People
As with life, this research project wouldn't be possible without the support and collaboration of its own Very Important People and Organisations
Dalia Avello-Vega
Lead Researcher
Dalia is the principal investigator and enthusiastic leader of the My VIP Scotland project. Trained as a psychologist, she has dedicated most of her career to exploring the intersection between adversity and children’s mental health in public policy contexts. ​
For My VIP Scotland she is using longitudinal data to learn about the influence that significant adults and peers have in children’s lives as they grow.
Other projects Dalia is currently involved in:
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Deconstructing Preschool Suspension and Expulsion: Discourse analysis in a policy setting.
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Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety Disorders in Latin-America: Systematic Review and Meta Analysis.
Michael Heffernan
Young Persons Advisory Group Leader
Michael is an youth participation advisor to the My VIP Scotland project. He is a Social Policy and Politics student at the University of Edinburgh. Alongside his studies, Michael is a longstanding ‘expert by experience’ and brought his lived experience of human rights breaches to projects at the Scottish Government and charitable foundations trying to tackle these issues.
For the project, Michael has been working with Dalia, using his experience of participation projects to construct an authentic and empowering participation experience for the Young Advisory Group.
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