Dr Darren Sharpe is an accomplished Social Scientist with over fifteen year experience in delivering high end research and developing programmes of work spanning health, education, citizenship, welfare, and social care. These include youth engagement projects on behalf of the UK Government and EU, Night Time Economy research funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex and child protection research on behalf of the Children Commissioner Office in England, as well as media guidelines on the prevention of youth suicide for the EU (i.e. Directorate of Health and Consumers). Darren specialises in participatory research in the development of social and health policy. He is an award winning and highly accomplished academic-activist who has worked tirelessly since 1997 to help improve outcomes for young people who do not have a powerful voice. Dr Sharpe has written widely and been an invited speaker at INVOLVE, Social Service Research Group Association, AYPH and other national and international conferences on a range of socio-political topics affecting young people in Europe and around the world.

Dr Sharpe lectured in the Department of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University, Loughborough University and Anglia Ruskin. He has designed and taught modules in Core Sociology, ‘Race’, Culture and Society and in Qualitative Research Methodologies and Methods for doctoral, postgraduate and undergraduate students. He is held in high-esteem by students and colleagues for his teaching, scholarship and research and features in the 2014-15 Anglia Ruskin postgraduate prospectus. What’s more, Dr Sharpe has trained and mentored teachers to conduct action research in the school environment and provided bespoke research skills training to public and third sector employees.