Dr Paul Willis
BSWHons(Tas.), PhD(Tas.)
Expertise
Paul is a social work educator and social researcher in adult social care, ageing and social inclusion. His research expertise includes loneliness, ageing and masculinities; sexuality and ageing; gender identity and ageing.
Current positions
Associate Professor in Social Work and Social Gerontology
School for Policy Studies
Contact
Media contact
If you are interested in speaking to this expert, contact the University’s Media & PR Team on
Biography
I am a social work educator and social researcher in adult social care, ageing and social inclusion. I am also an NIHR Senior Research Fellow and the current Head of Centre for Research in Health and Social Care (School for Policy Studies). My research areas include: inclusive housing provision for older adults; loneliness, ageing and masculinities; sexuality, care and ageing; trans ageing and gender identity; inclusive care provision for diverse groups of older people; and; LGBTQ youth health and wellbeing. I welcome proposals for postgraduate research (PhD/ Masters) in any of the above areas.
I qualified as a social worker in Tasmania (Australia) in 2002 and my former practice experience includes school social work with children and adolescents (statutory role) and counselling and community work with sexual and gender minority groups (voluntary agency). In February 2009, I took up a lecturer post in social work with Swansea University after providing sessional teaching in both sociology and social work programmes at the University of Tasmania for 4 years. I joined the School for Policy Studies in 2016.
Research interests
Current Research
Older men at the margins study: a qualitative study of older men's experiences of seeking social engagement and combating loneliness in later life. Funded by the NIHR School for Social Care Research, based at the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. Principal Investigator. Read more here.
Trans* ageing and care (TrAC): a mixed methods study into dignified and inclusive health and social care for older trans* and intersex people in Wales. Funded by Dunhill Medical Turst, based at Swansea University. Principal investigator and co-manager. Read more here.
As a social care researcher my research areas include: older men's experiences of loneliness and social isolation; sexuality, care and ageing; trans ageing and gender identity; inclusive care provision for diverse groups of older people; equality measures in organisations, and; LGBTQ youth health and wellbeing. I welcome proposals for postgraduate research (PhD/ Masters) in any of the above areas.
Positions
University of Bristol positions
Associate Professor in Social Work and Social Gerontology
School for Policy Studies
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Promoting Social Inclusion and Equality in Housing with Care and Support for older people
Principal Investigator
Description
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, 2019-2021. The principal aim of the DICE Project is to explore the social inclusion of older people from socially diverse backgrounds in…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
14/01/2019 to 31/12/2021
Online advice to carers: an updated review of local authority websites in England
Principal Investigator
Description
Funded by the NIHR School for Social Care Research, this rapid study examined the provision of online information for unpaid carers during the Covid-19 pandemic in England. It follows a…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
20/07/2020 to 31/07/2021
Innovative and Promising Social Work Practice with Older People in England: a preliminary study
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
The aims of this study are to:
1. Develop an evidence base of promising and innovative practice in social work with older people
2. Capture the range of settings in which…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/04/2018 to 30/04/2019
Creating inclusive care home environments for older LGBT+ people: an online learning resource
Principal Investigator
Description
The Care Under the Rainbow online resources and films can be viewed here: https://www.diversitytrust.org.uk/careunderrainbow/Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/07/2018 to 30/03/2019
Men in pubs – pubs as social spaces in the life-stories of older men
Principal Investigator
Description
This project aims to:
• Initiate a new interdisciplinary partnership on the topic of the role of pubs in the social lives and social connections of older men (65+) in Bristol.
• Establish…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
03/01/2018 to 31/07/2018
Publications
Recent publications
04/02/2021Casting light on the distinctive contribution of social work in multidisciplinary teams for older people
British Journal of Social Work
Exploring the role of volunteers in social care for older adults
Quality in Ageing and Older Adults
'I’m going to live my life for me’
Ageing and Society
Challenges to a Rights-Based Approach in Sexual Health Policy
Strengths-based Social Work with Older People: A UK Perspective
Rooted in Strengths: celebrating the strengths perspective in social work
Teaching
I've been teaching on social work qualifying programmes since 2006 in Australia and the UK. As a social work educator, I currently teach on the MSc Social Work programme at Bristol, specifically teaching on social work with adults, community work, contemporary contexts of social work, and social work with older people. I have particular interests in teaching on the importance of sexuality as an integral dimension to human relationships and its significance in social work as a dimension to people's wellbeing and life satisfaction.
Related people
Professor Liz Lloyd
Senior Research Fellow
School for Policy Studies
Dr Alex Vickery
Research Associate
School for Policy Studies
Ms Tricia Jessiman
Senior Research Associate in Qualitative Public Health Research
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Professor Ailsa Cameron
Professor of Health and Social Care
School for Policy Studies
Dr Ellie Johnson
Research Associate
School for Policy Studies
