Dr Willem J Stander PhD, FHEA, MBPsS

• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (formerly Teaching & Learning in Higher Education), University of Brighton
• PhD in Applied Social Science, University of Brighton
• MA in Community Psychology, University of Brighton
• MA in Psychology, University of South Africa (UNISA)
• BA (Hons) in Psychology, University of South Africa (UNISA)

Originally from Namibia, Willem came to the UK to pursue his postgraduate studies. He completed his PhD in Applied Social Science at the University of Brighton in 2020. His thesis examined how gay and bisexual men look for mental health support online, and how specialist services use digital and social media to reach and engage with the LGBTQ+ community. He has also previously contributed to research projects focused on men’s unwanted sexual experiences and LGBTQ youth work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Willem’s research explores mental health inequalities, help-seeking and sexual behaviours of marginalised or vulnerable populations, particularly LGBTQ+ communities and looked-after young people. His work also considers and evaluates the use of digital interventions to enhance health and social care service delivery and professionals' practice. Much of his work is cross-disciplinary and centred around participatory and co-production approaches.

Current Projects

Assessing sexual behaviours in children and young people aged 13 – 18 in the UK

• ESRC New Investigators Grant (£300,000), June 2022 – July 2024, Research Fellow.

This research intends to explore what constitutes normal, problematic, abusive and violent sexual behaviours in children and young people in the UK aged 13-18. This data will then be used to develop an assessment tool for professionals working with children and young people. This is in collaboration with Brook Charity and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

With Dr Sophie King-Hill (Principal Investigator).

View the project website 

• Institute for Advanced Studies: All Hands to the Pumps. Addressing barriers to an inclusive workplace in the Fire and Rescue Service, Dec 2023 – July 2024, Co-Investigator.

This project (2023-2024) is led by Dr Sophie King-Hill and seeks to explore the barriers and enablers to inclusive working, with a specific focus upon masculinity, in the Fire and Rescue Service. This is a collaborative project working with Prof. Scott Taylor (UoB Business School), Dr Willem Stander (UoB School of Social Policy) and Dr Graham Donovan (UoB Dept of Film and Creative Writing).

Previous projects 

LGBTQ+ Young People in Social cAre (LYPSA) project

• Funded by What Works for Children’s Social Care (£267,000), April 2021 – March 2023, Research Fellow. 

The LYPSA project sought to understand and improve the social care experiences of LGBTQ+ young people in England. The project has now concluded and included three foundational studies:

1. A systematic scoping review of the international evidence base concerning the health and wellbeing experiences of LGBTQ+ young people in foster and residential care;
2. A qualitative interview study providing the first in-depth analysis of LGBTQ+ young people’s residential care experiences in England; and,
3. The first randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of an LGBTQ+ e-learning training module for children’s social workers in England. 

The project included collaboration and co-production with a young advisors’ group who have lived experiences of social care and identify as LGBTQ+, as well as stakeholder groups connected to LGBTQ+ young people in social care. 

With Dr Jason Schaub (Principal Investigator) and Professor Paul Montgomery (Co-investigator).

• Project website

Willem is currently on a steering committee for the Comics Youth's LGBT+ Me project – an independent comics label for young people (aged 8 to 13), specifically devoted to educating, raising awareness and tackling stigma associated with being an LGBTQIA young person today.