@sms.ed.ac.uk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/linkedin.com/in/bryony-nisbet-a03814139/
https://twitter.com/@BryonyNisbet/
Chrystal Macmillan

Research interests

Children, families and relationships Mental health and wellbeing Migration and experiences of displacement

My interests and expertise align with the SPS School's values and areas of research and established policy impact, namely, psychosocial wellbeing, social determinants of health and refugee integration. I am particularly committed to addressing issues of social justice and discrimination in government policy and associated practice using collective, creative and pioneering participatory and arts-based approaches.

With funding from the Macqueen Scholarship, my PhD project aims to generate a better understanding of how the experience of forced migration produces and impacts on sole parenting. 

Background

I am an experienced mental health practitioner with a passion for developing evidence-based solutions for strengthening refugee integration policy and practice, which in turn can improve mental health outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers. I have expertise in co-developing, managing, delivering, and evaluating a range of trauma-informed, values-based, psychoeducational services across the UK. Additionally, I have contributed to and promoted a large-scale mental health infrastructural shift in Edinburgh.

Through my work, I have developed a nuanced understanding of the specific challenges that women, children, and lone parents face, recognizing how multifaceted these difficulties can be when intersected with refugeehood. I have gained experience researching refugees’ experiences in accessing key services by leading an AMIF-funded project testing and refining Queen Margaret University’s Social Connections Mapping Tool in collaboration with the British Red Cross’ Family Reunion Integration Service. Furthermore, I served as the Co-investigator in a SIPR-funded project exploring refugee and asylum seeker experiences, trust, and confidence with Police Scotland. 

As a member of the Migration, Integration, and Social Connection Research Team, I have contributed to writing research publications, organizing conferences, providing training and workshops, and delivering teaching and mentoring students at MSc level.

Alongside undertaking my PhD, I am also working with Heriot-Watt University on a project using the arts to explore older autistic peoples’ experiences of supported living as they age.

Supervisors

Qualifications

2016  MSc Social Development and Health, Queen Margaret University 

2018  PgCert Primary Mental Health Care, University of Central Lancashire 

2013  BSc (hons) Behavioural Sciences, University of Abertay, Dundee

Awards

  • Macqueen Scholarship: PhD Social Work programme in the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh 2023-2026
  • Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR) and Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Seldom Heard Communities Fund 2021-2022
  • Santander Research Grant: MSc dissertation data collection, 2016
  • Carnegie Trust Bursary: MSc in Social Development and Health, Queen Margaret University, 2015/2016

Works within