What People Say...
Pete worked with me to develop a number of units of Level 4 CPD training for Youth Workers. It’s an innovative project, and the quality of the 3 units he developed was superb. They focused on various aspects of Youth Work within and alongside the criminal justice system, and Pete’s expertise in both sectors was evident. He was a real pleasure to work with, and it was helpful to know the work was in safe hands.- Kevin Jones,
Head of Workforce and Professional Practice National Youth Agency
NYA.org.uk
What People Say...
“Dr Peter Harris is one of the UK’s leading experts on the psychosocial approach to youth violence. He is a deep thinker who uses academic insight to help young people and professionals working in the sector understand how difficult and traumatic life events - including the structural injustices of racism, sexism, homophobia and poverty – lead people into trouble with the law. Pete’s work is much needed by all those involved in interventions to tackle the various drivers of youth violence”. David Gadd, Professor of Criminology, University of Manchester.”- David Gadd,
Professor of Criminology, University of Manchester
ABOUT PETE HARRIS
Dr. Pete Harris worked as a detached (street-based) youth worker for 18 years - a job that involved engaging with the most ‘hard to reach’ young people in public spaces who were not accessing existing youth service provision. Pete holds a BA in Social Policy, a Dip.H.E. in Youth and Community Work and an M.A. in Education Studies. He was Presidents Doctoral Scholar at Manchester University where he completed an ESRC funded PhD in Criminology.
- Chair of the Federation for Detached Youth Work during which time he led several national conferences and developed training programmes for youth workers and other youth professionals.
- 2008 Programme Manager for Children’s Society. Substantial experience of leading and managing staff.
- From 2009-2024 he worked in Higher Education as a Senior Lecturer at Newman University, Birmingham.
- In 2024, Pete joined Oxford Brookes University as a Reader in Criminolgy
- Between 2011 and 2014 was external examiner at the Youth and Community Work undergraduate degree programme YMCA College (University of Canterbury). Currently holds an external examiner position at UEL.
- From 2012- 2016 led The TOUCH project – an international research project exploring youth work responses to youth violence in the UK, Germany and Austria. This research has been disseminated via an hour-long documentary A book documenting this research, Responding to Youth Violence through Youth Work, co-authored by Pete Harris and Mike Seal, is available from Bristol University Press
- In 2017 led on the establishment of a community outreach youth work project at ReachOut.
- Completed his PhD in Criminology in 2018 at the University of Manchester after being awarded the title of Presidents Doctoral Scholar and an ESRC scholarship. Has now established a strong national and international reputation as an expert in the field of formal and informal education, youth work, youth justice and youth violence.
- Has a proven track record in publishing high quality and high impact peer-reviewed research, both books and journal articles, specifically in the areas of psychosocial criminology, youth crime, youth violence, informal education, teaching and learning, race, masculinity and social policy.
- Has been invited to speak at over 20 national and international external conferences
- Active member of the British Society for Criminology and Association for Psychosocial Studies.
- Acted as consultant to several external agencies including the Wolverhampton Youth Zone with regards to the development of their detached youth work provision and written training modules for the National Youth Agency.
- In January 2019 successfully coordinated a national conference focusing on Religious Belief, Identity and Desistance which attracted over 75 attendees form the Midlands and further afield.
- Have secured several other external grants including one to Youth in Action supporting students as part of an ongoing international exchange with a folk high school in Stockholm Sweden.
- Now a PhD supervisor with Liverpool Hope University.
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
- We have also provided training advice for local youth organisations Stockton on Tees Detached Youth Work; Sandwell MBC Detached Youth Work; and Wolverhampton Youth Zone