LSST Research Selected for British Sociological Association Annual Conference 2027
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 4 November 2026
Research by LSST Birmingham academics has been selected for presentation at the British Sociological Association (BSA) Annual Conference 2027 – bringing new research into youth disadvantage, educational opportunity and social mobility to a national academic audience.
The paper, Disrupting the NEET Habitus: An Intersectional Analysis of Holistic Wraparound Intervention in the LSST Birmingham Youth Trailblazer Programme 2025-2026, examines how higher education institutions can support young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), drawing on the findings of LSST Birmingham’s Youth Trailblazer initiative.
The research uses Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital and field, alongside intersectionality, to examine how structural disadvantage shape young people’s expectations and access to education and employment. This connects with the conference theme, Freedom and Hope in the Current Global Context, by considering the conditions that can widen young people’s opportunities.
An intersectional approach looks at how factors such as neurodiversity, financial difficulties and racial inequality can combine to affect a young person’s opportunities and how institutions treat them. Using Bourdieu’s framework, the research shows that disengagement from education or employment cannot simply be seen as an individual problem. It must also be understood in the context of wider social inequalities and barriers.
Laura Favile, Data and Compliance Lead at LSST Birmingham, is among the academics exploring the relationship between education, social inequality and opportunity for young people. Photo: LSST.
Delivered at LSST Birmingham, the Youth Trailblazer Programme supported 50 young adults aged 18 to 21 through personalised mentoring, sustained coaching and opportunities to gain accredited Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) qualifications. Through Bourdieu’s framework, the research examines these relationships and qualifications as potential sources of social and cultural capital – and the campus as an institutional field in which access to support and learning opportunities can be reconsidered.
Rather than judging success only by how many young people move straight into jobs, the programme focused on building relationships, confidence and helping each person make progress. The research explores whether ongoing support can help young people overcome the effects of past exclusion and see new possibilities in education and employment. It also considers how different forms of inequality can affect their experiences and the opportunities available to them.
The findings are encouraging. Overall, 78% of participants progressed into formal education, accredited training or sustained employment. The figure rose to 84% among ethnic minority participants and 80% among those identified as vulnerable or at risk.
For the LSST researchers, these outcomes raise important questions about how institutions understand youth disengagement and the effectiveness of the support available to those experiencing multiple forms of disadvantage.
Lead researcher Samina Shafieq, Careers and Employability Lead and Programme Manager at LSST Birmingham, said: “When young people experience persistent disadvantage, transactional approaches to support can reinforce the very feelings of alienation we are trying to overcome. Our research shows the value of building trust through trauma-informed and culturally responsive coaching within a higher education setting.”
Co-author Laura Favile, Data and Compliance Lead at LSST Birmingham, said: “By prioritising genuine relationships and ongoing support over quick outcomes, the Youth Trailblazer Programme at LSST has shown what can be achieved when young people are given the time and support to move forward.”
Mr Ali Jafar Zaidi, CEO of LSST, said: “The selection of this research for the BSA Annual Conference is an important recognition of the excellent work taking place at LSST Birmingham and the contribution our academics are making to a wider national conversation.”
Professor Paul McDermott, Principal of LSST, said: “Good research should do more than describe a problem, it should help us understand why it exists and what solutions can be offered to address it. This research brings academic thinking into direct conversation with the lived experiences of young people, helping us better understand the social problems that shape their access to education and employment. This research helps us to recognise these problems but also challenge images wider society to ask the necessary questions that address the barriers that hold people back.”
Matthew Garvey, LSST’s Head of FE and Business Development, said: “The success of the Birmingham Youth Trailblazer Programme proves that Further Education is at its best when ambitious curriculum intent meets a true commitment to personal development. By removing barriers for vulnerable young adults, we ensure that every learner regardless of their starting point gains the accredited credentials and skills needed for lasting social mobility.”
Mohsin Riaz, Dean at LSST Birmingham, added: “These findings offer valuable lessons for the wider higher education sector. Supporting young people to achieve long-term success requires more than skills training alone. It means understanding individual circumstances, building confidence and helping learners recognise and realise their potential.”
The BSA Annual Conference 2027 will provide a platform for the LSST researchers to share their findings with fellow academics and contribute to a wider examination of how education, institutions and social structures shape young people’s opportunities.
Learn more about the BSA conference here: https://www.britsoc.co.uk/events/key-bsa-events/bsa-annual-conference-2027-freedom-and-hope-in-the-current-global-context/
Reference:
Wickert, C. (2026) ‘Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice: Habitus, Capital, and Social Inequality’, SozTheo, 30 April. Available at: https://soztheo.com/sociology/theories/theory-of-practice-bourdieu/ (Accessed: 3 November 2026).
For further details or media enquiries, contact LSST’s Public Relations Manager via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.
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