Dr. Naomi Thompson

I am a sociologist of youth, faith and inclusion with particular research interests in faith-based youth work and the inclusiveness of such provision.

I have wider research interests in young people, youth work, communities and issues of inclusion and exclusion. 

Whilst I approach research primarily from a sociological perspective, interested particularly in the everyday narratives of young people and communities, I am very much inter-disciplinary in my approach – having undertaken my undergraduate degree in youth and community work in the School of Applied Social Sciences (SASS) at the University of Durham, and my MA in Education and PhD in Religious Studies, both with The Open University.

My PhD was funded under the AHRC/ESRC Religion & Society programme and explored the peak and decline of the Sunday School Movement in the twentieth century, as well as young people’s engagement with churches in the present day. 

My recent research has included a study of young female Muslim experiences at university, young people’s engagement with organised crime, Christian street-based youth work, and faith-based youth work’s engagement with civil society.

I am currently working on research projects exploring community engagement with marginalised migrant Muslim women; hate and discrimination experienced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities; and whether professionally qualifying youth work training programmes equip practitioners to work with diverse religious communities.

I also undertake evaluation for youth and community projects, and am currently doing so for Lewisham Youth Offending Service, as well as recently completing a community needs analysis for Youth First, the largest provider of youth services in Lewisham. 

As a researcher, I am most interested in co-produced and applied research that ensures the voices of young people and communities are heard, particularly where these voices have been marginalised and/or excluded.

I undertake research that provides clear implications for communities and services and regularly engage in public fora to disseminate my research findings. I edit for the open access journal, Youth & Policy (www.youthandpolicy.org).

Publications and research outputs

Book

Thompson, Naomi; Nasimi, Rabia; Rova, Marina and Turner, Andy. 2022. Community Work with Migrant and Refugee Women: 'Insiders' and 'outsiders' in research and practice. Bingley: Emerald. ISBN 9781801174794

Thompson, Naomi. 2017. Young People and Church since 1900: Engagement and Exclusion. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 9781472489784

Edited Book

Stanton, Naomi, ed. 2015. Youth Work and Faith: debates, delights and dilemmas. Lyme Regis: Russell House.

Book Section

Thompson, Naomi. 2023. Using a narrative method to research young people’s religious engagement, past and present. In: L Woodhead; L Cadman and N Graham, eds. Messy Methods: Researching Religion in Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Rova, Marina and Thompson, Naomi. 2022. Trauma-Informed Practice with Migrant and Refugee Women. In: Naomi Thompson; Rabia Nasimi; Marina Rova and Andy Turner, eds. Community Work with Migrant and Refugee Women: 'Insiders' and 'Outsiders' in Research and Practice. Bingley: Emerald. ISBN 9781801174794

Thompson, Naomi and Joseph, Ian. 2020. Social Media and Youth Justice – challenges and possibilities for practice. In: Claudia Megele and Peter Buzzi, eds. Social Media and Social Work: Implications and Opportunities for Practice. Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 133-154. ISBN 9781447327394

Article

Spacey, Meghan and Thompson, Naomi. 2023. “I would want to see young people working in here, that’s what I want to see…” How peer support opportunities in youth offending services can support a Child First, trauma-informed, and reparative model of practice for Youth Justice. Safer Communities, 22(3), pp. 200-216. ISSN 1757-8043

Thompson, Naomi and Shuker, Lucie. 2023. The ‘secular culture’ of youth work training: Are English universities equipping youth workers to work with diverse religious communities? Ethics and Social Welfare, 17(4), pp. 366-386. ISSN 1749-6535

Spacey, Meghan and Thompson, Naomi. 2022. Beyond individual trauma: towards a multi-faceted trauma-informed restorative approach to youth justice that connects individual trauma with family reparation and recognition of bias and discrimination. British Journal of Community Justice, 18(1), pp. 18-35. ISSN 1475-0279

Report

Thompson, Naomi and Woodger, David. 2018. “I hope the river floods” Everyday hatred against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Other. GATE Herdfordshire.