Faculty Member, Glasgow School of Social Work
Research Fellow
About
Zachari has a BA (HONS) in Sociology and Social Anthropology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Research from the University of Hull and is due to complete her PhD in ‘The Identity and Community of Adult Care Leavers (age 25+)’ (Sociology, Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences) at the University of Glasgow in 2014.
Employed by both SIRCC (the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care) and the GSSW (Glasgow School of Social Work), Zachari has worked on a number of projects including research into: an acknowledgement and accountability forum for the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC); young people in care and online; an audit into the qualifications held by residential child care staff; care leavers and further education and the wider issues and needs of adult care leavers. This research has transcended geographical boundaries with work in the Netherlands and Australia.
Alongside the main remit of her post at the University of Strathclyde, Zachari is also linking with other professionals and academics across the UK to develop other projects that sit within her areas of interest. As well as work on young people in care and care leavers, Zachari is also interested in gender and sexuality, identity, ethics and methodology.
Before coming to the University of Strathclyde Zachari was involved in various research projects based in England that were funded by the Home Office, The Teenage Pregnancy Unit, the NHS alongside being commissioned by local agencies and charities. This funding was to carry out research into the following areas: sexual health, young people, identity and LGBT communities.
During this period Zachari was also a part-time lecturer where she taught various undergraduate courses within sociological, anthropological, methodological and feminist fields. Teaching postgraduate methodology was also a mainstay of this post as were undergraduate dissertation students. In the first half of this teaching period Zachari was also involved in teaching youth workers on two separate modules: Social welfare: policy, practice and legislation and, secondly, Researching Communities.
As well as Zachari's professional qualifications and skills, she is also heavily involved in voluntary projects and areas of user-involvement. As a care leaver, Zachari spent 8 years in children's homes and institutions whilst growing up and thus has a personal interest in the needs of young people in care and the ongoing needs of care leavers. Her main voluntary involvement was as an Executive Member of the Care Leavers’ Association (www.careleavers.com) (an organisation she continues to support). As well as being the treasurer for this organisation, she worked with a number of other executive members and staff on the following projects: developing a research hub, developing and delivering training and presentations, developing a leaving care guide; fundraising and preparing for National Care Leavers’ Week. She continues to support their work and provides time when possible.
